Order of Service – Sunday 4 February 2024 – CENTENARY WORSHIP SERVICE
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ORDER OF SERVICE
PRELUDE AND GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE
Mark Woodward and Robin Cumming
WELCOME – ACKNOWLEDGING THE TRADITIONAL PEOPLE
Rev. Dr. Krikor Youmshajekian
CALL TO WORSHIP
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His, we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.
OPENING HYMN Congregation
O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace!
Jesus! the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease;
such music in the sinner’s ears is life, and health and peace.
My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad the honours of Your name.
To God all glory, praise, and love be now and ever given
by saints below and saints above, the Church in earth and heaven.
LITANY FOR CHURCH ANNIVERSARY
Brothers and sisters, we rejoice that the Holy Spirit inspired our forebears to form the Uniting Church for God’s praise and glory. On this joyful occasion of our church anniversary let us pray to the Lord:
Eternal and loving God, today we give thanks to You for Your goodness through all the years of worship and witness in this place.
For Your grace in calling us to be Your people; for Your love revealed to us in Christ Your Son; for Your gift of the Spirit and the joy of salvation:
We give You our thanks, O God.
For those who established the church here: for their faith and vision, for their gifts and abilities:
We give You our thanks, O God.
For all who have been members of this church; for those who have given freely of their time and money; for those whose wisdom guided us:
We give You our thanks, O God.
For all who have preached and taught here; for all who have confessed here that Jesus is Lord; for all who today lead in worship, witness, and service:
We give You our thanks, O God. (The people stand)
And now let us reaffirm our loyalty to Christ and pledge our faithfulness to the church:
That God may be reverently worshipped; that the gospel may be faithfully proclaimed; that the sacraments may be joyfully celebrated:
We pledge our allegiance to Christ and the Church.
That our families and friendships may be enriched; that our daily lives and work may be consecrated; that our faith and love may be nurtured:
We pledge our allegiance to Christ and the Church.
For the teaching and guiding of those who are young; for the encouraging and equipping for those who serve; for the strengthening of those who seek God’s way; and for the comforting of those who mourn:
We pledge our allegiance to Christ and the Church.
For the conversion of the world to our Saviour; for the reconciliation of the people and nations; for the promotion of righteousness and peace; and for the extension of the reign of God:
We pledge our allegiance to Christ and the Church.
In loving remembrance of all who have run the race and finished their course; in gratitude for one another here today who make up the body of Christ in this place; in thanksgiving for all who keep the faith and in communion with all God’s people on earth:
We pledge our allegiance to Christ and the Church. Amen!
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good:
For His mercy endures for ever.
Holy Father, eternal God, whom we confess the only true and living one, creator, preserver and ruler of all things, in whom alone we put our trust: With the whole Church in heaven and on earth we worship and praise You. We thank You for having brought us to this hour guarded by Your gracious hand.
We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord.
We thank You for Your love made known in Jesus Christ, who became man and dwelt among us in perfect love and obedience, who was lifted up on the cross and died for our sins, who rose again from the dead and is alive for evermore. We praise You that He is gathering Your scattered children into one.
You are the King of Glory, O Christ; the Eternal Son of the Father.
We thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit by whom we are brought to faith in Christ, through whom the gospel is preached in all the world, who gives life to Your people and binds us together in the fellowship of Your Church. In Him, we worship in spirit and in truth.
HYMN Congregation
Worship We Our Lord and Father
Worship we our Lord and Father as we gather, as we sing
praise Him, praise Him, now and ever bringing glory to our King
worship we our Lord and Father bring glory to our King.
Fellowship we seek and cherish friend with friend and stranger too
sharing troubles, joys and pleasures showing love that comes from You
fellowship we seek and cherish showing love that comes from You.
Service to the world we offer we should wish to play our part
but we need Your strength to aid us give us caring, loving hearts
service to the world we offer give us caring, loving hearts.
Teach us to give You the glory when we follow in Your way
worship, fellowship and service are Your gifts from day to day
teach us to give You the glory for Your gift from day to day.
We Your people praise and thank You for the blessings that we have
glory, honour, now we give You whose we are and whom we serve
we Your people praise and thank You whose we are and whom we serve.
AFFIRATION OF FAITH Penny Goodley and Congregation
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one Being with the Father; through Him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.
For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen!
COVENANT AND DEDICATION Penny Goodley
We are not alone and deserted; we live in God’s world. We believe in God: who created and is creating, who has come in the true man, Jesus, to reconcile and renew, who works within us and among us by His Spirit. We trust Him. He calls us to be His church, one church: to celebrate His presence, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil.
We proclaim His reign over us and the whole world. In life, in death, in life beyond death He is with us. We are not alone: thanks be to God!
The church is one body, made of many members. Each of us adds something beautiful and unique to this community.
Though we are frail humans, God dwells on earth and makes Himself known in sacred spaces and sacred moments.
God is with us, today, here in this place.
We promise to love as God’s people, and to sing, pray, listen, hear the words of scripture, and to share these things with each other so we may energise and deepen our faith.
We dedicate ourselves this day to serving each other.
We look forward to more years of service and worship together. We dedicate ourselves anew to being Christ’s people in the world.
Where there has been conflict among us, we pray for the softening of hearts and for reconciliation between us.
We pray for healing, peace and co-operation among us.
We covenant anew today, to share the ministry of Jesus with each other, and with the larger community around us, so that all who meet us may know, by our example, of his unconditional love and healing grace.
Filled by the grace and love of Jesus Christ, we dedicate ourselves afresh to God’s service.
With God’s help, may it be so!
HYMN Congregation
Blessed Assurance
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
This is my story, this is my song; praising my Saviour all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song; praising my Saviour all the day long.
Perfect communion, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight.
Angels descending bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
This is my story, this is my song; praising my Saviour all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song; praising my Saviour all the day long.
Perfect submission, all is at rest. I in my Saviour am happy and bless’d,
watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love.
This is my story, this is my song; praising my Saviour all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song; praising my Saviour all the day long.
CONGRATULATORY 2 MINUTE ADDRESSES
- Federal Member of North Sydney (Video Message) Kylea Tink MP
- Mayor of Lane Cove Councillor Scott Bennison
- Sydney Central Coast Presbytery (Chair Rev. Keith Garner’s letter)
presented by Ian Lawrance
HYMN Congregation
O Lord My God When I in Awesome Wonder
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
consider all the worlds thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:
Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:
Refrain:
But when I think how God, his Son not sparing,
sent him to die, I scarce can take it in;
that on the cross, my burdens gladly bearing,
he bled and died to take away my sin:
Refrain:
When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation,
and take me home, what joy will fill my heart!
Then shall I bow in humble adoration,
and there proclaim: My God, how great thou art!
Refrain:
A PRAYER BEFORE READING THE SCRIPTURES Ian Butters
Holy One, open our hearts and minds by the power of Your Holy Spirit, that, as the Scriptures are read and proclaimed, we may hear Your Word with Joy. Amen!
SCRIPTURE READING John 2:1-11 Ian Butters
SERMON “The Glory of Jesus Revealed” Rev. James Knowles*
HYMN Congregation
The Church’s One Foundation
The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
she is His new creation, by water and the word.
From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride;
with His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.
Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth,
her charter of salvation: one Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.
Through toil and tribulation and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation of peace forevermore;
till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest,
and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.
Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won;
O happy ones and holy! Lord give us grace that we,
like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with Thee.
OFFERING Give generously from what God has given.
COMMUNION HYMN
Break Now the Bread of Life
Break now the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
as once you broke the loaves beside the sea.
Beyond the sacred page I seek you, Lord;
my spirit waits for you, O living Word.
Bless your own word of truth, dear Lord, to me,
as when you blessed the bread by Galilee.
Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall;
and I shall find my peace, my All in all!
THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
Rev. Dr. Krikor Youmshajekian and Rev. James Knowles
INVITATION
The peace of the Lord be with you. And also with you.
Christ our Lord invites to His table all who love Him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.
PRAYER
Be present, risen Lord Jesus, as You were with Your disciples, and make Yourself known to us in the breaking of the bread; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen!
THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD
The bread we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
The cup we take is a sharing in the blood of Christ.
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Receive this holy sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, and feed on Him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.
HYMN Congregation
May the Grace of Christ Our Saviour
May the grace of Christ our Saviour, and the Father’s boundless love,
with the Holy Spirit’s favour, rest upon us from above.
Thus, may we abide in union with each other and the Lord,
and possess in sweet communion joys which earth cannot afford.
THE LORD’S PRAYER Congregation
DISMISSAL AND BLESSING Rev. Dr. Krikor Youmshajekian
Go in peace; may you carry God’s Wisdom, speak forth God’s Word, and embody God’s Presence wherever you are. In the name of Christ. Amen!
POSTLUDE Mark Woodward and Robin Cumming
* Guest Preacher – Rev. James Knowles – Vicar of All Saints Church, Eastbourne UK
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At the conclusion of the Service, please join us in the adjacent War Memorial Hall for Morning Tea.
