Koonung Heights – Surrey Hills Uniting Church
Service of Worship at Home
Pentecost 5 – 13 July 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.
Today’s service is led by Ray Michelle
member of Koonung Heights – Surrey Hills Church Council
Worship Preparation
Introit: “This is the day” – (Santo, Santo, Santo 379)
This is the day, this is the day,
that the Lord has made,
that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice, I will rejoice,
and be glad in it, and be glad in it.
This is the day that the Lord has made,
I will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day, this is the day,
that the Lord has made.
Lighting the Christ Candle:
As we gather to worship we light the Christ candle
remembering the One who asked “Who do you say that I am?”
God sent his light to the world in Jesus Christ,
the light that shines in the darkness, the light that has never been overcome.
Acknowledgement of Country:
As we meet to worship today,
I acknowledge the Wurundjeri WoiWurrung
People of the Kulin nation,
the first inhabitants and custodians of this place
from time beyond remembering.
I pay my respects to their elders, past and present
and all future generations.
I also remember and pay my respects
to those who have faithfully worshipped,
and shared their gifts and lives with us at Koonung Heights-Surrey Hills.
I pray the God of love will continue to speak to us all.
Call to Worship:
Come let us sing.
Make a joyful noise.
Offer thanksgiving.
Sing songs of praise.
Let us bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord.
Listen to God’s voice.
For he is our God.
O come, let us worship.
We Sing: “O for a thousand tongues to sing” – (TiS 210)
O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of our God and King, the triumphs of his grace!
Jesus! the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease,
’tis music in the sinner’s ears, is life and health and peace.
He breaks the power of cancelled sin, he sets the prisoner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean; his blood availed for me.
He speaks, and listening to his voice new life the dead receive,
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice, the humble poor believe.
Hear him, you deaf; his praise, you dumb, your loosened tongues employ;
you blind behold your Saviour come; and leap, you lame, for joy!
My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad the honours of your name.
Prayer of Adoration and Confession:
Loving God, you are the creator of all that is,
seen and unseen, known and unknown.
Your love knows no boundaries,
your grace extends to every corner of the earth,
and your mercy flows freely to all who seek you.
We come before you with thanks,
for you are the breath in our lungs,
the light in our darkness,
the still, small voice
that calls us toward justice, peace, and love.
You are the God of the broken-hearted and the joyful,
the God of the forgotten and the celebrated,
the God of the outcast and the welcomed.
Your love is expansive,
embracing every race, every identity,
every ability, and every story.
You do not turn away;
you do not withhold your presence.
Instead, you invite us in, just as we are,
wholly known and wholly loved.
But, O God,
we confess that we do not always
live in the light of your love.
We have failed to see your image
in those who are different from us.
We have spoken words that wound
and have remained silent when justice called for our voice.
We have withheld love out of fear,
and we have clung to comfort instead of courage.
Forgive us for the times we have built walls instead of bridges.
Forgive us for the moments when we have chosen apathy over action,
when we have allowed selfishness to guide us instead of your Spirit.
In your mercy, O God, reshape our hearts.
Let us be bearers of your love,
messengers of hope, and instruments of peace
in a world longing for justice.
Renew in us the courage to love boldly,
to stand with the oppressed,
to speak truth with compassion,
and to live as people transformed by grace.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
In your mercy, O God,
reshape our hearts.
Let us be bearers of your love,
messengers of hope,
and instruments of peace
in a world longing for justice.
Renew in us the courage to love boldly,
to stand with the oppressed,
to speak with compassion,
and to live as people transformed by grace.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Thanks be to God.
Passing the Peace:
The peace of Christ has been given to us,
not as a gift of the world which will pass away,
but as a gift from heaven which is eternal.
The Peace of Christ be with you…
and also with you.
A Time for All:
Philip Carrington will share a little of his personal love of music.
Bible Readings
Psalm 95
1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
3 For the LORD is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
7 for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
Today, if only you would hear his voice,
8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,
as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested me;
they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
10 For forty years I was angry with that generation;
I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
11 So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’”
Luke 2:22-32 – Jesus Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
Reflection:
I want to set the scene this morning.
Can you remember when you last, or first,
heard this song?
Jesus loves me.
Amazing Grace.
Standing on the Promises.
Isn’t it interesting how music provides a connection.
Why Use Music? Again I was challenged by this theme originally however as I did, I realised it’s something I have just taken for granted all my life. So here comes my small attempt to describe why, and I hope I can keep you with me.
Why do we use music in worship?
Not just because it sounds nice. Not because it fills time.
But because music matters.
It matters to our soul, to our memory, to our healing, and to our connection with God.
Music Moves the Mind and Soul.
When I worked in a Call Centre we played music that was set to give people lots of energy after lunch and Monday mornings, more subdued be between 10am and 12 etc. Music in the supermarket and the music on hold is often chosen carefully.
It’s not random. It’s selected with a scientific beat — to calm, to soothe, to influence your mood.
Now think of dementia patients — many lose names and places but still recall songs. Music anchors memory when words fail. Each month I take Communion to members who cannot recall me being there, however they can sing the words to for example “Jesus Loves me”. God created music not just for entertainment, but for deep human connection — to body, soul, and spirit.
Music Has Carried People Through Suffering
Think of the African slaves in America — robbed of freedom, family, and dignity, yet they sang.
Spirituals like “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” weren’t just songs. They were prayers, laments, hope set to rhythm.
Music is more than emotion — it’s resistance, resilience, remembrance.
And in our modern world — music is a lifeline for many dealing with mental health struggles.
Yet, in recent weeks, the State government cut funding for Music Therapy — a tragic reminder that the healing power of music is too often underestimated.
But Not Everyone Uses Music the Same Way
Some traditions — like the Quakers or Orthodox — avoid music in worship. Why?
Because they believe silence or the spoken word is the purest way to honour God. That’s okay — there’s beauty in stillness too.
Meanwhile, our Pentecostal brothers and sisters often embrace high-energy praise — full band, hands raised, voices loud — because they see music as a direct line to the Holy Spirit.
Different approaches — but the same hunger for God.
Music is Personal – And That’s Okay
Let’s be honest — not all of us love the same music.
Some love ancient hymns. Some love modern worship.
And yes — I like country.
Because music speaks differently to each of us — and God delights in that variety.
At weddings, funerals, even footy matches — what brings us to tears? What stirs our heart? Music.
Your favourite hymn — maybe it’s “Amazing Grace”, “It Is Well”, or “How Great Thou Art” — isn’t just about the notes. It’s about the memory, the story, the encounter with God it holds.
So Why Use Music in Worship?
Because God gave us music — not as background noise, but as sacred space.
A space where memory meets hope.
Where sorrow meets strength.
Where individual hearts become one voice.
And where heaven sometimes touches earth.
Psalm 95 invites us into worship, not as a passive act, but as an experience that moves us, spiritually, emotionally, and even physically. When we sing, we engage not only our voices but also our hearts and souls. Music carries our prayers beyond words, giving voice to emotions that often defy explanation. In times of despair, music can be our lament.
In times of celebration, it becomes our joy. In times of uncertainty, it serves as our prayer. But this Psalm also reminds us that worship is not just about emotion; it is about transformation.
The psalm moves from joyful praise to a solemn call, urging people not to harden their hearts. True worship stirs us toward change. When we lift our voices in song, we are not just expressing devotion; we are opening ourselves to be shaped by the Spirit, to respond to the cries of the oppressed, to love with greater boldness, and to seek justice in our communities.
The Psalms themselves are full of cries for liberation and hope, reminding us that worship is not only about personal devotion but also about communal transformation. When we sing together, we affirm that we are part of something greater, than ourselves.
Worship, at its best, reflects the diverse and expansive love of God, where no one is excluded, and all are welcomed into the song of faith.
Music also has a unique ability to hold both the ache of lament and the fire of hope. It reaches into the depths of our souls, stirring something sacred within us.
When we sing, we are participating in something ancient and holy, a tradition that spans generations, transcends differences, and unites all of creation in praise.
From the chants of the early church to the hymns of liberation movements, from the songs of struggle to the melodies of joy, music carries with it the heartbeat of faith.
Psalm 95 reminds us that worship is more than words, it is a radical practice of connection, renewal, and transformation.
The hymns we sing are more than notes; they are a reflection of God’s expansive love. They have the ability to lift our voices, beyond the human and towards the divine.
We can, this week be reminded that, as we sing, music is not just something we do, it is, or at least can be, something that shapes who we are.
We Sing: “Hear the pennies dropping” – (Christ in Song 573)
Hear the pennies dropping!
Listen while they fall;
ev’ry one for Jesus,
He will get them all.
Dropping, dropping, dropping, dropping;
hear the pennies fall!
Ev’ry one for Jesus, he will get them all.
Dropping, dropping ever. From each little hand;
‘tis our gift to Jesus, from his little band.
Dropping, dropping, dropping …
Now, while we are little pennies are our store;
but, when we get older, Lord, we’ll give thee more.
Dropping, dropping, dropping …
Tho, we’ve little money, we can give him love;
He will own our off’ring, smiling from above.
Dropping, dropping, dropping …
Prayer of Dedication:
Gracious God,
we offer ourselves to you
our voices to speak love,
our hands to serve,
our feet to walk in your ways.
May all we give,
our time, talents, and resources
be used for your work
of justice, healing, and hope.
Bless us as we go forth,
that we may shine with Christ’s light
and live as reflections of your love in the world.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Prayer for Others (prepared by Randall Prior):
Let us pray …
Let us now join in the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples:
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.
We Sing: “What a friend we have in Jesus” – (TiS 590)
What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear,
what a privilege to carry everything to Go in prayer:
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations, is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged: take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus know our every weakness: take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Jesus is our only refuge: take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do you friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer;
in his arms he’ll take and shield you, you will find a solace there.
Blessing and Sending:
Sing praises to God,
make a joyful noise, that all may hear.
Listen to God,
keep your ears alert, and your mouth closed.
Learn from God,
in sound and silence, as you experience his grace.
And let God inspire you,
let God touch you, let God shape you,
in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
now and forever.
We Sing: “One more step along the world I go” – (Ancient and Modern 757)
One more step along the world I go, one more step along the world I go,
from the old things to the new keep me travelling along with you.
And it’s from the old I travel to the new, keep me travelling along with you.
‘Round the corners of the world I turn, more and more about the world I learn,
and the new things that I see you’ll be looking at along with me.
And it’s from the old I travel to the new, keep me traveling along with you.
As I travel through the bad and good keep me traveling the way I should.
Where I see no way to go, you’ll be telling me the way, I know.
And it’s from the old I travel to the new, keep me traveling along with you.
Give me courage when the world is rough, keep me loving though the world is tough.
Leap and sing in all I do, keep me traveling along with you.
And it’s from the old I travel to the new, keep me traveling along with you.
You are older than the world can be, you are younger than the life in me,
ever old and ever new, keep me traveling along with you.
And it’s from the old I travel to the new, keep me traveling along with you.
Thanks to all those who have assisted in preparation for this liturgy with encouragement, prayers and conversation. I have utilised the following resources: Spill the Beans (Issue 55).