Order of Service – 21st April 2024

The Order of Service follows below.

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Brougham Place Uniting Church

Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A Light on the Hill

April 21^st, 2024. 10.00 am
Good Shepherd Sunday
Preacher: Rev Linda Driver
Liturgical colour: White

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

Prelude

Welcome and Acknowledgment of Country

Niina marni!
Marni’ai!

Lighting of the Candles

We sing: Gather Us In

Here in this place new light is streaming,
now is the darkness vanished away,
see, in this space, our fears and our dreamings,
brought here to you in the light of this day.

Gather us in, the lost and forsaken;
gather us in, the blind and the lame;
call to us now, and we shall awaken,
we shall arise at the sound of our name.
We are the young, our lives are a mystery;
we are the old, who yearn for your face;
we have been sung throughout all of history,
called to be light to the whole human race.

Gather us in, the rich and the haughty;
gather us in, the proud and the strong;
give us a heart so meek and so lowly,
give us the courage to enter the song.
Not in the dark of buildings confining,
not in some heaven light years away,
but here in this space, the new light is shining,
now is the kingdom, now is the day.

Gather us in, and hold us forever;
gather us in, and make us your own;
gather us in, all peoples together,
fire of love in our flesh and our bone.

Call to Worship

As we gather today, let us lift a word of thanks for each person who makes up this community.
We give thanks for those who planted the church,
those who have grown it over the years,
those who have served,
those who have led,
those who have faithfully attended,
those who have come for a season,
and those who are present with us today.
We give thanks for every life that has been connected to this community of faith.

Opening Prayer

Gracious God,
the one who has called us each by name,
the one who knows our hopes and our fears,
the one who loves us no matter what happens,
the one who cares for us more than we can ever know,
the one who is our good shepherd who looks after us every day.

Thank you for being in our lives, for guiding us and leading us towards you and each other, for showing us how to love, how to care for all your people and your creation.

Help us to hear your voice as you call us to be
more forgiving,
more generous,
more conscious of the environmental challenges we face,
and guide us towards a better world where we can all live safely and peacefully together.
Amen.

Passing of the Peace

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

Community News and Notices

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Scripture Reading: Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd;
   I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
   he leads me beside peaceful streams.
   He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
   bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
   through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
   for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
   protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
   in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
   My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
   all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
   forever.

New Living Translation

Children’s Time

Farewell Jan

Response:
We know that God goes with you.

Children may now 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.

We sing: The Lord is my Shepherd

The Lord is my Shepherd, and I want to follow,
wherever he leads me, wherever he goes.
Over the mountains, the waters and by-ways,
valleys and highways he’s waiting for me.

I want to go to meet him there, to lay myself down in his love.
The Lord is my shepherd, and I want to follow,
wherever he leads me, wherever he goes.
And while on the journey to where we are going,
he promised to be there to help us along.
And over the mountains we’ll walk on together,
to know all the wonders he’s given to me

I want to go to meet him there, to lay myself down in his love.
The Lord is my shepherd, and I want to follow,
wherever he leads me, wherever he goes.

Brian Boniwell 1949 based on Psalm 23. Together in Song 659. Words, music and arrangement by permission Spectrum Publications Aust. Words used with permission under copyright LicenSing Licence No A1075. Copyright cleared music for churches.

Scripture Reading: John 10:11-18

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

New Revised Standard Version (Updated Edition)

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

Message

We sing: The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want

The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want
He makes me down to lie
in pastures green, he leadeth me
the quiet waters by.
My soul he doth restore again;
and me to walk doth make
within the paths of righteousness,
ev’n for his own name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale,
yet will I fear no ill:
for thou art with me; and thy rod
and staff me comfort still.
My table thou hast furnished
in presence of my foes;
my head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my life
shall surely follow me:
and in God’s house for evermore
my dwelling-place shall be.

Scottish Psalter 1650. Together in Song 10

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

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: Christ Be Our Light

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.
Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has power to save us.
Make us your living voice.

Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.
Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others
walls made of living stone.

Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.
Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.

Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

Sending Forth and Benediction

Let us go into this day full of the goodness of God.
We go in hope, in love, and in joy.
In the name of the one
who is good shepherd to all the world.
Amen.

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. You are welcome!

This service has been prepared with assistance from:
L3 Liturgical Resource. Writer: Michelle Eastwood
Roddy Hamilton: Spill the Beans
Mediacom: Words for Worship
Cover Photo by Sam Carter on Unsplash