How To Do Worship

Sermon on the Plain

Order of Service

WELCOME

CALL TO WORSHIP – 

L:               God is among us, and within us. God is our Teacher, and Healer. When following in the footsteps of Christ, one is called to a wholesome, peaceful, and joyful life.   

All:          Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favours.

L:               God always looks after the poor, the hungry, and the sorrowful. With Jesus our Teacher, and Healer, may those living in woes be cared for with richness, fullness, and joy.

All:          Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favours.

L:               Dear God, our humble, compassionate, omnipotent Creator help us to live the way you have taught us, and elevate our faith in You against hatred, exclusion, revilement, defamation, and other deeds by those speaking ill of You.   

All:         Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favours. Amen

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY – 

L: The Cammeraygal people are the original custodians of the land on which our church stands. The Cammeraygals were spiritual leaders amongst the Indigenous clans of Sydney. 

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

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

SONG – HERE I AM LORD 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION – 

Dear God of compassion, forgiveness, and justice. We are endeavouring to live the way you have taught us. But, often we are too preoccupied with our own woes to reach out to help those, who are in worse situations than us. 

Such a self-centred mindset can be quite obstinate at times, making us take less notice of your teachings. Worse, we sometimes find ourself fall into the habit of chasing excessive worldly possessions, alienating ourselves further from the just conduct you have revealed to us.

We pray for your forgiveness for our self-centred un-just conduct and behaviour, that are at odds with your teachings on humanity, compassion, and justice.

Make us better appreciate your words, dear loving God.

Inspire us to assiduously put into practice your teachings to make a better world in which we live. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON – 

L:               Hear the good news. 

In God’s kingdom of compassion and love, all sins are forgiven, and all troubled souls are set free and blessed. That is the encompassing power of Christ.

All:          Thanks be to God 

SONG – THIS IS THE AIR I BREATHE

READING – Luke 6:17-26

MESSAGE –

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – 

Please join me in the prayers of the people. When I say, ‘Lord in your mercy’, you’re invited to respond, ‘hear our prayer’. Let us pray.

Dear gracious loving God, we pray for your compassion and forgiveness to all who have faith in you. As revealed in the book of Luke, when people in distress came to Jesus, He healed those who were burdened with diseases, and those who are cast in unclean spirits. 

It was a sign of God’s omni-potency and a reflection of his love and compassion for those struggling with physical and spiritual malaise. 

As we pray for the people seeking a closer tie with the Saviour, we also say the prayers for those who are yet to witness God’s grace, who are yet to be enlightened by God’s love, and who are yet to experience the across-the-board transformation in their lives. 

May God’s love touch the hearts and minds of those people mentioned earlier, and let them feel the presence of God in their lives.

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer

We contemplate God’s humbleness and compassion. Jesus took a humble modest approach to preaching among his people. 

He looked up at his followers, rather than otherwise. He set a good example on how to conduct himself with other people. 

Blessed are those who are poor, hungry, weeping, and being ill-treated. In God’s kingdom, those people lifted up. We pray for the people in stressful situations, and may God’s grace touch their lives, and let them feel the full positive impact of His love. 

We pray for the people in the state of complacency to lead their lives with humbleness, vigilance, and compassion.

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer

We pray for our church and its congregation in the new year, and may God’s grace and love translate our community into a more vibrant close-woven society, where everyone, both regular and new-comers, regards coming to our church a vital part of their lives.  

We pray for the solidarity and unity of our ethnically diverse community. We pray for Jewish Australians who are being targeted with antisemitic graffiti and attacks. We pray for peace not hatred against other people, because of their religion, ethnicity, and cultural practices. 

We pray for forgiveness of those committing such ignorant acts, because it is love not confrontation that will prevail. We pray for those people who are caught and suffering in the natural disasters in the Grampian bush fires, in the flood-devastated northern Queensland. 

We pray for the people whose safety is likely to be compromised when swimming in the treacherous ocean water.

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer   

We pray for the people living in those countries that are governed by authoritarianism and dictatorship. Let God’s love and compassion reach those dark places, where the average people are deprived of spiritual enlightenment. 

We pray for the break-down of the firewall that blocks the people in those austere countries from listening to God’s words. God’s love is encompassing and omni-present, and it is vital to see one’s life become complete.

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer

We ask these things as we pray 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 – 

BLESSING – 

L:           Thousands of years ago, Jesus used his power to heal those with diseases, and cured those with unclean spirits. Indeed, Christ has set a good example of how to transform one’s life through love and compassion. Let us live God’s life and spread his gospel through helping those in need. Let’s start with little deeds that are as reflective of His love as those major acts.

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

           In the name of Christ. Amen.   

SONG – SHOUT TO THE LORD