Order of Service – 2nd March 2025

The Order of Service follows below.

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Brougham Place Uniting Church
Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A Light on the Hill

Date. March 2^nd 2025
Preacher: Trevor Phillips
Liturgical week and colour: Transfiguration Sunday, White

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

Welcome and Acknowledgment of Country

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

We acknowledge the sovereign custodians of this place where we gather, the Kaurna peoples. We offer their elders our respect, those past and those present. We commit to working for a more just settlement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in these lands.

Lighting of the Candles

As we light the candles, we are reminded with joy that the light of Christ has come into the world.

Call to Worship

Behold the shining greatness of God –
God in glory, Jesus esteemed,
Jesus keeping company with the greats!
Come, join the conversations of heaven.
Animate and energise our faith, O God;
Fuel our hope.
Expand our love.

These are the beautiful and necessary gifts we are given for the adventure of following God into all the world.
Come, let’s worship our God.

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.

Opening Prayer

O God, strong God, lover of justice!
Let the earth feel the gravity of your goodness,
Holy are you!

We join in the chorus of those who have gone before us,
hungry for your leadership, your wisdom, your counsel.
Speak to us, guide us, and embrace us with your love that makes all things whole again!
Let the earth feel the gravity of your goodness,
Holy are you!

Prayer of Confession

O God, we cling to the mountains
and run from the valleys!
We want to be sweet,
but we have no pallet for harsher flavours of life.
And yet we know you embrace it all – life in its fullness.
You enter the wounds of the world and bring healing.
O God, give us fortitude and trust
to embrace the world as you do,
with love, with care, with hope.
Forgive us when we turn our backs
on the difficulty of our own lives
and the difficulty we encounter in our neighbours.

Words of Assurance/Grace

The disciples who fell asleep in Gethsemane
were never cut from God’s affection,
never excluded from participation
in God’s dream for the world.
God forgave them.
God forgives us.

God filled them with peace.
God gives us peace.

Brothers and sisters,
you are one with God, put back on your feet,
wrapped in love and grace
that embraces us even at our worst.
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.

We sing: May the mind of Christ my Saviour.

May the mind of Christ my Saviour
live in me from day to day,
by his love and power controlling
all I do and say.
May the word of God dwell richly
in my heart from hour to hour
so that all may see I triumph
only through his power.
May the peace of God my Father
rule my life in everything,
that I may be calm to comfort
sick and sorrowing.
May the love of Jesus fill me
as the waters fill the sea;
him exalting, self denying,
this is victory.
May I run the race before me
strong and brave to face the foe,
looking only unto Jesus
as I onward go.

Together in Song 609. Katie Barclay Wilkinson 1859-1928 alt.(PD)

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:28–43

The Transfiguration

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking about his exodus, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep, but as they awoke they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not realising what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” While he was being brought forward, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

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

Message

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.

Communion

Setting of the Table

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May God be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up to our God.

Let us give thanks to God our Creator.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

This is the table of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In great humility and love Jesus lived among us, he became one of us.
He came, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
He came, not to condemn us, but to save us from our sins.
He understands our doubts, our lack of faith, our longing for more love, more holiness of life;
He accepts us for who we are and calls us to be his disciples.
We praise you, O God, that in your mercy you gave your only Son, Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
We give thanks for his humble birth, for his life and ministry of love, for his sufferings and death on the cross, for his glorious resurrection and ascension, and for the promise that he will come again.
O God, by your word and Spirit bless and sanctify this bread and this wine, that they may be for us the communion of the body and blood of Christ, and that he may ever live in us and we in him.
Father accept us, as we offer and present ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a holy and living sacrifice;

We join together with the voices of heaven and earth and all of creation, saying:
Holy, holy, holy God, of all creation and life,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory,
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest!

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray together in the words that Jesus taught us:

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.

The Breaking of the Bread

The Communion

Prayer After Communion

Prayers of the People

Let us continue in prayer…
God of the mountains,
God of the valleys,
We know you are with us through thick and thin!
We think of all the good things…
We give our thanks,
O Creator God.

We think also of those harder things
in our own lives and in the wider world,
those valley experiences that we wouldn’t always choose and need your help with, those situations we long for you to change.
Comfort us and assure us
with your loving kindness and presence.
Help us and help the world
O Creator God.

Let the earth feel the gravity of your goodness;
may your holy love bring goodness to all of our lives.
Holy are you!
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

The Word became flesh.
Trust is outworked in generosity.
Love becomes practical.
Our hope is embodied in our giving.
Wonderful God,
receive our offerings as expressions of faith, hope, and love.
Amen.

We sing: Shout to the Lord

My Jesus, my Saviour Lord, there is none like you;
all of my days
I want to praise
the wonders of your mighty love.
My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength,
let every breath,
all that I am,
never cease to worship you.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing,
power and majesty, praise to the King.
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
at the sound of your name.
I sing for joy at the work of your hands;
for ever I’ll love you, for ever I’ll stand.
Nothing compares to the promise I have in you!

Words and Music © D. Zschech/Hillsong Music, Australia. Words used with permission under copyright CCLI Licence No 137219. Copyright cleared music for churches.

Sending Forth and Benediction

Extroit

The people may leave as the Extroit is played

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. All are welcome!

Compiled with the assistance of: Liturgy, Learning & (purposeful) Life. Worship resources (MediaCom).
Writer: Jesse Size

The Scripture Readings are from the NRSVUE.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Cover Image, Transfiguration 1824, by Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov (1806-1858) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alexandr_Ivanov_015.jpg