Order of Service – 12th March 2023

The Order of Service follows below.

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Lent – Plot twists…

Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A light on the hill

The third Sunday of Lent
March 12, 2023
Preacher: Rev Robyn Caldicott

We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional carers of the land on which our church is built.

Prelude

Welcome

Lighting of the Candles and Introit – Come Sing Praises

(from Psalm 95)– Michael Perry (TiS 53)

Call to Worship

God’s deep heart of life
Is like a well of infinite love.
In flows toward all creation
In living waters of grace.
Praise be to God.

Christ sits beside our life,
Inviting us to open ourselves,
Body, mind, heart and soul
To the flowing newness of eternal life.
Praise be to God
Let us rejoice in hope.

Opening Prayer

We Sing: Life to the Brim

Life to the Brim, Life overflowing
Life pouring out in compassion and grace
Spirit of God, Well up within us
Bring us to life in this time and this place.
Life to the brim, Life overflowing
Life flooding in from below and above
Spirit of God, Pour out upon us
Bring us to faith and to hope and to love.

Come Holy Spirit
Lord and giver of life
Make us your people
Make us the body of Christ
Life to the brim, Life overflowing
Foretaste and sign of the healing to come
Spirit of God, Strengthen and guide us
Take us and use us ’til your kingdom’s come.

Prayer of Confession

Words of Assurance

Passing of the Peace

The peace of our God be with you.
And also with you.

Community News and Notices

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Children’s Time

Children may go downstairs for Sunday School. Parents, you are welcome to join your child in Sunday School if you feel your child may need your assistance. Alternatively, you may wish for your child to remain with you for the duration of worship. Activity packs are available from the entrances.

Scripture Reading: Old Testament – Exodus 17: 1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarrelled with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’ Moses said to them, ‘Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?’ But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?’ So Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.’ Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarrelled and tested the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’

Choral Anthem – Great God of Every Shining Constellation

Albert Bayly (CH 246) Tune Highwood

Scripture Readings: New Testament – John 4:6-42 Subtle Bricks

Presented as a dramatic reading

Sermon

We Sing: Come as You Are

’Come as you are: that’s how I want you.
Come as you are: feel quite at home,
Close to my heart, loved and forgiven.
Come as you are: why stand alone?
’No need to fear, love sets no limits;
no need to fear, love never ends;
don’t run away shamed and disheartened,
rest in my love, trust me again.
’I came to call sinners, not just the righteous;
I came to bring peace, not to condemn.
Each time you fail to live by my promise,
why do you think I’d love you the less?
‘Come as you are; that’s how I love you;
come as you are, trust me again.
Nothing can change the love that I bear you;
all will be well, just come as you are.’

Offering

To give electronically please go to bpuc.org/give

Chimes Offertory

Offering Prayer

Prayers of the People

The Lord’s Prayer

…And now with the confidence of the children of God, let us pray the prayer Jesus taught us saying:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be Your name,

your Kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as 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: We Sing a Love That Sets All People Free

We sing a love that sets all people free,
that blows like wind, that burns like scorching flame,
enfolds like earth, springs up like water clear:
come, living love, live in our hearts today.
We sing a love that seeks another’s good,
that longs to serve, and not to count the cost,
a love that, yielding, finds itself made new:
come, caring love, live in our hearts today.
We sing a love, unflinching, unafraid
to be itself, despite another’s wrath,
a love that stands alone and undismayed:
come, strengthening love, live in our hearts today.
We sing a love, that, wandering, will not rest
until it finds its way, its home, its source,
through joy and sadness pressing on refreshed:
come, pilgrim love, live in our hearts today.
We sing a burning, fiery, Holy Ghost
that seeks out shades of ancient bitterness,
transfiguring these, as Christ in every heart:
come joyful love, live in our hearts today.

Sending Forth and Benediction

Choral Blessing – Peace and goodwill

Lyn Bray

Postlude – Chimes

Come and share morning tea together, downstairs in the basement

Some of the liturgy in this service is adapted from ‘Liturgies for High Days’ by Dorothy McRae-McMahon and Words for Worship, both published by MediaCom Education Inc. – mediacomeducation.org.au.