Order of Service – Sunday 23 January 2022
Order of Service
WELCOME to LONGUEVILLE
UNITING CHURCH
WELCOME TO WORSHIP
INTRODUCTION OF THEME
In every community are those who need liberation – the poor who need good news; the physically, psychologically or spiritually blind who need sight; the prisoners who need to be freed. Who are these people in your church and in your community? The purpose of Christ is both an invitation to life for all the broken and lost ones (including us), but also a challenge to participate in the work of liberation for those who choose to follow Jesus. This means that each of us needs to find and fulfil our place and purpose in the Body of Christ, as we work together toward Jesus’ dream of a liberated world. It also means that we need to cling to God’s word and allow it to challenge our injustice and direct our quest to bring life and wholeness to those around us. How can you work within your world to commit to Christ’s purpose so that, to those among you, you may also say (collectively) “today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing”?
CALL TO WORSHIP Based on 1 Corinthians 12: 13,14, 26, 27
In one Spirit we were all baptised into one body –
indigenous people and later comers to this land.
Just as our bodies do not consist of one part but of many.
If one part suffers, all suffer together with it;
So, if one person suffers, we all suffer together with them,
if one person is honoured, we all rejoice together with them.
We are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
By being baptised by the Holy Spirit,
we claim and celebrate our membership of the body of Christ.
Amen!
PRAYER OF APPROACH –
Spirit of the living God, we praise and adore You for empowering us to claim membership of the body of Christ, a gift received through the fullness of Your grace. Empower us anew, we pray, with tongues of fire and hearts of love to proclaim the reconciling word among people. Remind us that we are all members of the one body and if one member suffers, we all suffer. May we, as the body of Christ in this place, be the best evidence of Your love by declaring and witnessing to this as the year of the Lord’s favour for all people. We give thanks that all of us are Christ’s body and rejoice in each one being a part of it. Accept our adoration and praise for these great gifts, we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen!
HYMN – TIS 179 “Praise with Joy the World’s Creator”
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
As Ezra reminded the returning exiles of their identity as the people of God, they were deeply moved and wept, because they had forgotten about the mighty acts of God which had shaped them and their history.
We confess, O God, that there are times when we also forget our identity as Your people and so fail to witness to Your activity in our lives.
Ezra called on the people not to grieve their shortcomings but to celebrate their calling and their strength as the people of God.
We confess that there are times when we concentrate on our weaknesses rather than rejoicing over our strengths.
Jesus also reminded the people of His day of their responsibilities as the people of God and then told them “Today the scriptures have been fulfilled in your hearing”.
Today can be a confronting word when we tend to postpone until tomorrow what Jesus may be calling us to do today.
Jesus makes it very clear what His purpose is, as He spells out, and then radically reveals in His life and death the true meaning of loving one’s neighbour. Merciful God, anoint us with Your Spirit so that the words of Scripture proclaimed by Jesus are heard by us – today – and acted upon by us – today – and fulfilled through our worship, witness and service – today – and in all the days that lie ahead. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
Anointed with the Holy Spirit, Jesus brings us the good news of salvation – that we are loved and released from the oppression of all our sins.
And so, I declare to you: in Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
HYMN TIS 657 “God of Freedom, God of Justice”
OLD TESTAMENT READING – Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
EPISPLE READING – 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
GOSPEL READING – Luke 4:14-21
SERMON – “Today”
HYMN TIS 629 “When I Needed a Neighbour”
ANNOUNCEMENTS –
HYMN TIS 599 “Take My Life and Let it Be”
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 –
2022 is already different from what we expected. With the new variant of Covid things have changed dramatically in just a few weeks. In a world of increased uncertainty, we give thanks that we are not alone and God is our strength in times of need. We read in Psalm 121 “I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth”.
Gracious God, we remember Your promises made to us in the Psalms. You are our keeper. You are the shade at our right hand. You keep our going out and our coming in from this time on and forevermore. Our prayers go out for our people across our church. We lift up especially to You:
- Our members and volunteers in all areas of the church with COVID-19 and those in isolation awaiting results.
- Those wearing PPE day in and day out as they faithfully care for the people they serve.
- Clients, patients and residents with COVID-19 including those in aged care, disability services, out of home care and hospitals.
- Those who may be caring for loved ones as they isolate or await test results.
- School staff, students, parents and families as they prepare for the start of the school year.
- Churches as they plan worship in a safe environment and support the community around them.
- We pray for all those affected by the eruption of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano on Saturday, which triggered tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in Tonga and neighbouring South Pacific islands.
- We pray for others that we know—family, friends, colleagues, neighbours. May they know the peace You offer that surpasses all understanding.
Amen!
HYMN TIS 207 “Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun”
BLESSING
Go out into the world with rekindled confidence and peace:
Sometimes it is tough out there, other times it seems ‘a breeze.’
Give thanks to God in the hard times as well as in the easy days.
There is nothing that can happen which falls outside the realm of the Spirit of Christ Jesus.
May grace, mercy and peace
the 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!