Welcome:  –

Introduction:  –

Wednesday 1^st November was All Saints Day.  There is an allowance in the Lectionary to celebrate this tradition in worship.  As such, in today’s worship service I have chosen to incorporate two hymns and some prayers with an emphasis on remembering those who have played a part in our church life in the past.  I did some searching on the Web about All Saints Day and wish to introduce today’s service with some thoughts that I have gleaned from several sources.

The Christian celebration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day stems from a belief that there is a powerful spiritual bond between those in Heaven (the “Church triumphant“), the living (the “Church militant“), 

In Methodist theology, All Saints Day revolves around “giving God solemn thanks for the lives and deaths of his saints“, including those who are “famous or obscure”.^[22]  As such, individuals throughout the Church Universal are honoured, such as Paul the Apostle, Augustine of Hippo and other saints, varying according to the traditions of the Church in question.  In some traditions, the day is also used to celebrate individuals who have personally led one to faith in Jesus, such as one’s grandmother or friend. ^[22]

[22] Iovino, Joe (28 October 2015). “All Saints Day: A holy day John Wesley loved”. The United Methodist Church. Archived from the original on 1 December 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2016

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day)

No Christian is solitary.  Through baptism we become members one of another in Christ, members of a company of saints whose mutual belonging transcends death:

One family, we dwell in him, one Church, above, beneath;

though now divided by the stream, the narrow stream of death.

(Charles Wesley)  MHB824  AHB370  verse 2

All Saints’ Day celebrates this mutual belonging.  All Saints’ Day celebrates men and women in whose lives the Church as a whole has seen the grace of God powerfully at work.  It is an opportunity to give thanks for that grace, and for the wonderful ends to which it shapes a human life; it is a time to be encouraged by the example of the saints and to recall those who nurtured us in our faith.

(https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/churchs-year/times-and-seasons/all)

  John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, enjoyed and celebrated All Saints Day.  In a journal entry from November 1, 1767, Wesley calls it “a festival I truly love.”  On the same day in 1788, he writes, “I always find this a comfortable day.”  The following year he calls it “a day that I peculiarly love, giving God solemn thanks for the lives of His saints.”

(https://www.umc.org/en/content/all-saints-day-a-holy-day-john-wesley-loved)

  We say in the Apostles’ Creed that we believe in the “communion of the saints.” Historically, that statement meant the unity of the living and the dead in one community of faith in Christ.  In terms that seem perhaps too military to us, the one church used to be described as the church militant, the living, still deeply engaged in the great cosmic spiritual battle.  Those who are dead in Christ were the church triumphant, now reigning with Christ. This great “cloud of witnesses”  (Hebrews 12: 1)  surrounds us and cheers us on all through our lives but especially in our worship.

Leonard J. Vander Zee is pastor of South Bend (Ind.) Christian Reformed Church.

Reformed Worship 88 © June 2008 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission.

Call to Worship    

In all our weakness and strength, with our youth-filled spirits and aging bodies,

we come to be your people, O God.

Strong in faith and eager with questions, singing our praises and whispering our prayers,

we come to be your people, O God.

Filled with saintly determination, yet mindful of our Human limitations,

we come to be your people, O God.

Made strong in your endless love for us, we know ourselves to be yours,

and we come to be your people, O God.

May we truly become your people today.

(Seasons of the Spirit: WoodLake Publishing)

Prayer of Praise    

Blessed are you, O God, for you are holy, gracious, and good, the hope of all the faithful.

We give you thanks, O God, for all the saints who ever worshiped you,
whether under trees or in cathedrals, in wooden churches or brick meeting houses.

We give you thanks, O God, for hands lifted in praise: manicured hands and hands stained with grease or soil, strong hands and hands gnarled with age.

We give you thanks, O God, for hardworking saints, whether hard-hatted or aproned, blue-collared or three-piece-suited.  They left their mark for you, for us, for our children to come.

We give you thanks, O God, for the sacrifices made by those who have gone before us.  May we learn how to walk wisely from their examples of faith, their dedication, their worship, and their love.  Amen.

https://www.presbyterianmission.org/wp-content/uploads/prayers_for_all_saints_day.pdf A Prayer Meditation for All Saints Day (Written by Safiyah Fosua)  https://www.umc.org/en/content/united-methodist-meditation-for-all-saints-day#:~:text

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn MHB818  ‘Walking in the way of Christ’ 

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

Verse 1 of 4

Happy the souls to Jesus joined,

and saved by grace alone,

walking in all His ways, they find

their Heaven on Earth begun.

Verse2 of 4

The Church triumphant in your love,

their mighty joys we know;

they sing the Lamb in hymns above,

and we in hymns below.

Verse 3 of 4

You in your glorious realm they praise,

and bow before your throne,

we in the Kingdom of your grace,

the Kingdoms are but one.

Verse 4 of 4

The holy to the holiest leads,

from thence our spirits rise,

and He that in your Statutes treads

shall meet you in the skies.

Charles Wesley

Prayer of Confession   

Jesus, Saviour and friend, you showed us holiness in action through the way you lived your life.  You gave away your time and energy in the service of others and turned our understanding of blessedness on its head.

We confess the difficulties we experience in living as you lived and loving as you loved.

We confess how easy it is to concentrate on our own pleasures, taking note of the plight of many in the world only as the News bulletins momentarily grabs our attention.

We confess our capacity to be so consumed by our own agendas that our concern for the needs of others shrinks all too rapidly.

We confess our failure to act when we see around us weakness, pain, suffering, and powerlessness.

We confess how easy it is to turn away and to walk on the other side of the road.

We confess our reluctance to love our enemies and to do good to those who dislike or even hate us.

We confess the ease with which we become conformed to the World’s standards rather than facing the challenge of conforming to those of Christ.

Merciful God, forgive us.  Stir up your Spirit in us, so that we may experience the joy and blessing of being your disciples in more than name only.

Strengthen us to be people who sing and live your song of love; who willingly serve our neighbours; who seek justice and mercy for all, and who truly repent of what is past and look with anticipation for what is yet to come.  This we pray in your name and for your sake.  Amen.

(https://pilgrimwr.unitingchurch.org.au/?p=313)

Assurance of Forgiveness

(from 1 John 3: 5a) 

The Apostle John tells us that:

“Christ appeared in order to take away our sins”.

Let us hold onto that truth, believe it, and accept it for all of its ramifications and implications for each of us, that our faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ means that God has heard our prayers, that God has forgiven our sins, and that our lives have been cleansed in the sight of God.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination 

Almighty, gracious Father, for as much as our whole salvation depends upon our true understanding of your holy Word, grant to all of us that our hearts, being freed from worldly affairs, may hear and comprehend your holy Word with all diligence and faith, that we may rightly understand your gracious will, cherish it, and live by it with all earnestness, to your praise and honour, through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

(Prayer of Martin Bucer: 1538)

(https://www.reformedworship.org/article/september-1991/pioneer-reformed-worship-celebrating-500th-anniversary-martin-bucer)

Reformed Worship 21 © September 1991 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church.  Used by permission.

Bible Readings

1 Thessalonians 2:

13  There is another reason why we always give thanks to God.  When we brought you God’s message, you heard it and accepted it, not as Man’s message but as God’s message, which indeed it is.  For God is at work in you who believe. 

14  Our sisters and brothers, the same things happened to you that happened to the Churches of God in Judea, to the people there who belong to Christ Jesus.  You suffered the same persecutions from your own countrymen that they suffered from the Jews,  15  who killed the Lord Jesus and the Prophets, and persecuted us.  How displeasing they are to God!  How hostile they are to everyone!  16  They even tried to stop us from preaching to the Gentiles the message that would bring them salvation.

(Today’s English Version)

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Matthew 23:

1  Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his Disciples.

2  “The Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees are the authorised interpreters of Moses’s Law.  3  So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not, however, imitate what they preach.  4  They tie onto people’s backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they aren’t willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads.

5  They do everything so that people will see them.  Look at the straps with Scripture verses on them which they wear on their foreheads and arms, and notice how large they are!  Notice also how long are the tassels on their cloaks!  6  They love the best places at feasts and the reserved seats in the Synagogues.  v7  They love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have people call them ‘Teacher’.

8  You must not be called ‘Teacher’, because you are all sisters and brothers of one another and have only one Teacher.  9  And you must not call anyone here on Earth “Father’, because you have only the one Father in Heaven.  10  Nor should you be called ‘Leader’, because your one and only leader is the Messiah.

11  The greatest one among you must be your servant.  12  Whoever makes themselves great will be humbled, and whoever humbles themselves will be made great.”

(Today’s English Version)

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn ‘For all the saints who showed your love’ This clip is for another hymn, but is used here for the tune. The words are shown below:

Verse 1 of 4

For all the saints who showed your love

in how they lived and where they moved,

for mindful women, caring men,

accept our gratitude again.

Verse 2 of 4

For all the saints who loved your name,

whose faith increased the Saviour’s fame,

who sang your songs and shared your word,

accept our gratitude, good Lord.

Verse 3 of 4

For all the saints who named your will,

and saw your Kingdom coming still

through selfless protest, prayer, and praise,

accept the gratitude we raise.

Verse 4 of 4

Bless all whose will or name or love

reflects the grace of Heaven above.

Though unacclaimed by Earthly powers,

your life through theirs has hallowed ours

John Bell and Graham Maule

Sermon

Last Tuesday (31^st October) was Halloween.  Who went ‘trick or treating’ last Tuesday evening?

It is celebrated on that day because it is the eve of All Saints Day, which is always celebrated on 1^st November, the day on which Winter commences in the northern Hemisphere.  All Saints Day is also known as All Hallows Day, and, therefore, the day before has been known as All Hallow’s Eve, which, through time has been ‘shortened’ to Halloween. 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween  https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween  https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween  )

  The point I am making is that the celebration of Halloween has no intent or purpose on its own outside of its relationship to All Saints Day and All Souls Day, which is celebrated on 2^nd November.  However, I can guarantee you that the vast majority of people who were involved in Halloween celebrations and activities did so without any concept of its correlation to the following day.  There is a disconnect between the two days in today’s society.

  Today is 5^th November.  Tonight is?

  Tonight is Guy Fawkes Night, which we no longer celebrate because of the ban in Queensland on the sale of fireworks.  When I was a young boy, I knew it as ‘Cracker Night’.  It has a significant history associated with it.

  Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Fireworks Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in Great Britain, involving bonfires and fireworks displays.  Its history begins with the events of 5^th November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding explosives the plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords.  The Roman Catholic plotters had intended to assassinate Protestant king, King James I, and his Parliament.  Celebrating that the King had survived, people lit bonfires around London.  Months later, the Observance of 5th November Act mandated an annual public day of thanksgiving for the plot’s failure.  Within a few decades Gunpowder Treason Day, as it was known, became the predominant English state commemoration.  At times it has also been referred to as the Anniversary of the popish Plot.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night  )

  The point that I am making here, also, is that when you were lighting your fire crackers in your back yard on Guy Fawkes Night, you were not doing so to celebrate that King James 1 survived the assassination attempt, you were doing so because that was the done thing on the evening of 5^th November.

  In a similar way, there is a disconnect our activities on Guy Fawkes night and the Historical reference to which it relates, and from which it originates.

  In today’s passage from Matthew 23 we read of an occasion when Matthew records Jesus talking of the Scribes and the Pharisees who provided the religious and social leadership within Jewish Society, and who were recognised as the source of everyday guidance and teaching for the Jews.  Jesus himself acknowledges this when he states that they are “the authorised interpreters of the Law of Moses”.  (Matthew 23: 2)  If you read verse 1 of this passage in the King James Version (Authorised Version) or the Revised Standard Version, or the New English Bible, you will read of Jesus referring to them as sitting in Moses’ Seat or in the Chair of Moses.  This is a descriptive phrase referring to their authority to undertake the teaching about knowledge of and obedience to God’s Laws that they gave in the Temple, based on the five Books of the Law compiled by Moses  (Matthew 5: 17)  .  However, Jesus warns his hears that, although they are obliged to obey the teaching that they received from the Scribes and the Pharisees, they were not to imitate their actions, “because they did not practice what they preached”.  (Matthew 23: 3)  There was a disconnect between what the Scribes and Pharisees taught and how they lived and interacted with others.

  Most commentators of this passage would acknowledge that Jesus could not have been referring to all the Scribes and the Pharisees, for we know from Jewish writings of the first century that there were many who showed dedication and devotion to their task and to the Jewish Community, and who were well liked and received by first century Jews.  What appears is the intent of Matthew in including this passage in his Gospel, is “not so much a condemnation of all Jewish Scribes and Pharisees, but to provide a warning to leaders of the first century Church not to copy the behaviour and attitude of those Scribes and Pharisees who failed to provide proper and adequate leadership and guidance for God’s people.  (Walter Brueggemann et al in Texts for Preaching  A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV  Year A p551)

  What, then, are the specifics of this warning?

  Firstly, Jesus warns of the Pharisees prescribing moral and religious obligations beyond what is found in Scripture, as Jesus describes it, “tying loads onto people’s backs that are heavy and hard to carry”.  (Matthew 23: 4)  Here Jesus is referring to a zeal for religious practices that depends more on the imposition of the views of an interpreter of Scripture than on what is demanded of us by Scripture itself  (Douglas Hare in Matthew p265) , a zeal that is not “tempered by charity or mercy or common sense, such that observance becomes an oppression and not an act of obedience” to God  (Randolph Tasker in The Gospel according to St Matthew  An Introduction and Commentary p216)  .  This is in contrast to what Jesus promised, for he said “the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light”  (Matthew 11: 30)  . 

  The Apostle Peter spoke of just such a matter when the leadership of the early Church in Jerusalem met to hear what Paul and Barnabas had to say of God working among the Gentiles in present day Turkey and Syria and Lebanon.  Some, who were Pharisees, said that there was a need for all believers, Jew and Gentile, to be circumcised as per the demands of the Law of Moses  (Acts 15: 5)  .  Peter wisely spoke of the need not to “lay a load on the backs of believers which neither those of the past nor those of the present were able to carry”  (Acts 15: 10)  .  “No,” Peter said, “We believe and are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, just as they are.”  (Acts 15: 11)  .  Last week, we heard of the Reformers of the 16^th and 17^th centuries who cried out to Church authorities about the very same matter, and who called for a return to a whole-hearted belief in and a trust in the grace and mercy of God.  Any teaching that goes beyond a trust in the saving grace of God for the forgiveness of sins becomes a burden for the believer.

  Moses, upon receiving the Law which God was giving to His people, told the people of God, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might, and these Words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart.”  (Deuteronomy 6: 5 & 6)  .  Jesus warns of religious leadership that, while outwardly demonstrating a love for God’s Word, instead, they inwardly were preoccupied with maintaining their social position and status, seeking the adulation of people and not the glorification of God, revealing a lust for honour and status, which showed itself in a craving for titles and self-aggrandisement and the associated authority and recognition from others.  (Douglas Hare in Matthew p266)  One writer argues that “pride of places at feasts and the Synagogues, and the love of power and influence over others that religious titles tended to bring with it, ruined the spiritual influence of many Pharisees in the time of Jesus.  (Randolph Tasker in The Gospel according to St Matthew  An Introduction and Commentary p216) 

  In contrast, Jesus states, “The greatest among you must be your servant.”  (Matthew 23: 11)  Jesus himself provided the truest example of leadership for the Church.  “The Son of Man … did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life to redeem many people”.  (Matthew 20: 28)  The Apostle Paul reminded the Church in Rome of how important this was.  “Have the same concern for everyone.”, Paul writes, “Do not be proud but accept humble duties, and make friends with humble people.  Do not think of yourselves as wise.”  (Romans 12: 16) 

  Jesus concludes this passage by saying, “whoever humbles themselves will be made great.”  (Matthew 23: 12)  The need for humbleness before God was often stressed in the Old Testament.  In Psalm 138: 6 we read the writer declaring of God, “you care for the lowly, and the proud cannot hide from you.”  The Writer of Proverbs 3: 34 declares, “God has no use for conceited people, but shows favour to those who are humble.”  The Prophet Isaiah writes of God saying, “I am the most high and holy God, who lives forever.  I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and repentant, so that I can restore their confidence and hope.”  (Isaiah 57: 15)  New Testament writers sought to convey the importance that Jesus placed on being humble.  The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Philippians writes, “Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves.”  (Philippians 2: 3)  James, the brother of Jesus, and the Apostle Peter, wrote the same advice to encourage their readers , when they wrote “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  (James 4: 6 and 1 Peter 5: 5)  Walter Brueggemann, in writing on this passage in Matthew, states that Jesus is seeking to highlight a demand for righteousness that “exceeds that which is displayed by the Scribes and Pharisees “ and a demand for a style of leadership that “acknowledges one divine source of authority”, God alone.  (Walter Brueggemann et al in Texts for Preaching  A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV  Year A p552) 

  Paul wrote to the believers in Thessalonica and expresses his joy for them when he states, “And there is another reason why we always give thanks to God.  When we brought you God’s message, you heard it and accepted it, not as Man’s message but as God’s message, which indeed it is.  For God is at work in you who believe.”  (1 Thessalonians 2: 13)  In this passage we see Paul’s joy that they had not rejected the divine message as had the Jews in the past, and as had many Jews in Judea and in the Synagogues outside of Judea in which he had taught.  Paul is not seeking to portray God’s message as little more than interesting moral essays on right living  (Leon Morris in 1 & 2 Thessalonians  An Introduction and Commentary p53)  .  Instead, Paul is saying that the message that he brought to them was the very Word of God, words that challenge the hearer and demands a response from the hearer.  The Thessalonian believers, Paul writes, responded positively to God; they not only heard the words spoken by Paul but welcomed them, and welcomed them with such openness that it was evident that God was at work in their lives.  This work was evident in their perseverance in the face of opposition and adversity, in their acts of charity, and in their fervent preaching of the Gospel in their region.  It was this, Paul said, that has made them “an example for all believers in Macedonia and Achaia”  (1 Thessalonians 1: 8)  And, in the same way, they are an example for us, for we too must demonstrate this welcoming of God’s message of love and hope in our lives, such that it is obvious to all who look upon our Congregation that God is at work in us.

  What we learn from these accounts, especially in the context of commemorating All Saint’s Day, is our connectedness to those in the Past who have shaped and formed the one holy catholic and apostolic Church of which the Uniting Church is part.  We see ourselves as part of a Church Community coloured by diversity but who speak of praise for God with a common voice.  We are reminded that we are part of a Community bonded by a single-minded focus upon God.  And we are reminded that our bonding as a Community of believers transcends adversity, and transcends death.  Although the exact shape and form of our future is unclear and imprecise, we are reminded that our future lies in God, that it is secure and that it is one of hope. 

  Let that encourage us as we seek to offer our humble worship to God and as we seek for God to continue to be at work in our lives into the future.  Amen.

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774 

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

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

We remember the poor who are on the margins, living day by day, wondering how they will care for their children,

praying that you will ensure that food is put on their tables, that a roof is maintained over their heads, that they will enjoy the fruits of your Kingdom on Earth.

We remember those who mourn, who are finding this moment to be a season of grief and lament and of isolation from loved ones,

praying that though they may be experiencing deep uncertainty, that they will be comforted.

We remember the meek, the ones who are committed to be of service to others,

praying that you will encourage and support them so that they will continue to open their ears to listen, their hands to help, and their hearts to love.

We remember those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who dare to ask hard questions of our systems and leaders,

praying that they will not give up on their dream of a future of radical change and neighbourly love, that their hopes will be fulfilled.

We remember the merciful, the hospital staff, sanitation workers, store clerks, shelf stockers, restaurant servers, social workers, farmers, caregivers, and teachers,

praying that they will be blessed in their service and receive mercy in return.

We remember the pure in heart, those who bring hope amid sorrow, children who laugh and share their joy, adults who cry and share our pain, and friends who embrace us as we are,

praying that they will glimpse how much they reflect your care for people in what they do.

We remember the peacemakers, the ones who offer prayer and solace, the ones who advocate for justice, the ones who work for peace and reconciliation where there currently is no peace and reconciliation,

praying that they will see their actions bear fruit as others seek to be your children.

We remember those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

praying that they will be confident of the peace that is theirs in your Kingdom in Heaven.

Communion Liturgy for All Saints Day: “The Great Thanksgiving for All Saints and Memorial Services”: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/the-great-thanksgiving-for-allsaints-and-memorial-occasions

(https://doc.vaumc.org/MinServices/AllSaintsLiturgy.pdf) (adapted)

We remember all who walk in darkness and who are heavily burdened,

praying that they will find comfort and release in your presence.

We remember all who have lost hope and who despair, those who can no longer cope on their own,

praying that they will feel you close by with them, giving them meaning and purpose in life.  

We remember all who are chronically ill, the homeless, the incarcerated,

praying that you will provide healing and wholeness for them in their specific situations.

(https://www.wantagemethodist.org.uk/doc/easter-day-michael-appleyard-D455996.pdf)

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

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Scripture Union Chaplain at Bald Hills State School. Please guide and equip her as she seeks to address the concerns and needs of children, parents and teachers at the school.

We pray for those who we have not seen for some time and who are unable to attend worship. Please guide and comfort them in their particular circumstances.  May they be aware of your care for them as they meet what each new day brings.

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

Introduction to third Hymn

  This next hymn was written by John Wesley.  Information on this hymn states that it is based on the Lord’s Prayer, but I don’t think that this is as clear to see compared to the hymn that we sang last week at the conclusion of our time of Prayer for Others as The Lord’s Prayer.  I chose to sing this hymn as our Communion hymn, because of the reference to “living bread” in the last line of verse 4.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn ‘Father of all, whose powerful voice’ 

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

Hymn

Verse 1 of 4

Father of all, whose powerful voice

called forth this universal frame;

whose mercies over all rejoice,

through endless ages still the same.

Verse 2 of 4

You, by your Word upholdest all;

your bounteous love to all is showed,

you hear your every creature’s call,

and on them every good bestowed.

Verse 3 of 4

Giver and Lord of life, whose power

and guardian care for all are free,

to you, in fierce temptations hour,

from sin and Satan let us flee.

Verse 4 of 4

On you we cast our care; we live

through you, who knows our every need:

O feed us with your grace, and give

our souls this day the living bread.

John Wesley  (adapted)

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 the cup, 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.

Introduction to fourth hymn

  I was asked if we could sing this next hymn in one of our worship services, so I thought that I would include it in today’s service.  It is found in the Australasian and New Zealand supplement to the Methodist Hymn Book, hymn number 1035.

  It is a hymn specifically centred on youth, because, in its original wording, it commences with the line:

“Youth of the race, arise”

  However, I did not think that such wording was appropriate for the context of our service, so I adapted the wording to read:

“We of the Church, arise”

  I was interested to find that the author of the words of this hymn was born and raised in Brisbane, so I wanted to find further information on him.  Here is some of what I found.

  Edwin Wesley Howard Fowles (1871-1945), barrister and politician, was born on 17 June 1871 at Oxley Creek, Queensland, son of William Fowles, schoolteacher, and his wife Nancy, née Whittle.  Educated first by his father and then at the Brisbane Normal School, he achieved top marks in the Scholarship examinations in 1884 and won a government scholarship to Brisbane Grammar School where he gained the Lilley medal in 1887.  A Queensland scholarship took him to Ormond College, University of Melbourne, in 1889 (B.A., 1893; M.A. LL.B., 1895).  As an undergraduate he was prominent in student life, played cricket for the university and twice captained the colony in tennis.  He became doubles champion of Queensland in 1906-08.

  A foundation senator of the University of Queensland in 1910-16, and first chairman of the library committee, Fowles was deeply involved in establishing the University as secretary of the Finance Committee in 1906-11.  Associated closely, too, with the setting up in 1912 of the Methodist Kings College in the University, he was its bursar and a fellow in 1916.

  For some years Fowles was a leading temperance advocate and was on the executive of the Queensland Temperance League.  Like his father-in-law, Archibald, he was a fervent Methodist and gave unstintingly of body, mind and spirit to the work and worship of his church—as choirmaster, youth leader and lay preacher.  In annual and general conferences and on many committees, his advice was respected.  He was a foundation member of the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association.

  Fowles wrote many hymns, revealing poetic gifts, spiritual insight and the evangelical tradition in which he had been reared.  A member of the committee for the preparation of an Australian and New Zealand supplement to the Methodist Hymn Book of 1933, he worked very hard and contributed two of his own hymns to it.  He prepared a ‘Methodist Hymn Book Companion’ to facilitate the introduction of the new book.  In many Brisbane churches he conducted community hymn-singing and explained the origin of both words and tunes.  Fowles died at home on 29 December 1945.

  If you are keen to do your own searching for information on Edwin Wesley Howard Fowles, the following websites will help you .

Edwin Fowles

  Here, truly, was a Saint of the Church, who, from all accounts, gave unstinting service to God throughout his days.  And it is sad that, today, he is no longer remembered, and what he and his wife contributed to the Methodist Church and to the wider society in the first half of the 20^th century is no longer acknowledged.  How many other Saints of the Church have also been forgotten?

  One point of interest about this hymn.  In line one of verse two as we will sing today, there is a reference to “As Knights in days of old”.  In line five of verse two as we will sing today, there is a reference to “True comrades on Life’s way”.  The question that came to my mind was, in these words, is he making reference to the Methodist youth groups the Order of Knights and to the Comrades, which may have just begun operating in Brisbane in the early 1930s?  Who can now tell?  A question to ponder?

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn ‘We of the Church, arise’  This clip is for another hymn, but is used here for the tune. The words are shown below:

Verse 1 of 3

We of the Church, arise

with hearts and faith aglow,

lift up God’s standard to the skies

and conquer every foe.

Follow the Christ your King

with loyalty supreme,

go work, and daily nearer bring

the Kingdom that you dream.

Verse 2 of 3

As knights in days of old,

prove valiant in the strife;

your vows through thickening perils hold,

and win eternal life.

True comrades on life’s way

a loving service give;

and gladly live each flying day

as Christ would have you live.

Verse 3 of 3

Yours are the dawns of God

if but your strength endures;

the vast horizon, mounting road,

the opening portal, yours!

The great adventure take,

God’s purpose to fulfil;

and He, who worlds from nothing spake

shall in you work His will.

Edwin Wesley Howard Fowles  (adapted)

Benediction    

May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you, wherever he may send you; may he guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storms; may he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.

(Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove)

Order Of Worship First United Methodist Church Austin, Texas All Saints Sunday November 1, 2020

(https://fumcaustin.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/virtualworship110120final.pdf)  adapted

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

Benediction Song

“I am His, and He is mine.”  Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 193

Verse 4

His forever, only His,

Who the Lord and me shall part?

Ah, with what a rest of bliss

Christ can fill the loving heart!

Heaven and Earth may fade and flee,

First-born light in gloom decline;

But while God and I shall be,

I am His, and He is mine.

But while God and I shall be,

I am His, and He is mine.

Wade Robinson