A Light on the Hill

Order of Service – 24th September 2023

The Order of Service follows below.

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Kardlayirdi Karnungga
The light on the hill

Season of Creation – River Sunday
September 24th, 2023
Preacher: Rev Linda Driver
Liturgical colour: Aqua

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

Prelude

Welcome and Acknowledgment of Country

Welcome! Niina marni!
Marni’ai!

Lighting of the Candles and Introit – By the Waters of Babylon

Together in Song 708

Call to Worship

In the name of the Creator, the fountain of life, the name of Christ, the pulse of life, and the name of the Spirit, the breath of life. Amen.
Holy! Holy! Holy!
Earth is filled with God’s presence.

We invite the rivers to worship with us:
the Murray, Karrawirra Pari,
and all the streams that flow to the sea.

We invite the country creeks to sing:
catfish, eel and platypus,
flowing streams and gleaming fountains.

We invite the fauna to praise God with us:
ibis, heron and mallard duck,
dragonflies and sleepy tortoises.

We join with the waters in praising God:
waterfalls singing upstream
and waves dancing at the river mouth.

We celebrate the song of the river!
Sing, river, sing!

We Sing: All Things Bright and Beautiful

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful –
the Lord God made them all.

  1. The wildflowers in their beauty,
    the mountain ranges tall,
    the billabongs and rivers,
    and friendly birds that call,

    All things bright and beautiful,
    all creatures great and small,
    all things wise and wonderful –
    the Lord God made them all.

  2. The coloured walls of gorges,
    the gum trees green and tall,
    the rocks, and pools, and palm trees,
    the sparkling waterfall,

    All things bright and beautiful,
    all creatures great and small,
    all things wise and wonderful –
    the Lord God made them all.

  3. The many-coloured corals,
    the creatures of the sea,
    of bushland, field or desert,
    on farms, or roaming free,

    All things bright and beautiful,
    all creatures great and small,
    all things wise and wonderful –
    the Lord God made them all.

  4. He gave us eyes to see them,
    and lips that we might tell
    how great is God Almighty
    who has made all things well.

    All things bright and beautiful,
    all creatures great and small,
    all things wise and wonderful –
    the Lord God made them all.

Together in Song 135. Alexander 1818-95 (vv 2alt. 5, and refrain) Brian Black 1926- (vv. 1 and 3) Compilers (v 4). Public Domain.

Remembering

We remember the rivers God created in Eden and across our planet, rivers that are the lifeblood of Earth and vital for all that lives.
We remember the streams of our past,
the pools and ponds where we played
and the feeling of celebration
as we splashed each other.

We remember and rejoice.
Thank you, God, for rivers,
streams that flow with the water of life.

Prayer of Confession

We remember and confess that we have become alienated from Earth and have polluted the rivers of our garden planet.
We are sorry.

.. for rivers polluted with poisons,
.. for streams treated as waste dumps,
.. for water, wasted in thoughtless ways.
We are sorry.
We are sorry.

Assurance of Forgiveness / Affirmation

Christ hears our confession from the river Jordan and forgives our sins against our rivers.
Christ, teach us to love Earth
and reconcile with Earth as our home.

Passing of the Peace

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

Community News and Notices

Current or previous BP E-news and to sign up to receive BP E-news

Song: Getting to Know You

Choir Only – Sing once through.

As we learn, about you today
As you learn, about us today
As we learn, together on the way
God is here with us to-day.

Getting to know…the Choir and Linda

We Sing – Congregation sings once through.

As we learn, about you today
As you learn, about us today
As we learn, together on the way
God is here with us to-day.

Tune from Love and Anger song 70. African American traditional. © Wild Goose Resource Group. Words M Harris

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: – Look to the Day

John Rutter

Bible Readings: Revelation 22:1-5 and Matthew 28:1-10

Revelation 22:1-5 New Revised Standard Version (updated edition)

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Matthew 28:1-10 New Revised Standard Version (updated edition)

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

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

Message

We Sing: How Long?

  1. How long must we cry out
    ’til justice rolls down like a river?
    How long will this night last
    and when will we all be together?

    Teach us to do what is right:
    work in the darkness, trust in the light.
    And may love be the path we walk upon.

  2. How long will these bombs fall,
    and bodies get twisted and broken?
    How long will these voices
    keep shouting loud insult and slogan?

    Teach us to do what is right:
    work in the darkness, trust in the light.
    And may love be the path we walk upon.

  3. How long? Will your creatures
    be trampled, degraded forever?
    How long must we cry out
    ’til justice rolls down like a river.

    Teach us to do what is right:
    work in the darkness, trust in the light.
    And may love be the path we walk upon.

Altogether for Good 563.© Robin Mann 2011. All rights reserved. ONE LICENSE, License #A‑604444.

Prayers of the People

The Lord’s Prayer

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 in the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours

now and forever. Amen.

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

God, our Creator, through your love, you have given us these gifts to share. Accept our offerings – of cash, and of gifts ’n goodies to go towards the East Adelaide Domestic Violence Service (EADVS), as an expression of our deep thanks and as signs of our concern for those in need, including our fellow creatures on planet Earth.
With all creation we praise our Creator.
Amen

We Sing: God of Creation

  1. God of Creation, gentle life-giver,
    present at birth and all through our days;
    author of sunrise, song in the night sky
    here in this place, we offer our praise.

  2. Jesus, companion, teacher and healer,
    friend of the grieving, suffering, the poor
    stand with your people, whisper among us
    promise of mercy, goodness for all.

  3. Spirit of comfort, blow through creation,
    stir up new life, breathe peace through our world.
    Healer of hearts, and hope for tomorrow,
    weave all our sorrows into new dawn.

  4. Here we give thanks for life in its fullness,
    blessings received, your gifts to us all.
    Make us a people filled with compassion,
    selflessly giving, serving your world.

All Together All Right 605. Craig Mitchell © 2010. Words used with permission under copyright CCLI Licence No. 137219. Copyright cleared music for churches

Sending Forth and Benediction

Blessing

Go in peace, serving Christ and loving Earth!
We go in peace,
serving Christ
and tending Earth!

Choral Blessing: – Like a Mighty River —-

Noel Tredinnick (Hymns for Today’s Church 32)

Postlude

Come and share morning tea together, 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 Seasons of the Spirit, Wood Lake Publishing; the Outback Sunday resource from the Season of Creation https://seasonofcreation.org/; and the Season of Creation resource from Intergen https://intergen.org.au/product/seasonofcreation Thanks to Green Adelaide and Rev Jesse Size for granting us permission to play their videos.

Season of Creation Discipleship Ideas

You are invited to try one or more of the following as Spiritual Disciplines during the Season of Creation: