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Call to Worship: –    

“The Lord is great and worthy of our praise.”  Psalm 48: 1a

  With these few words, the writer of psalm 48 reminds us of two things.

Firstly, that the God of the Bible is no myth nor folklore nor only a cultural tradition, but the Creator of Heaven and Earth and all that is in them, and that God has ultimate control of Time and Space and History.  No Nation nor any national leader has ever nor can ever exercise such authority and power as God, nor can be compared to the greatness of God.

Secondly, that our response to God is one of worship and praise, not out of fear or dread of God, but because God the Creator seeks to be in a close relationship with us, His creation.  God seeks to opulently and permanently demonstrate His love for each individual, though we deserve no such attention nor affection.

  It is the God of the Bible whom we gather together here today to offer our worship, the one who made us, the one who demonstrates His love for us.

Prayer of Praise  

(from Amish Prayers by Beverley Lewis p41, 117 and 121) 

Almighty God, we express our great praise and deep gratitude for your innumerable and glorious kindness and favour towards us.  We offer our humble thanks for your undeserved mercy, acknowledging that our restored relationship with you has come through the death and resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ.

Eternal God, you are the one who best understands our faults and human weaknesses.  Without your blessing and support, we are nothing, incapable of living a life in obedience to your will and purpose and enjoying a life in the midst of your Creation.

Faithful God, give us the wisdom and understanding so that we can recognise what is true and just, right and pure.  May we love you above all things, with our whole heart, with all strength and ability, and with the breath of our souls.  To your glory we pray.  Amen.

Hymn:“Now thank we all our God”  TiS106  AHB14  MHB10

[Sung to the tune Nun Danket Alle Gott – there is an introduction]

Prayer of Confession 

(from A year of Prayer by John MacArthur, Week 4 p31 to 33) 

Lord of glory, you are a righteous God,

You hold each of us justly responsible for our sins.

We cannot condemn the sins of others without condemning ourselves,

For we are not free from sin.

We deserve your judgement,

Yet you withhold that judgement from us.

You are rich in kindness and tolerance,

Patiently seeking to lead us to repentance.

We confess that we have been led astray from your pathway,

We confess to a stubborn heart, refusing to yield to your will.

We confess that what has been done we cannot undo,

Our good character and good works count for nothing towards our salvation.

We cannot contribute any merit towards removing the taint of our sins,

We are flawed by our mortal imperfections and mixed motives.

In Christ alone do we trust for our salvation,

We humbly seek your forgiveness and cleansing of our souls.

God, be merciful to us,

To your glory and honour we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Ezekiel 12: 19 and 14: 5) 

God told the Prophet Ezekiel that His hope for the People of Israel was that they would “turn back” from their sinful ways and that He would “win back their loyalty and obedience”.    In the same way God seeks to “win back” our loyalty and our obedience.  We have confessed our sins before God.  Let us rest on the assurance that God is ready to hear our prayers and is willing to forgive us and to restore us to a right relationship with Him.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination 

(from Holy Communion Two in Uniting Church Worship Services p21) 

O Lord, our God, you have given your Word to us that it may be a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.  Grant us grace to receive your truth in faith and love, so that we may be obedient to your Will and live always for your glory, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.  Amen.

Bible Readings

Judges 2:

11  Then the people of Israel sinned against the Lord and began to serve the Baals.  12  They stopped worshipping the Lord, the God of their ancestors, the God who had brought them out of Egypt, and they began to worship other gods, the gods of the peoples around them.  They bowed down to them and made the Lord angry.  13  They stopped worshipping the Lord and served the Baals and the Astartes.  14  And so the Lord became furious with Israel and let raiders attack and rob them.  He let the enemies all around overpower them, and the Israelites could no longer protect themselves.  15  Every time they would go into battle, the Lord was against them, just as He had said He would be.  They were in great distress.

16  Then the Lord gave the Israelites leaders who saved them from raiders.  17  But the Israelites paid no attention to their leaders.  Israel was unfaithful to the Lord and worshipped other gods.  Their fathers had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but this new generation soon stopped doing so.  18  Whenever the Lord gave Israel a leader, the Lord would help him and would save the people from their enemies as long as that leader lived.  The Lord would have mercy on them because they groaned under their suffering and oppression.  19  But when the leader died, the people would return to their old ways and behave even worse than the previous generation.  They would stubbornly continue their evil ways.

Ezekiel 14:

1  Some of the leaders of the Israelites came to consult me about the Lord’s will.  2  Then the Lord spoke to me.  “Mortal man,” He said, “These men have given their hearts to idols and are letting idols lead them to sin.  Do they think I will give them an answer?  Now speak to them and tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to them: Every Israelite who has given his heart to idols and lets them lead them into sin and who then comes to consult a Prophet, will get an answer from me – the answer that their many idols deserved!  5  All those idols have turned the Israelites away from me, but by my answer I hope to win back their loyalty.  6  Now, then tell the Israelites what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying: Turn back and leave your disgusting idols.”

Romans 1:

18  God’s anger is revealed from Heaven against all the sin and evil of the people whose evil ways prevent the Truth from being known.  19  God punishes them, because what can be known about God is plain to them, for God Himself made it plain.  20  Ever since God created the World, His invisible qualities, both His eternal power and His divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made.  So these people have no excuse at all!  21  They know God, but they do not give Him the honour that belongs to Him, nor do they thank Him.  Instead, their thoughts have become complete nonsense, and their empty minds filled with darkness.  22  They say they are wise, but they are fools;  23  instead of worshipping the immortal God, they worship images made to look like mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles.

24  And so God has given those people over to do the filthy things their hearts desire, and they do shameful things with each other.  23  They exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator Himself, who is to be praised forever!

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Mark 6

1  Jesus left that place and went back to his hometown, Nazareth, followed by his Disciples.  2  On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue.  Many people were there, and, when they heard him, they were all amazed.  “Where did he get all this?” they asked.  “What wisdom is this that has been given him?  How does he perform miracles?  33  Isn’t he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon?  Aren’t his sisters living here?”  And so they rejected him.

4  Jesus said to them, “A prophet is respected everywhere except in his own hometown and by his relatives and his family.”

5  He was not able to perform any miracles there, except that he placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them.  6  He was greatly surprised, because the people did not have faith.

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

Whether we gather in person in our Church building or whether we gather in spirit in our homes, we remain one body, one people of God, one in fellowship and one in worship.  With that in mind, let us uplift our hands and greet those both here and those who cannot be here:

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

For the Young at Heart

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Porvoo, Finland

Porvoo (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈporʋoː]; Swedish: Borgå [ˈborːɡo] ; Latin: Borgoa)  The town received its name from a Swedish medieval fortress near the river Porvoonjoki, which flows through the town.  The name Porvoo is the Fennicised version of the Swedish name (Borgå) and its parts of borg, meaning “castle“, and å, “river“.  It is a city and a municipality in the Uusimaa region, Finland, situated on the southern coast about 35 kilometres (22 mi) east of the city border of Helsinki and approximately 50 kilometres (30 mi) of the city centre.  It is one of the six medieval towns in Finland (with Turku, Ulvila, Rauma, Naantali and Vyborg), first mentioned as a city in texts from the 14th century.  Porvoo is the seat of the Swedish-speaking Diocese of Borgå of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.  

The Porvoo Old Town (Finnish: Porvoon vanhakaupunki; Swedish: Borgås gamla stan) is a popular tourist destination, known for its well-preserved 18th and 19th century buildings and 15th century cathedral, the Porvoo Cathedral.  The Old Town together with Porvoonjoki River Valley is recognized as historically and culturally significant as one of the National landscapes of Finland.  Porvoo is internationally considered to be one of the most beautiful towns in Finland.  Porvoo also enjoys the reputation of one of Finland’s most popular summer towns, both in Finland and abroad.

Porvoo – Wikipedia

Summertown Porvoo — VisitFinland.com

During a cruise around the Baltic Sea that Kerry and I enjoyed in 2019, one of our Ports of call was Helsinki, in Finland.  On our day tour during our stay, we visited a small town, Porvoo, some 35km to the northeast of Helsinki.

One thing to note, if you are visiting Finland in the Summer, take a raincoat and umbrella.  Their rain is just as wet as ours.

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The buildings at Porvoo

The town is sited adjacent to the River Porvoonjoki.  To get to the town centre from the bus parking area, you cross over the bridge, shown in the lower right of the above photograph.   As you can see, the buildings are quite colourful and well maintained.

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The streets at Porvoo

They have retained the cobblestone roads and pathways to maintain the character of the town.

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Inside the souvenir shop

During our visit to Porvoo we went into this souvenir shop and made a couple of ‘small’ purchases.

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Our ‘small’ purchases

These are our ‘small purchases’, a cooking pot and a cash register.  We bought them for the doll’s house that our granddaughters like to play with when they visit.  I was quite taken with the detail shown in these toys, which shows the care taken in their making:

• the rim around the lid of the pot and the carefully placed handles on the sides ,
• the keys on the cash register and the moveable money tray.

This reminds me of the care and involvement that God shows in every detail of our lives.

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From Psalm 48, what has God has revealed?

His ‘constant love’ for us.  (verse 9)

His ‘right judgements’.  (verse 11)

He is ‘our God forever and ever’.  (verse 14)

He will ‘lead us for all Time to come’.  (verse 14)

The writer of Psalm 48 reveals to us God’s involvement in our lives:

His “constant love” for us.  (verse 9)

His “right judgements”.  (verse 11)

He is “our God forever and ever”.  (verse 14)

He will “lead us for all Time to come”.  (verse 14)

These verses speak of God’s unbreakable bond with those whom He calls His People, of the comprehensiveness of His compassion towards those who show devotion towards Him.  And it is no different for us who gather to worship the same God, for the same reason.  God also reveals His unbreakable bond with us and His compassion for us.

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From Psalm 48, what is our response?

Gladness from our knowledge of His interaction with the World.  (verse 11)

Joy in our relationship with God.  (verse 11)

Praise in our hearts as we worship God.  (verse 1)

This revelation by God draws forth an appropriate response:

Gladness from our knowledge of His righteous interaction with the World.  (verse 11)

Joy in our loving relationship with God.  (verse 11)

Praise in our hearts as we worship God.  (verse 1)

  (Artur Weiser in The Psalms p380 to 383) 

As we, individually, journey through life, especially as we face the unknown menace of Covid-19, let us hold fast to the reality that the great and majestic God shows care and compassion for all the details of our lives.  Let us respond with gladness, joy and praise.

Hymn “O Lord of every shining constellation”  TiS157

Verse 1 of 5

O Lord of every shining constellation

That wheels in splendour through the midnight sky,

Grant us your spirit’s true illumination

To read the secrets of your work on high.

Verse 2 of 5

You, Lord, have made the atom’s hidden forces,

Your Laws its mighty energies fulfill,

Teach us, to whom you give such rich resources,

In all we use, to serve your holy Will.

Verse 3 of 5

O life, awaking life in cell and tissue,

From flower to bird, from beast to Human brain,

O help us trace, from birth to final issue,

The sure unfolding of your ageless plan.

Verse 4 of 5

You, Lord, have stamped your image on your creatures

And, though they marred that image, love them still;

Uplift our eyes to Christ, that in his features

We may discern the beauty of your Will.

Verse 5 of 5

Great Lord of Nature, shaping and renewing,

Who made us more than Nature’s heirs to be,

Help us to tread, with grace our souls enduing,

The road of life and immortality.

Albert Bayly

Sermon

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When it comes to chocolate,

resistance is futile.

Regina Brett

  I came across this quote recently made by a Regina Brett, an American author and columnist, which goes some way to explaining the failure of some people’s approach to dieting. 

  From today’s readings from Judges and Ezekiel, it also seems to sum up the approach of the people of Israel in their non-resistance towards the worship of idols.  And yet, in direct contrast, from today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark, we see no hesitation from the people of Nazareth in resisting the teaching and the ministry of Jesus.  Why was this so?

  The History of the people of Israel is one of continually turning away from the worship of the God who had delivered them from bondage to slavery in Egypt and who had delivered them safely to the Land of Canaan that He had promised to them, and turning to the worship of the idols that were worshipped by the peoples of the surrounding nations.

  The author of the Book of Judges, writing of events that took place in approximately 1220BC, barely a generation after Joshua had led them into Canaan, says that “the people of Israel stopped worshipping the Lord and began to worship the gods of the peoples around them, the Baal and the Astarte”  (Judges 2: 12)  , who were the gods of the Canaanites, the Phoenicians, the Ugarites, the Moabites, and the Amorites. 

  The Prophet Ezekiel, writing in approximately 580BC, immediately after the people of Judah had been taken into exile in Babylon, talks of idols that have turned the people of Judah away from the worship of God.  (Ezekiel 14: 2, 5)  What had made the worshipping of idols so attractive to the God’s people, so enticing, so irresistible? 

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God had given them:

security of a land to call their own

productive land

a bright future for each family

peace

  We need to look at what God had given to them.

  Firstly, God had given them security of a land to call their own.  We read in Joshua 21: 12:

“So the Lord gave to Israel all the land that He had promised their ancestors He would give them.”

  Secondly, God had given them productive land.  We read in Joshua 4: 6 that the land of Canaan was a “rich and fertile land”.

  Thirdly, God promised a bright future for every family among the people of Israel.  In Joshua chapters 14 to 21 we read how, on God’s instructions, Joshua divided the land among the Tribes of Israel, and how each family of each Tribe was allocated land within the Tribe’s area, that it would hold in perpetuity, ensuring that each family had sufficient land on which to grow crops and raise livestock.

  Fourthly, God had given them peace.  We read in Joshua 14: 15:

“There was peace in the land.”

And we read in Joshua 21: 44:

“The Lord gave them peace throughout the land, .. not one of their enemies had been able to stand against them, because that Lord gave the Israelites the victory over all their enemies.”

  In spite of all of this, why would the people of Israel be willing to give up worshipping the God who had done so much for them, and substitute in its place the worship of the gods of the peoples whom they had defeated in battle, gods that their God had clearly demonstrated were false gods and powerless gods?

  Was it because of God’s harsh laws and His cruel demands?  No, for God’s Laws were just and God’s demands were based on what was right and compassionate.

  Was it because they had cruel leaders?  No, for there was no King of a united kingdom at this stage.  Each Tribe and family had their own leaders, whose sole concern was the welfare of the Tribe or family.

  Was there a vagueness about the God of their ancestors, such that they sought clarification from a study of other gods?  No, for they had the writings of Moses, and they had the memories of the generation of people whom Joshua had led across the River Jordan and who had followed Joshua as he led them in their efforts to win the land for themselves.  There was no cause for any misunderstanding or a lack of understanding about the God who had led them and their ancestors so far for so long.

  I believe that it was based on the fear of ‘missing out on something’, on a sense that there could be more to gain from an understanding of the gods worshipped by others, on the possibility that there were things that the God of their ancestors was denying them.  Wasn’t this the error of Eve in her being enticed to think “how wonderful it would be to become wise”?  (Genesis 3: 6) 

  So, instead of living a life of gratitude to God, of living a life of service to God, of relying on God’s promise that He had provided all that they would ever need or desire, they thought how wonderful it would be to “become wise” about these other gods.

  But in their eagerness to seek after these other gods, in their zeal to find out what they may have been missing, the people of Israel lost their love of God, they had “given their hearts to idols” and were “letting idols lead them into sin”, as Ezekiel states.  (Ezekiel 14: 3)  There was a weakening in the Covenant-bond which bound them to God and to each other.  (Frederick Bruce in Judges in New Bible Commentary p258, The Lion Handbook of the Bible p219) 

  Both the writer of the book of Judges and the Prophet Ezekiel describe how the Israelites developed stubborn hearts towards God, a stubbornness towards God’s attempts to show where they had erred and a stubbornness towards God’s call to “turn back” to a right worship of the God of their ancestors, the great “I am”.  (Judges 2: 19, Ezekiel 11: 19, 14: 6)

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“God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and His divine nature, have been clearly seen in the things that God has made.”  (Romans 1: 20

  The Apostle Paul wrote of such “stubborn hearts”.  In his overview of the dominant Greek and Roman cultures of his day, he perceived an underlying desire among people to “worship images made to look like mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles”.  (Romans 1: 23)  We can understand how upset he was to see “how full of idols” was the Greek city of Athens.  (Acts 17: 16)  His criticism of such a cultural stance was that:

“They worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator Himself.”  (Romans 1: 25) 

  Upon what grounds does Paul make this criticism, to the extent that he claims that “God’s anger is revealed from Heaven against the sin and evil of the people (who practice such worship), whose evil ways prevent the truth (about God) from being known?”  (Romans 1: 18) 

  It is because God has not left Humanity without an image of His presence and character, an image that is evident in and around each individual, “the power and the majesty of His works”.  (Geoffrey Wilson in Romans p28) 

  Clive Ayre writes of the importance of the understanding that Creation is a “divine initiative”, that God created everything from nothing.  God alone is the source of all that exists, God alone is the source of life, God alone is the basis of meaning and value in all things.  (Clive Ayre in Earth, Faith and Mission, p59) 

  Humanity seeks to suppress such an understanding as the way to avoid their responsibility to submit to God’s authority.  There is a reluctance to confess to any sense of obligation to God which would naturally express itself in thankfulness and obedience.  (Geoffrey Wilson in Romans p28, Francis Davidson and Ralph Martin in Romans in New Bible Commentary p1017) 

  Humanity rationalises this stance by claiming an ability “to know God apart from divine revelation”, that, in their religious pretentions, they can create God as they perceive God to be.  “They deliberately choose to accept a falsehood about God and prefer to represent Him in the form of one aspect of His Creation.”  Their idols make no moral demands upon them, thus leaving them free “to do the filthy things their hearts desire, and to do shameful things with one another.”  (Romans 1: 24)  (Geoffrey Wilson in Romans p29, Francis Davidson and Ralph Martin in Romans in New Bible Commentary p1017) 

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“nonsense thoughts and empty minds”  Romans 1: 21

  The consequence is that “their thoughts have become complete nonsense, and their empty minds are filled with darkness”.  (Romans 1: 21)  There is no resistance to the enticing lures of their idols.  There is, instead, a stubborn refusal to acknowledge that they are in error, that they are worshipping a lie and denying the truth about God.

  Do we not see this prevalent today, in people striving to ‘worship’ their ‘idols’; be it sport, or shopping, or ‘sun surf and sand’, or leisure, or prosperity, or power, or prestige, or the right to determine how you perceive for yourself what form or shape the ‘divine’ takes?

  And do we not see the same stubbornness of heart in people’s refusal to consider the Gospel message by calling it ‘old fashioned’ or ‘religious bigotry’ or irrelevant to their life.

  Mark writes of such “stubbornness’ in the hearts of the inhabitants of the village of Nazareth, the home village of Jesus. 

  Elsewhere in Mark’s Gospel we read that people flocked to listen to the teachings of Jesus  (Mark 4: 1, 6: 33)  , and that wherever Jesus taught, people remarked how Jesus taught with “authority”  (Mark 1: 22, 11: 18)  .  But not so in Nazareth, for those who listened to Jesus teaching asked themselves:

“Where did he get all this?  What wisdom is this that has been given him?”  (Mark 6: 2) 

  Elsewhere in Mark’s Gospel we read of the amazement of people upon seeing Jesus miraculously heal people.  ( Mark 2: 12, 5: 42)  But not so in Nazareth, for those who looked on as Jesus healed a “few sick people” asked themselves:

“How does he perform miracles?”  (Mark 6: 2) 

  They could not deny the truth of what Jesus was teaching nor could they deny that Jesus had healed people.  They were seeking an understanding as to what was the source of the authority by which Jesus taught and healed.  Was it by Human authority or was it granted to Jesus by God?  In Mark 11: 28 we find “the chief priests, the teachers of the Law and the elders” asking Jesus the very same question.

  The inhabitants of Nazareth had seen Jesus grow up in their town, they knew his father and mother, they knew his brothers and sisters, they knew that he had previously worked as a carpenter in their town.  They could not accept that someone with whom they were so familiar could possibly have God given authority to teach and to heal in the name of God.  Such an explanation was a stumbling block to their placing faith in what Jesus preached.  And so we read:

“Jesus was greatly surprised (or marvelled or was amazed or was taken aback) because the people did not have faith.”  (Mark 6: 6a) 

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“Jesus was greatly surprised because the people did not have faith.”  (Mark 6: 6a)

  They were not prepared to accept any new revelation from God that Jesus was bringing to them.  They were satisfied with ‘what they knew’ and with their preconceived judgements of who people were and of how God would reveal Himself to them.  They too had hearts that were stubborn to God’s challenge to submit to His Will.  Jesus, in turn, would not make a display of his powers in order to convince sceptics.  (The Lion Handbook of the Bible p505)  Neither would he heal where there was no “morally directed faith”, for that “would be to act like the pagan magicians”.  (Craig Keener in Mark in The IVP Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament p149)  Jesus could do no real work among the inhabitants of Nazareth that would bring “conversion and freedom of heart” among them.  (John Reilly in Mark p69)  And what a contrast we see when we read of how the Disciples later were able to teach and to heal in “the villages around there”.  (Mark 6: 12 and 13) 

  So, in the face of such “stubborn hearts”, in the face of such wavering worship of Him, was God willing to accept the futility of reaching out to people, of seeking to draw them back into a right relationship?  Of course not!  The Book of Judges, in fact the whole of the Old Testament, is a record of God raising up strong leaders for His people, seeking that, through these leaders, He would “help them and save His people “.  (Judges 2: 18)  God told the Prophet Ezekiel of His hope “to win back the loyalty of the people of Israel”, that they would heed His message to “turn back and leave their disgusting idols”.  (Ezekiel 14: 5 and 6) 

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“I will give them a new heart and a new mind.  I will take away their stubborn heart of stone and give them an obedient heart.”  Ezekiel 11: 19

  God promised that He would not leave Humanity unsettled and unfulfilled, lost in the nonsense of their thoughts and the darkness of their minds.  God promised to take away people’s “stubborn hearts” and to give them “new hearts and new minds”, hearts and minds in tune with His Will and purpose.  (Ezekiel 11: 19)  Two of the brothers of Jesus, James and Judas, later became people of influence in the early Church after his resurrection, as God worked in their hearts and minds.

  It is on this promise of God and a trust in the power of God to act in the hearts of people that we build our hope for the future.  It is on the assurance that God continues to work in the World and strives to bring about His Will and His Kingdom that we are encouraged to continue to bear witness to His grace and mercy. 

  As we live out our daily lives, may we express the words that we read in Psalm 48:

“The Lord is great and is to be highly praised.  For God shows to us his constant love and will lead us for all time to come.”  (Psalm 48: 1, 9, 14) 

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774  [to be sung to the tune ‘Austria’ – refer to TiS772]

[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

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

Almighty God, we pray for us, your Church, that we may risk entering into a deeper relationship with Jesus which will transform us and the way we live.

We pray that wherever your Word is preached that it may be heard with understanding and received in faith.

We pray for courage, that you will empower us to reveal the truth of your love for each person in our everyday circumstances and be witnesses to your presence in our relationships and interactions.

We pray for the gift of Wisdom, that your Word may enter our hearts, bring us to a new awareness of virtues, and guide us in living as your Children.

We pray for greater trust, that you will free us from our past mistakes, strengthen us as we recognize our weaknesses, and open us to your power working within us.  We pray for transformation of our hearts, that we may recognize our greatest weakness, surrender it to you, and allow you to work within us for your glory.

We pray for healing, that your Holy Spirit will comfort us when we are misunderstood, renew us when we have been unjustly criticized, and inspire us to show your love each day.

We pray for freedom from all attachments so that we may respond wholeheartedly to your will for us and seek first your reign in our lives.

We pray for all who are alienated from their families or communities, that you will open new opportunities for dialogue, understanding, and reconciliation.

We pray for an acceptance of others, that you will help us to be open to the stranger and their gifts as they enter our lives, so that we may be nurtured and enriched by them.  Teach us to learn from oner another and to give support where it is needed.

We pray for all who are struggling, that you will free those bound by addictions, give support to those facing their weaknesses, and guide them in starting again.

We pray for all who are suffering, that you will bring healing to the sick, relief to those experiencing drought, renewal to those who have experienced abuse or crime, and new opportunities for those seeking employment.

We pray for greater stewardship, that you will guide us in caring for your Creation and preserving its resources for future generations.

We pray for all leaders of Governments, that you will give them the wisdom to fulfill their responsibilities, hearts sensitive to the needs of those whom they serve, and freedom to pursue the common good.

We pray for an end to the Covid pandemic, that you will slow the spread of the virus throughout the World, speed the distribution of vaccines to those who need them, and give strength to all who care for the sick.

We pray for peace, that you will turn hearts from greed and violence, and help all to recognize the dignity of each person.

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 p70)

Lord Jesus Christ, you have created all people in your image, and by your grace in Jesus Christ, drawn people of every nation and language back into your Kingdom.  We confess that we are often painfully separated by race, culture, power and prestige.  By your cross and passion you reconciled the World to God and broke down the barriers of race and culture that divide people and nations.  Make us agents of reconciliation in the life of your Church and your World.  

Bless all those in government and positions of authority at national, state and local levels and help them to govern wisely and justly, showing respect to all people, no matter what their ethnic or racial background, so people may be restrained from wrongdoing and encouraged to live good lives.

Thank you, Lord, for all the gifts you have entrusted to us, including the land on which we live.  Help us to remember that all we are and have comes from you and is to be used to serve you.

ALWAYS WAS, ALWAYS WILL BE. – Reconciliation Action Plan (lca.org.au)

We pray for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, that all will recognize the Creator Spirit in their culture and that they and those of other cultures will work together to allow all Australians to live fully, grow strong and be proud of their heritage.

We pray for all young people, particularly in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities, that the Holy Spirit will walk with them and touch their lives as they make their contribution to God, the Church and Society.

We pray for all who seek to promote peace in the World, that the gifts of the Holy Spirit will foster a spirit of forgiveness and harmony in our communities.

Heavenly Father: thank you for Jesus’ ministry by which he casts out sin and brings healing and holiness.  Strengthen our faith so that we do not reject him, especially when we are made aware of our own sin.

Thank you for the Christian companions you provide for our journey, through whom you bring judgment and grace to us.  Help us to be worthwhile companions to others, loving and true.  And build up the fellowship in this congregation so we may be well equipped for service and mission in the World.

Help us and the whole Church understand the sins of our age, to speak where silence needs breaking, to comfort where terror threatens, and to support where courage falters, all with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray for our nation’s leaders – her representatives, the parliaments, the prime minister and cabinet, and departments, the opposition and the whole system of government.  Help them understand the complexities of life and bring them to govern in a way which pleases you, promotes the well-being of all, and which allows the extension of the Gospel.

Merciful God, you sent your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to walk among us.  He heard the cries of the people and shared with them the Good News of the Kingdom.  Hear our prayers this day and answer them so that your greatness may be known by all.  This we ask in the precious name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Service Order (lca.org.au)

Thank you for the steps that have been and continue to be taken on the journey towards reconciliation, the grace that so many people have shown to others, and the willingness to forgive.

Guide national and community leaders to speak the truth in love, to seek justice with mercy and to care for those who continue to experience devastating disadvantage.

We lament with our aboriginal sisters and brothers the enormous loss of languages and the loss of identity, culture and ancient wisdom that disappears with them.

Strengthen indigenous church leaders to shepherd your flock faithfully, and strengthen all indigenous people to be salt and light in their communities and in the whole nation.

Give indigenous and non-indigenous believers the courage to demonstrate the new community you are inviting us to create in your name, a new community out of people from every nation, tribe, language and people, through Wisdom and your Spirit of peace.

Prayer for Indigenous Australians | St Kilda Uniting Church

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

Amen

Hymn “Come, sinners, to the Gospel feast”  MHB 323  (additional verse from Wesley’s Hymns no. 2) 

[sung to the tune Fulda – there is an introduction]

Verse 1 of 6

Come, sinners, to the Gospel feast,

Let every soul be Jesu’s guest;

You need not one be left behind,

For God has bidden Humankind.

Verse 2 of 6

Sent by my Lord, on you I call,

The invitation is to all,

Come, all the World, come, sinner thou!

All things in Christ are ready now.

Verse 3 of 6

Come, all you souls by sin oppressed,

You restless wanderers after rest,

You poor, and maimed, and lame, and blind,

In Christ a hearty welcome find.

Verse 4 of 6

His love is mighty to compel,

His conquering love consent to feel,

Yield to his love’s resistless power,

And fight against your God no more.

Verse 5 of 6

Come, and partake the Gospel feast,

Be saved from sin, in Jesus rest,

O taste the goodness of your God,

And eat his flesh and drink his blood.

Verse 6 of 6

This is the time; no more delay!

This is the Lord’s accepted day;

Come in, this moment, at his call,

And live for him who died for all.

Charles 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.

Hymn

“This, this is the God we adore”  TiS220  AHB153  MHB69

Benediction    

The World in which we live is obstinate and stubborn, refusing to accept the reality of God, desiring instead to believe in the false delusions of their own making.  We know that God is real and that His love for us is real.  Let us live our lives in praise of the God who loves us, and, in so doing, present to the World the clear evidence of God’s mercy and grace so freely available to all people.

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

Benediction Song

“Now unto him who is able to keep”  Scripture in Song Volume 1 Number 72

[there is an introduction]

Now unto Him who is able to keep,

Able to keep you from falling,

And present you faultless before the presence of His glory

With exceeding joy,

To the only wise God, our saviour,

Be glory and majesty,

Dominion and power,

Both now and forever.  Amen.

Olive Wood