Order of Service – 12th February 2023

The Order of Service follows below.

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International day against the use of child soldiers

Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A light on the hill

The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
February 12, 2023

Prelude

Welcome

Acknowledgement of Country

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

Lighting of the Candles and Introit

Love is your way – per Harling & Shirley Murray (Hope 95)

Call to Worship

God hears the cry of the needy, and does not wait for us to call before coming to our aid;

While we were still lost in our brokenness and sin,
God came to us
lived among us
died our death
and rose to lead us into life.

And so we come to worship, to offer God our devotion and love, our thanksgiving and praise.

For God is worthy.
Praise to our God.

Opening Prayer

We Sing: Let Us Sing to the God of Salvation

Let us sing to the God of salvation,
let us sing to the Lord our rock!
Let us come to his house with thanksgiving,
let us come before the Lord and sing!

Praise our Maker,
praise our Saviour,
praise the Lord our everlasting King.
Every throne must bow before him,
God is Lord of everything!
In his hands are the earth’s deep places
and the strength of the hills is his;
all the sea is the Lord’s, for he made it,
by his hands the dry land was formed.
Let us worship the Lord our Maker,
let us kneel to the Lord our God;
for we all are the sheep of his pasture,
he will guide us by his powerful hand.
Let today be the time when you hear him!
May our hearts not be hard or cold,
lest we stray from the Lord in rebellion,
as his people did in time of old.

Prayer of Confession

… We confess that our old thinking and habits keep us trapped in vicious cycles that negate peace and freedom in our lives.
Come to us with compassion and grace, O God.
We’re stuck, and we need help.

Words of Assurance

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of Praise and Adoration

Passing of the Peace

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

Community News and Notices

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Introducing: Fuzz Kitto

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.

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.

Scripture Reading: Corinthians 3:1-9

And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? For when one says, ‘I belong to Paul’, and another, ‘I belong to Apollos’, are you not merely human?

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labour of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Scripture Readings: Matthew 5:21-37

‘You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.” But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

‘It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.” But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

‘Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.” But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be “Yes, Yes” or “No, No”; anything more than this comes from the evil one.

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

Choral Anthem

Put Peace into Each Other’s Hands – Irish, arr John Barnard (RSCM 68)

Sermon

We Sing: We Will Love

Chorus:
We will walk with you at the edges,
we will die with you on the crossroads,
we will live in your dangerous places,
we will love.
We will risk with you taking chances,
we will stand with you facing evil,
we will live in your dangerous places,
we will love.

Come Lord Jesus Christ hear our prayer,
come now living friend please draw near.
Alone, we feel unsure and so afraid.
Calling us to live by your grace,
calling us to leave all that’s safe.
Our lives we choose to lose
so you may save.

We will walk with you at the edges,
we will die with you on the crossroads,
we will live in your dangerous places,
we will love.
We will risk with you taking chances,
we will stand with you facing evil,
we will live in your dangerous places,
we will love.
Stepping out we call on your name,
knowing you have healed all our shame.
Our God, your precious love has made us whole.
Gifting us with power to set free,
Holy Spirit, use even me.
Renew all that I am
so I may see.

We will walk with you at the edges,
we will die with you on the crossroads,
we will live in your dangerous places,
we will love.
We will risk with you taking chances,
we will stand with you facing evil,
we will live in your dangerous places,
we will love.

Offering

To give electronically please go to bpuc.org/give

Offering Meditation

Doxology – Chimes

Offering Prayer

Prayers of the People

… Help us, Jesus, to learn how to embrace the uncomfortable practice of reconciliation and to come to terms as effectively as possible – in the small and the personal to our much larger corporate realities.
Show us, loving God, more and more what it means to live under your divine care and presence.

… Help us to be a people who recognise and honour the dignity of all and true partnership in our various relationships.
Show us, loving God, more and more what it means to live under your divine care and presence.

… Help us to be a people who keep our language simple and personal and to live in ways that our words really mean something.
Show us, loving God, more and more what it means to live under your divine care and presence.

…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: Beauty for Brokenness

Beauty for brokenness,
hope for despair,
Lord, in the suffering,
this is our prayer.
Bread for the children,
justice, joy, peace,
sunrise to sunset
your kingdom increase.
Shelter for fragile lives,
cures for their ills,
work for the craftsmen,
trade for their skills;
land for the dispossessed,
rights for the weak;
voices to plead the cause
of those who can’t speak.

God of the poor,
friend of the weak,
give us compassion we pray;
melt our cold hearts,
let tears fall like rain.
Come change our love
from a spark to a flame.
Refuge from cruel wars,
havens from fear,
cities for sanctuary,
freedoms to share,
peace to the killing-fields,
scorched earth to green;
Christ for the bitterness,
his cross for the pain.
Rest for the ravaged earth,
oceans and streams,
plundered and poisoned,
our future, our dreams.
Lord, end our madness,
carelessness, greed;
make us content with
the things that we need.

God of the poor,
friend of the weak,
give us compassion we pray;
melt our cold hearts,
let tears fall like rain.
Come change our love
from a spark to a flame.
Lighten our darkness,
breathe on this flame
until your justice burns
brightly again;
until the nations
learn of your ways
seek your salvation
and bring you their praise.

God of the poor,
friend of the weak,
give us compassion we pray;
melt our cold hearts,
let tears fall like rain.
Come change our love
from a spark to a flame.

Together in Song 690. Graham Kendrick. Words and music by permission Make Way Music. Administered by Integrity Music. Words used with permission under copyright CCLI Licence No. 137219. Copyright cleared music for churches.

Sending Forth and Benediction

Choral Blessing

Deep Peace – Rosemary Nairn

Postlude

Chimes – Arioso

Please come and share morning tea 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 Words for Worship, published by MediaCom Education – mediacomeducation.org.au and resources published by Moira Laidlaw (B.A., Dip.Theol., D.Min.).