Koonung Heights Uniting Church
Service of Worship at Home
Pentecost 10 – 6 August 2023 – 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: “Sing Amen: Amen” (TiS 704 – words below)
Sing Amen: Amen, we praise your name, O Lord.
Sing Amen: Amen, we praise your name, O Lord.
Sing Amen: Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen we praise your name O Lord.
Candle Lighting:
As we light the Christ candle today, O Lord,
we ask that you set our hearts on fire with love for you.
May this flame, which represents your love and grace,
burn bright in us and shine through us,
so that our neighbours and our world
may know the wonder of your love.
Acknowledgement of Country:
As we gather to worship this day,
I acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and these waters,
the Wurundjeri WoiWurrung People of the Kulin Nation.
I pay my respects to elders past and present,
and to all future leaders and generations.
As First and Second Peoples walking together,
may we commit ourselves to be people of the covenant,
listening, truth telling and seeking justice for all.
Call to Worship:
We are …
from north and south,
from apartments and homes,
from this city and further away.
We are …
from family meals and dinners made for one,
from stages of grief and stages of love,
from hot summers and cold winters.
We are …
from kitchens with passed down recipes,
and verandahs with old, familiar swings.
We are from the dust of the earth and the stars of the sky.
We are from a lot of places, but today we are here.
Today we are together. Holy God, gather us in.
We Sing: “Here in this place” – (TiS 474 – words below)
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 song.
Here we will take of the wine and the water,
here we will take the break 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 peoples together, fire of love in our flesh and our bone.
Call to confession:
If we were to call the prayer of confession by another name,
I would call it a moment for truth telling –
a moment to pause, to reflect,
to be honest about the places we want to grow
and the way we need God’s help.
Family of faith, there is power in honesty.
So pray with me
as we bring our prayer of adoration and confession.
Prayer of Adoration and Confession:
Eternal God,
you are the God of our ancestors whom you blessed.
You are the God of our families
and those who have gone before us in the church.
You are a God who sees our needs and provides,
giving us what we need to sustain us.
You are not a God of our making,
but a God who leads, loves, provides for us and guides us.
You are the all-wise, all-compassionate God
and we lift our hearts to you in praise.
Refresh our faith and restore our confidence.
When people heard that Jesus was from Nazareth, they asked,
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
We confess, God of beginnings, that we have asked the same question.
Can anything good come from that side of town?
from a school with poor test scores?
from a criminal history?
from the opposite political party?
from a history of addiction?
from a faith with doubt?
from a church with faults?
Holy God, forgive us for doubting
that you are in all things at all times.
Open our eyes to see your goodness,
not as something that resides here or there,
but as the expansive grace that it is.
Can anything good come from there?
Yes. Always yes!
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
Family of faith, if you ever ask yourself,
“Can anything good come from this messy human life of mine?”
Remember this: God is always whispering, “Yes.”
You were created in the image of God.
Your origin story is one of goodness and love from the very beginning.
So hear and believe the good news of the gospel:
God is here. God is at work among us.
We are forgiven. Thanks be to God for a love like that. Amen.
We Sing: “Amazing Grace – (TiS 129 – words below)
Amazing grace (how sweet the sound) that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.
As grace first taught my heart to fear so grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come:
God’s grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me, his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be as long as life endures.
A Time for All: Answering Questions
One of the questions which arose from our congregation discussion was Why does the Uniting Church support the Voice to Parliament?
In February this year Sharon Hollis, the Uniting Church President and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) Interim National Chair Rev Mark Kickett, presented a Media release, explaining the reasons for our church’s involvement in the yes vote. I will read this statement but first a little bit of background information gleaned from the Uniting Church website.
In 1994, acknowledging the difficult history of this nation and our part in the colonisation of First Nations people, the Uniting Church formally entered into a Covenant relationship with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress as an ever deepening commitment to seek a fuller expression of our reconciliation in Jesus Christ.
In 2009 the Uniting Church adopted the revised preamble to the constitution declaring God had been in this land long before the colonisers arrived, sustaining First Nations people.
In 2018 The Uniting Church affirmed First Nations people as sovereign in this land, acknowledging the deep spiritual ties and connection for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with this land.
From its creation in 2017 the Uniting Church and Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress have supported the Uluru Statement and its calls for Voice, Truth and Treaty.
In February this year the Uniting Church joined a coalition of nine faith organisations in writing to all federal parliamentarians urging them to cooperate across the political divides in support of the Voice to Parliament.
The Media release came on the 24th February 2023 titled: Uniting for the Voice.
The Uniting Church in Australia Assembly and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) welcome the launch of the campaign to vote yes in the referendum which seeks the support of the Australian people for a constitutionally enshrined First Nations voice.
Together Uniting Church President Rev Sharon Hollis and UAICC Interim Chair Rev Mark Kickett affirmed their strong support for a Voice to Parliament as a critical step toward honouring the sovereignty of First Nations Australians in this land and furthering the work of truth telling and treaty.
“This is an historic opportunity for Australia to acknowledge and honour First Nations people and their deep spiritual ties to this land and to walk together as a nation toward a better future,” said Rev Hollis.
“We support the Yes vote for the Voice as a pivotal step toward the full implementation of the Uluru Statement, so that as a nation we can finally confront the truth of our past and present and make way for justice.”
Rev Kickett said now is the time for Australians to unite in support of justice for First Peoples.
“The Uluru Statement is an invitation given by First Nations people to the people of Australia” said Rev Kickett. “A constitutionally enshrined Voice will shape and guide the relationship between First and Second peoples in this country by enabling our people to have a say in the decisions that impact our communities.”
“In the same way the 1967 Referendum brought Australians together, this is an opportunity
for all of us to unite in a big way as we seek to restore justice and promote healing for First Nations people in this land,” said Rev Kickett.
Reverend Hollis said the Voice to Parliament was a moral and theological issue not a political one.
“In the Uniting Church we believe we share a common destiny with our UAICC siblings and First Nations people. This is an opportunity for us to honour that commitment.”
As second peoples and as Christians in this land, we are called to confront the oppression, dispossession and racism faced by First Nations people.”
Reverend Kickett said the Covenant in the Uniting Church tied First and Second peoples together in a binding way so that together we may contribute to a more just Church and nation. Now is the time for us to hear the call of God to seek justice by doing what is right for our nation,” said Rev Kickett.
Like Jesus, we are called to be bearers of justice, not just in our words, but in our actions and by changing systems which continue to deny the place and rights of the first Australians.
As the campaign continues, Rev Hollis and Rev Kickett encourage Uniting Church people and communities to inform themselves about the Uluru Statement and what it asks of our nation and to create respectful spaces for yarning about the impact a First Nations voice will make.
We Sing: “In Christ there is no east or west” – (TiS 459 – words below)
In Christ there is no east or west, in him no south or north,
But one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.
In Christ shall true hearts everywhere their high communion find,
His service is the golden cord close-binding humankind.
Join hands, then, people of the faith whate’er your race may be;
Who serves my Father as his child is surely kin to me.
In Christ now meet both east and west, in him meet south and north,
all Christlike souls are one in him throughout the whole wide earth.
Bible Reading: Genesis 2:4b-15 –
Another Account of the Creation
4b In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no vegetation of the field had yet sprung up – for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground, 6 but a stream would rise from the earth and water the whole face of the ground –7 then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold, 12 and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.
Bible Reading: John 1:35-51 –
The First Disciples of Jesus
35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). 42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Reflection:
If you ask me where I’m from,
I’ll tell you about North Epping –
about pavlova’s, the small wooden church,
a large backyard and summers on the swing.
And if you pause,
then I may go on to tell you
how I’m from a family of teachers,
how I stand on the shoulders of generations
who believed that with education
you could do anything.
And if you are still listening,
I’ll tell you that I’m from a strong Christian family
who believed love could be the answer,
and who hated inequality.
Then I could tell you about the meals cooked
to share with family and others – just in case.
I could tell you about the car that carried
the family to the beach for summer holidays
and transported many other people where they needed to go.
And if you still haven’t given up yet,
I may even mention the dirt – the earth that catches me and holds me,
the earth that reminds me of growth,
the earth that will eventually welcome me home.
See … we are not really strangers after all.
“Where are you from?” It’s a great question … it’s also a common question that most of us have been asked at one time or another. It is also a loaded question and responses can be used as a way to include or exclude. For this reason, I sometimes wonder whether the response to the “Where are you from?” question should be “Where are you coming from?” We also ask this question of others, and I wonder what might motivate our questioning … are we wanting to learn more about someone and building common spaces of inclusion or the opposite? How and why are we asking, and who is doing the asking?
It’s probably fair to say that most of us ask questions like this because we are curious. As an English word ‘curiosity’ suggests that someone is being nosy or intrusive, but the Latin word ‘curiosis’ means ‘diligence’ or ‘careful’. So then, if we ask out of curiosity, we should be asking with care and diligence, and if we adopt this posture when we question, we can get to really know people and unlearn assumptions we may have had. And if we allow them to ask us the same question too, then we are no longer the person in ‘power’, they are no longer the outsider, and they might unlearn something about us too.
In order to build connection and trust, we need to listen to each other’s stories and experiences, to learn who and what has shaped us. We also need to feel seen and known for who we are. Both scripture readings today give an insight into who we are, affirming the particularity of our identities while also acknowledging our common ground. Formed from the dust and God’s very breath in the garden of Eden, we have a common home, a shared birthplace, and a collective calling: to sustain and care for all of creation. The story of Jesus calling the disciples provides an invitation to “come and see” what the journey holds.
The reading from Genesis tells the second creation story, where we witness God form humanity from the dust of the ground and breathe life into the human before they are settled into the garden of Eden and tasked with caring for it. We see a river that rises and waters the garden, dividing into four headwaters. These flow out to new regions, bringing abundance and life to the lands they each nourish. Traced back to Priestly sources in the 6th century BCE, the poetry of Genesis was most likely composed for liturgy addressed to the exiles. It served to refute the Babylonian theology and power and reminded the Israelites that God had created them and given them life. In fact, the picture Genesis 2 paints of God is very hands on. In the first creation story (Genesis 1) God speaks thing into existence, but in Genesis 2 God forms humanity, makes things grow from the ground, plants a garden and lets water flow from it. God takes the initiative and is personally involved in the creative process, even breathing life into Adam.
It seems to me that there is a real mutuality in this story. Adam is formed from the ground and was, in turn, asked to till it. While he comes from the land and is sustained by it, he also serves the land. It’s similar with the other parts of creation. The earth gives rise to the river and the river, in turn, waters the garden. But God is central … right in the middle of things … breathing the breath of life and also promoting mutual, life-giving relationships between different parts of creation.
In the gospel story, God in the person of Jesus, is the central character again. He is the focus of curiosity as we see more and more disciples coming to him. The story begins with John the Baptist doing what he does best: pointing people to Jesus. The two disciples who follow Jesus want to know where he is staying and ask him questions when he has given them permission. They are respectful of his space and enter it at his invitation. They are curious and eager to engage, but unintrusive. When they question Jesus he invites them to “come and see”. Not only is Jesus inviting them to see where he is staying, but he invites them to a deeper curiosity about who he is, which will end up informing them of who they are. After they have spent the day with him, they call him Messiah. This curiosity is contagious. Andrew introduces Jesus to his brother Simon. Philip introduces him to Nathanael who questions whether anything good can come from Nazareth. “Come and see” says Philip, repeating Jesus’ words, and despite Nathanael’s initial judgements, when he meets Jesus, Jesus sees only goodness in him.
The invitation to “come and see” is an ongoing invitation. Just as these first disciples were invited to “come and see”, we also receive this invitation. Not one of the disciples has a full picture of who Jesus is, yet there is something compelling about Jesus that brings these different people together on a common path. As they come together, each with their own experiences and peculiarities, a patchwork understanding of Jesus is pieced together. Jesus is identified as Lamb of God, Rabbi, Messiah (which means Anointed), Son of God and King of Israel. I wonder if it is a little like this for us. While we can never fully know or contain Jesus, in sharing stories of life and faith with one another, we can see Jesus a bit more clearly.
So where are you from? I can’t answer that in its entirety, but I can say I believe that you are given life through God’s love and breath, and invited into relationship with all creation. I also believe that you are invited to “come and see” what lies ahead when you meet Jesus.
Amen.
We Sing: “A Covenant of Grace” – (TiS 654 – words below)
We all come from the dusty earth and from the places of our birth
Ancestral stories, who we’ll be, we bring it all to “come and see”
Prayer for Others (prepared by Peta Lowe)
When you hear the words, “Lord, hear us”,
you are invited to respond: “Hear our prayer”.
God of Creation,
We hold before you, people all over the world who are suffering the effects of Climate Change.
We know that terrible fires have been raging in the Northern Hemisphere, and devastating floods in other parts of the world, while more and more extreme weather events occur across the globe.
We know there are Pacific Nations whose homes and lands are under severe threat from rising sea levels.
We know that Climate Change is making some land unable to produce adequate food, leading to malnutrition and starvation, and causing water shortages, leading to disease and distress.
We know that people, animals and plants are suffering and dying because of Climate Change.
Creator God, we hold all these situations before you.
We want to see governments, businesses and communities work together, listen to Science, and take effective Climate Action before it is too late. Help us to play our part, and guide our efforts.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
God of Wisdom,
We hold before you, people suffering because of war.
People living in fear and danger.
Grieving the loss of loved ones, of homes and livelihoods and communities.
Destruction of infrastructure and of the environment.
We pray earnestly for peace.
We hold before you all refugees, and those who provide for them.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
God of Justice,
We pray for Indigenous Australians,
We ask that they will benefit from the outcome of the Referendum.
Guide every Australian citizen to carefully consider their vote, and we pray that everyone might have access to accurate information, respectful debate, arguments based on evidence and opinions grounded in facts. Bless and guide those providing information and running campaigns.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
Compassionate God,
We pray for people suffering deprivation and stress because of the rising cost of living, especially those facing homelessness.
We pray for the organisations to whom people turn for help. We know that their resources are increasingly stretched, as the needs grow, and that their incomes may be falling, as some of their usual donors have less left to give. Lord, guide and help them, and the people they serve.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
Gracious God,
We pray that your Church worldwide will strive to follow the teachings and example of Jesus, and reflect your love and compassion to the world.
Lord hear us. Hear our prayer.
Merciful God,
We pray for the Uniting Church, and particularly for the preparations for the VicTas Synod meeting, to be held in November this year. We pray for Yarra Yarra Presbytery, as they elect 34 ordained and 34 lay representatives to this meeting. May all we do please you, and be part of the work of your Kingdom.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
Dependable God,
We pray for our congregation here at Koonung Heights, especially those who are unwell or troubled.
With thanks and love, we pray for Rev. Heather and her family,
Our Church Council, and the other groups who maintain and grow the life of our church.
We pray for our own families and friends, the communities of which we are a part, the people we love and care about. We hold before you, all those for whom we feel concern.
Lord, hear us. Hear our prayer.
Loving God, have mercy on us, and help us to grow in you, and bear the fruit of your living word in our lives.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Communion:
Invitation to the Table
Jesus said to his disciples, “Come and see.”
He didn’t reference check them
before extending the invitation.
He didn’t ask them a series of questions
to prove themselves.
He didn’t quiz them on temple attendance
or Torah knowledge.
There was no prerequisite to being invited, they just were.
Friends, the same goes for you.
Whether you have been coming to this Table for years,
or if this is your first time—you are invited here.
Whether you come with a faith that could move mountains,
or a seedling-sized faith still growing with care—you are invited here.
Whether you come from near or far, east or west—you are invited here.
And whether you come confident in the knowledge that you were made by God,
or if you are still seeking to trust the good news—you are invited here.
All of you—your faith, your doubt, your hope, your fear—all is invited here.
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
God of North, South, East, and West,
I have been meaning to say… thank you.
Thank you for scooping up the dirt and breathing life into it.
Thank you for forming this body, this life, this world, these people.
Thank you for drawing us in, for holding us up, and for weaving us together –
even when it’s hard, especially when it’s hard.
If people ask, “Where are you from?” my mouth speaks of geography,
but my soul always sings your name.
So today we come to you in prayer with gratitude overflowing –
gratitude for the places we’ve been,
for the people who’ve shaped us,
and for the spaces we call home.
Our gratitude overflows with thanks 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.
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 and in their homes.
We ask that you would be among us as we share this meal.
Allow this bread and cup to remind us of your home for us.
Allow this meal to fill us to the brim
so that when we leave this space we carry you with us.
Allow this meal to nourish us in the way only you can.
We are inviting you in.
Come and see.
Now, with the confidence of children who believe without hesitation,
we pray to you the prayer you taught us, saying …
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.
Inspire us to use our words to point others to the Word.
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: “Sent forth by God’s blessing” – (TiS 531 – amended words below)
Sent forth by God’s blessing, our true faith confessing,
the people of God from this table take leave.
The supper is ended: may now be extended
the fruits of God’s service in all who believe.
The seed of God’s teaching, our hungry souls reaching,
shall blossom in action for all humankind.
God’s grace shall incite us, God’s love shall unite us
to work for the kingdom, God’s purpose to find.
With praise and thanksgiving to God ever-living
the tasks of our everyday life we will face,
our faith ever sharing, in love ever caring,
embracing as neighbours all those of each race.
One feast that has fed us, one light that has led us,
unite us as one in his life that we share.
Then may all the living, with praise and thanksgiving,
give honour to Christ and his name that we bear.
Blessing:
Family of faith, as you leave this place, may God grant you
the curiosity to counter assumptions, the vulnerability to befriend,
the bravery to speak your truth, the wisdom to listen,
the strength to ask for help, the resiliency to choose love, even when it’s hard,
and the awareness of the Holy Spirit always beside you.
In the name of the Great Connector – Love itself – Go in Peace.
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 A Sanctified Art, including prayers by Rev Sarah Are.