How To Do Worship

Neutral Bay Uniting

(Liturgy adapted from UTC Candidate Moling Chun)

Order of Service

WELCOME

CALL TO WORSHIP

L:               Come and worship the flaming God of Pentecost  

ALL:          We follow the One whose extravagant love calls us  

L:               Trust in the one who weaves love into the past, present and future. 

All:            Our hope is in Christ who leads us to expansive love.  

L:               Praise the One, whose justice is grace-full and inclusive  

All:            Let’s build extravagant love, lets create justice for the oppressed, feed the hungry, unlock prisons, welcome strangers, widows and orphans. We praise the Spirit that spans the ages. Amen 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

L: The Cammeraygal people are the original custodians of the land on which this church stands. The Cammeraygals were spiritual leaders amongst the Indigenous clans of Sydney, leaving us art and rock carvings that have lasted millennia. They manged the land so well, there was food and drink enough for all.  

All: We pay our respects to their Elders: past and present. 

L: We honour the deep spiritual traditions of the indigenous peoples; their gifts of lore and culture, and their holistic understanding of country and community.

We honour the wisdom of the Elders and the Dreaming of the First Peoples of these lands now called Australia.

All: We commit to walking respectfully in this country, and to journeying with them in their quest for justice and reconciliation.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION 

God of Pentecost, You are always doing a new thing,

We confess that we sometimes close windows 

Against the fresh air of new ideas 

Against the noise of peoples worries 

Against the winds of change 

God of every place and tie 

We confess that we often draw the curtains 

Against the people who are different 

Against world news or community concerns 

Forgive our locked homes, shuttered churches or chained hearts. 

Open up our lives through Christ and the Holy Spirit. 

Amen 

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS – Alex 

One:         Hear the Good News: Each one of you is beloved, forgiven and given a second chance. 

All:            Thanks be to God. Amen  

New life will come from death, somehow.

GOSPEL READING – John 15:26-27, 16:4-15

²⁶ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. ²⁷ You also are to testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

⁴ But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

The Work of the Spirit

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. ⁵ But now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ ⁶ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. ⁷ Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you. 

⁸ And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ about sin, because they do not believe in me; ¹⁰ about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, and you will see me no longer; ¹¹about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.¹⁴ He will glorify me because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

For the word of God in scripture 

For the Word of God among us 

For the Word of God within us 

We say, Thanks be to God!

SONG OF ACCLAMATION 

I will listen to Your words O Lord 

I will listen to Your words

I will go where you want to go, I will seek very path 

Please Lord, lead me the way to my home in Your heart

SERMON

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

_{(adapted from the prayers of Alan Gaunt, © 2005.)} 

Let us join in the prayers of the people. 

When I say Holy Spirit, come with healing power;

You are invited to respond with words on the screen: 

Spirit, gift of Christ, fill us with us God’s love.

Let us pray. 

Great God, you wrap us round with love,

like a mighty, gentle mother,

and you carry us like a tender father,

setting us on our feet

to be your free, mature and joyful daughters and sons.

Now, in our weakness, we pray to you

because we cannot come through life’s troubles unscathed;

and, with souls and bodies stressed and strained,

we cannot meet each other’s needs without your Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit, come with healing power;

Spirit, gift of Christ, fill us with us God’s love.

Great God, we come to you with the resurrected Christ,

who bore the weight of human flesh and blood to Calvary, 

for your love’s sake;

and even now, 

he pleads with you for all your suffering children.

Holy Spirit, come with healing power;

Spirit, gift of Christ, fill us with us God’s love.

We join our prayers to the prayers of Christ

for those we know who are ill or troubled,

and for all your suffering children who are beyond our reach of mind:

we know that all are brought home to your heart

in the prayers of Christ 

and in the silent intercessions of your Spirit,

who comes from your deep heart to ours,

and returns again to you with all our deepest longings.

Holy Spirit, come with healing power;

Spirit, gift of Christ, fill us with us God’s love.

Heal us and help us, comfort and strengthen us, deepen our joy.

Let our love reflect your healing gentleness.

Holy Spirit, come with healing power;

Spirit, gift of Christ, fill us with us God’s love.

Eternal God, there is great longing in the world;

people are desperate because of the suffering they endure.

Earth cries out for peace; oppressed people cry for justice;

women, men and children weep in sorrow and pain.

How can we have any hope for the world,

unless you are with us?

Through all the mystery of pain, sorrow and human vulnerability,

we dare to believe that you are on our side,

that your love for us is greater than ours for you or for each other.

Holy Spirit, come with healing power;

Spirit, gift of Christ, fill us with us God’s love.

Let us now pray the prayer that Jesus taught us in the language of our hearts.

As ask these things as we pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us in the language of our hearts. 

Our Father in heaven, 

   hallowed be your name, 

   your kingdom come, 

   your will be done, 

     on earth as in heaven. 

Give us today our daily bread. 

Forgive us our sins, 

   as we forgive those who sin against us. 

Save us from the time of trial 

   and deliver us from evil. 

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours 

   now and for ever. Amen.

OFFERING – Alex

BLESSING – Alex 

L:           And may the God who breathed life into creation be your delight.

              May Christ Jesus give hope to your dreaming,

              and may the Holy Spirit, your advocate and supporter,

              set your hearts ablaze with a passion for peace.

All:        We go in peace to love and serve the Lord, 

              In the name of Christ. Amen.