Koonung Heights Uniting Church
Service of Worship at Home
Pentecost 18 – 12 October 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.
Introit: “Bless the Lord, my soul” – (TiS 706)
Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.
Candle Lighting:
As we light the Christ candle today,
the blessing of God,
the shalom of God,
the light of God
be among us and between us,
now and always.
Acknowledgement of Country:
The Ancient of Days breathed life
into this land and her peoples.
From time beyond our reckoning the Wurundjeri WoiWurrung
People of the Kulin nations, have blessed this place
through their law and customs, their care and life.
I pay my respects to their Elders and leaders past and present,
and pray for the future of their communities.
May we all walk gently and respectfully on this Land.
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 66):
Shout out to God, all the earth!
Break into joyful songs to the one true God!
Sing of the glory due God’s name,
and offer the most magnificent praises!
All your works are wonderful!
The entire earth bows down to worship you,
singing songs of praise and glory to your name.
Come, let’s bless God together!
Let’s praise the One who gives us life
and keeps us safe;
who watches over us,
and keeps our feet from stumbling.
We Sing: “Joyful, joyful we adore you” – (TiS 152)
Joyful, joyful, we adore you, God of glory, God of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before you opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away;
giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.
All your works with joy surround you, earth and heav’n reflect your rays,
stars and angels sing around you, centre of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
singing bird and flowing fountain call to praise you joyfully.
You are giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest,
well-spring of the joy of living, ocean-depth of happy rest.
You are Father, Christ our brother, all are yours who live in love;
teach us how to love each other, lift us to your joy above.
Prayer of Adoration and Confession:
Gracious God, author of all of life’s gifts,
we give thanks for the blessings that we receive
this day and all days.
Let us remember the gifts of family, friends and community
and the opportunity to worship you in peace.
We thank you that you constantly lead us
to find your will for the world, and that you offer us
opportunities and encounters where we can show
your love and reconciliation.
Forgive us if we have acted as if these gifts
are commonplace and to be expected,
as if the opportunities and resources we have are our due.
Forgive us when we forget to share
the abundance you have bestowed on us.
Show us again that we have been blessed
with your special purposes for us;
that we can always be a blessing to others
because of the love and generosity that you have shown to us.
As we listen for your calling to us today,
help us to hear and understand how much
our love and caring are urgently needed around the world.
Remind us again that we are still learning to share your love,
but we should never be afraid to share our gratitude and thanks.
So may our worship ready us for courageous living
in the power of your spirit.
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
Hear again, brothers and sisters,
the constant words of grace to us.
Your faith has made you whole – in Christ our sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
Passing the Peace:
May the Peace of God dwell with you:
and also with you.
Time for All:
It has always been important to say ‘please’ and ‘thankyou’, and in one of our bible readings for today we hear the story of Jesus helping some people with leprosy. One comes back and says thank you.
We don’t hear of leprosy much today in our community, but it still exists. We tend to call it Hansen’s disease. It’s an infectious disease, caused by bacteria and spread through prolonged, regular exposure to a person carrying the disease. It is thought to be transmitted through water borne droplets during coughing and sneezing.
Leprosy is known as a disease of poverty, and is most often found in communities where there is overcrowding, limited access to healthcare and where nutrition and general health is poor, weakening people’s immune systems so that they are less able to fight the disease.
Leprosy affects people differently, depending on their individual level of immunity. It can take between one to twenty years of incubation before symptoms are recognisable. Initial signs may be discoloured patches of skin or raised nodules. Leprosy can attack and destroy nerves, resulting in loss of feeling and/or function, leading to injuries and permanent disabilities.
Since ancient times, Leprosy has been a dreaded disease and people suffering Leprosy have been isolated from their communities. There is still stigma and discrimination against people with Leprosy, and often their whole families. It’s no wonder that the man came back to say thank you to Jesus when he realised he was better.
The brighter news is that Leprosy is now curable, using a treatment known as Multi-Drug Therapy. Within 48 hours of starting Multi-Drug Therapy, a person is no longer infectious and poses no threat of passing on the disease. This means that there is no longer a valid reason for them to remain excluded from their community. It also means that, in theory, Leprosy can be eradicated. The challenge now is to find, diagnose and treat people with Leprosy, who may be living in inaccessible villages, or being deliberately hidden by their families because of stigma.
The Leprosy Mission is an international organization who carry out the work of locating, diagnosing, treating and rehabilitating people with Leprosy, as well as educating communities about Leprosy and its cure. They are working towards a world where Leprosy no longer exists.
Let us pray:
Dear God, we pray for all people who suffer from leprosy; those living with pain and fear, disability, stigma and discrimination. We pray for all the workers seeking them, to provide diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, restoration and care. We pray for the Leprosy Mission and their goal of eradicating Leprosy.
In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
We Sing: “Give Thanks” – (TiS 717)
Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One,
give thanks because he’s given Jesus Christ his Son. (x2)
And now let the weak say, ‘I am strong,’ let the poor say, ‘I am rich
because of what the Lord has done for us.’ (x2)
Give thanks, give thanks, give thanks.
Bible Reading: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
– Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles in Babylon
1 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce.
6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Bible Reading: Luke 17:11-19
– Jesus Cleanses Ten Men with a Skin Disease
11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten men with a skin disease approached him. Keeping their distance, 13 they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 He prostrated himself at Jesus’s feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? So where are the other nine? 18 Did none of them return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
Reflection:
‘Us and them, and after all, we’re only ordinary men’. These are the opening lyrics of the Pink Floyd song Us and Them. The song is about binaries – black and white, us and them, cats and dogs. It criticises the way that this cut and dried narrative is given in times of war. It recognises the prejudice we hold about those who look different from us because of the tone of their skin. It reminds us of those we walk straight past because their circumstances are different from our own. Yet in the end, the lyrics remind us that we’re all just ordinary people.
It seems to me that in our society at present we are hearing a lot of this ‘us and them’ language – Israel and Palestine, Liberal and Labor, Christian and Muslim, employed and unemployed are just a few examples. Of course we are always part of the ‘us’ and naturally we are ones who have things as they should be. It is those who don’t look like us or agree with us, those who are the problem, that constitute ‘them’. This language is dangerous because it does not simply identify difference, but aims to create artificial divisions which can lead to prejudice. It is evident in politics, media and social discourse, often manifesting as generalisations and stereotypes which can even lead to the creation of ‘others’ to serve as scapegoats or targets.
Both of today’s readings emphasise the ‘other’, while showing that Gods compassion and community extend far beyond the arbitrary divisions that we create. While the notion of ‘otherness’ can challenge our comfort zones, for God it is about all of us – there is no ‘them’. In Jeremiah, the exiles are the called to embrace those who are foreign to them and to look to their welfare, for as they live in community together, the welfare of one will impact on the welfare of all. In the gospel passage from Luke, the Samaritan, the ‘other’ is also healed and given the opportunity to rejoin community. No wonder he comes back praising God and intent on thanking Jesus. The gratitude he expresses is in no part due to the inclusion that he feels.
The message from the prophet Jeremiah is sent to those who have been exiled in Babylon. The Babylonian army have captured and destroyed the city of Jerusalem (586 BCE) and the inhabitants of the city are now living in exile after being forcibly migrated. Jeremiah specifically addresses the situation of those who have experienced the trauma of exile from their homeland and forced resettlement into a place where they are strangers. It is into this context that this word of hope, encouragement and a call to take agency comes to those who are in exile.
While the situation of exile will not be over quickly, the people are encouraged to embrace the good in their current circumstances and strive towards prosperity for themselves, their community, and, indeed, for the welfare of the city of Babylon itself. Rather than pining for their homeland, they are to do all they can to contribute to the city they are living in. In seeking the prosperity of the city that is not their homeland and the well-being of even their captors, they can continue to serve God even in the midst of difficult circumstances
As people of faith living in what can often seem to be a faithless world, we can find ourselves feeling like we are the exiles; a people who are displaced. Yet rather than shut ourselves off from our communities, and those who are different, God’s instruction to ‘seek the welfare of the city’ is a direct challenge to be inclusive and serve the ‘other’. Also, if we are able to recognise this feeling of displacement in ourselves, then we should be much more aware of the pain of those who are foreigners in this land, and work for their welfare accordingly. Their welfare is also our welfare because, in God’s eyes, we are all ‘us’.
In the gospel passage we hear the well-known story of Jesus healing ten lepers. For what it’s worth, in the biblical context, leprosy is term to describe any kind of skin ailment that was considered infectious, and it requires them to keep distant from their communities, lest they infect anyone else. As lepers, these men adhere to the cultural expectations of the law, calling out to Jesus who responds with the same cultural sensitivity, telling them to go to the priests who will declare them clean. Jesus words assume they will be declared clean and they are, and one returns to offer thanks.
It is here that this story prods our prejudices and stereotypes. Firstly, Jesus’s interaction with the lepers shows that God’s love and mercy are not restricted by cultural or religious divides; they are extended to all, particularly to the marginalized and the often overlooked “others”. Do we extend that same love in our dealing with people, or does our bias mean that only some are worthy of our love? Secondly, in this narrative it is the one who is not expected to give thanks, who returns doing just that and praising God. Jews could not stand Samaritans, and so, in effect, the one who shows up is the one who we wouldn’t expect this behaviour from. The one who shows us the right response in this narrative, the one who teaches us something the one that we would be most likely to dismiss or despise.
It is the ‘other’ in this story, the culturally despised Samaritan, who acts with gratitude that is more than thanks for healing, it is thanks for being ‘made well’, indicating a deeper spiritual and social transformation that transcends physical healing. Not only has the Samaritan been healed of his skin complaint which allows him to participate in community again, he has been welcomed into the community of God in a tangible way. What prejudices might we hold that keep us from receiving the full gift of life that is on offer to us? What gets in the way of all that Christ can do within us? What stops us welcoming others into the community of God?
As Christians we have been invited to live differently; it is part of our DNA and it means that need to live in a way that rejects the binary of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Instead we are called to recognise that God’s healing and blessing are not confined by earthly borders or social distinctions. God’s presence can be found in unexpected places and with unexpected people. Likewise, God’s grace will not abide by the arbitrary lines that we draw between ourselves and others.
May we live into the reality that in God’s eyes we are not the ‘us’ and others are not the ‘them’, but that together we are all God’s beloved children. May we live into this reality and make it the reality for all those we encounter.
Amen.
We Sing: “We are your people” – (TiS 468)
We are your people; Spirit of grace,
you dare to make us to all our neighbours, Christ’s living voice, hands and face.
Joined in community, treasured and fed,
may we discover gifts in each other, willing to lead and be led.
Rich in diversity, help us to live,
closer than neighbours, open to strangers, willing to clash and forgive.
Give, as we venture justice and care
(peaceful, resisting, waiting or risking) Wisdom to know when and where.
Christ as we serve you in different ways,
may all we’re doing show that you’re living, Meeting your love with our praise.
Prayer for Others (prepared by Peta Lowe):
When you hear the words, “Lord, in your mercy”,
you are invited to respond, “Hear our prayer”.
Creator God,
Thank you for the beautiful, balanced, fragile earth, in all its complexity and diversity, our home. We pray for the healing of creation from the harm humanity has caused. Thank you for scientists, environmentalists and groups working for the healing of the earth. Guide them with your wisdom, open our ears to their advice and to the cries of your creation.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God of peace,
We pray for the healing of relationships, leading to peace, in war torn regions, within communities, families and workplaces. Thank you for all peacemakers; bless their work.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God who loves all people,
We pray for refugees and asylum seekers, living in fear and uncertainty; grieving their old lives, their homes, families, friends and communities. We pray for all those who offer them welcome in the lands to which they flee.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Restoring God,
We praise and thank you for the healing of bodies and minds which you have made possible; for doctors, nurses and other health workers, for our Australian health care system and for access to medical care. We pray for those people in places where good medical care is difficult to access and for those who are working to bring it to them.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Just and inclusive God,
Yesterday, 11th October, was the International Day of the Girl Child. We pray for a world where girls everywhere will have equal opportunities for education, employment, medical care, and participation in community life, and we pray for an end to gender-based violence. We thank you for people working towards this goal; bless their work we pray.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Lord of the Church,
We pray for your church worldwide. We thank you that we live in freedom and can safely gather for Worship. We pray for Christians who are persecuted for their faith, and for those who advocate for them.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Powerful, independent God,
We thank you that your Word, your Holy Spirit, cannot be chained or restrained. Open your church to the work of your Spirit.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God of Jesus,
In the Gospel of Luke, we read about Jesus healing ten people of Leprosy, and only one returned to thank him. Is it still like that today? Do only one in ten people thank you for the blessings you bestow? Help each of us to be one who turns and thanks you for the good gifts we receive.
Forgive us when we forget to thank you; when we take your gifts for granted. Fill our hearts with gratitude and our mouths with prayers of thanks.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Loving God,
We thank you for the people we love, and we hold before you our families, friends and those for whom we have special concern, trusting in your love. In a moment of silence we bring these people before you.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
And now, let us join in the prayer Jesus taught his disciples:
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.
We Sing: “This day God gives me” – (TiS 642)
This day God gives me strength of high heaven,
sun and moon shining, flame in my hearth,
flashing of lightning, wind in its swiftness
deeps of the ocean, firmness of earth.
This day God sends me strength to sustain me,
might to uphold me, wisdom as guide.
Your eyes are watchful, your ears are listening,
your lips are speaking, friend at my side.
God’s way is my way, God’s shield is round me,
God’s host defends me, saving from ill.
Angels of heaven, drive from me always
all that would harm me, stand by me still.
Rising, I thank you, mighty and strong One,
king of creation, giver of rest,
firmly confessing threeness of persons,
oneness of Godhead, trinity blest.
Blessing and Sending:
Go out in the world today rested and refreshed
that you might not let your feet slip
or your voice falter,
but show in word and deed
what God has done for you.
In the name of the Creator,
the Redeemer and Sustainer,
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: The Fig Tree Worship, WorkingPreacher.com, and Billabong Worship Resources.
Time for All Information about Leprosy provided by Peta Lowe.
Candle Lighting Liturgy adapted from Rex A E Hunt.