Order of Service – Sunday 3 April 2022 – LENT 5

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CALL TO WORSHIP

God says: When the time comes, I will answer the prayers of my people. I will bind you to myself forever with integrity and justice, with tenderness and love. I will bind you to myself with faithfulness and you will come to know me.

I will say:

You are my people.

And you will answer:

You are our God.

For once you were outside mercy,

but now you have given us mercy.

This is our hope, our living hope:

In this hope we will work together in celebration of God’s calling and be glad! In this hope, we will worship God!

HYMN:       147       “To God be the Glory, Great Things He has Done”

RESPONSIVE READING – Psalm 126

PRAYER OF INVOCATION

God, You loved us before the mountains were strong. From long ago You anointed us and saw our place in Your creative purposes. We are Your works of old, before the fountain of water had sprouted strongly.

In Jesus You offer living water, He speaks to us afresh on the mountain top: in Him is new and full life. May our sharing in this time be blessed, and the insights and questions we share piece together new images of Your place and purpose. Amen.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Heavenly Father, we come in prayer as Your people, to ask You to forgive us for having such divided hearts. We draw near You only occasionally and often for our own concerns—not in true devotion to You. Our decisions are so often forgetful of You and just based on self-interest. You know what we are like better than we do ourselves and ask You to forgive us and help us. Wash away the sins we have committed and cause Your Spirit to fill and rule our hearts. Thank You for Jesus our Saviour and for the Spirit our Life-giver—make us people who love and serve You as You deserve. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

Remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having

no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ”.

                                                                                                                               (Ephesians 23:12-13)

Thanks be to God.

HYMN:       684       “Love Will be Our Lenten Calling”

PRAYER ON LENTEN SEASON

Dear God and our Heavenly Father, this morning we express our thanks for Your love, providence and redemption given freely to us through the death and resurrection of Your only Son, our Saviour and Lord. We ask You, O God, that You make this Lenten Season a vital period of spiritual and moral development. We pray that our hearts and minds, along with those multitudes, may in these weeks experience the blessing of true penitence, confession, restitution, and joy of salvation in Christ. Deliver us, good Lord, from the deadly sins of the soul; from pride and wrath; from envy and avarice; from lust and sloth; from lying and slander; from impenitence and rebellion against Your will; from indifference to spiritual things and disobedience to the heavenly vision; from false ambition and unholy desires. Amen. (Rev. Dr. Vahan Tootikian)

BIBLE READINGS –                                                                     Ruth West

Isaiah 43:16-21 (Page 719)                                       Philippians 3:4b-14 (Page 1163)

MUSICAL REFLECTION

SERMON:                       “New Beginnings”                   Krikor Youmshajekian

HYMN:       653       “This is a Day of New Beginnings”

NOTICES – Movie/Pizza Night – Tuesday 5 April 6:30 pm.

  The movie willbe Woman in Gold

  • Palm Sunday Service – 10 April 9:30 am.
  • Elders’ & Council Meetings – Wed April 13 12:30 pm.
  • Good Friday Service – 15 April 9:30 am.
  • Easter Sunday Service – 17 April 9:30 am.

OFFERING   –   “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15)

HYMN:       714       “Eat this Bread, Drink this Cup” (Vs. 1, 3 & 5)

THE LORD’S SUPPER

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give thanks and praise.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord. God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

COMMUNION

Eternal God, let Your Spirit come upon Your holy people, and may He sanctify these gifts of bread and wine.

As we share these holy things, may we be nourished and grow in grace to Your honour and glory, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

BREAKING OF THE BREAD

We break this bread and take this cup so that we share in the life of Christ. God’s gifts for God’s people.

SERVING THE BREAD AND THE CUP

THE LORD’S PRAYER

HYMN:       687       “God Gives Us a Future”

COMMISSION AND BENEDICTION

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen! (Hebrews 13: 20-21)

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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