Order of Service – Sunday 12 September 2021 – PENTECOST 16
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CALL TO WORSHIP
For you make me glad by Your deeds, O Lord;
I sing for joy at the works of Your hands. (Psalm 92:1-4)
HYMN: 210 “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
A PRAYER OF PRAISE
Worthy of praise from every mouth, of confession from every tongue, of worship from every creature, is Your glorious name, O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: who did create the world in Your grace and by Thy compassion did save the world. To Your majesty, O God, ten thousand times ten thousand bow down and adore, singing and praising without ceasing and saying,
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts;
Heaven and earth are full of Thy praises;
Hosanna in the highest. Nestorius (381-451)
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
In penitence and faith, and in a period of silence, let us confess our sins to Almighty God. Let us pray. (Silence)
We acknowledge before God the Lord the wretchedness of our world and the sins of our hearts and minds. Our times are full of evil and we are but children of our times. We have seen the light and we are still in darkness. We have seen the truth and we are half-hearted. We are disciples, but poor disciples, unable to give sight to our neighbour who is blind to where blessing lies. We confess all these things with shame and pray God forgive and redeem. Amen.
PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS
O Lord, who hast mercy upon all, take away from me my sins, and mercifully kindle in me the fire of Your Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore You, a heart to delight in You, to follow and to enjoy You, for Christ’s sake. Amen. Ambrose of Milan (339-33-97)
HYMN: “I’m Forgiven”
STATEMENT OF FAITH (The Image of Invisible God)
Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; in Him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible.
All things were created through Him; all were created for Him. He is before all else that is, and in Him everything continues in being.
Christ is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He may be first in everything.
For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell; and Christ has reconciled to Himself all things, both on earth and in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
O God, creator and preserver of all mankind: we humbly pray for all sorts and condition of men, that You would be pleased to make Your way known to them, Your saving power among all nations.
Especially we pray for the welfare of Your global church, that it may be guided and governed by Your good Spirit, so that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.
We commend to Your fatherly goodness all those who are afflicted or distressed, that it may please You to comfort and relieve them according to their needs, giving them hope and patience in their sufferings. All this we ask for the sake of Christ our Lord.
Almighty God, You have promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in Your Son’s name: mercifully accept us who have made our prayers to You; and grant us those things which we are asking in faith according to Your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray for our community, the life and worship of this congregation.
Let us pray for those whose needs are known to us.
Almighty God, You have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications to You; and You have promised, through Your well-beloved Son, that when two or three are gathered together in His name You will be in the midst of them:
Fulfil now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us;
granting us in this world knowledge of Your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
HYMN: 158 “God has Spoken by His Prophets”
A PRAYER BEFORE READING THE SCRIPTURES
An open book and stories spill their woven treasure out toward us. Might we find in the texture of the lives they share, common threads that link us to the gentle truths within and by those truths, may we see our own lives more clearly. Amen. (Gretta Vosper Another Breath)
BIBLE READINGS –
Psalm 19:1-14 (Pages 541-542) Mark 8:27-38 (Pages 999-1000)
MESSAGE: “A Cross to Bear” Krikor Youmshajekian
HYMN: 583 “Take Up Your Cross, the Saviour Said”
OFFERING – Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed
down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your
lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Luke 6:38
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Father, every good gift comes from You. You give generously without refusing or reproaching anyone. May Your gifts assist the preaching of the gospel, so that people may be remade in Your likeness.
We dedicate this offering, Lord, for the work of the church, and we ask You to use all that we have in Your service. Amen.
HYMN: 611 “God of Grace and God of Glory”
THE PEACE AND THE BLESSING
Father, thank You, that You have revealed Your love to us today. We ask You to send us out from here in the power of the Holy Spirit and fan into flame the gifts that You have given us and help us to share them with those who are in need. For Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, 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