Koonung Heights Uniting Church
Service of Worship at Home
Pentecost 2 – 2 June 2024 – 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: “Bless the Lord” – (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:
In the second letter to the church in Corinth,
we hear these words:
For it is the God who said,
“Let light shine out of darkness,”
who has shone in our hearts
to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
(2 Corinthians 4:6)
And so we light the Christ candle,
affirming that the light of Christ
continues to shine in our hearts,
and that no matter how the darkness tries
it can not extinguish the light.
Acknowledgement of Country (Exodus 3:5-6):
At the beginning of the journey of liberation
God appeared to Moses in a bush which burned,
but was not consumed.
Just as fire in this land burns,
it does not only devastate, but also renews the land.
“Then [God] said, “Come no closer!
Remove the sandals from your feet,
for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
The God of Sarah, and Rebekah, and Rachel and Leah.”
This land is holy,
sacred to the Wurundjeri WoiWurrung
People of the Kulin Nation.
And just as Moses acknowledged
the ancestors of his people,
I pay my respects to the Elders
of the Wurundjeri People,
past and present,
and all future generations and peoples.
May we all respond to the call to go on the journey
of liberation and reconciliation in this land.
Call to Worship:
We gather as those who worship the One true God
who is without weakness and beyond criticism,
who is honourable and fair, just and merciful,
who is not the outcome of human choice,
or raised to power by partisan nomination.
She is God,
Creator of heaven and earth,
present at the beginning
and who will be present at the end.
He is God,
who favours no one person over another,
who cares for all,
with a depth of emotion unrivalled.
Come let us worship,
not human power, celebrity, or wealth,
but let us worship the One who deserves
all we have to offer.
We Sing: “Here in this place” – (TiS 474)
Here in this place new light is streaming,
now is the darkness vanished away,
see in this space, our fears and our dreamings,
brought here to you in the light of this day.
Gather us in, the lost and forsaken; gather us in, the blind and the lame;
call to us now, and we shall awaken, we shall arise at the sound of our name.
We are the young, our lives are a mystery;
we are the old who yearn for your face;
we have been sung throughout all of history,
called to be light to the whole human race.
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty, gather us in, the proud and the strong;
give us a heart so meek and so lowly, give us the courage to enter the son.
Here we will take of the wine and the water,
here we will take the bread of new birth,
here you shall call your sons and your daughters,
call us anew to be salt of the earth.
Give us to drink the wine of compassion, give us to eat the bread that is you;
nourish us well and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true.
Not in the dark of buildings confining,
not in some heaven light years away,
but here in this space,
the new light is shining,
now is the kingdom, now is the day.
Gather us in, and hold us forever; gather us in, and make us your own;
gather us in, all people’s together, fire of love in our flesh and our bone.
Prayer of Adoration and Confession:
Creator God,
You are strong and steadfast, ruler over all creation.
Each human is created in your image
and bound to you in love.
From the dust you raise us and place us in communities,
each with gifts and graces meant for sharing.
Forgive us Lord, for the times we can be stubborn,
selfish, greedy and unloving.
Forgive us when fear overwhelms us
and drives us into poor decisions.
Forgive us when laws, rules and procedures
get in the way of sharing your love and grace.
Forgive us when doubts seep into us
and cause us to question your way.
Help us to face our fears and doubts,
to bring them to you and seek your guidance.
Give us courage to follow in your way,
and strength to make the right choices.
Help us to lead each other in your way
today and always.
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
We have hope in Christ and his love
that bears our weaknesses and brokenness,
and reconciles us to God and to each other.
In this is good news … thanks be to God.
The Peace:
May the Peace of God dwell with you:
and also with you.
A Time for All:
Bianca Manning, Gomeroi woman and Common Grace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Justice Coordinator, shares the following message for Reconciliation Week…
Nature is a wonderful teacher that reminds us of deep truths to inspire our engagement with life, reconciliation and justice.
After a bushfire rages through a eucalypt forest, when the trunks are blackened and leaves have been burnt to a crisp, a fascinating process of new life takes effect. Green shoots, leaves full of life, begin to grow all over the trunk and branches. These are called epicormic shoots.
If you have ever witnessed this, I’m sure you were amazed at how new life could emerge out of such a tragic, desolate and harmful situation.
These surviving trees are sometimes called upside-down trees, with new leaves sprouting on the trunks and the high branches left empty to resemble roots floating in the sky. Upside-down trees remind us of the upside-down Kingdom that our King Jesus leads us into. Where death leads to life, beauty emerges from the ashes, suffering and mourning are turned into joy in His presence and hope always persists.
It has now been six months since the Voice referendum. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are still experiencing waves of grief, rejection, exhaustion and disappointment at the referendum result and the public dialogue that played out last year.
In many ways, last year felt like a bushfire year, a difficult year of heat, of pain, of loss. Yet First Nations peoples are regrouping and showing incredible resilience, and many non-Indigenous Australians (of whom 6.2 million voted YES) continue their commitment to walk alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this long journey of truth, justice and collective healing.
To hear Bianca’s full message, please click on the link below:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HwhoPrrHF4&t=10s
We Sing: “Where wide sky rolls down” – (TiS 188)
Where wide sky rolls down
and touches red sand,
where sun turns to gold
the grass of the land,
let spinifex, mulga and waterhole tell,
their joy in the One
who made everything well.
Where rainforest calm meets reef, tide and storm,
where green things grow lush and oceans are warm,
let every sea creature and tropical bird
exult in the light of the life-giving Word.
Where red gum and creed cross hillside and plain,
where cool tree-ferns rise to welcome the rain,
let bushland, farm, mountain-top, all of their days
delight in the Spirit who formed them for praise.
Now, people of faith, come gather around
with songs to be shared, for blessings abound!
Australians, whatever your culture or race,
come, lift up your hearts to the Giver of grace.
Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1-10
– Samuel’s Calling and Prophetic Activity
1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; 3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. 6 The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Bible Reading: Mark 2:23-3:6
– Pronouncement about the Sabbath
23 One Sabbath he was going through the grain fields, and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food, 26 how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions?” 27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath, 28 so the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
The Man with a Withered Hand
3:1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They were watching him to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
Reflection:
God is calling. Will you answer?
The bible is filled with stories of people being called by God to be part of God’s ongoing movement of love in the world. There seems to be nothing to stop us participating in God’s plan as both young and old, male and female, slave and free are invited to hear God’s call and respond.
In the reading from 1 Samuel, we see this invitation play out as the young boy Samuel is called by God. Samuel, on duty in the temple, is asleep near the Ark of the Covenant when he hears a voice calling to him and assumes it is Eli. Samuel gets up and goes to Eli, who is now an old man, to see how he might be able to assist him. Eli suggests that Samuel goes back to bed as he has not called. This pattern is repeated through the night with Samuel getting up and going to Eli on more than one occasion when he hears a voice calling him. One might suspect they are both a little tired from all their interrupted sleep, but Eli works out what is happening, and suggests to Samuel that it might be God calling him. Eli says to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening’ (1 Sam 3:9). When God calls again, Samuel answers.
When Samuel answers, he takes his first step into the calling that lies before him. The first step isn’t an easy one for Samuel, as he is asked to deliver a hard message to someone that cares for. When we answer God’s call we, too, might be asked to step into challenging spaces as we are called to speak the truth and say things that challenge the status quo.
In the early part of Mark’s gospel, we have two accounts of Jesus’ activity as he steps into his calling, and both of them bring him into conflict with the powers that be. The Pharisees often get a bad rap as we reflect on the biblical text. We see them as being ‘legalistic’ yet, in reality, they believe that loving God is done through careful attention to the law, which is why they behave the way they do. They are faithful to their calling, expressing this by carefully observing the law, and when Jesus comes along he upsets the equilibrium. He is not a law follower as they understand it, instead interpreting the law and speaking of the love of God.
So it is the Sabbath day and as Jesus and his disciples are walking through a grain field, they pluck a few heads of grain and eat them. The pharisees either see this or get wind of it because in no time at all the charge is laid: ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’ (Mark 2:24) There were strict laws about what you could, and could not do on the Sabbath, the day dedicated to God. No-one was supposed to work on the Sabbath and the law was quite detailed about what was work and what wasn’t. Harvesting grain, even just a small amount, could be seen as work. Yet when this accusation is levelled at Jesus’ followers, he defends them against their accusers saying, ‘The Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath, so the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.’ (Mark 2:27-28).
Later on Jesus arrives at the synagogue and is still being watched by those who are challenged by his actions and seek to push back against what they don’t understand.
In the synagogue is a man with a withered hand. We can assume that he is faithful, as he comes to the synagogue, and he is loved by God. Yet, he has a degenerative disease which is robbing him of the use of his hand. Now healing on the Sabbath, especially in the synagogue, would be regarded more harshly than grabbing a snack on the way there, and Jesus knew this, but he was ready to press the issue. He called the man forward and a silence fell over the crowd. You can imagine the tension in the air was palpable as all eyes rested on him. Jesus asks the crowd ‘Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or kill?’ (Mark 3:4) The crowd were silent and so Jesus pushes the point, calling the man to stretch out his hand. He does and is healed.
It seems to me that the challenge Jesus is issuing goes a lot deeper than whether the law should be kept or not. Jesus’ question gets to the heart of what our faith is about, and what we are called to. Does the way we practice our faith bring life or stand in its way? One of the ways people encounter God is through us, so if we profess that we love God, but our actions don’t provide hope and healing, I wonder what we are really saying.
This challenge is probably what renders the crowd silent. It’s hard to suddenly be confronted, to be challenged to change the comfortable way that we have always done things, the way that makes us feel sure and secure. But what if what we do does not bring life? What if our actions continue to those who are not like us on the margins, rather than offering them the welcome that God offers all? In a massive turn of irony, Mark tells us that after Jesus challenge, the Pharisees immediately went out and conspired with the Herodians about how to kill him. The question is left hanging in the air – Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or kill?
I can’t speak for your understanding of God, but I believe that God is a celebratory lover of life rather than a rigid legislator who loves the law above all things. This is evident in the way that Jesus lived as the God-one present with us. I believe that God longs to bring all people to fullness of life and so, if I am serious about stepping into God’s call, then I need to engage in this space.
This question of our calling is one that we all need to answer. If we seek to live our lives in ways that honour God, then our faith and practice need to service to enhance life, promote wholeness and freedom and celebration. We need to keep away from that which can become a source of guilt or restriction for others. In Jesus Christ, God’s cards have been laid on the table. God values mercy over guilt. God values acceptance over exclusion. God values change over loss of meaning. God values freedom over fundamentalism. God values life over law.
We live in a constantly changing world and our faith needs to reflect that changing reality. Jesus calls for fullness of life and I believe that, as followers of Jesus, part of our calling is to be co-creators in this. Bianca talked about the new shoots on the eucalyptus trees after a bushfire.
I wonder how we might be called to encourage those green shoots of new life in those that are placed in our pathways. As God calls us to do this, how will we answer?
Amen.
We Sing: “Jesus’ hands were kind hands” – (TiS 236)
Jesus’ hands were kind hands, doing good to all,
healing pain and sickness, blessing children small,
washing tired feet, and saving those who fall:
Jesus’ hands were kind hands, doing good to all.
Take my hands, Lord Jesus, let them work for you,
make them strong and gentle, kind in all I do;
let me watch you, Jesus, till I’m gentle too,
till my hands are kind hands, quick to work for you.
Prayer for Others (prepared by Peta Lowe)When you hear the words: “Lord, hear us”,
you are invited to respond: “Hear our prayer”.
Creator God,
We thank you for the beauty, wonder and amazing diversity of your creation:- the land, skies and oceans, plants, animals and people. With the Psalmist, we acknowledge that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”, and we thank and praise you.
Help us to remember, recognise and respect this in all people, not only those we like or admire.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
God of Peace,
We pray for peace in all the places of conflict across the world. Fill the earth with your peace, we pray; peace based on justice, righteousness and compassion.
Help us to live in the just and right ways you desire.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
God of Wisdom,
This week we have thought about Samuel, a prophet whose wisdom guided his people in the early period of their monarchy. Samuel’s wisdom began with his openness to listen and his willingness to obey you. Help us to be open to listen, eager to seek your will and to obey you.
In Samuel’s adult life, he stood strong in his faith and spoke truth with clarity to the powers of his day. We pray that people of faith today will have this kind of integrity and commitment when faced with challenges and injustices. Guide us and help us to do your will.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
God of Justice,
Samuel’s mother, Hannah, sang of you raising up the poor from the dust and lifting the needy from the ash heap.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, sang of you lifting up the lowly and filing the hungry with good things.
Today we pray for all who are hungry and in need; we ask you to lift them up and fill them with good things.
We pray for justice, especially through a fairer sharing of resources, and an end to greed and exploitation.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
Gracious God,
We pray for all who make rules and enforce them, in government, trade, workplaces, schools, churches, local communities and in family homes. We pray for rules that benefit those who must follow them, and enough flexibility so the rules can serve their real purpose.
Guide us, we pray.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
Holy God,
Bless and guide all people of faith.
We pray for your Church worldwide.
We pray for our Uniting Church, its Assembly, Synods, Presbyteries and Congregations.
Bless Rev. Heather and her family.
We pray for the members of our congregations, especially those who are grieving or suffering pain or ill health.
Inspire and help us to carry each other’s burdens, and to love one another as Jesus commanded. Holy God, as we worship you and try our best to follow Jesus, shine in our lives and transform us into your likeness.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
Loving God,
We pray for ourselves, our families and friends,
and those for whom we feel concern.
Help us to trust you and to love you wholeheartedly.
Keep us close to you we pray.
Keep us faithful to the way you want us to live, O God.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.
Communion:
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: “Jesus put this song” – (Tune TiS 670)
Jesus put this song into our hearts,
Jesus put this song into our hearts,
it’s a song of joy no-one can take away:
Jesus put this song into our hearts.
Jesus taught us how to live in harmony,
Jesus taught us how to live in harmony;
different faces, different races,
he made us one:
Jesus taught us how to live in harmony.
Jesus taught us how to be a family,
Jesus taught us how to be a family,
loving one another with the love that he gives:
Jesus taught us how to be a family.
Jesus turned our sorrow into dancing,
Jesus turned our sorrow into dancing,
changed our tears of sadness into rivers of joy:
Jesus turned our sorrow into a dance.
Blessing:
God who speaks,
as we leave this place
may we be listening for your call.
May we follow the example of Jesus,
and lean into actions which bring life and hope.
May your Spirit continue to guide us and guard us.
The blessing of God the Father,
God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
the One who Mother’s us all,
be with you now and forever.
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 Resources, Ministry Matters, Spill the Beans, laughingbird.net and By The Well podcast.