Koonung Heights – Surrey Hills Uniting Church
Service of Worship at Home
Easter 3 – 4 May 2025 – 10am or whenever possible
You may like to light a candle during your time of worship.
Feel free to text the Peace to other members of the congregation.
During the service we will share Communion so you might like to have the elements ready.
Introit: “Father, we adore you” – (TiS 716)
Father, we adore you; lay our lives before you; how we love you.
Jesus, we adore you; lay our lives before you; how we love you.
Spirit, we adore you; lay our lives before you; how we love you.
Creator, we adore you; lay our lives before you; how we love you.
Risen Christ, we adore you; lay our lives before you; how we love you.
Comforter, we adore you; lay our lives before you; how we love you.
Lighting the Christ Candle:
We light the Christ candle,
recognising the light of the Risen Chris,
and reminding us that we are Resurrection People.
May we remember to live this way
not just during the Easter season
but throughout the year.
Acknowledgement of Country:
This is God’s land and God’s Spirit dwells here.
I acknowledge the Wurundjeri WoiWurrung People of the Kulin nations,
traditional custodians of this land under God.
I pay my respects to their elders past and present,
and to the leaders and generations to come.
Call to Worship:
On the beach,
the fire burning, the fish cooking,
and friends gathering.
Jesus is manifest,
and the story continues.
Except the moment Jesus turns to Peter,
in front of everyone,
and asks the deepest question:
“Do you love me?
Then feed my lambs.”
The poorest,
the least,
the lost,
the hungry.
On this day together,
let us be fed,
let us gather,
let us worship.
We Sing: “Jesus calls us here to meet him” – (TiS 477)
Jesus calls us here to meet him as, through word and song and prayer,
we affirm God’s promised presence where his people live and care.
Praise the God who keeps his promise; praise the Son who calls us friends;
praise the Spirit who, among us, to our hopes and fears attends.
Jesus calls us to confess him Word of Life and Lord of All,
sharer of our flesh and frailness saving all who fail or fall.
Tell his holy human story; tell his tales that all may hear;
tell the world that Christ in glory came to earth to meet us here.
Jesus calls us to each other: found in him are no divides.
Race and class and sex and language such are barriers he derides.
Join the hand of friend and stranger; join the hands of age and youth;
join the faithful and the doubter in their common search for truth.
Prayer of Adoration and Confession:
Loving God,
you gave the greatest gift –
love to us in all its forms –
through Jesus.
In his life and death,
he taught us love of others
and showed us how to love you.
We come today to show that love
through our worship together,
praying, singing and hearing your word.
We are grateful for this group of people,
gathered to share your love,
not only in this space,
within this community,
but throughout the world.
May our church experience
be a spirit-guided loving moment today.
Merciful God, we know your love,
but sometimes we turn away,
questioning its reality.
Remind us to recall the resurrection love
and to centre our lives, each day, upon you.
We regret we often compare ourselves with others,
as Peter did with the beloved disciple.
Help us to recognise our gifts are unique,
that we are called to be who we are
and to serve your purpose as best we can.
Let us pause for a moment to bring
our regrets and apologies to you.
(Time of silence)
Forgiving God,
take away our shame and guilt,
remind us of that overpowering,
resurrecting love once again.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
Friends, hear this good news!
The resurrection of Jesus
shows us the grace of God is stronger than death
and the love of God has no boundary.
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God!
Time for All:
I wonder if any of you have a pet? What do you have? Who has a dog? Who has a cat? Who has another sort of pet? I have a cat called Sabre … you can see him here resting on the couch.
If you have a pet you know that it’s important to care for that pet. I wonder what things you might need to care for your pet? You might need some physical things like a water bowl, food, a lead, a kennel or a scratching post. Maybe you need other things too – things like time, patience and caring. All of these things are important and all of them are ways that we love our pets.
In one of our Bible readings for today, Jesus says to Peter, ‘take care of my sheep’. When we go on holidays we get someone else to look after our pets, but I don’t think Jesus was asking Peter to take care of his pet sheep. I don’t even think Jesus had a pet sheep! Jesus does know that he’ll be going away though, and he wants Peter to take care of other people the way that he took care of them.
Taking care of people is a bit like taking care of a pet. You help them with the things they need and your response is caring and kind. That’s how Jesus wants us to be to one another. There are lots of ways we can do this – by being friendly, by helping one another, by welcoming people who are new to our school or church.
Another way we can care for people is by making sure that they are paid fairly for the work that they do. I’m going to invite Peta to come and tell us a little about Fair Trade.
World Fair Trade Day:
Good morning, my name is Peta Lowe and today I am speaking on behalf of the Social Justice Group, about World Fair Trade Day. This information was put together for you by Rosella Flavell, who cannot be here this morning.
World Fair Trade Day is an inclusive global celebration of Fair Trade’s contribution to the fight against poverty, exploitation and Climate Change.
This year, World Fair Trade Day will take place on Saturday, 10th May and focus on the future of Responsible Trade.
Here are four interesting facts about Fair Trade:
1. The Fair Trade Mark is an independent consumer and registered certification label for products that operate a fair deal for workers.
2. Products with the Fair Trade Mark are sold in over 120 countries.
3. The only chocolate company in the world that’s fully owned by farmers is Divine
Chocolate.
4. There are over 1.4 million farmers and workers worldwide who produce Fair Trade
products.
Did you know that the ground coffee we use at Morning Tea is Fair Trade? You can easily find it at most Coles and Woolworths stores. IGA and Aldi also carry Fair Trade products.
Here are a couple of ideas: Next time you buy coffee, tea or chocolate, consider buying Fair Trade. You can also shop for Fair Trade products online.
One of the best ways to celebrate World Fair Trade Day is by supporting workers, by buying Fair Trade products.
Later this year, we will again be reminded of this by Fair Trade fortnight, which will run from 22nd September to 5th October.
Let’s support workers by buying Fair Trade products where we can.
We Sing: A New Commandment – (TiS 699)
A new commandment I give unto you
that you love one another as I have loved you,
that you love one another as I have loved you.
By this will others know that you are my disciples
if you have love one for another;
by this will others know that you are my disciples
if you have love one for another.
Bible Reading: Mark 14:66-72
– Peter Denies Jesus
66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the female servants of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I do not know or understand what you are talking about.” And he went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. 69 And the female servant, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and you talk like one.” 71 But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about.” 72 At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Bible Reading: John 21:9-17
9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them, and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus and Peter
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep”.
Reflection:
Let us take a moment to imagine as we hear an exert from Peter’s diary …
As we sat around the fire,
eating our breakfast together,
Jesus, for I now believed it was Jesus,
raised from the dead,
asked me a question that surprised me.
He asked me if I loved him.
It seemed a strange kind of question.
I wasn’t sure if he was winding me up, or testing me in some way,
or making me a butt of jokes for the others.
I replied in what I thought was a casual way saying “You know that I love you”.
He smiled and said; “Feed my lambs.”
I was confused by the answer, for Jesus was not a farmer,
but he was pretty good with his hands, and fixing things that were broken.
He had no lambs that I knew about, although,
I remember he once called himself the “Good Shepherd!”
I nodded and continued to eat my fish.
“Simon, son of John!”
I wanted to interrupt Jesus, and ask why he was using my own name,
rather than the nickname ‘Rocky’ that he called me.
Maybe he was wanting a serious answer?
“Do you love me?” he asked for a second time,
and I paused and answered him truthfully, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
“Take care of my sheep,” he replied.
What did he mean?
Lambs, sheep … I was a fisherman, I would be no use tending livestock.
Was this some kind of parable?
Were these lambs and sheep meant to be his disciples and followers?
For I was no leader, a follower maybe, but not a leader.
I was confused by what Jesus was asking me to do,
not usually shy of a word to say, nonetheless, I smiled nervously
and got back to eating my fish.
And then he spoke again, Asking the same question for a third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
I wanted to scream out loud, tell him I loved him,
and couldn’t believe he was testing me in front of the others.
“Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
He said again, “Feed my sheep!”
I wanted to ask him out loud, what he was getting at,
and before I could open my mouth and put my foot in it,
I remembered how I once denied him three times,
and wondered if he was forgiving me three times for that.
Uncertain of what to do, I tried to divert the conversation,
because I was good at that.
The readings we have heard today, both stories of Peter, are a reminder of how susceptible we are as human beings to say one thing and do another. We can have great intentions and sincere plans, but when push comes to shove we might not commit in the moment to the thing that we have promised. In the moment we feel unsure, and look for the safe and easy option. It is just part of our nature, and often, is a matter of self-protection. Sometimes, though, I wonder if we pull back from things because we doubt ourselves. We have a sense that when it comes to filling an action or demand we are most likely going to fail, and so we decide not to try at all.
I wonder if this is what happens for Peter, when he denies any connection to Jesus and his work. While there is obviously an element of self-protection in Peter’s response, I also wonder if he feels that he is not up to what will be asked of him if he states that he is one of Jesus’ followers. This leads Peter to deny Jesus three times … ‘I do not know this man’.
In today’s gospel passage Peter, and some of the other disciples are out fishing. It is what they were doing when Jesus called them to be disciples a long time before. It is different for the disciples now and so they have returned to their previous occupations. I wonder how Peter must have been, wondering how he could have disowned Jesus, the one he had followed, when Jesus needed him most. Would the cry of the rooster every morning be a haunting reminder of what he had done.
As they fish Jesus appears and encourages them to move their nets, causing them to be filled to the brim. They come to the shore and Jesus becomes the host again. In this encounter there is an invitation to forgiveness and renewal, as Jesus communicates to Peter what the ‘love’ he needs looks and feels like.
If we place ourselves in Peter’s shoes, we may feel a powerful emotional response, beginning with the sense that ‘Jesus would never need to tell me’ of the need to love him. We might even think that ‘Jesus would never find me denying him’. We can be quick to judge Peter, yet we might also recognise something of ourselves in Peter and we might admit that we could do the same. Maybe our emotions turn from judgement of Peter, to shame and embarrassment as we remember that we often need to be reminded of how we fall short, and then joy and relief when we experience the truth of God’s love for us despite our failings.
God is full of opportunities for second chances and the restoration of divine human relationships. In fact, as Jesus meets Peter in this moment on the beach, he does not condemn him for his denials, but rather restores Peter, meeting his failures with opportunities for grace and a calling back to the task before him. Jesus doesn’t ask Peter if he will fail him again, but reminds Peter that if he loves him, he should stop fishing and feed Jesus’ sheep.
It seems to me that this is really a call to love. As Jesus and Peter continue their conversation about love, the original Greek text uses two words ‘agape’ and ‘philia’. ‘Philia’ might be what we call friendship, and ‘agape’ is more about sacrifice. The love that Jesus asks from each of his followers is definitely partly like the love we feel for a friend. One of the ways we love God is shown through the way we love those who surround us in our families, our communities and our world. But we are also invited to love God in a way that mirrors the complete devotion with which God loves us. Jesus challenges Peter, and us, to move from a love which is based solely on friendship, to a deeper, selfless, sacrificial love.
The call to this deeper love, invites Peter to leave his nets again, and move into a different type of fishing as he commits who he is to living a transformed life. It is about sharing the resurrection life and love that he has encountered through the amazing grace offered to him.
I wonder if we are open to that? Do we want to be part of that sort of resurrection living? Do we want to have that sort of impact in the places we find ourselves? It begins by loving Jesus … and loving others in the way of Jesus.
Amen.
We Sing: “Shout to the Lord” – (TiS 738)
My Jesus, my Saviour Lord, there is none like you;
all of my days I want to praise the wonders of your mighty love.
My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength,
let every breath, all that I am, never cease to worship you.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth; let us sing power and majesty, praise to the King.
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of your name.
I sing for joy at the work of your hands; forever I’ll love you, forever I’ll stand.
Nothing compares to the promise I have in you.
Prayer for Others (prepared by Jenny Chamberlain):
When you hear the words, “Lord hear us”,
you are invited to respond,
“Bring healing, bring hope.”
Let us gather together in prayer for ourselves
and our world – let us pray
Loving God we praise your name and rejoice that you first loved us. Thank you for the gracious gift of your Son Jesus Christ, given to reconcile the world to you.
In him we see your bountiful mercy, grace and faithfulness.
Teach us how to share your love,
mercy and grace to a hurting world.
We lament the ongoing horror of war in Ukraine and the Middle East and pray for exiled innocent refugees longing for home, separated from loved ones. We think of those hungry for food, hungry for peace. We grieve with those grieving the senseless loss of life. May those in power work for justice and peace for all.
Lord hear us – Bring healing, bring hope.
We pray for all who suffer injustice and prejudice through race, religion, disability, and poverty. We lament ongoing corrupt regimes, taking from the poor to fund military might, as well as fund privilege for a few.
Lord hear us – Bring healing, bring hope.
We pray for all those near and far affected by the impacts of natural disasters exacerbated by climate change. May we reach out to them as we also strive to care for your planet, our world.
We pray for our political leaders who will govern our country following the federal election. We pray that their decision making may be underpinned by values of fairness, compassion, justice and vision for all Australians.
Lord hear us – Bring healing, bring hope.
We pray for your church. We pray for all leaders in the Uniting Church, our brothers and sisters in Assembly, Synod, Presbytery and within our church. Bless our minister and church council. Bless them in the church’s work of service, mission and sharing your love to all.
We lift up now all those dear to us who need your word of hope and blessing this day, and we remember them now in silent prayer.
(Time of silence)
Lord hear us – Bring healing, bring hope.
Indeed Lord bring healing, bring hope to us, your people and to our world. Empower us to be agents of hope and change.
In the name of Christ we pray,
Amen
Communion:
Invitation to the Table
One of the first things Jesus did after the resurrection was feed his disciples.
There was a beach fire – bread and fish, cooked over an open flame.
There was love and grace and renewal.
Friends, that is why we come to this table 2,000 years later.
We come to remember. We come to be close.
We come to get a taste of the kingdom of God.
So come hungry. Come seeking.
Come knowing that Christ always saves a seat for you.
For this is the joyful feast for the people of God. Thanks be to God!
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be with you and also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
It is right that we give you thanks and praise at all times and in all places
for you have created and sustained us.
We praise you that through your eternal Word you brought the universe into being
and you made each one of us in your own image.
You have given us this earth to care for and delight in.
You love us and have bound yourself to us.
Above all thank you for Jesus, the living Word,
born as one of us,
living our common life
and walking the path to death,
yet through his actions
reconciling us to you and to one another.
Therefore we gladly join our voices to the song of the Church on earth and in heaven,
singing:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of love and light,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
On the night of Jesus betrayal and arrest, as he shared a meal with his friends,
Jesus took bread; gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his followers, saying:
“Share this bread among you; this is my body which will be broken for justice.
Do this to remember me.”
When supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to his disciples, saying:
“Share this wine among you; this is my blood which will be shed for liberation.
Do this to remember me.”
Invocation
Creating, Redeeming, Sustaining God, let your Spirit come upon your people gathered here.
Spirit of compassion, bless us and this bread and wine.
May this meal be food and drink for our journey –
renewing, sustaining and making us whole.
When we eat and drink may we experience again
the presence of the risen Jesus in our midst.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name;
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and 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 forever.
Amen.
Distribution
The bread we take is a sharing in the body of Christ.
The wine we take is a sharing in the blood of Christ.
These are the gifts of God for the people of God.
The bread of life – the cup of hope.
May this meal nourish and refresh you, strengthen and renew you,
and may it remind you that you are loved.
Amen.
(eat and drink)
Prayer
God of love, we give you thanks for satisfying us with this meal.
Send us from here to reveal your love in the world,
and to be agents of life and hope.
Inspire us to use our words to point others to the Word, your Son Jesus.
Inspire in us the resolve and the courage, the compassion and passion
to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with you.
Amen.
We Sing: “The Summons” – (Iona Community)
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let me love be shown, will you let my name be known,
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
Will you love the ‘you’ you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
Blessing and Sending:
In our everyday life,
in work, at play and home,
anytime and anywhere,
Jesus is asking ‘Do you love me?’
Jesus is calling us to follow
and grow in grace and love.
So let us go and be shepherds,
tending those around us with care and compassion.
And as we go,
may we know the presence of the Good Shepherd,
guiding and guarding us.
May the love of God,
the grace of Jesus the Christ,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
Amen.
Thanks to all those who have assisted in preparation for this liturgy with encouragement, prayers and conversation. I have also utilised the following resources:
Fig Tree Worship and Spill the Beans (Issue 54).