Service for Sunday 6th February 2022, prepared by Mr Geoffrey Webber

Servicing the Bald Hills and nearby Communities

Service for Sunday 6th February 2022, prepared by Mr Geoffrey Webber

Call to Worship 

(Psalm 84: 11 & 12) 

“The LORD is our protector and glorious King,

Blessing us with kindness and honour.

God does not refuse any good thing

To those who do what is right.

LORD Almighty, how happy are those who trust in you!

Comment on verses from Psalm 84

  Blessing, states the writer of this Psalm, comes from the LORD to those who revere Him and do His will, to those who put their trust in Him.  It is not so much a matter of attaining wealth and good health, but, rather, it is the assurance and experience that they live under the guardianship and faithful care of their gracious Creator God, the Lord of life; it is the assurance that God does not and could never deny His lovingkindness to those who are devoted to Him and who entrust their future to God.

  The lovingkindness and grace of God characterises His covenant faithfulness to His People, the people of Israel  (Exodus 34: 6)  .  These are also the terms used by the Apostle John to describe Jesus, the Son of God  (John 1: 14)  .

  It is this relationship with God that we, too, experience.  We, too, experience the blessings of God, and live with the assurance that we are under His care and protection, and live with the promise that He will never deny us His lovingkindness and grace.  Let us gather for worship with praise in our hearts and on our lips for our loving and gracious God.

  [Study Notes in NIV Study Bible p790,882; Artur Weiser in The Psalms p569; Gregory Beale and Donald Carson in the Commentary on the New Testament use of the Old Testament p422] 

Prayer of Praise  

(based on Psalm 138: 1 to 8) 

I thank you, LORD, with all my heart; I praise you my God.

I worship you and give thanks because of your constant love and faithfulness, because you have shown that you are supreme.

You answered me when I called to you; with your strength you strengthened me.

All the kings in the World will praise you, LORD, because they have heard your promises.

They will sing about what you have done and about your great glory.

Even though you are so high above, you care for the lowly, and the proud cannot hide from you.

When I am surrounded by troubles, you keep me safe.  You save me by your power.

LORD, you will do everything you have promised, your love is eternal.  Amen.

We sing the Hymn ‘Something Beautiful’  Scripture in Song Volume 1 No 204- (sing the verse three times)

Something beautiful, something good

All my confusion, He understood

All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife

But He made something beautiful of my life.

Bill and Gloria Gaither

We sing the hymn ‘His Praise fills the Temple’  Scripture in Song Volume 1 No 205

Jack Hayford

Prayer of Confession   

Merciful God, we come before you repentant for our failings and our wantonness in departing from your chosen way for us.

Forgive us when we fail to respond to your call with faith.

Forgive us when we are shackled by our narrow understandings of discipleship and our clouded sense of purpose.

Forgive us when we are frightened of the future or pull back from the demand of your calling.

Forgive us when we fail to sense your presence in our past, to acknowledge your grace in the present moment, and to trust you for our future.

You have shown us that your Love is patient; yet, Lord, we are known more for our quick-temperedness: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown that your Love is kind; yet, Lord, we are known more for our indifference towards others: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love is not envious; we are known more for our petty jealousies: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love is not boastful; we are known more for our pretentiousness: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love is not arrogant; we are known more for our opinionated views: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love does not insist on getting its own way; we are known more for our false sense of our own importance: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love is not irritable; we are known more for our resentful behaviour: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love does not rejoice in wrong-doing; we are known more for our rejoicing in all the wrong things: Lord, have mercy.

May you show us mercy, Merciful God, forgiving our sins and leading us to a life that lasts.  To your glory and honour we pray.  Amen.

re:Worship: Epiphany 3 C (re-worship.blogspot.com)  re:Worship: Epiphany 4 C (re-worship.blogspot.com)

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Hebrews 2: 14 & 17) 

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews tells us that it was through the death of Jesus that people’s sins would be forgiven.  Let us put our faith in this truth and put our trust in the assurance that, having confessed our sins before God, He has listened to our prayers and has forgiven us.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination 

(from Uniting in Worship Book 1 number 12 p599) 

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

Bible Readings

Isaiah 6:

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord.  He was sitting on his throne, high and exalted, and His robe filled the whole Temple.  2  Around Him flaming creatures were standing, each of which had six wings.  Each creature covered its face with two wings, and its body with two, and used the other two for flying. 

3  They were calling out to each other:

”Holy, holy, holy!  The LORD Almighty is holy!  His glory fills the World.”

4  The sound of their voices made the foundation of the Temple shake, and the Temple itself was filled with smoke.

5  I said, “There is no hope for me!  I am doomed because every word that passes my lips is sinful, and I live among a people whose every word is sinful.  And yet, with my own eyes I have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

6  Then one of the creatures flew down to me, carrying a burning coal that they had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.  7  They touched my lips with the burning coal and said, “This has touched your lips, and now your guilt is gone, and your sins are forgiven.”

8  Then I heard the Lord say, “Whom shall I send?  Who will be our messenger?”  I answered, “I will go!  Send me!”

Jeremiah 1:

4  The word of the LORD came to me:  5  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you  for my own; before you were born I consecrated you, I appointed you as a Prophet to the Nations.”  6  “Ay, Lord god.” I answered, “I do not know how to speak, I am only a child.”

  7  But the LORD said, “do not call yourself a child, for you shall go to whatever people I send you and say whatever I tell you to say.  8  Fear none of them, for I am with you and will keep you safe.”  This was the very word of the LORD.

9  Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and said to me, “I put my words into your mouth.  10  This day I give you authority over Nations and over Kingdoms, to pull down and to uproot, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.”

1 Corinthians 15:

1  And now my fellow believers, I must remind you of the Gospel that I preached to you; the Gospel which you received, on which you have taken your stand, and which is now bringing you salvation.  2  Do you still hold fast to the Gospel as I preached it to you?  If not, your conversion was in vain.

3  I passed on to you what I received, which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as written in the Scriptures  (Isaiah 53: 10)  ;  4  that he was buried and that he was raised to life three days later, as written in the Scriptures  (Isaiah 53: 12)  ;  5  that he appeared to Peter and then to all twelve Apostles.  6  Then he appeared to more than five hundred of his followers at once, most of whom are still alive, although some have died.  7  Then he appeared to James, and afterward to all the Apostles.  8  Last of all he appeared also to me.

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

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Luke 5:

1  One day, Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, while the people pushed their way up to him to listen to the word of God.  2  He saw two boats pulled up on the beach; the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.  Jesus got into one of the boats – it belonged to Simon – and asked him to push off a little from the shore.  Jesus sat in the boat and taught the crowd.

4  When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Push the boat out further to the deep water, and you and your partners let your down your nets for a catch.”

5  “Master,” Simon answered, “we worked hard all night long and caught nothing.  But if you say so, I will let down the nets.”  6  They let them down and caught such a large number of fish that the nets were about to break.  So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  They came and filled both boats so full of fish that the boats were about to sink.  8  When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord!  I am a sinful man!”

9  He and the others with him were all amazed at the large number of fish they had caught.  10  The same was true of Simon’s partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee.  Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”  11  They pulled the boats up on the beach, left everything, and followed Jesus.

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

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

  And also with you.

We sing the hymn ‘All for Jesus, All for Jesus’  Hymns and Songs No 1

Verse 1 of 4

All for Jesus, all for Jesus,

This our song shall ever be:

You, our only hope, our Saviour

Yours the love that sets us free.

Verse 2 of 4

All for Jesus, you will give us

Strength to serve you hour by hour;

None can move us from your presence

While we trust your grace and power.

Verse 3 of 4

All for Jesus, all for Jesus,

All our talents and our powers,

All our thoughts and words and actions,

All our passing days and hours.

Verse 4 of 4

All for Jesus, all for Jesus,

This the Church’s song shall be,

Till at last her children gather,

One in him eternally.

William Sparrow-Simpson

Sermon

  Dennis Peer, a 19th century Canadian author and social commentator, is quoted as saying:

“One measure of leadership is the calibre of the people who choose to follow you.”

(Reader’s Digest Quotable quotes p101)

http://barleyliterate.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-wisdom-of-dennis-peer.html

  Taken at face value, this statement has some truth, for there are many well educated, well-skilled and widely experienced businesspeople who willingly state that they have specifically sought employment with a firm owned and/or managed by someone whom they perceive operates a very successful business along well-run economic, managerial and ethical principles. 

  How well does this principle apply to Old Testament Prophets?  Are we to attempt to measure the merits of the leadership of God by studying the calibre of the people whom He called to be a Prophet and who chose to accept that call?  The problem lies, not with the aspect of the Prophet choosing to follow God, but with the focus on the importance of the calibre of the person who God called to follow him.  Is the calibre of the person important?  Is that what God is looking for, what the person could bring into their relationship, what they themselves could offer to effectively fulfilling the role of a Prophet?  Did God choose as Prophets people who were better in some ways than others?

  In our reading from Jeremiah 1 we read of the call of Jeremiah.  God says to Jeremiah, “before you were born I selected you to be a Prophet to the Nations.”  (Jeremiah 1: 5)  , hardly enough time for Jeremiah to develop any qualities to contribute to the role and to develop calibre.  What was it that Jeremiah initially said to God upon hearing this?  “I don’t know how to speak: I am too young.”, hardly the speech of someone with calibre who is confident about taking on the role of a Prophet of God.  Yet was that important for God, for what do we see God promising to Jeremiah?

“I will be with you to protect you.”  Jeremiah 1: 8 

“I am giving you the words you must speak.”  Jeremiah 1: 9 

“Today I give you authority over Nations and Kingdoms.”  Jeremiah 1: 10 

  God was not interested in the calibre of Jeremiah, nor was God basing His choice of Jeremiah upon what Jeremiah could bring to the role of Prophet, for God could and did provide all that which Jeremiah required to be God’s mouthpiece to the People of God and to the peoples of the surrounding Nations.  God made His choice of Jeremiah because of Jeremiah’s openness and availability to God.

  David Barton, in his “Portrait of Jeremiah”, writes:

“He was from the beginning a reluctant Prophet, and he never ceased to discuss the trials of his office with God.  We glimpse the sheer burden of the task he has to bear.  He does not seem to be made of the stern stuff Prophets are supposed to be made of.  The Prophet who knew what it was to be shunned and ill-treated had never lost his own personal sense that God was always with him.  At his people’s darkest time, he can speak with conviction of the God who will never forget them.  (“Portrait of Jeremiah” in The Lion Handbook to the Bible 3rd edition 1999 p441 & 442) 

  We read that Isaiah was in the Temple in Jerusalem when he ‘saw the Lord, sitting on His throne, high and exalted, and His robe filled the whole Temple’.  Isaiah saw the ‘flaming creatures standing around God’, singing their praises of God.  ‘The sound of their voices made the foundation of the Temple shake, and the Temple itself became filled with smoke.’  Isaiah 6: 1 to 4) 

  This would have been an impressive display of God’s majesty.  So, did this lead Isaiah to affirm before God the qualities that he could contribute to the fulfilling of a role for God, that he had the calibre to successfully fulfill a service for God?  No!  Instead, Isaiah was filled with dread at his degraded and disgustful condition, in the very presence of the glory and holiness of God.  And we read:

‘I said, “There is no hope for me!  I am doomed because every word that passes my lips is sinful, and I live among a people whose every word is sinful.”’  (Isaiah 6: 5) 

  And what was the response of God?  Did God reject Isaiah because of his sinful nature?  No!  We read that God sent one of the creature to touch the lips of Isaiah with one of the burning coals taken from the altar  (Isaiah 6: 6 & 7)  .  Upon doing this, the creature then declared:

“This has touched your lips, and now your guilt is gone, and your sins are forgiven.”  (Isaiah 6: 7) 

  God was not looking for any goodness or holiness in Isaiah.  God was not looking at the calibre of Isaiah.  God was looking for true repentance in Isaiah for his sins and his sinful nature.  It was only on the basis of Isaiah’s repentance that God could then relate to Isaiah.  In ancient middle Eastern culture and theology, ‘Purification of lips is a symbol of the purification of the person’  (John Walton, Victor Matthews and Mark Chavalas in Isaiah in The IVP Bible Background Commentary on the Old Testament p592) 

  It is then that God issues His call:

“Whom shall I send?  Who will be our messenger?”  (Isaiah 6: 8a) 

  To which Isaiah responds:

“I will go!  Send me!”  (Isaiah 6: 8b) 

  We are led to understand that, in the act of touching the lips of Isaiah, God was also commissioning Isaiah in the role of Prophet  (Study notes for Isaiah 6: 7 in the NIV Study Bible p1041)  .  God was not interested in the calibre of Isaiah, nor was God basing His choice of Isaiah upon what Isaiah could bring to the role of Prophet, for God could and did provide all that which Isaiah required to be God’s mouthpiece to the People of God and to the peoples of the surrounding Nations.  God made His choice of Isaiah because of Isaiah’s openness and availability to God.

  Rev Dr Mike Butterworth writes of Isaiah saying:

‘The initial vision of God in all His glory in the Temple coloured Isaiah’s whole mission.  He had seen God as the ‘holy One of Israel’ and he never forgot it.  He had seen Human sin for the appalling thing it is, and he never forgot that either.  And he had been forgiven and taken into God’s service.  Throughout his life, he preached God’s righteousness, warned of the judgement of sin, and comforted his people with the knowledge of god’s love, His longing to forgive, and all the glories in store for those who remained faithful to Him.’  (in Isaiah in The Lion Handbook to the Bible 3rd edition 1999 p417) 

  In John 1: 35 to 42, we read of the initial meeting of Jesus with Andrew and his brother Simon, which took place soon after the baptism of Jesus near the River Jordan in the north-eastern corner of Judah, where John the Baptist was baptising those who responded to his call for repentance.  In Luke 4: 38, we gain the understanding that Jesus was living in the home of Simon and Andrew in Capernaum in Galilee, at a point in time soon after his rejection at Nazareth.  So, Simon and Andrew were well acquainted with Jesus before he called them to be his disciples.  Presumably so too were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s ‘business partners’ as we read in Luke 5: 10.

  There is an understanding that the ‘wife of Zebedee’ in Matthew 27: 56 is the Salome who is mentioned in Mark 16: 1, who is the ‘sister of Mary the mother of Jesus’, mentioned in John 19: 25.  Upon this understanding, we see that Jesus was a cousin of James and John, and had been acquainted with James and John for many years, before his meeting with Andrew and Simon and before his time spent living at Capernaum.

  So when Jesus called Simon and Andrew, and James and John, to leave behind their homes and all that was familiar, to become “fishers of men”, their meeting was not a spontaneous one between unknown persons as it is sometimes conceived.

  Jesus knew them and had lived with them.  They knew Jesus and had heard the ‘news about Jesus that had spread throughout the territory of Galilee’  (Luke 4: 14)  .

  What was it about these four fishermen that may have led Jesus to consider their worth to be his disciples?  Was it their learning and education?  They may have been literate, but the vocation of fishing did not require a high level of formal education.  As well, Galileans were seen by the learned and genteel people of Jerusalem as, at best, ‘country hicks’, judging by the reaction of the crowd who had gathered around the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost:

“These people who are talking like this are Galileans!  How is it then, that all of us hear them speaking in our own native languages?”  (Acts 2: 7 & 8) 

  Was it because they were so successful at catching fish?  No, for on the day in question, Simon readily acknowledged that they had spent the previous evening out in the lake and had not caught anything.  (Luke 5: 5) 

  Was it a special goodness about them?  They may have been hard working, and Simon and Andrew at least had responded to the call of John the Baptist to repent and to return to a true and honest worship of God.  (John 1: 40 to 42)  But what was Simon’s reaction to Jesus when Jesus demonstrated his Divinity by being able to ordain, in the vastness and the depth of the lake, the exact location where Simon and his partners would be able to catch such a vast number of fish that it risked overloading two fishing boats and to break their nets?  Simon fell on his knees, as a sign of submission to someone greater that he, and said, “Go away from me, Lord.  I am a sinful man.”  (Luke 5: 8) 

  This is not the reaction of someone who considers that he is of such a high calibre that he could offer something valuable and worthwhile that would contribute to the success of any venture upon which Jesus would consider embarking.  Jesus did not call these four fishermen on the basis of what they could give to him.  Jesus called them on the basis of what they could be for God and on what God could make them into.

  John Carroll, in his commentary of Luke’s Gospel, writes,

‘Though well aware of his own unworthiness, Simon, joined by his business partners James and john, models an appropriate response to Jesus’ call to the realm of God, leaving everything to follow him.’  (John Carroll in Luke  A Commentary p123) 

  Luke, in compiling his Gospel, highlights that the attention of Jesus is focussed on the sinners, the social and religious outcasts and outsiders, but who are the ‘objects of God’s grace’  (Luke 5: 32)  , and who ‘respond to Jesus with openness’.  In contrast, the learned and respected and self-righteous religious teachers and leaders ‘view Jesus with suspicion and hostility’  (Luke 5: 21)  , reject his teaching, oppose his authority, deny his messiahship, and scheme his demise.  (Joel Green in The Gospel of Luke p228) 

  But what of our call to follow God?  In writing to the young church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul seeks to confirm the foundations upon which their faith is based:

‘that Christ died for our sins’  (1 Corinthians 15: 3b) 

‘he was buried’  (1 Corinthians 15: 4a) 

‘that he was raised to life three days later’  (1 Corinthians 15: 4b) 

  Paul cites numerous firsthand witnesses to these three foundational events.  Paul uses terminology that ‘must mean a literal appearance’ of Jesus upon his being raised to life three days later.  (Craig Keener in 1 Corinthians in The IVP Bible Background Commentary on the New Testament p484 & 485) 

  Paul states categorically in 1 Corinthians 15: 2 :

‘This is the message that was given to me by those firsthand witnesses who were there.’

‘This is the message that I faithfully preached to you.’

 ‘This is the message by which the Holy Spirit spoke to your hearts and convinced you of the truth of what I preached to you.’

‘This is the message by which you are saved.’

  Paul is telling the church at Corinth, using the words of Norman Hillyer, “to deny the resurrection of the dead is to evacuate the Gospel of all its worth”.  (Norman Hillyer in 1 Corinthians in the New Bible Commentary p1070)  And he is earnest in his plea:

“You are saved by the Gospel if you hold firmly to it – unless it was for nothing that you believed.”  (1 Corinthians 15: 2) 

  Paul is stating that any other teaching does not come from God, is not validated by Scripture nor by historical events nor by firsthand witnesses to these historical events, and does not lead you to life in and through Jesus Christ.  The truth of Pauls teaching is no less valid today.

  Alan Catchpoole writes:

“A religion that postulates some divine force within and belonging to human beings, which has the ability to set them free and give them power, independence and self-determination, is most popular.  There have been numerous attempts to structure such a religion and even to ‘convert’ biblical leaching to conform to such an idea.  We see this as evidence that true Christianity which requires people to recognise themselves as a dependant creature who must respond t6o God in faith and obedience does not appeal to the sons and daughters of Adam.”  (Alan Catchpoole in The Wisdom that founded the Earth p193) 

  The essence of Paul ‘s teaching, which is reflected in these words of Alan Catchpoole, is that God disregards the calibre of a person who seeks to follow Him, God seeks only after the faithful response of a person to what God has already accomplished for them.

  Alan Catchpoole writes:

‘The righteous life and sacrificial death of Christ are the essential prerequisites upon which God establishes an eternal and saving agreement with His people.  This is all the gift of His grace.  Christian salvation must be understood in these terms.’  (Alan Catchpoole in The Wisdom that founded the Earth p195) 

  The Psalmist writes:

‘How happy are those who trust in you!’  (Psalm 84: 12) 

  May we not relinquish our faith and trust in God.  May we, like the Psalmist, find our blessing and happiness in knowing God as our everlasting Lord and Saviour.  Amen.

We sing the Hymn ‘God of Concrete, God of Steel’ from Hymns and Songs number 23

[sung to the tune Dix

Verse 1 of 4

God of concrete, God of steel,

God of piston and of wheel,

God of pylon, God of steam,

God of girder and of beam,

God of atom, God of mine,

All the world of power is thine!

Verse 2 of 4

Lord of cable, Lord of rail,

Lord of motorway and mail,

Lord of rocket, Lord of flight,

Lord of soaring satellite,

Lord of lightnings livid line,

All the world of speed is thine!

Verse 3 of 4

Lord of science, Lord of art,

God of map and graph and chart,

Lord of physics and research,

Word of Bible, Faith of Church,

Lord of sequence and design,

All the world of truth is thine!

Verse 4 of 4

God whose glory fills the Earth,

Gave the Universe its birth,

Loosed the Christ with Easter’s might,

Saves the World from evil’s blight,

Claims us all by grace divine,

All the world of love is thine!

Richard Jones

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774 

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

[This YouTube 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

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

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may be attentive to your invitation and allow Jesus to draw our attention away from our fear and limits so that we can respond to all that you ask.

We pray for the growth of faith, that the dying and rising of Christ may be the foundation of our lives and inspire all our words, deeds, and desires.

We pray for a greater recognition of our poverty, that your Spirit will help us acknowledge how much we need you, free us to ask for your help, and open us to receive your wisdom and insight.

We pray for the grace to deeply listen, that we may follow Christ away from the noise and demands of daily life and enter the silent depths of our hearts where we can hear your words of life and love.

We pray for all who lead others to you, particularly ministers, pastors, and evangelists, that you will inspire their words, open hearts in people to heed their words, and help many to encounter Christ.

We pray for all who are discerning your call or beginning a new commitment, that you will free them from fear, guide them along the path to life, and help them to trust that you will provide all that they need in life.

We pray for an ever-deepening conversion of heart, that the Holy Spirit will help us discover our misdirection, guide us in practicing the teachings of Christ, and lead us greater faith, stronger hope, and deeper love.

We pray for all who feel unwelcome or unworthy before you, that your unconditional love may heal and free them so that they may live in the freedom of the children of God.

We pray for all who are ill, that you will heal the sick, lift the burden of those with mental illness, inspire healthcare providers with insights, and give strength to their families.

We pray for all who are suffering, that you will protect communities from violence, bring relief to those facing starvation or drought, guide those who are facing the power of nature.

We pray that you will bless and protect those most vulnerable in our Society, the babies, parents with few of the World’s goods, the aged and the infirm, that you will be their strength and help in time of need.

We pray for all participating in the Olympic Games, that they may celebrate the athletic gifts that you have given them and promote a spirit of respect and understanding within the Human family.

We pray for the leaders of our Governments and Councils, grant them sound judgement, a strong ethical stance, and the courage not just to do what is right, but to do what is necessary to alleviate want and need.

We pray for peace, that you will inspire those working to reduce tension in Eastern Europe, bring forth new understanding of one another’s concerns, and open new paths for justice and respect.

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

[Raymond Chapman in Leading Intercessions p10, David Hostetter in Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year C p49]

We pray for the peoples of Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Western Sahara, Tunisia, for an end to political violence, and an end to how dominating powers have fought over these lands and their resources through the years.  We pray for those suffering exploitation and mistreatment as they travel through these countries, that you will protect them and guide them onto safe and secure pathways.  We pray for the tiny remnant of Christians, who continue bearing witness to their faith and for their good will for all people.  May they be your light even in the face of discrimination and oppression.

(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/algeria-libya-morocco-western-sahara-tunisia)

We pray that national Governments may raise their awareness of the costs to their communities and to their countries for their lack of action to alleviate tropical diseases such as leprosy.  May governments strive to eradicate leprosy and the suffering that it causes.  We pray that local communities and villages may realise that leprosy is completely treatable and no longer a life sentence of isolation and being shunned.  We pray that those who have leprosy will no longer be feared wherever they go nor that they will be marked with the stigma of someone to be avoided and rejected.

(Leprosy Mission 2022 Prayer Diary.pdf)

We pray for Alan and Myril Frankham and their ministry with Church of the Outback.  Bless and support them as they seek to foster Christian fellowship in remote communities and cattle stations in central Australia.  We thank you that Scripture Union have offered the use of their telephone conference calling system for the holding of worship services on Sunday mornings.  May this be a successful avenue through which Alan and Myril can keep in touch with those in their ‘church’.

(https://www.suqld.org.au/blog/category/prayer/#bringing-fellowship-to-the-outback )

We pray for the efforts of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in providing building material for the repair to homes and village structure damaged by the recent tsunami, and communal water tanks for providing fresh water to communities.  We thank you for their foresight in stocking these items in their warehouse, and pray that you will bless their efforts and those of the local chaplains who strive to deal with the mental and spiritual anguish of those who have suffered loss and grief.

(https://unitingworld.org.au/update-from-the-tonga-disaster-response/ )

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

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

We pray for the members of the Tongan Congregation, that they will not lose contact with each other in spite of not being able to hold weekly services.  Please keep them in good health and may they be able to recommence worship services soon.

We pray for the members of the Chinese Church who meet in our church building, may they not lose contact with each other in spite of not being able to hold weekly services.  Please keep them in good health and may they be able to recommence worship services soon.

We pray for the members of our Congregation, that we will maintain our sense of fellowship and service, though we are unable to meet together in person at this present time.  Please keep us in good health.  Please guide us as to how to serve you in new ways as we experience the current restrictions on social contact and movement.  Please bless our worship as we follow each service on our computer screens or as we read the printed copy.

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

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

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

Give us today our daily bread.

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

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

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

Now and forever.  Amen.

We sing the Hymn ‘Christ liveth in me’  Alexander’s Hymns No.3 number 208

James McGranahan

Benediction 

(from Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year C p48)  

We hear the voice of God calling each of us to be his mouthpiece.  May we be willing to put aside all of our other priorities in order to follow God wherever He may lead and guide us, in His service.

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

Benediction Song

“By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered”  TiS617

[sung to the tune Finlandia – only the one verse to be sung – there is a short introduction]

Verse 1 of 1

By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered,

And confidently waiting come what may,

We know that God is with us night and morning

And never fails to greet us each new day.

We shall remember all the days we live through,

All of our life before our God we lay.

Dietrich Bonhoffer

Translated by Frederick Pratt Green

His Praise fills the temple – YouTube

His praise fills the Temple

His peace fills my heart,

His joy and his glory

He did wondrously impart.

The blest name of Jesus

Brought me freedom from sin,

Now his praise fills the Temple

And his spirit dwells within.

His praise fills the Temple

His peace fills my heart,

His joy and his glory

He did wondrously impart.

The blest name of Jesus

Brought me freedom from sin,

Now his praise fills the Temple

And his spirit dwells within.

The blest name of Jesus

Brought me freedom from sin,

Now his praise fills the Temple

And his spirit dwells within.

Jack Hayford

Prayer of Confession

  

Merciful God, we come before you repentant for our failings and our wantonness in departing from your chosen way for us.

Forgive us when we fail to respond to your call with faith.

Forgive us when we are shackled by our narrow understandings of discipleship and our clouded sense of purpose.

Forgive us when we are frightened of the future or pull back from the demand of your calling.

Forgive us when we fail to sense your presence in our past, to acknowledge your grace in the present moment, and to trust you for our future.

You have shown us that your Love is patient; yet, Lord, we are known more for our quick-temperedness: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown that your Love is kind; yet, Lord, we are known more for our indifference towards others: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love is not envious; we are known more for our petty jealousies: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love is not boastful; we are known more for our pretentiousness: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love is not arrogant; we are known more for our opinionated views: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love does not insist on getting its own way; we are known more for our false sense of our own importance: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love is not irritable; we are known more for our resentful behaviour: Lord, have mercy.

You have shown us that your Love does not rejoice in wrong-doing; we are known more for our rejoicing in all the wrong things: Lord, have mercy.

May you show us mercy, Merciful God, forgiving our sins and leading us to a life that lasts.  To your glory and honour we pray.  Amen.

re:Worship: Epiphany 3 C (re-worship.blogspot.com)  re:Worship: Epiphany 4 C (re-worship.blogspot.com)

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Hebrews 2: 14 & 17) 

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews tells us that it was through the death of Jesus that people’s sins would be forgiven.  Let us put our faith in this truth and put our trust in the assurance that, having confessed our sins before God, He has listened to our prayers and has forgiven us.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination 

(from Uniting in Worship Book 1 number 12 p599) 

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

Bible Readings

Isaiah 6:

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord.  He was sitting on his throne, high and exalted, and His robe filled the whole Temple.  2  Around Him flaming creatures were standing, each of which had six wings.  Each creature covered its face with two wings, and its body with two, and used the other two for flying. 

3  They were calling out to each other:

”Holy, holy, holy!  The LORD Almighty is holy!  His glory fills the World.”

4  The sound of their voices made the foundation of the Temple shake, and the Temple itself was filled with smoke.

5  I said, “There is no hope for me!  I am doomed because every word that passes my lips is sinful, and I live among a people whose every word is sinful.  And yet, with my own eyes I have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

6  Then one of the creatures flew down to me, carrying a burning coal that they had taken from the alter with a pair of tongs.  7  They touched my lips with the burning coal and said, “This has touched your lips, and now your guilt is gone, and your sins are forgiven.”

8  Then I heard the Lord say, “Whom shall I send?  Who will be our messenger?”  I answered, “I will go!  Send me!”

Jeremiah 1:

4  The word of the LORD came to me:  5  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you  for my own; before you were born I consecrated you, I appointed you as a Prophet to the Nations.”  6  “Ay, Lord god.” I answered, “I do not know how to speak, I am only a child.”

  7  But the LORD said, “do not call yourself a child, for you shall go to whatever people I send you and say whatever I tell you to say.  8  Fear none of them, for I am with you and will keep you safe.”  This was the very word of the LORD.

9  Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and said to me, “I put my words into your mouth.  10  This day I give you authority over Nations and over Kingdoms, to pull down and to uproot, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.”

1 Corinthians 15:

1  And now my fellow believers, I must remind you of the Gospel that I preached to you; the Gospel which you received, on which you have taken your stand, and which is now bringing you salvation.  2  Do you still hold fast to the Gospel as I preached it to you?  If not, your conversion was in vain.

3  I passed on to you what I received, which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as written in the Scriptures  (Isaiah 53: 10)  ;  4  that he was buried and that he was raised to life three days later, as written in the Scriptures  (Isaiah 53: 12)  ;  5  that he appeared to Peter and then to all twelve Apostles.  6  Then he appeared to more than five hundred of his followers at once, most of whom are still alive, although some have died.  7  Then he appeared to James, and afterward to all the Apostles.  8  Last of all he appeared also to me.

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

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Luke 5:

1  One day, Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, while the people pushed their way up to him to listen to the word of God.  2  He saw two boats pulled up on the beach; the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.  Jesus got into one of the boats – it belonged to Simon – and asked him to push off a little from the shore.  Jesus sat in the boat and taught the crowd.

4  When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Push the boat out further to the deep water, and you and your partners let your down your nets for a catch.”

5  “Master,” Simon answered, “we worked hard all night long and caught nothing.  But if you say so, I will let down the nets.”  6  They let them down and caught such a large number of fish that the nets were about to break.  So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  They came and filled both boats so full of fish that the boats were about to sink.  8  When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord!  I am a sinful man!”

9  He and the others with him were all amazed at the large number of fish they had caught.  10  The same was true of Simon’s partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee.  Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”  11  They pulled the boats up on the beach, left everything, and followed Jesus.

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

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

  And also with you.

We sing the hymn ‘All for Jesus, All for Jesus’  Hymns and Songs No 1

Verse 1 of 4

All for Jesus, all for Jesus,

This our song shall ever be:

You, our only hope, our Saviour

Yours the love that sets us free.

Verse 2 of 4

All for Jesus, you will give us

Strength to serve you hour by hour;

None can move us from your presence

While we trust your grace and power.

Verse 3 of 4

All for Jesus, all for Jesus,

All our talents and our powers,

All our thoughts and words and actions,

All our passing days and hours.

Verse 4 of 4

All for Jesus, all for Jesus,

This the Church’s song shall be,

Till at last her children gather,

One in him eternally.

William Sparrow-Simpson

Sermon

  Dennis Peer, a 19th century Canadian author and social commentator, is quoted as saying:

“One measure of leadership is the calibre of the people who choose to follow you.”

(Reader’s Digest Quotable quotes p101)

http://barleyliterate.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-wisdom-of-dennis-peer.html

  Taken at face value, this statement has some truth, for there are many well educated, well-skilled and widely experienced businesspeople who willingly state that they have specifically sought employment with a firm owned and/or managed by someone who they perceive operates a very successful business along well-run economic, managerial and ethical principles. 

  How well does this principle apply to Old Testament Prophets?  Are we to attempt to measure the merits of the leadership of God by studying the calibre of the people who He called to be a Prophet and who chose to accept that call?  The problem lies, not with the aspect of the Prophet choosing to follow God, but with the focus on the importance of the calibre of the person who God called to follow him.  Is the calibre of the person important?  Is that what God is looking for, what the person could bring into their relationship, what they themselves could offer to effectively fulfilling the role of a Prophet?  Did God choose as Prophets people who were better in some ways than others?

  In our reading from Jeremiah 1 we read of the call of Jeremiah.  God says to Jeremiah, “before you were born I selected you to be a Prophet to the Nations.”  (Jeremiah 1: 5)  , hardly enough time for Jeremiah to develop any qualities to contribute to the role and to develop calibre.  What was it that Jeremiah initially said to God upon hearing this?  “I don’t know how to speak: I am too young.”, hardly the speech of someone with calibre who

is confident about taking on the role of a Prophet of God.  Yet was that important for God, for what do we see God promising to Jeremiah?

“I will be with you to protect you.”  Jeremiah 1: 8 

“I am giving you the words you must speak.”  Jeremiah 1: 9 

“Today I give you authority over Nations and Kingdoms.”  Jeremiah 1: 10 

  God was not interested in the calibre of Jeremiah, nor was God basing His choice of Jeremiah upon what Jeremiah could bring to the role of Prophet, for God could and did provide all that which Jeremiah required to be God’s mouthpiece to the People of God and to the peoples of the surrounding Nations.  God made His choice of Jeremiah because of Jeremiah’s openness and availability to God.

  David Barton, in his “Portrait of Jeremiah”, writes:

“He was from the beginning a reluctant Prophet, and he never ceased to discuss the trials of his office with God.  We glimpse the sheer burden of the task he has to bear.  He does not seem to be made of the stern stuff Prophets are supposed to be made of.  The Prophet who knew what it was to be shunned and ill-treated had never lost his own personal sense that God was always with him.  At his people’s darkest time, he can speak with conviction of the God who will never forget them.  (“Portrait of Jeremiah” in The Lion Handbook to the Bible 3rd edition 1999 p441 & 442) 

  We read that Isaiah was in the Temple in Jerusalem when he “saw the Lord, sitting on His throne, high and exalted, and His robe filled the whole Temple”.  Isaiah saw the “flaming creatures standing around God”, singing their praises of God.  “The sound of their voices made the foundation of the Temple shake, and the Temple itself became filled with smoke.”  Isaiah 6: 1 to 4) 

  This would have been an impressive display of God’s majesty.  So, did this lead Isaiah to affirm before God the qualities that he could contribute to the fulfilling of a role for God, that he had the calibre to successfully fulfill a service for God?  No!  Instead, Isaiah was filled with dread at his degraded and disgustful condition, in the very presence of the glory and holiness of God.  And we read:

“I said, ‘There is no hope for me!  I am doomed because every word that passes my lips is sinful, and I live among a people whose every word is sinful.’”  (Isaiah 6: 5) 

  And what was the response of God?  Did God reject Isaiah because of his sinful nature?  No!  We read that God sent one of the creature to touch the lips of Isaiah with one of the burning coals taken from the alter  (Isaiah 6: 6 & 7)  .  Upon doing this, the creature then declared”:

“This has touched your lips, and now your guilt is gone, and your sins are forgiven.”  (Isaiah 6: 7) 

  God was not looking for any goodness or holiness in Isaiah.  God was not looking at the calibre of Isaiah.  God was looking for true repentance in Isaiah for his sins and his sinful nature.  It was only on the basis of Isaiah’s repentance that God could then relate to Isaiah.  In ancient middle Eastern culture and theology, “Purification of lips is a symbol of the purification of the person”  (John Walton, Victor Matthews and Mark Chavalas in Isaiah in The IVP Bible Background Commentary on the Old Testament p592) 

  It is then that God issues His call:

“Whom shall I send?  Who will be our messenger?”  (Isaiah 6: 8a) 

  To which Isaiah responds:

“I will go!  Send me!”  (Isaiah 6: 8b) 

  We are lead to understand that, in the act of touching the lips of Isaiah, God was also commissioning Isaiah in the role of Prophet  (Study notes for Isaiah 6: 7 in the NIV Study Bible p1041)  .  God was not interested in the calibre of Isaiah, nor was God basing His choice of Isaiah upon what Isaiah could bring to the role of Prophet, for God could and did provide all that which Isaiah required to be God’s mouthpiece to the People of God and to the peoples of the surrounding Nations.  God made His choice of Isaiah because of Isaiah’s openness and availability to God.

  Rev Dr Mike Butterworth writes of Isaiah saying:

“The initial vision of God in all His glory in the Temple coloured Isaiah’s whole mission.  He had seen God as the ‘holy One of Israel’ and he never forgot it.  He had seen Human sin for the appalling thing it is, and he never forgot that either.  And he had been forgiven and taken into God’s service.  Throughout his life, he preached God’s righteousness, warned of the judgement of sin, and comforted his people with the knowledge of god’s love, His longing to forgive, and all the glories in store for those who remained faithful to Him.”  (in Isaiah in The Lion Handbook to the Bible 3rd edition 1999 p417) 

  In John 1: 35 to 42, we read of the initial meeting of Jesus with Andrew and his brother Simon, which took place soon after the baptism of Jesus near the River Jordan in the north-eastern corner of Judah, where John the Baptist was baptising those who responded to his call for repentance.  In Luke 4: 38, we gain the understanding that Jesus was living in the home of Simon and Andrew in Capernaum in Galilee, at a point in time soon after his rejection at Nazareth.  So, Simon and Andrew were well acquainted with Jesus before he called them to be his disciples.  Presumably so too were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s ‘business partners’ as we read in Luke 5: 10.

  There is an understanding that the “wife of Zebedee” in Matthew 27: 56 is the Salome who is mentioned in Mark 16: 1, who is the “sister of Mary the mother of Jesus”, mentioned in John 19: 25.  Upon this understanding see that Jesus was a cousin of James and John, and had been acquainted with James and John for many years, before his meeting with Andrew and Simon and before his time spent living at Capernaum.

  So when Jesus called Simon and Andrew, and James and John, to leave behind their homes and all that was familiar, to become “fishers of men”, their meeting was not a spontaneous one between unknown persons as it is sometimes conceived.

  Jesus knew them and had lived with them.  They knew Jesus and had heard the “news about Jesus that had spread throughout the territory of Galilee”  (Luke 4: 14)  .

  What was it about these four fishermen that may have led Jesus to consider their worth to be his disciples?  Was it their learning and education?  They may have been literate, but the vocation of fishing did not require a high level of formal education.  As well, Galileans were seen by the learned and genteel people of Jerusalem as, at best, ‘country hicks’, judging by the reaction of the crowd who had gathered around the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost:

“These people who are talking like this are Galileans!  How is it then, that all of us hear them speaking in our own native languages?”  (Acts 2: 7 & 8) 

  Was it because they were so successful at catching fish?  No, for on the day in question, Simon readily acknowledged that they had spent the previous evening out in the lake and had not caught anything.  (Luke 5: 5) 

  Was it a special goodness about them?  They may have been hard working, and Simon and Andrew at least had responded to the call of John the Baptist to repent and to return to a true and honest worship of God.  (John 1: 40 to 42)  But what was Simon’s reaction to Jesus when Jesus demonstrated his Divinity by being able to ordain, in the vastness and the depth of the lake, the exact location where Simon and his partners would be able to catch such a vast number of fish that it risked overloading two fishing boats and to break their nets?  Simon fell on his knees, as a sign of submission to someone greater that he, and said, “Go away from me, Lord.  I am a sinful man.”  (Luke 5: 8) 

  This is not the reaction of someone who considers that he is of such a high calibre that he could offer something valuable and worthwhile that would contribute to the success of any venture upon which Jesus would consider embarking.  Jesus did not call these four fishermen on the basis of what they could give to him.  Jesus called them on the basis of what they could be for God and on what God could make them into.

  John Carroll, in his commentary of Luke’s Gospel, writes,

“Though well aware of his own unworthiness, Simon, joined by his business partners James and john, models an appropriate response to Jesus’ call to the realm of God, leaving everything to follow him.”  (John Carroll in Luke  A Commentary p123) 

  Luke, in compiling his Gospel, highlights that the attention of Jesus is focussed on the sinners, the social and religious outcasts and outsiders, but who are the “objects of God’s grace”  (Luke 5: 32)  , and who “respond to Jesus with openness”.  In contrast, the learned and respected and self-righteous religious teachers and leaders “view Jesus with suspicion and hostility”  (Luke 5: 21)  , reject his teaching, oppose his authority, deny his messiahship, and scheme his demise.  (Joel Green in The Gospel of Luke p228) 

  But what of our call to follow God?  In writing to the young church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul seeks to confirm the foundations upon which their faith is based:

“that Christ died for our sins”  (1 Corinthians 15: 3b) 

“he was buried”  (1 Corinthians 15: 4a) 

“that he was raised to life three days later”  (1 Corinthians 15: 4b) 

  Paul cites numerous firsthand witnesses to these three foundational events.  Paul uses terminology that “must mean a literal appearance” of Jesus upon his being raised to life three days later.  (Craig Keener in 1 Corinthians in The IVP Bible Background Commentary on the New Testament p484 & 485) 

  Paul states categorically in 1 Corinthians 15: 2 :

‘This is the message that was given to me by those firsthand witnesses who were there.’

‘This is the message that I faithfully preached to you.’

 ‘This is the message by which the Holy Spirit spoke to your hearts and convinced you of the truth of what I preached to you.’

‘This is the message by which you are saved.’

  Paul is telling the church at Corinth, using the words of Norman Hillyer, “to deny the resurrection of the dead is to evacuate the Gospel of all its worth”.  (Norman Hillyer in 1 Corinthians in the New Bible Commentary p1070)  And he is earnest in his plea:

“You are saved by the Gospel if you hold firmly to it – unless it was for nothing that you believed.”  (1 Corinthians 15: 2) 

  Paul is stating that any other teaching does not come from God, is not validated by Scripture nor by historical events nor by firsthand witnesses to these historical events, and does not lead you to life in and through Jesus Christ.  The truth of Pauls teaching is no less valid today.

  Alan Catchpoole writes:

“A religion that postulates some divine force within and belonging to human beings, which has the ability to set them free and give them power, independence and self-determination, is most popular.  There have been numerous attempts to structure such a religion and even to ‘convert’ biblical leaching to conform to such an idea.  We see this as evidence that true Christianity which requires people to recognise themselves as a dependant creature who must respond t6o God in faith and obedience does not appeal to the sons and daughters of Adam.”  (Alan Catchpoole in The Wisdom that founded the Earth p193) 

  The essence of Paul ‘s teaching, which is reflected in these words of Alan Catchpoole, is that God disregards the calibre of a person who seeks to follow Him, God seeks only after the faithful response of a person to what God has already accomplished for them.

  Alan Catchpoole writes:

“The righteous life and sacrificial death of Christ are the essential prerequisites upon which God establishes an eternal and saving agreement with His people.  This is all the gift of His grace.  Christian salvation must be understood in these terms.”  (Alan Catchpoole in The Wisdom that founded the Earth p195) 

  The Psalmist writes:

“How happy are those who trust in you!”  (Psalm 84: 12) 

  May we not relinquish our faith and trust in God.  May we, like the Psalmist, find our blessing and happiness in knowing God as our everlasting Lord and Saviour.  Amen.

We sing the Hymn ‘God of Concrete, God of Steel’  Hymns and Songs No 23

Verse 1 of 4

God of concrete, God of steel,

God of piston and of wheel,

God of pylon, God of steam,

God of girder and of beam,

God of atom, God of mine,

All the world of power is thine!

Verse 2 of 4

Lord of cable, Lord of rail,

Lord of motorway and mail,

Lord of rocket, Lord of flight,

Lord of soaring satellite,

Lord of lightnings livid line,

All the world of speed is thine!

Verse 3 of 4

Lord of science, Lord of art,

God of map and graph and chart,

Lord of physics and research,

Word of Bible, Faith of Church,

Lord of sequence and design,

All the world of truth is thine!

Verse 4 of 4

God whose glory fills the Earth,

Gave the Universe its birth,

Loosed the Christ with Easter’s might,

Saves the World from evil’s blight,

Claims us all by grace divine,

All the world of love is thine!

Richard Jones

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774 

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

[This YouTube 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

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

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may be attentive to your invitation and allow Jesus to draw our attention away from our fear and limits so that we can respond to all that you ask.

We pray for the growth of faith, that the dying and rising of Christ may be the foundation of our lives and inspire all our words, deeds, and desires.

We pray for a greater recognition of our poverty, that your Spirit will help us acknowledge how much we need you, free us to ask for your help, and open us to receive your wisdom and insight.

We pray for the grace to deeply listen, that we may follow Christ away from the noise and demands of daily life and enter the silent depths of our hearts where we can hear your words of life and love.

We pray for all who lead others to you, particularly ministers, pastors, and evangelists, that you will inspire their words, open hearts in people to heed their words, and help many to encounter Christ.

We pray for all who are discerning your call or beginning a new commitment, that you will free them from fear, guide them along the path to life, and help them to trust that you will provide all that they need in life.

We pray for an ever-deepening conversion of heart, that the Holy Spirit will help us discover our misdirection, guide us in practicing the teachings of Christ, and lead us greater faith, stronger hope, and deeper love.

We pray for all who feel unwelcome or unworthy before you, that your unconditional love may heal and free them so that they may live in the freedom of the children of God.

We pray for all who are ill, that you will heal the sick, lift the burden of those with mental illness, inspire healthcare providers with insights, and give strength to their families.

We pray for all who are suffering, that you will protect communities from violence, bring relief to those facing starvation or drought, guide those who are facing the power of nature.

We pray that you will bless and protect those most vulnerable in our Society, the babies, parents with few of the World’s goods, the aged and the infirm, that you will be their strength and help in time of need.

We pray for all participating in the Olympic Games, that they may celebrate the athletic gifts that you have given them and promote a spirit of respect and understanding within the Human family.

We pray for the leaders of our Governments and Councils, grant them sound judgement, a strong ethical stance, and the courage not just to do what is right, but to do what is necessary to alleviate want and need.

We pray for peace, that you will inspire those working to reduce tension in Eastern Europe, bring forth new understanding of one another’s concerns, and open new paths for justice and respect.

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

[Raymond Chapman in Leading Intercessions p10, David Hostetter in Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year C p49]

We pray for the peoples of Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Western Sahara, Tunisia, for an end to political violence, and an end to how dominating powers have fought over these lands and their resources through the years.  We pray for those suffering exploitation and mistreatment as they travel through these countries, that you will protect them and guide them onto safe and secure pathways.  We pray for the tiny remnant of Christians, who continue bearing witness to their faith and for their good will for all people.  May they be your light even in the face of discrimination and oppression.

(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/algeria-libya-morocco-western-sahara-tunisia)

We pray that national Governments may raise their awareness of the costs to their communities and to their countries for their lack of action to alleviate tropical diseases such as leprosy.  May governments strive to eradicate leprosy and the suffering that it causes.  We pray that local communities and villages may realise that leprosy is completely treatable and no longer a life sentence of isolation and being shunned.  We pray that those who have leprosy will no longer be feared wherever they go nor that they will be marked with the stigma of someone to be avoided and rejected.

(Leprosy Mission 2022 Prayer Diary.pdf)

We pray for Alan and Myril Frankham and their ministry with Church of the Outback.  Bless and support them as they seek to foster Christian fellowship in remote communities and cattle stations in central Australia.  We thank you that Scripture Union have offered the use of their telephone conference calling system for the holding of worship services on Sunday mornings.  May this be a successful avenue through which Alan and Myril can keep in touch with those in their ‘church’.

(https://www.suqld.org.au/blog/category/prayer/#bringing-fellowship-to-the-outback )

We pray for the efforts of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in providing building material for the repair to homes and village structure damaged by the recent tsunami, and communal water tanks for providing fresh water to communities.  We thank you for their foresight in stocking these items in their warehouse, and pray that you will bless their efforts and those of the local chaplains who strive to deal with the mental and spiritual anguish of those who have suffered loss and grief.

(https://unitingworld.org.au/update-from-the-tonga-disaster-response/ )

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

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

We pray for the members of the Tongan Congregation, that they will not lose contact with each other in spite of not being able to hold weekly services.  Please keep them in good health and may they be able to recommence worship services soon.

We pray for the members of the Chinese Church who meet in our church building, may they not lose contact with each other in spite of not being able to hold weekly services.  Please keep them in good health and may they be able to recommence worship services soon.

We pray for the members of our Congregation, that we will maintain our sense of fellowship and service, though we are unable to meet together in person at this present time.  Please keep us in good health.  Please guide us as to how to serve you in new ways as we experience the current restrictions on social contact and movement.  Please bless our worship as we follow each service on our computer screens or as we read the printed copy.

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

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

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

Give us today our daily bread.

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

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

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

Now and forever.  Amen.

We sing the hymn ‘Christ liveth in me’  Alexander’s Hymns No.3 No 208

James McGranahan

Benediction 

(from Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year C p48)  

We hear the voice of God calling each of us to be his mouthpiece.  May we be willing to put aside all of our other priorities in order to follow God wherever He may lead and guide us, in His service.

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

Benediction Song

“By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered”  TiS617

[sung to the tune Finlandia – only the one verse to be sung – there is a short introduction]

Verse 1 of 1

By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered,

And confidently waiting come what may,

We know that God is with us night and morning

And never fails to greet us each new day.

We shall remember all the days we live through,

All of our life before our God we lay.

Dietrich Bonhoffer

Translated by Frederick Pratt Green