Order of Service – 28th July 2024

The Order of Service follows below.

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Brougham Place Uniting Church
Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A Light on the Hill

Sunday 28 July, 2024
Preacher: Rev Linda Driver
Guest Musician: Professor Mel Waters
Creative Input: Subtle Bricks Theatre Company
Pentecost 10. Liturgical colour: Green

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

As you wait for worship to begin, please turn your phone to silent.

Prelude

Canon in D (Johann Pachelbel)

Welcome and Acknowledgment of Country

Naa marni?
(Are you all good?)
Marni Ai!
(Good I am)

Introit and Lighting of the Candles

O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go

Call to Worship

Come to this space where we will meet Jesus.
Come together as the people of God.
Look around you. See the faces to your right and your left.
Come bringing your gifts, no matter how small or grand.
Come to worship.
Come to be seen.
Come to be known.

Opening Prayer

Jesus said: I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
You, O God, create our lives.
You provide our bread;
you quench our thirst.
Create this day in us
to walk in your love.

O Christ, join us in our quest,
O Christ, we share the bread together,
O Christ, be food for our minds.
Eternal God,
creator of time,
sustainer of soul,
liberator of the oppressed, feed us the bread of Christ,
bringing true communion with you,
making our joy complete. Amen.

We sing: I the Lord of Sea and Sky

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
my hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Refrain

Here I am, Lord, is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night;
I will go, Lord, if you lead me;
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain;
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them.
Whom shall I send?

Refrain

Here I am, Lord, is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night;
I will go, Lord, if you lead me;
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of wind and flame
I will tend the poor and lame;
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide
till their hearts are satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?

Refrain

Here I am, Lord, is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night;
I will go, Lord, if you lead me;
I will hold your people in my heart.

Prayer of Confession

It is in our brokenness that we are fed.

A young boy brought five loaves and two small fish, and, when broken, it became enough to feed a large crowd.

God, sometimes, we feel we have nothing to bring that will help build your reign. The gifts you have given us seem so small and insignificant.

For the times we downplay our role in your kin-dom for the moments we feel we need to run the race alone, for our failure to notice you at work in the world around us,
Forgive us, God.

(A silence is kept)

Words of Grace

You are a God who moves us from scarcity to abundance,
from impossible to possible,
from doubt to trust,
from caution to loving with abandon.

Generous God,
move in us this day.
Shape us and recreate us.
In your abundant love, we pray,
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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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.

Anthem

God is Love (Andrew Carter)

Gospel Reading: John 6:1-14

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place, so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”

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

Subtle Bricks Theatre Company: Leftovers

Duet, Mel and Mark Waters: Psalm 23

(Keith Green)

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

May the Spirit of God open our eyes to see, our ears to hear,
and our hearts to understand.

Message

We sing: Amazing Grace

Amazing grace (how sweet the sound)
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see.
As grace first taught my heart to fear
so grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come:
God’s grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.

Together in Song, 129. John Newton 1725-1807. Public Domain.

Prayers of the People

We bring before you our prayers for our world and community. Although the pain and suffering of the world can overwhelm us, we trust in your presence transforming the world.

We pray for our creation, for the loss of precious species, the rising seas, the pollution of skies, waters, and land.
May the little we have to offer
become an abundance of life and love
when we trust the work of your Spirit, O God.

We pray for our people, for those who are hungry in body and spirit, the marginalised and oppressed, those who suffer at the hands of cruel and unjust powers.
May the little we have to offer
become an abundance of life and love
when we trust the work of your Spirit, O God.

We pray for our communities and families, for the sick and dying, those estranged or living with tension, the hopeless, the despairing and the grieving.
May the little we have to offer
become an abundance of life and love
when we trust the work of your Spirit, O God.

Hear our prayers, Loving God, those we have brought to mind and those yet to surface. We pray in faith,
Amen.

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.

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.

Instrumental: Air from the Water Music (GF Handel)

Offering Prayer

Generous God, we give thanks to you for the gift of life each day. You are the bread of life, sustaining and filling with goodness.
We bring these, our gifts, and our lives to you.

May they be used to feed others, both physically and spiritually, that the abundance of your love maybe known in our world.
Amen.

We sing: Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer

Guide me, O thou great Redeemer,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand:
bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.
Open now the crystal fountain
whence the living waters flow:
let the fiery, cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through:
strong deliverer, strong deliverer,
be thou still my strength and shield.
be thou still my strength and shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan
bid my anxious fears subside;
death of death, and hell’s destruction,
land me safe on Canaan’s side:
songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to thee,
I will ever give to thee.

Together in Song, 569 William Williams 1717-91. tr. Peter Williams 1722-96 and William Williams alt. Public Domain.

Benediction

Bread of Life, we have been fed by your word, inspired by beauty and your creativity through music and drama, filled with your Spirit, and encouraged by each other’s presence. As we leave this place to return to the world where people hunger, let us take the manna of your abundant love and share it. Give us eyes to see those who are hungry, ears to hear their stories, hands to give, receive and hold and hearts to love without judgment.
We go with the blessing
of our compassionate God,
giver and sustainer of life.
Amen

Choral Blessing

Jesu, lead my footsteps ever

(JS Bach arr Terry/Whittaker)

Postlude

Jerusalem (William Blake/ Sir CHH Parry arr GT Thalben-Ball)

The Postlude was chosen in tribute to the founders and forebears of this congregation, some of whom are part of the Waters family heritage.

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 by Rev Linda Driver with assistance from:

Liturgy, Learning (& Purposeful) Life. Writer: Cathie Lambert

Music selections: Prof Mel Waters

Bible Readings: New Revised Standard Version (Updated Edition)

Cover Photo ID 241114755 © Maryna Kriuchenko | Dreamstime.com