Order of Service – Sunday 16 May 2021 – Easter 7
CALL TO WORSHIP
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over the earth! He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet.
He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved. God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding trumpets.
Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. (Psalm 47:1-7)
HYMN: 147 “To God Be the Glory”
RESPONSIVE READING – Psalm 66
Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious.
Say to God, “How awesome are Your deeds!
So great is Your power that Your enemies cringe before You.
All the earth bows down to You; they sing praise to You, they sing the praises of Your name.”
Come and see what God has done, His awesome deeds for mankind!
He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot—come, let us rejoice in Him.
He rules forever by His power, His eyes watch the nations—let not the rebellious rise up against Him.
Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard;
He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.
For You, God, tested us; You refined us like silver.
I will come to Your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows,
vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.
I will sacrifice fat animals to You, offering of rams, bulls and goats.
Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me.
I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!
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)
HYMN: 134 “Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven”
FOR THE RENEWAL OF OUR HEARTS
Instruct our mouths, O Lord, with a new song; that, our hearts being renewed, we may always rejoice in Your praise and in the company of Your saints, O God, our Strength and our Redeemer. Amen.
CONVOCATION
In every beginning, in every moment, God may surprise us with new possibilities, new courage and wisdom and new dimensions of faith.
This is our God, Creator, Christ and Holy Spirit.
Let us be the people of God this day.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION – We Are Human
O God, we are Your people and we confess that we do not always expect to be challenged by Your creativity or Your prophetic word.
We often think and act as though we know the future, we know what is expected of us and do what we always do.
Forgive us if we have lost the dream of Your life.
Bring to us Your surprising grace, Jesus Christ. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
The rock of God’s faithfulness never fails us, the forgiveness of Jesus Christ comes in grace upon grace and the Holy Spirit will lift up our life.
Let us choose to live abundantly! Amen.
INTERCESSION
Loving God, take all that we do and give to it the grandeur of Your will,
the wonder of Christ’s abundant life and the truth and power of Your Holy Spirit.
Carry our life into the world which You so love,
that we may be part of the bringing in Your reign,
witnesses to Your justice and peace
and friends to all who long for love.
This we pray in Your name. Amen.
HYMN: 447 “Lord Your Almighty Word”
BIBLE READINGS – Roslyn McCawley
John 17:1-26 (Pages 1070-1071)
AFFIRMATION
In response to the word, let us make our affirmation:
We believe that God is present here, meeting us within our worship, speaking into every heart, offering wisdom for every mind and breathing hope into every soul.
We believe that, in Christ all things are possible and in the Spirit all life is being made new. This we believe.
SERMON: “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer” Krikor Youmshajekian
HYMN: 590 “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
NOTICES –Elders’ & Council Meetings Wed 26 May 12:00 noon.
- – Tues 1 June 6:30 pm, start at 7:15 pm.
- on the occasion of the Uniting Church 44th Anniversary. Sunday 20 June 2021, here.
OFFERING – Freely we have received; let us freely give.
HYMN: 216 “Rejoice, the Lord Is King” (Tune 371 Darwall)
THE LORD’S PRAYER and BENEDICTION
May the Holy God guide us in the pathways of truth,
Christ Jesus gather us into a loving community as His Body
and the Spirit inspire us and call us on into joy. Amen!
______________________________________________________________________________
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