Order of Service – Sunday 23 MArch 2025 – LENT 3
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CALL TO WORSHIP
The world belongs to God, the earth and all its people.
How good and how lovely it is to live together in unity.
If the Lord’s disciples keep silent, these stones would shout aloud.
Lord, open our lips and our mouths shall proclaim Your praise.
Come, Let us worship God
HYMN: 100 “All Creatures of Our God and King”
RESPONSIVE READING Isaiah 55 (Page 733)
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Our loving God and Father, we do not pretend that our lives are good enough for Your friendship or approval. We have lived in Your world as if You were insignificant and sometimes as if You were irrelevant. We have pushed on with our own ideas and projects, forgetting Your kindness to us and Your authority over us. Especially we have failed to appreciate the greatness and goodness of Your Son Jesus Christ, who lived and died and rose among us. Yet You are full of love and forgiveness, the very gifts that Jesus died to bring to those who ask. For His sake forgive us, and work in us to make us grateful, faithful and joyful people. In His name we pray. Amen!
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws He gave us through His servants the prophets. (Daniel 9:9-10)
LENTEN PRAYER
God, we know that You come to us in the creation You have made, and through people in Your image and likeness. Sometimes it is difficult to hear Your voice speak in new ways to us in the Scriptures.
We find it hard to see clearly what habit is, or an inappropriate part of our culture that has crept into how we see and hear and understand Your voice and guidance. Sometimes we hold on to old ways and values in caring for the earth and treasuring each other. May the Christ Light remind us how much new light You have to bring. May we be helped to see the difference between what binds us and what frees us to meet, know and follow You in our various cultures and experiences.
Guide us by the Light! Guide us by your Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!
HYMN: “A Wonderful Saviour is Jesus My Lord”
THANKSGIVING
Almighty God, we thank You for Your amazing love in sending Your Son to restore Your world, to die for us and to give us life in all its fullness. Accept, O God, our praise and thanksgiving through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
PRAYER
Mighty God, in whom we know the power of redemption, You stand among us in the shadows of our time.
As we move through every sorrow and trial of this life, uphold us with knowledge of the final morning when, in the glorious presence of Your risen Son, we will share His resurrection, redeemed and restored to the fullness of life and forever freed to be Your people.
Creator of the universe, You made the world in beauty, and restore all things in glory through the victory of Jesus Christ.
We pray that, wherever Your image is still disfigured by poverty, sickness, selfishness, war and greed, the new creation in Jesus Christ may appear in justice, love, and peace, to the glory of Your name.
O God, Your Son remained with His disciples after His resurrection, teaching them to love all people as neighbours.
As His disciples in this age, we offer our prayers on behalf of the universe in which we are privileged to live and our neighbours with whom we share it.
Prayers of the people (in silence)
Open our hearts to Your power moving around us and between us and within us, until Your glory is revealed in our love of both friend and enemy, in communities transformed by justice and compassion, and in the healing of all that is broken. Amen!
Prayers of the people (in silence)
Guide us in the path of discipleship, so that as You have blessed us, we may be a blessing for others, bringing the promise of the kingdom nearby our words and deeds. Amen!
Prayers of the people (in silence)
Receive these prayers, O God, and transform us through them, that we may have eyes to see and hearts to understand not only what You do on our behalf, but what You call us to do so that Your realm will come to fruition in glory.
We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We ask You, hear our prayers. Amen!
HYMN: 430 “Your Words to Me are Life and Health”
BIBLE READINGS – Penny Goodley
Psalm 27:1-11 (Page 546) Luke 13:1-9 (Pages 1032- 1033)
MUSICAL REFLECTION
SERMON: “Looking Back – Living Forward” Krikor Youmshajekian
HYMN: 598 “Dear Father, Lord of Humankind”
NOTICES –
- Movie/Pizza Night – Tue 1 April 6:30 pm. “The Promise”.
- Elders’/Council Meeting – Wednesday 2 April at 10:00 am.
- Good Friday Service – Friday 18 April at 9:30 am.
- Easter Service – Sunday 20 April at 9:30 am.
OFFERING – “In enthusiasm and hope, in humility and communion,
in trust and expectation, we make our offering to God.
DEDICATION OF THE OFFERING
God, You have given each of us gifts to use as members of the body of Christ. Here are our gifts – the work of our hands, our hearts, and our lives. We pray that they may help to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to our world, today and always, here and everywhere. Amen!
HYMN: 64 “O Bless the Lord, My Soul”
THE LORD’S PRAYER and BLESSING
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