Welcome: –

Call to Worship: – 

(from The Ways of God in Australian Psalms p20)  –

The Southern Cross in the night sky signals God’s glory, the Milky Way gleams with His handiwork.  At night-time His skills are on display.  With every new day comes a fuller understanding of His power and might.

All nations and tongues can understand His message which saturates our Planet,

For God has revealed His fairness, His trustworthiness, and His majesty.

How complete, then, are the ways of the Lord, constantly restoring Humanity.

He is a dependable counsellor, with wisdom for those whose minds are open to Him.

The Lord’s purposes are sincere and benevolent, making our hearts leap for joy.

His commands are clear, bringing new light into our eyes and understanding to our minds.

His Word is more valuable than any fortune, more precious than all the reserves of gold.

Let us come together and worship Almighty God, our Lord and our Saviour.

Prayer of Praise  

(adapted from Spirit in Australian Prayers p61) 

Spirit of God, active in Creation,

Spirit of majesty.

Spirit of Jesus, mediating in Heaven for us,

Spirit of love.

Spirit of holiness, present with us in the Church,

Spirit of life.

We rejoice in your presence around us and in us, through the Gospel of Christ,

like wind on our faces, and breath in our lungs.  We praise you.

We rejoice in your power to give new birth and new life,

like fire, warmth and radiance, like life in dormant seedlings bursting forth in spring.  We praise you.

We rejoice in your accepting us, ceaselessly seeking us,

freely treasuring us every new morning with love older than mountains or the distant stars.  We praise you.

Creator Spirit, life-giving Spirit, nurturing Spirit,

We praise you for your compassion, for your love, for your mercy.  We offer our adoration and worship, now and always.  Amen.

We sing ‘When I think of the cross’ (from ‘He’s everything to me number 3’)

Verse 1 of 2

Long, long ago in a far away place,

Rough rugged timbers were raised to the sky.

There hung a man suspended in space,

And, though he was blameless, they left him to die

Chorus

Just to think of the cross, moves me now,

The nails in his hands, his bleeding brow,

To think of the cross moves me now,

It should have been me,

It should have been me,

Instead I am free, I am free.

Verse 2 of 2

He put an end to my guilt and despair,

Turned bitter hating to sweet peace and love.

Even the men who put him up there

Were offered forgiveness and life from above.

Chorus

Just to think of the cross, moves me now,

The nails in his hands, his bleeding brow,

To think of the cross moves me now,

It should have been me,

It should have been me,

Instead I am free, I am free.

I am free.

Ralph Carmichael

We sing ‘I have decided to follow Jesus’ (from ‘He’s everything to me number 18’)

Sadhu Sundar Singh or Simon Marak (refer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_Decided_to_Follow_Jesus )

Prayer of Confession   

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 often go unnoticed, 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 is not always 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 Psalm 30: 2) 

The Psalmist declares that they cried out to the Lord for help, and He provided healing and wholeness.  We, too, can rest assured that having cried out to God seeking help because of our sin, we know that God has heard our prayer, and that god has answered us with sins forgiven and souls cleansed in His sight.

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

2 Kings 5:

1  Namaan, the commander of the Syrian army, was highly respected and esteemed by the King of Syria, because, through Namaan, God had given victory to the Syrian forces.. He was a great soldier, but he suffered from a dreaded skin disease.  2  In one of their raids against Israel, the Syrians had carried off a little Israelite girl, who became a servant of Namaan’s wife.  3  One day she to her mistress, “I wish that my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria!  He would cure him of his disease.”  4  When Namaan heard of this, he went to the King and told him what the girl had said.  5  The King said, “Go to the King of Israel and take this letter to him.”

  So Namaan set out, taking thirty thousand pieces of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of fine clothes.  6  The letter that he took read: ”This letter will introduce my officer, Namaan.  I want you to cure him of his disease.”

7  When the King of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and exclaimed, “How can the King of Syria expect me to cure this man?  Does he think that I am God, with the power of life and death?  It’s plain that he is trying to start a quarrel with me!”

8  When the prophet Elisha heard what had happened, he sent word to the King: “why are you so upset?  Send the man to me, and I’ll show him that there is a prophet in Israel!”

9  So, Namaan went with his horses and chariot and stopped at the entrance to Elisha’s house.  10  Elisha sent a servant out to tell him to go and wash himself seven times in the Jordan river, and he would be completely cured of his disease.  11  But Namaan left in a rage, saying, “I thought that he would at least come out to me, pray to the LORD his God, wave his hand over the diseased spot, and cure me!”  12  Besides, aren’t the rivers Abana and Pharpar, back in Damascus, better than any river in Israel?  I could have washed in them and been cured!”

13  His servants went up to him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it.  Now why can’t you just wash yourself, as he said, and be cured?”  14  So Namaan went down to the Jordan River, dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had instructed, and he was completely cured,  His flesh became firm and healthy like that of a child.  15  He returned to Elisha with all his men and said, “Now I know that there is no god but the God of Israel.”

Galatians 6:

1  My sisters and brothers, if someone is caught in any kind of wrongdoing, those of you who are spiritual should set them right, but you must do it in a gentle way.  And keep an eye on yourselves, so that you will not be tempted, too.  2  Help carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will obey the Law of Christ.

3  If someone thinks they are something when they really are nothing, they are only deceiving themselves.  4  Each one should judge their conduct.  If it is good, then they can be proud of what they themselves has done, without having to compare it with what someone else has done.  5  For everyone has to carry their own load.

6  The person who is being taught the Christian message should share all the good things they have with their teacher.

7  Do not deceive yourselves, no one makes a fool of God.  A person will reap exactly what they plant.  8  If they plant in the field of their natural desires, from it he will gather the harvest of death: if they plant in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit they will gather the harvest of eternal life.  9  So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we real the harvest.

10  So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our family in the faith.

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Luke 6:

43  Jesus looked at the people and said,

“A healthy tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a poor tree bear good fruit.  44  Every tree is known by the fruit it bears; you do not pick figs from thorn bushes or gather grapes from bramble bushes.

45  A good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in their heart; a bad person brings bad out of their treasure of bad things.  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

46  Jesus continued, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord.’ And yet don’t do what I tell you?  47  Anyone who comes to me and listens to my words and obeys them – I will show you what they are like.  48  They are like the person who, in building their house, dug deep and laid the foundation on rock.  The river flooded over and hit that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

49  But anyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a person who built their house without laying a foundation; when the flood hit that house it fell at once – and what a terrible crash that was.”

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

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

And also with you.

We sing ‘Come let us to the Lord our God’  MHB342  AHB490  TiS577

[This hymn is sung to the tune Kilmarnock and is, in part, based on Psalm 30.]

Sermon

Screen 1

“I have some good news and some bad news.”

(https://www.istockphoto.com/en/photo/doctor-supporting-a-patient-gm1319068502-406029069)

  There is the story of a man who went to see his doctor to discuss some test results.  “I have some good news and some bad news.” said the Doctor, “The good news is that you’re not a hypochondriac.”

  Naaman, the Commander of the Syrian army, was in the same predicament.  His bad news was that he “suffered from a dreaded skin disease”  (2 Kings 5: 1)  .  Graeme Auld, in his comments on this passage, remarks that his skin disease “was not what is clinically known as ‘Leprosy’ today” (because historical accounts have Leprosy appearing in the Middle East at a later date), and “is likely to have been psoriasis, a less serious but still disfiguring disease”  (Graeme Auld in Kings 167)  .  What is important to remember is that, whatever the disease may have been, it certainly brought discomfort and physical distress to Naaman, the need for Naaman to, if not isolate himself from close contact with others, then to ensure that he maintained a ‘safe’ physical distance from others, as well as bringing him mental anguish based on the understanding that there was no known remedy for the disease.  We can also gain the understanding that he had prayed to his gods for healing and had approached the priests of his gods for healing, without the healing for which he sought taking place.

  It is here that we gain insights into the natures of the main characters in this narrative.

  There is, firstly, the ‘little Israelite girl’  (2 Kings 5: 2)  .  She is a figure of contrasts.  The Hebrew words used here, ‘kaw tawn’, translated as little or young  (Strong’s OT6996), and ‘nah ar aw’, translated as ‘girl’ or ‘maid’  (Strong’s OT5291), imply that she was very young in age.  She was captured and taken away from her home and her culture to live as an alien in a foreign land.  She was forced into slavery, to act as a servant girl.  She, of all the people of whom we read in this account, is the one with the least power and control, the least ability to influence her present circumstances or to determine her future.  Yet, she is the only one in all of Syria who could provide good news for Naaman.  In spite of her circumstance as a young slave girl in a foreign land, she has maintained her faith in God and is not hesitant in giving glory to God and proclaiming that God is capable of mighty and unexpected deeds.  In spite of her position as a servant girl, she readily declares that there is a hope of healing and wholeness for her Master, Naaman.

One day she said to her mistress, “I wish that my Master could go to the Prophet who lives in Samaria!  He would cure him of his disease.”  (2 Kings 5: 3) 

  The Prophet to whom she refers is Elisha.  If Elisha is able to cure Naaman, it is because Elisha would be acting as God’s Prophet, God’s agent on Earth.  That this little girl is willing to attest to the power of God acting through the Prophet Elisha is a testament to her faith in God, a faith tested by her being enslaved and forced to live as a maid serving foreigners in a foreign land, yet a faith not found wanting in her trust that God is with her and ensuring her welfare, wherever she is and in whatever circumstances she may be.

  Have we such a simple yet confident trust in God, a trust that God is with us and caring for us in whatever circumstances we may find ourselves, a trust that God acts so powerfully and amazingly in the World and in the lives of individuals, a trust that God reveals Himself to and shows compassion for all people, irrespective of their race, creed, status, or culture?

  Joram, King of Israel, reveals himself to have been a shallow thinker.  When presented with the letter from the King of Syria, in which the King of Syria states, “I want you to cure Naaman of his disease.”, Joram becomes greatly distressed, and makes two statements.

  Firstly, he says, “How can the King of Syria expect me to cure this man?”  (2 Kings 5: 7b)  .  Here, he erroneously acts as if it is he who must display all of the abilities and capabilities to solve all of the problems that come his way.

  Secondly, he says, “Does he think that I am God, with the power of life and death?”  (2 Kings 5: 7c)  .  Here, he neglects that there are present, in his Nation, the Prophets of God, those who speak for God and through whom God displays His “power of life and death”. 

  Joram, King of Israel, had neglected his need to bring his problems to God, to lay them before God and plead for His guidance and help.  There was never any need or expectation that Joram was required to do those things that God was so ready and able to do for him.

  Do we act in the same way?  Do we despair when we are faced with difficulties, and conclude that, somehow, we must endeavour to find the solutions to our problems ourselves, and to solve our problems ourselves?  Do we neglect to bring our problems to God and to lay them at the feet of God and plead for His guidance and His help?

  Let us take reassurance from the writer of Psalm 30, who declares of God:

“I cried to you for help, O LORD my God, and you healed me”  (Psalm 30: 2) 

“Remember what the Holy One has done, and give Him thanks.”  (Psalm 30: 4) 

  Elisha acts with a definite intent.  He hears of the visit of Naaman, of the request of the King of Syria for healing for Naaman, and of the despair of Joram, the King of Israel, at his inability to heal Naaman.  Elisha sees an opportunity for God’s glory to be displayed. 

  “Send the man to me,” Elisha demands, “and I’ll show him that there is a Prophet in Israel.”  (2 Kings 5: 8b), a Prophet who will show that God is a God of power and ability, who will show that God is a God of compassion and mercy.  Elisha is careful not to give any indication to Naaman that whatever will take place will be due to any special power or ability of Elisha, but is solely the response of God towards Naaman in his time of need.  We read that Elisha sent a servant out to Naaman to give him specific instructions regarding washing himself in the River Jordan.  These instructions, we can infer, were the Word of God given to Elisha in answer to Elisha’s request to God for the right advice to give to Naaman.  These instructions were the Word of God by which God would show that He is a God of power and ability, by which God would show that He is a God of compassion and mercy.

  Do we seek the Word of God in answer to our prayers for help?  Do we seek to rely on the Word of God rather than on the word of a person?  Do we put our trust in the power of the Word of God to speak to us, or would we rather put our trust in the word of a person?

  Naaman displays the behaviours of one who worships idols and not the Creator God. 

  Firstly, Naaman complains that Elisha did not come out in person and talk to him face-to-face, that he expected Elisha to show honour and respect to him as people back in Syria would show honour and respect to him.  Naaman had to learn that, to God, position and status and power are meaningless when it comes to the foundation for a relationship with God.  We need to come to God in humility and reverence.

  Secondly, Naaman complains that he expected Elisha to perform specific religious rites and Rituals so as to invoke healing, “to pray to the LORD his God, wave his hand over the diseased spot, and cure me”  (2 Kings 5: 11)  .  Naaman had to learn that, to God, rites and rituals are meaningless when it comes to living out a relationship with God.  We need to be still and to listen to the Word of God.

  Thirdly, Naaman complains that what he being instructed to do appears too simplistic, demeaning and pointless.  Being a military commander, surely he must undergo a gruelling and rigorous test to prove that he deserves healing and warrants God’s favour upon him.  As his servants said to him, “If Elisha had told him to do something difficult you would have done it.”  (2 Kings 5: 13)  Naaman had to learn that at no time and in no way can we ever earn merit from God or warrant God’s favour towards us.  We rest assured on God’s unmerited grace and unwarranted mercy towards us, not that we deserve it nor can we earn it, but we receive it because of God’s compassion towards us, for the nature of God is to love those whom He has created.  We are called to put our trust in the Word of God and to willingly obey the Word of God.

Screen 2

Naaman said to Elisha, “Now I know that there is no god but the God of Israel.” 2 Kings 5: 10

(https://www.istockphoto.com/en/photo/elijah and namaan – gm471863427-26818501)

  We read that Naaman was encouraged to do just that, to wash himself seven time in the River Jordan, exactly as Elisha had instructed him to do, as per the Word of God.  It was only as Naaman was willing to trust and obey the Word of God that God could act in Naaman’s life, and bring healing and wholeness to him.  As we read, “Naaman was completely healed.  His flesh became firm and healthy like that of a child.”  (2 Kings 5: 14) 

  It is in the response of Naaman to this healing that had taken place that we can gauge how desperate he was to be healed and how despondent he was that the gods worshipped in Syria had failed to bring healing to him.  We read that, upon being healed of the skin disease, he returned to the house of Elisha, where, this time, Elisha went out to meet him and to talk to him face-to-face.  Here, Naaman readily professes, “Now I know that there is no god but the God of Israel.”  (2 Kings 5: 15) 

  It was when Naaman trusted and obeyed the Word of God that God became so real to him.  It was when Naaman trusted and obeyed the Word of God that God was able to work in his life in such an amazing and wonderful way.

  Is this the case with us?  Do we trust and obey God with our whole being, with our whole heart and mind and soul, so that God can work in our lives and through our lives?

Screen 3

“when the flood hit that house it fell at once”  Luke 6: 49

(https://pixabay.com/photos/barn-collapsed-countryside-ruined-7033568/)

  Jesus talked about the dangers of weak foundations and of the need for firm foundations in our life:

“Anyone who comes to me and listens to my words and obeys them” Jesus said, “I will show you what they are like.  They are like the person who, in building their house, dug deep and laid the foundation on rock.  The river flooded over and hit that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.”  (Luke 6: 47 & 48) 

  What is our ‘house’ like?  How firm are the foundations of our faith?  Do we build our lives on the firm foundation of listening to the Word of God, of trusting and obeying the Word of God?  May God be as real to us as He was so real to Naaman.  May our faith in God be sustained throughout our life, come what may, as was the faith of the little Israelite slave girl.  May we be open to God for Him to use us to share His Word to others, as God was able to speak His Word through the Prophet Elisha.

  May we not be sheds that fall down, but sheds that remain standing on firm foundations.

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774 

[This hymn is being sung to the tune Austria – there is no introduction.]

[This YouTube clip is for another hymn so disregard the words – only the one verse is needed.]

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

We pray for the Church, that we may freely share the gifts that you have given us, be open to receive the gifts that others have, and trust that you will sustain us each day.

We pray for the grace to embrace the cross, that we may accept the sufferings of life and allow them to transform us into new creations in Christ.

We pray for recognition and affirmation of gifts, that the Spirit will show us the gifts that are present in one another and give us wisdom in calling these forth into your service.

We pray for wisdom, that we may recognize the personal, communal, and social “wolves” that distract us from following Christ and be open to your inspiration and guidance.

We pray for deeper trust, that we may rely more fully on your providence and less on our possessions and status.

We pray for courage, that we may never be entrapped by our possessions but remain free to use them in our service of you and neighbour.

We pray for missionaries and relief workers, that you will renew their spirits, give them courage, and enable them to travel forward in the service of others.

We pray for all who strive to hand on the faith, that you will inspire parents, teachers, and preachers to share the Good News effectively and dynamically with all whom they encounter.

We pray for lay people who have assumed leadership of the Church’s ministries, that the Spirit will guide them in continuing the work of Jesus in pastoral service, education, healthcare, or social service, and in bringing forth your reign today.

We pray for each of us, that we may hear your call and share in the mission of the Church by bringing hope, relieving burdens, and offering compassionate understanding to all who touch our lives.

We pray for parents who are preparing to send a child out on their own, that you will help them to trust in your love and care for their child and that the Spirit will help these young people to remember the values that they have learned.

We pray for all cities burdened by violence and destruction, that your compassionate care will inspire people to work for the restoration of neighbourhoods and communities and restore hope to all who are struggling against crime and poverty.

We pray for all who long for freedom, that you will open a way for those with addictions, held unjustly, fleeing violence, or entrapped by poverty or illiteracy and help them to begin a new life.

We pray for all who are suffering, that you will open new paths for dialogue between conflicting parties, speed food to those who face famine, guide and strengthen those who strive against oppression, and give peace to those who are grieving.

We pray for all youth, that you will protect them from danger and harm during these holidays and help them to develop their skills and talents through their education.

Copyright © 2022. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/

We pray for the people of Kenya and Tanzania.  We are thankful for the abundant wildlife, natural resources and people indigenous to these countries and that they are protected, not exploited; for the literacy rate in Kenya, the highest in Africa, and for the schools that churches and their partners support and sustain in both countries; for the faithful witness of the churches in their communities, and in building positive relationships with those of other faiths, and for the persons and organizations who meet the needs of the hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees from other African countries.

We pray for greater tolerance between Christians and Muslims as they work together to improve the lives of all people; for youth, that they not succumb to radicalization but are prepared to sustain their lives and communities, for all victims of violence, especially sexual or gender-based violence, and all who are marginalized or excluded from communities, for those who are most vulnerable to climate change and drought, that they may have clean water to drink and for their crops and animals to flourish, and for economic growth and trade that benefits all the people.

In all seasons, let peace prevail

Dear Lord,
We thank you for the gift of peace. It’s a gift that only you can give.
Lord, we are living in great turmoil – hunger, disease, poverty and tears.
The cost of living has gone so high; there is so much desperation and despair.
Lord, your children are crying out to you – hearken unto us and bring forth a breakthrough.
We pray that above all we will have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you are in control. May we be still and know that you are God who never fails.
We stand on your promises that you have a good plan for us – one of prosperity and not harm.
We pray that as we go through the various seasons of our lives – the ups and downs – that your perfect peace will prevail through all things.
We place our assurance on you knowing that you are above all things and in you all things hold together.
Be glorified Lord. Arise and take your place.
Amen.

(© 2011 Laura Wachira, Kenya)

God of Hope,

whose Spirit gives light and power to your people,
empower us to witness to your name in all nations,
to struggle for your own justice
against all principalities and powers
and to persevere with faith and humour
in the tasks that you have given to us.
Without you we are powerless.
Therefore we cry together:
Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus.
And grant that we may with one voice and one heart
glorify and sing praise to the majesty of your holy Name,
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

(“An Invitation to Prayer” at the opening of the fifth assembly of the World Council of Churches, Nairobi, 1975.)

We rise up in the morning before the day, to take ourselves to labour, to
prepare our harvest. Protect us from the dangerous animal and from the
serpent, and from every stumbling block.
Boora Punnu [God], you alone have created us and given us the capacity
to feel hunger, so we need grain and we must have fertile fields.

(The Prayers of African Religion, John Mbiti, © 1975 SPCK, London, UK. In the US, Orbis Books, Maryknoll NY, USA, 1975.)

Kenya, Tanzania | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org)

We pray for Zero leprosy, which is only possible if we interrupt transmission.  We pray for the studies taking place in the Mycobacterial Research Laboratories at Anandaban Hospital, Nepal and the Stanley Browne Laboratory in Delhi, India, to find easy-to-use, affordable diagnostic tests for use by community health workers.  We pray for the TLM team in Nigeria, in partnership with CBM and the University of Jos, which is trialling the implementation of new tools and interventions to improve the mental health of people with neglected tropical diseases, including leprosy.  We pray for our Global Research Advisor, Dr Deanna Hagge, as she represents The Leprosy Mission at international research forums, and coaches and mentors other researchers.  We pray for the development and testing of new drugs for leprosy and its complications, including alternative regimens for post exposure prophylaxis and drugs with fewer side effects for the treatment of reaction.  We pray for the International Leprosy Congress will take place in India.  By your grace, TLM researchers will be there to present their studies.  We pray for them as they prepare papers and posters.

  (The Leprosy Mission Prayer Diary 2022) 

We pray for the work of Uniting World towards the easier access to clean water supplies in isolated rural communities in Papua New Guinea which affects the lives of women and children the most, with both the burden of carrying water and the incidence of water-borne diseases.

We pray for the work of the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe through the Methodist Development & Relief Agency, to help ensure that people who can’t read are receiving important health information, to help with the tracking of potential COVID-19 cases in the communities, and as they work within and collaborating with the Ministry of Health to ensure that health clinic services are provided where needed.

We pray for the projects in Timor Leste involving the delivering of community health programs providing health education about hand washing and good hygiene in preventing COVID-19.  We pray for the projects aimed at reducing the rates in the population of people suffering from tuberculosis and diarrhoea. 

We pray for those projects that provide communities with health and nutrition education and access to clean water, latrines and healthy food, which reduces malnutrition and disease and promotes healthy living.

(https://unitingworld.org.au/what-we-do/our-projects/)

We pray for the success of holiday programs run by Scripture Union, that the leaders are well prepared and supported, and that those children and youth who attend are enthusiastic about participating in the activities and about in learning about their relationship with you.

We pray for the success of chaplaincy in-service days, that those who attend are encouraged and better equipped to serve their communities.

SU Prayer Guide June 2022

We pray for the young family at Bald Hills who recently lost their father and husband in a vehicle accident.  Please be with them in their grief and loss.  May they be aware of your comforting presence.

We pray for the Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School, that your Holy Spirit may be at work in the minds and hearts of the children who attend.

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Chaplain at Bald Hills State School, that you will guide her as her interacts with the pupils and children at the School, that she will be aware of needs and of how to respond, that she is refreshed physically and spiritually refreshed over these school holidays so as to cope with what each day presents when school recommences.

We pray for the Deception Bay Congregation, for your guidance and insight for them with their call for a new Minister of the Word.

We thank you for Jillian and her work with the Church Council and the people of the Congregation to clarify our vision and mission goals as your people in the Bald Hills area.  We pray for your blessing on the deliberations of those on Church Council as they continue to consider how the Congregation is to move forward in the future.

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.

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

Amen

We sing ‘Put all your trust in God’  MHB507  AHB464  TiS555

[This hymn is sung to the tune Franconia and is, in part, based on Psalm 30.]

This clip is for the music of another hymn, so disregard the words shown in the clip.

Verse 1 of 4

Put all your trust in God,

God’s covenant shall endure;

Walk in God’s strength with faith and hope,

The promised grace is sure.

Verse 2 of 4

Commit your ways to Him,

Your work into His hands,

And rest on His unchanging word,

Who Heaven and Earth commands.

Verse 3 of 4

Give to the winds your fears,

Hope, and be undismayed:

God hears your sighs and counts your tears;

God shall lift up your head.

Verse 4 of 4

Let us in life, in death,

Your steadfast truth declare,

Confirm with every single breath

Your love and guardian care.

Paul Gerhardt

translated by John Wesley

Sacrament of Communion 

(following Uniting in Worship 2 p162 to p222) 

The Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

The Invitation

Christ, our Lord, invites to his Table all who love him, all who earnestly repent of their sin and who seek to live in peace with one another.

Prayer of Approach

Lord God, we come to your Table, trusting in your mercy and not in any goodness of our own.  We are not worthy even to gather up the crumbs under your table, but it is your nature always to have mercy, and on that we depend.  So, feed us with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your son, that we may for ever live in him and he in us. Amen.

Narrative of the Institution of the Lord’s Supper

Hear the words of the institution of this Sacrament as recorded by the Apostle Paul:

  “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body which is for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.’  In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new Covenant in my blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, for the remembrance of me.  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.’”  (1 Corinthians 11: 23 to 26) 

  And, so, according to our Saviour’s command, we set this bread and this cup apart for the Holy Supper to which he calls us, and we come to God with our prayers of thanksgiving.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

With all we are, we give you glory, God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the one and holy God, Sovereign of all Time and Space.  We thank you for this wide red land, for its rugged beauty, for its changing seasons, for its diverse people, and for all that lives upon this fragile Planet.  You have called us to be the Church in this place, to give voice to every creature under Heaven.  We rejoice with all that you have made, as we join the company of Heaven in their song:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and Earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed be the One who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest.

We thank you that you called a covenant people to be the light to the Nations.  Through Moses you taught us to love your Law, and, in the Prophets, you cried out for justice.  In the fullness of your mercy, you became one with us in Jesus Christ, who gave himself up for us on the cross.  You make us alive together with him, that we may rejoice in his presence and share his peace.  By water and the Spirit, you open the Kingdom to all who believe, and welcome us to your Table: for by grace we are saved through faith.  With this bread and this cup we do as our Saviour commands: we celebrate the redemption he has won for us.

Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

Pour out the Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts of bread and wine, that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.  Make us one with him, one with each other, and one in ministry in the World, until at last we feast with him in the Kingdom.  Through your Son, Jesus Christ, in your holy Church, all honour and glory are yours, Father Almighty, now and for ever.

Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever.  Amen.

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.

Breaking of the Bread

The bread we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

The cup we take is a sharing in the blood of Christ.

The gifts of God for the People of God.

Lamb of God

Jesus, Lamb of God,

Have mercy on us.

Jesus, bearer of our sins,

Have mercy on us.

Jesus, redeemer of the World,

Grant us peace.

The Distribution

Receive this Holy Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, and feed upon him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.

(after all have received the bread)

The body of Christ keep you in eternal life.

(after all have received the juice)

The blood of Christ keep you in eternal life.

Prayer after Communion

Blessed be God who calls us together.

Praise to God who makes us one People.

Blessed be God who has forgiven our sins.

Praise to God who gives us hope and freedom.

Blessed be God whose Word is proclaimed.

Praise to God who is revealed as the One who loves.

Blessed be God who alone has called us.

Therefore, we offer to God all that we are and all that we shall become.

Accept, O God, our sacrifice of praise.

Accept our thanks for we have seen the greatness of your love.  Amen.

We sing ‘Our Great Saviour’  (from Alexander’s Enlarged Hymn Book number 64)

[This hymn is sung to the tune Hyfrydol.]

[This YouTube has music, singing and words – there is a slight introduction.]

Wilbur Chapman

Benediction 

(adapted from Christians Together in Australian Psalms p29) 

Give praise to God who joins us here,

whose healing Spirit casts out fear:

Hallelujah, praise Him.

Let each our neighbour’s joy partake,

And to our God thanksgiving make:

Hallelujah, praise Him.

Give praise to God who gives us Christ,

Whose love redeems a mighty host:

Hallelujah, praise Him.

Let each our neighbour’s faith uphold,

And to our God our joy be told:

Hallelujah, praise Him.

Give praise to God whose Spirit leads,

To serve us mortals in our needs:

Hallelujah, praise Him.

Let each our neighbour’s hope repair,

And to our God all joy now share:

Hallelujah, praise Him.

And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

 rest 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)

https://hymnary.org/media/fetch/179720

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.

Samuel Miller Waring