Order of Service – Sunday 24 November 2024 – CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY
Click the link below to download the Order of Service.
CALL TO WORSHIP
I rejoice with those who say to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord”. May there be peace within our walls and security within our sanctuaries.
For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say: “Peace be with you”.
And also, with you.
Come people of God to worship the One who calls us to walk the path of peace, who wakens us from our slumber and who comes to us saying ‘Be ready’. Come let us worship God.
Come before the Lord in holy worship!
We come as we are as we have so many times before to worship our God and give thanks.
Open your hearts to God’s spirit and let Him renew your life.
We are ready. We are willing. We give ourselves to the renewing spirit of God.
LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE
Light flickers and shines to offer us glimpses of a new society, a new understanding of heaven here on earth. Let us honour the Light! Amen!
INVOCATION
Out of a world of conflict and confusion, Lord, we gather seeking Your peace. May we find comfort in Your presence. As our Saviour, we lay our lives before You. As our friend, Your presence gives us strength. We celebrate Your faithfulness in song and word.
In your Spirit, may we then be moved to respond in faithfulness as our lives are lived in relationship with You. Amen!
HYMN: 84 “Give to Our God Immortal Praise”
THANKSGIVING PRAYER
Gracious God, our heavenly Father, we humbly thank You for all Your gifts so freely given, for life and health and safety, for work and rest and friendship, and for the wonder of creation.
We thank You for preserving throughout history a people for Yourself. We praise You for our Saviour Jesus Christ, for His incarnation, death and resurrection, for Your life-giving Spirit, and the hope of sharing in Your glory.
Fill our hearts with all love, joy, hope and peace in believing, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
HYMN: 768 “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”
RESPONSIVE READING
Give thanks to the Lord.
Exalt His holy name.
Christ our King, Your justice embraces all people and calls us into a mutual fellowship of love and care. Challenge Your Church to live out this concern in acts of compassion and liberation …
As we do to and for others, so we serve You.
Christ our King, give to governments and all who rule a deep concern for the needs of their people. Give us openness to welcome the stranger in peace and hospitality …
May we share of our wealth and poverty.
Christ our King, in You the thirsty find refreshment, the hungry are fed, the naked are clothed and prisoners are visited …
Extend the boundaries of our concern beyond those who are easy to love.
Christ our King, the sick, the lame and the infirm hold a special place in Your concern. Give us grace to ensure that the care that is needed is provided …
And Your faithfulness endures from age to age, so we rejoice before Your glory.
Rejoice in the Lord.
Sing to Him with thanksgiving.
Christ our King, enthroned on the cross-bearing insults and torments for our redemption, by Your blood may true peace reign …
Bless and guide Your body, the Church, that we may exalt You and share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Christ our King, You endured the scoffing of leaders and ridicule from bystanders. Rescue us from the grip of darkness and cynical abuses of power …
Strengthen all who strive for justice by Your glorious power.
Christ our King, still our hearts to know Your presence and share Your peace …
Bring us to declare that You are righteousness.
Christ our King, in lonely agony You bore the pains of the world. Be with all who are desolate and afflicted, whose world is shaken…
Be present help, O Lord, in times of trouble and give courage and strength to all who fear.
Christ our King, gather in Your mercy all who have shared in Your passion, who have been faithful to You till the end…
May we with all Your faithful servants share Your glory now and for ever.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
O Lord God, we confess that our lives are not as clean and pure as we would wish them to be. We are not the people You have called us to be. Give us the courage to clean up our act that we may be ready to greet the One whom You are sending. Forgive us for failing to speak out when we might have made a difference. Grant us Your peace, in the name of Jesus your Son. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
God’s grace and truth are available to those who are humble in spirit. Hear the good news: salvation is near to You. It is a gift. It is grace. It is peace. Receive it and be thankful! Amen!
HYMN: 129 “Amazing Grace”
A SERIES OF PRAYERS
(These prayers are best prayed by stating the intention and then giving a short time for silence. The response follows the words “Lord, hear us”.)
As people living in the Reign of Christ, let us bring our prayer intentions to the God who always hears us.
Let us pray for those who go hungry in our neighbourhood. … May they receive food at this time. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Let us pray for those who currently have no place to call home. … May they receive shelter and protection. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Let us pray for families. … May their homes be a place of nurture and safety. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Let us pray for those whose lives have been affected by natural disasters. … May they be assisted in rebuilding their lives. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Let us pray for those who have given generously to charities, the poor and the needy. … May the love of Christ be made more vivid through their concern. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Let us pray for all Christians of all traditions. … May they be united in putting the Reign of Christ into action. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
TIME TO PRAY
As you hear the music, please offer your prayers to the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus. Remember in your prayers the sick, the needy, the persecuted and refugees.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SACRAMENT OF FAITH – Jesus Christ Is Lord
We believe in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even on a cross.
Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess to the glory of God: Jesus Christ is Lord! Amen!
Philippians 2:5-11
SONG – HE IS LORD
A PRAYER BEFORE READING THE SCRIPTURES
O Lord our God and lover of the human race, shine in our hearts the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of Your Gospel teaching. Instil in us the fear of Your blessed commandments, so that we may enter into a spiritual life, willing and doing all that is Your good pleasure.
For You are the light of our souls and our bodies, Christ, O God! And we give glory to You, together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and forever, world without end. Amen!
(John Chrysostom 344-407)
BIBLE READINGS Jan Cartwright
Revelation 1:1-8 (Page 1215) John 18:33-37 (Page 1072)
MESSAGE: “King’s Day” Krikor Youmshajekian
HYMN: 228 “Crown Him with Many Crowns”
NOTICES – 3rd Documentary Screening Tuesday 26 Nov 7:00 pm.
- Wednesday 27 November – Bus Trip – from 9:00 am.
- 1 Dec – Advent 1 / Andrew’s Day Service and Lunch.
- Movie/Pizza Night – Tuesday 3 December 6:30 pm.
- Sun 8 Dec – Congregational Meeting after churchservice.
- Christmas Carols’ Service – Sunday 15 December 9:30 am.
- Food & Gifts for Exodus – All in by 15 December.
- Christmas Eve Service – Tuesday 24 December 7:00 pm.
- Christmas Day Service – Wednesday 25 December 9:00 am.
OFFERING – “In enthusiasm and hope we make our offering to God”.
HYMN: 142 “Glory Be to God the Father”
BENEDICTION
Go out into the world with peace and in the power of the Spirit; in all things, at all times, remember that Christ the King and the Lord is with you. Amen!
To contact Krikor call 9453 0787 or 0418 417 411
Church Website: http://www.longueville.unitingchurch.org.au
Church email: standrewsunite@tpg.com.au
Church Office phone: 9427 4740