Order of Service – Sunday 14 November 2021 – PENTECOST 25

Click the link below to download the Order of Service.

Order-of-Service-14-November-2021-HPDownload

CALL TO WORSHIP – Based on Hannah’s Prayer: 1 Samuel 2:1-10

God causes hearts to rejoice and strength to increase.

God of all knowledge, judges our actions, breaking the power of the mighty, and clothing the feeble with strength.

God raises up the poor and the needy; giving them seats of honour guarding those who are faithful and condemning those who do wrong.

We worship and praise God – judge of all the earth. Amen!

PRAYER OF APPROACH

God of all knowledge, Hannah’s prayer resonates not only across the ages but in our hearts, as, like her, we praise You as our rock and our redeemer. We worship You with awe, knowing that there is no holy One like You. And yet You took on our humanity to reveal Your love and Your mercy in person – in Jesus who, taking the form of a servant, taught us about Your power. The power dreamed of by Hannah – power at the service of others, raising up the powerless, strengthening the weak, healing the sick, replacing despair with hope, bringing life where there was death. We praise and adore You, O God, for these wonderful signs of Your love. May this time of worship and the service of our lives be a worthy response to these gifts. This we pray in Jesus’ name and for His sake.Amen!

HYMN:       597       “Master, Speak, Thy Servant Heareth”

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God is always more ready to listen to our confession, than we are to admit our sin.

Holy Friend, help us to make this prayer of confession authentic. All of us have sinned, yet some among us may be feeling particularly ashamed over certain wrongs recently done or good deeds left undone.

Please grant to us sincere regret, a thirst for mercy and cleansing, and the honest desire for a brand-new start.

Maybe many of us come honestly thinking that we have done the best we could do in the circumstances. Yet we are also aware that our ignorance and clumsiness has added to the corporate muddle of life. In the tangled web of community, we see good intentions and efforts often get squashed while selfish ones appear to flourish. This discourages us, and often causes us to give up trying as much as before.

Please grant to us a radical repentance where it is needed, forgiveness in proportion to our sins, a healthy humility to undergird our ambitions, and an optimism that is grounded in Your ability to work all things together for good. We ask this in the name of the Messiah who came not to condemn but to redeem.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

We read in Hebrews that “when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and ….by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” The good news is this, that in and through Jesus Christ, we are loved and our sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Amen!

HYMN:       607         “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”

BIBLE READINGS

1 Samuel 1:4-20 (Page 262)                          Hebrews 10:11-25 (Pages 1190-1191)

Mark 13:1-8 (Pages 1005-1006)

SERMON:                 “Hope Out of Hopelessness”                      Bob Minton

HYMN:       456       “Your Hand, O God, Has Guided”

NOTICES  -Church doors will be reopened next Sunday for worship.

Sunday 28 Nov – St. Andrew’s Day, Sausage Sizzle between 11:00 am and 12:00.

  • Lane Cove Music – Tue 7 Dec 7:30 pm at LCM Anglican Church – Sydney Eisteddfod Pollard Awards.
  •  LNS Zone Advent Study Series – Thurs 11 Nov 7:30 pm then each Thur until 2 Dec at Crows Nest Uniting /Zoom at

https://uca-nswact.zoom.us/j/96177247405?pwd=a3VaeURMbStuR1VQWktsSkgxL2I2dz09

  • Christmas Carols’ Service – Sunday 12 Dec 9:30 am.
  • Food & unwrapped Gifts for Exodus – Please give certain tinned food: vegetable soup, baked beans, fish, ham, meat, chicken. NO pasta, rice or crackers. All in by 12 Dec.
  • Movie/Pizza Night – 6:30 pm Tuesday 14 December. The movie “Downton Abbey” will start at 7.15 pm.
  • Christmas Eve Service: Friday 24 December 7:00 pm.
  • Christmas Day Service: Saturday25 December 9:00 am.

OFFERING – Generous God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You call us to make real the sharing of the gifts You have given us. Use the offerings of our hearts and our hands to Your glory and the service of Your realm. Amen!

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Ever faithful Lord, ever giving Son, ever present Spirit, for the many gifts You grant us and the opportunity to enjoy these things; for Your daily provision and for the constant signs of Your healing love; for the hope amidst despair and the light which always shines; for all these things, ‘thank you’ is just so inadequate but it’s all we have:

… to show our gratitude in word, in thought and in action.

So, thank you, Lord and may our thanks move beyond words to transform us into thankful folk, faithful folk, seeing folk, folk who see need and see the need to act, folk who love to live and live to love, folk who serve You by serving others.

Help us to be amongst those who include the excluded and bring in those who are marginalised, that when the opportunities come our way to be healers of division and hurt, to be peacemakers and restorers, we won’t be found wanting.

Loving, personal Father, we bring before You those people and issues that are closest to us and that occupy our minds at this time …

(add your own personal and local intercessions)

Mighty, wonderful Father, we bring before You people and issues from around our world, including those we’ll never know personally but who remain our sisters and brothers in You …

(add your own national and global intercessions)

Transforming, healing Father, help us to make the light shine in dark places, to make peace known in violent places, and to bring hope to despondent places.

Our prayers, spoken and silent are brought to You now in the name of Your Son, Jesus, the healer, includer and redeemer, forever. Amen!

HYMN:       619       “Have Faith in God, My Heart”

BLESSING

The end is not yet. Go on your way cheerfully, trusting God to do the best that is possible for you and for humanity.

Christ is near at hand. Go on your way expectantly, ready to encounter Christ in stranger and loved one, enemy and friend.

Don’t be afraid. Go on your way serenely, for there is nothing ahead that God has not anticipated and provided for.

May the grace, mercy, peace and love of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit be with you this day, this week and always.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen!