Order of Service – 2nd July 2023

The Order of Service follows below.

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Kardlayirdi Karnungga
The light on the hill

July 2, 2023
Pentecost 5A
Preacher: Rev Robyn Caldicott

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

Prelude

Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country

Lighting of Candles and Introit- There’s a spirit in the air

Brian Wren (Together in Song 414)

Call to Worship

Creator God calls to us, ‘My beloved, my beloved…’
Here I am, we utter
Here we are, O God.
Our God is drawing us to a new place, beyond our understanding beyond our comprehension.
In a leap of faith and a posture of trust,
we gather here together.
Draw us, loving God, into this place of holy mystery where divine presence and human experience meet.

Prayer of Invocation:

Come, Spirit of God, come. Embolden and awaken in us new depths of faith and trust.
Kindle a fire of love inside of us, we pray. Amen.

We Sing: Morning has broken

Morning has broken
like the first morning;
blackbird has spoken
like the first bird.
Praise for the singing,
praise for the morning,
praise for them, springing
fresh from the word.
Sweet the rain’s new fall
sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall
on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
of the wet garden,
sprung from completeness
where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight;
mine is the morning
born of the one light
Eden saw play.
Praise with elation,
praise every morning,
God’s recreation
of the new day.

Intro to Prayer of Confession

Prayer of Confession

Words of Assurance

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Scripture Reading & Reflection: Psalm 13

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me for ever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

How long, O God, how long must suffering go on?
It sometimes seems that pain and suffering will last for ever.
At these times, Lord, we feel that you are absent –
O how we long for some sign of your presence.

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
and my enemy will say, ‘I have prevailed’;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

For pain is the enemy which threatens to overwhelm our trust in you;
Without your presence, darkness and death fill our thoughts and crowd you out.
Hear our cries, O God, as you have in the past.
Dispel the dark horizons of our fear with the assurance of your presence.

But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Help us know that we are never ever abandoned by you and that we can put our trust in your steadfast love.
So we praise you, O God, for delivering us from darkness to light, from death to life.
Remembering your great mercy, we lift our voices to you in songs of endless praise.

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.

Prayer of Adoration and Praise

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 at the entrances.

Choral Anthem: – How lovely are the messengers

Mendelssohn

Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:40-42

‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’

The Gospel of Christ, Light of the world.
Thanks be to God.

Message

Choir: We will take what you offer

We will take what you offer,
we will live by your word;
we will love one another
and be fed by you, Lord.

All Together Whatever, 498. Words and music: John L Bell. © 1998 WGRG, Iona Community. Australian permissions: Willow Connection Pty Ltd, Manly Vale, NSW. All rights reserved. One License, License #A‑604444.

Offering

To give electronically please go to bpuc.org/give

Alternatively, there is an offering bowl near the lectern on the left-hand side as you exit the church

Offering Prayer

Prayers of the People

Holy Communion

Preparing for the meal

Narrative of Institution

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

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.

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory,
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Breaking of the bread

(Distribution of Elements)

Prayer after Communion

Thank you Loving God
For inviting us to share in this meal
May we sense your presence in new and deeper ways
And carry within us a sacred longing
For your absent guests.
So may we seek always to share the good news…
that there is a place at your table for everyone.
Amen

We Sing: Sent forth by God’s blessing

Sent forth by God’s blessing, our true faith confessing,
the people of God from his table take leave,
The supper is ended: may now be extended
the fruits of his service in all who believe.
The seed of his teaching, our hungry souls reaching,
shall blossom in action for all humankind.
His grace shall incite us, his love shall unite us
to work for his kingdom, his purpose to find.
With praise and thanksgiving to God ever-living
the tasks of our everyday life we will face,
our faith ever sharing, in love ever caring,
embracing as neighbours all those of each race.
One feast that has fed us, one light that has led us,
unite us as one in his life that we share.
Then may all the living, with praise and thanksgiving,
give honour to Christ and his name that we bear.

Omer Westendorf – Together in Song, 531. Text © Copyright 1964, World Library Publications, a division of J. S. Paluch Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Words used with permission under copyright CCLI Licence No 137219. Copyright cleared music for churches.

Sending Forth and Benediction

Choral Blessing: Peace to his people

Elaine Davies (Church Hymnary 208)

Come and share morning tea together, downstairs in the basement. There are stairs behind the organ and a ramp between the church and the car park leading to the basement.

Some of the liturgy in this service is adapted from resources published by Moira Laidlaw (B.A., Dip.Theol., D.Min.) and Words for Worship, published by MediaCom Education – mediacomeducation.org.au Cover Image: Fir0002/Flagstaffotos, CC BY-NC 3.0