Order of Service – Sunday 20 June 2021 – UCA 44th Anniversary
Click the Link below to download the Order of Service.
CALL TO WORSHIP Krikor Youmshajekian
Our land is alive with the glory of God; desert sands hum and gum trees dance. Brown grasses sing and mountains breathe their stillness. All created things add their rhythms of delight and even stones rap out their praise.
Let our voices mingle with those of the earth; may our hearts join the beat of her joy, for our triune God is with us: our creator surrounds and upholds us. Christ Jesus walks beside and before us. The Spirit moves within and between us. Blessed be God, our wonder and delight.
INVOCATION Krikor Youmshajekian
“The Lord is in His holy Temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.”
(Habakkuk 2:20) Silence
“How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” (Psalm 84:1-2) Silence
Splendour and majesty are before Him, strength and joy in His dwelling place.” (1 Chronicles 16:27) Silence
“Ascribe to the Lord, o families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength, ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the splendour of His holiness.”
(1 Chronicles 16:28-29) Silence
HYMN: “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”
1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, your great name we praise.
2. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, but ruling in might;
your justice like mountains high soaring above
your clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.
3. You give life to all, Lord, to both great and small,
in all life now living, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on a tree,
then wither: but ever unchanged you will be.
4. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
your angels adore you, all veiling their sight;
of all your rich graces this grace, Lord, impart–
take the veil from our faces, the veil from our heart.
5. All praise we would render: reveal to our sight
what hides you is only the splendour of light;
and so let your glory, Almighty, impart,
through Christ in the story, your Christ to the heart.
INVOCATION Krikor Youmshajekian
Come to us, O God of surprising grace. Break into the places in our lives which we think are not worthy of Your entry and show us the measure of Your love for us. Break through into newness in all our life together, O God, in the wonder of Your transforming presence. Amen!
PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND COLLECT Congregation
Merciful God, our maker and our judge, we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed: we have not loved You with our whole heart, we have not loved our neighbour as ourselves; we repent, and are sorry for all our sins.
Father forgive us, strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Create a pure heart in us, O God, and renew our spirits. Purify us with Your holy power and anoint us with Your grace. Bring us into Your presence that our lips might declare Your praise. Lead us into paths of service, that our words might have legs, that our promises might have hands, that our creeds might have bodies. Amen!
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
Hear then Christ’s word of grace to us: “Your sins are forgiven.”
Thanks be to God.
SONG: “In His Time”
LITANY FOR OUR CHURCH ANNIVERSARY Chris Butters
Brothers and sisters, we rejoice that the Holy Spirit inspired our forebears to form the Uniting Church for God’s praise and glory. On this joyful occasion of our church anniversary let us pray to the Lord:
Eternal and loving God, today we give thanks to You for Your goodness through all the years of worship and witness in this place.
For Your grace in calling us to be Your people; for Your love revealed to us in Christ Your Son; for Your gift of the Spirit and the joy of salvation:
We give You our thanks, O God.
For those who established the church here: for their faith and vision, for their gifts and abilities:
We give You our thanks, O God.
For all who have been members of this church; for those who have given freely of their time and money; for those whose wisdom guided us:
We give You our thanks, O God.
For all who have preached and taught here; for all who have confessed here that Jesus is Lord; for all who today lead in worship, witness, and service:
We give You our thanks, O God. (The people stand)
And now let us reaffirm our loyalty to Christ and pledge our faithfulness to the church:
That God may be reverently worshipped; that the gospel may be faithfully proclaimed; that the sacraments may be joyfully celebrated:
We pledge our allegiance to Christ and the Church.
That our families and friendships may be enriched; that our daily lives and work may be consecrated; that our faith and love may be nurtured:
We pledge our allegiance to Christ and the Church.
For the teaching and guiding of those who are young; for the encouraging and equipping for those who serve; for the strengthening of those who seek God’s way; and for the comforting of those who mourn:
We pledge our allegiance to Christ and the Church.
For the conversion of the world to our Saviour; for the reconciliation of the people and nations; for the promotion of righteousness and peace; and for the extension of the reign of God:
We pledge our allegiance to Christ and the Church.
In loving remembrance of all who have run the race and finished their course; in gratitude for one another here today who make up the body of Christ in this place; in thanksgiving for all who keep the faith and in communion with all God’s people on earth:
We pledge our allegiance to Christ and the Church. Amen!
HYMN: “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation;
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation.
Come all who hear, brothers and sisters draw near,
praise him in glad adoration.
2. Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things is wondrously reigning
and, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining:
have you not seen all you have needed has been
sent by his gracious ordaining?
3. Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend us;
surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend us:
ponder anew what the Almighty can do
as with his love he befriends us.
4. Praise to the Lord, who when darkness of sin is abounding,
who, when the godless do triumph, our best hopes confounding,
sheds forth his light, scatters the horrors of night,
saints with his mercy surrounding.
5. Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him.
Let the Amen sound from his people again:
gladly for ever adore him.
A PRAYER BEFORE READING THE SCRIPTURES Gaye Brill
Holy One, open our hearts and minds by the power of Your Holy Spirit, that, as the Scriptures are read and proclaimed, we may hear Your Word with Joy.
Amen!
THE SERVICE OF THE WORD Gaye Brill
2 Corinthians 6:1-13 (Page 1145) Mark 4:35-41 (Page 1144)
MUSICAL REFLECTION
SERMON: “Jesus Calms the Storm” Andrew Corish
HYMN: “Our God Our Help in Ages Past”
1. Our God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home:
2. under the shadow of your throne your saints have dwelt secure:
sufficient is your arm alone, and our defence is sure.
3. Before the hills in order stood or earth received its frame,
from everlasting you art God to endless years the same.
4. A thousand ages in your sight are like an evening gone:
short as the watch that ends the night before the rising sun.
5. Time, like an ever-rolling stream, bears all of us away;
we fly forgotten, as a dream dies at the opening day.
6. Our God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,
remain our guard while troubles last, and our eternal home.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Congregation
(adapted from the Basis of Union)
We believe in God, sovereign in grace and love, maker of all things.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God, the firstborn of a new creation.
We believe in God’s eternal Spirit, pledge and foretaste of the future, given that we may not lose the way, who has endowed us with a diversity of gifts.
We are a pilgrim people on the way to the promised goal. On this way, we are called to live and work within the faith and unity of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
In this unity, we offer our worship, witness and service and receive one another in love and joy.
We are being led to the free obedience of the children of God, and so we look with yearning and hope to the final reconciliation of humanity with God, and the renewal of all creation. Alleluia! Amen!
WE DEDICATE OURSELVES ANEW Ian Butters
AS MEMBERS OF CHRIST’S CHURCH
The church is one body, made of many members. Each of us adds something beautiful and unique to this community.
Though we are frail humans, God dwells on earth and makes Himself known in sacred spaces and sacred moments.
God is with us, today, here in this place.
We promise to love as God’s people, and to sing, pray, listen, hear the words of scripture, and to share these things with each other so we may energise and deepen our faith.
We dedicate ourselves this day to serving each other.
We look forward to more years of service and worship together. We dedicate ourselves anew to being Christ’s people in the world.
Where there has been conflict among us, we pray for the softening of hearts and for reconciliation between us.
We pray for healing, peace and co-operation among us.
We covenant anew today, to share the ministry of Jesus with each other, and with the larger community around us, so that all who meet us may know, by our example, of his unconditional love and healing grace.
Filled by the grace and love of Jesus Christ, we dedicate ourselves afresh to God’s service.
With God’s help, may it be so!
NOTICES – Lane Cove Music – Tues 22 June 7:30 pm, Lane Cove
Anglican Church, with brilliant clarinettist Mark Walton.
- Elders’ & Council Meetings Wed 30 June 12:00 noon.
- Pizza/Movie Night – Tues 6 July 6:30 pm, start at 7:15 pm.
- LNS Zone UC Study Series – Wednesdays 7:30 pm 14, 21, 28 July and 4 and 11 August, at Willoughby Uniting Church.
- Exodus Foundation June Appeal – Support the mission.
- Market Morning – Saturday 7 August 8:00 – 1:00 pm.
LCU NOTICES –
OFFERING – Give freely and willingly with thankful hearts.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Arun Saravnamutha
THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN: “The Church’s One Foundation”
1. The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord:
she is his new creation by water and the word;
from heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.
2. Elect from every nation yet one o’er all the earth,
her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses with every grace endued.
3. Though with a scornful wonder the world sees her oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed,
yet saints their watch are keeping, their cry goes up, ‘How long?’
and soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.
4. Through toil and tribulation and tumult of her war
she waits the consummation of peace for evermore,
till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blessed,
and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.
5. Yet she on earth has union with God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy! Lord, give to us the grace
like them, the meek and lowly, in heaven to seek your face.
COMMISSION AND BENEDICTION Krikor Youmshajekian
Union does not happen by accident. Whatever happens, God is doing, wherever we are, God has put us there; He has a purpose in our being there. Christ who dwells within us has something He wants to do through us wherever we are.
Let’s believe in this and go from here in His grace and love and power.
The love of God enfold you, the wisdom of Christ enlighten you, and the fire of the Spirit inflame you; and may the blessing of the holy triune God rest upon you and abide with you, now and forever. Amen!
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To contact Krikor call 0418 417 411
Church Website: http://www.longueville.unitingchurch.org.au
Church email: standrewsunite@tpg.com.au
Church Office phone: 9427 4740