Natalie Sims welcomed us to worship on 23rd August. We heard from Paul’s letter to the Romans and about how being the body of Christ can be messy sometimes, and we’ll reflect Jesus’ identity and challenge to the disciples when he asked “Who do you say that I am?”.
Unfortunately the livestream was offered in two parts due to a disconnection. Part 1 ends part way through singing ‘Gathered here’. Part 2 begins part way through the sermon.
- Watch the service again on Youtube – part 1, YouTube part 2
- Cath talked about embodied faith and Natalie taught ‘Gathered here’ sung as a round.
- Watch Cath’s sermon
- Read the Order of Service
Prayers of Adoration & Confession
Watch or 7:30
Let us pray together, and as we do, I’ll invite us all into a time of silence to focus on an image of God that draws you in. I’ll name some images, you may already have a picture of God that you can keep in mind, or you may prefer to pray without an image in mind. Let’s pray.
Holy God, Mother, Father, Creator, Lover, Friend and Stranger.
Source of joy, Source of love,
We see you
As a wind in the trees,
As a bird over the waters,
As thunder and lightning
As a fair but fearsome judge,
As a child in a manger,
As a rebel leader,
As a prisoner on a Cross,
As a risen Saviour.
As a light in the darkness,
As a warm place of safety,
As a gentle breath,
As a quiet rain.
Let’s hold silence together.
(silence)
Holy God, Mother, Father, Creator, Lover, Friend and Stranger.
Source of joy, Source of love,
We praise you for all that you are, and that you can never be fully contained or defined.
Amen.
Holy God, Mother, Father, Creator, Lover, Friend and Stranger.
Source of joy, Source of love,
We confess that we find it hard to love and follow you,
We confess that we find it hard to love and serve others
We confess that we find it hard to love and honour ourselves,
Forgive us, and restore us to newness of life.
Amen.
Word of Grace
Siblings in Christ, Jesus our Saviour gave the keys of heaven to his disciples,
giving power to loosen the ties that bind.
Hear then Christ’s word of grace: our sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
Natalie Sims, offered for worship 23/08/2026, Pentecost 13A
Prayers of the people
Watch or 15:57
God of creation, You have bound us together,
Drawn together through bonds of love, commitment, faith, and care.
We have been woven together into the fabric of community,
To become Your body,
Reflecting Your glory, if dimly,
As if through a glass darkly.
We are many, but we are held together in You.
We belong to each other,
As You have called each and every one together
as a part of the body.
We acknowledge that we have at times failed one another,
We have overlooked,
Judged, ignored, or walked past,
Those who are different, too broken, or too unfamiliar to us.
Forgive us, but also strengthen us and our resolve to reach out,
To offer care for those amongst us who are left behind,
Forgotten, neglected, and cast aside,
Whether intentionally or not.
Help us to open our eyes to those on the edge of our community,
Without them we remain incomplete.
May our doors be open,
May our tables be welcoming,
May our listening be deep,
May our compassion be sincere,
And may our love have room for more.
Open our eyes to the places around our world that are suffering,
Open our eyes to the needs of those who are neglected,
Lands scarred by conflict and violence,
We pray for justice for those lands,
Justice for those people affected,
And justice for the perpetrators of violence.
Our world is incomplete until peace returns to those lands.
May our eyes be open,
May our ears be attentive,
May our hearts be moved to action,
And may our love have room for more.
We are the body of Christ,
We belong to one another,
We belong to Christ.
God of creation, hold us together in Christ.
Make us attentive to one another,
generous toward the forgotten,
and courageous in the work of peace.
May our love have room for more.
Amen
Peter Blair, Olive Way Pastor, offered for worship 23/06/2026, Pentecost 13A
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