Peter Blair welcomed us to worship on 27th September. On this fourth Sunday of Season of Creation. We reflected on the significance of water, what it means for life and creation, for renewal in the waters of Baptism, and as a sign of promise and new life given to us in Jesus and the prophets. Cath explored the image of living water in the book of Ezekiel.
- Watch the service again on Youtube
- Cath shared a video of The Solid Speech of God, commenting on our interconnectedness with the more than human world.
- Enjoy photos from the BUC gardens
- Watch Cath’s sermon
- Richard offered the Mission Spot
- Read the Order of Service
Prayers of Adoration & Confession
Watch or 7:07
Holy God,
whose Spirit hovered over the waters at the beginning,
we gather as part of your community of all creation,
thirsty for your grace.
We give thanks for the gift of water,
the veins of our common home,
that sustains the cedar and the whale,
the pasture and the city.
We are grateful for the local waters that nourish
our homelands and our fellow creatures.
We give thanks that in your well-watered garden,
every drop is a sacred testament to your love.
We confess we have treated the gift of creation as a mere commodity.
We have choked the seas with our waste
and watched the warming tides rise in judgment.
We lament the cracked earth of the drought-stricken
and the salty tears of the climate refugee.
Melt our frozen hearts, O God,
and let the waters of repentance flow.
Help us do our part to work with you
to bind up the wounds of the Earth,
caused by our sin, greed, and neglect
God our Creator
who brought water from the rock
sustain us in the desert.
Christ our Lord
who is Living Water
refresh us for the work of restoration.
Holy Spirit
carry us on currents of grace
until justice rolls down like a river and
righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Amen
Adapted from UCA Season of Creation Guide
Word of Grace
Friends, God works with us to restore creation,
let us be grateful that through Christ, and because of Christ, our sin is forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
Peter Blair, Olive Way Pastor, offered for worship 27/09/2026, Season of Pentecost 4
Prayers of the people
Watch or 49:14
We’ll be entering now into a time of communal prayer. Afterwards, the Christ Candle will be moved to the Chapel space at the back of the church, and you’re welcome to light a taper or a candle at home for your own prayers at the end of the service.
Let’s begin by taking a moment to tur our focus to our heart and spirit, and as we listen to the music, become more aware of God’s presence. Let us pray.
O Lord, hear my prayer,
O Lord, hear my prayer:
When I call, answer me.
O Lord, hear my prayer,
O Lord, hear my prayer,
Come and listen to me.
Eternal God, thank you for all the blessings and joys in our life.
Let’s all take a moment now to acknowledge and thank God for these blessings, big and small
And thank you for this time when we can bring to you the burdens on our hearts.
Dear God, we pray for everyone going through hard times.
We lift up to you for those who have chronic illness or pain
We pray for people nearing the end of their lives.
Give them courage and peace, and be with their loved ones.
Lord, comfort those who grieve.
Grieving the loss of loved ones or the ending of chapters in their life.
We pray also for the homeless and those in housing insecurity in this very wet and cold spring.
We lift up to you those suffering in war-torn areas,
in Iran, Ukraine, Gaza, and the many conflict areas around the world.
Lord, when we feel overwhelmed by all the suffering and the issues,
and can’t see how things could possibly get better
remind us that what we can see is just a sliver
compared to Your vast and infinite perspective on life
We often forget that You can see to the end of every path that we take.
So when we’re afraid to let go of our need to be in control of life,
remind us that you love us more than we can even imagine.
And grant us your grace to surrender to your plans for us,
to put you at the centre of our lives.
Lord hear us.
Come and listen to me.
Loving God, we pray for the Uniting Church,
for Christians and for all people of faith around the world
Thank you for the Boroondara Interfaith Network’s prayer meeting this afternoon,
Modelling our community how we can live peacefully with people of different faiths.
We thank you for courageous artists like Macklemore
and people around the world taking a public stance
against the genocide in Gaza, even when it comes at a cost
We pray for our Government and leaders around the world
To implement fair policies to put an end to war.
Bless all who work and volunteer
to make this world a safer and more peaceful place.
Lord, hear us
Come and listen to me.
Lord, you call us to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.
But it isn’t always easy to love people
Or to forgive those who hurt us or hurt others.
We’re too often prone to judging and criticizing people
And would rather nurture grievances than reflect on our own flaws.
So we admit to you dear God, our contribution to the suffering in the world
Loving God, we need your help to get better at loving those
who push our buttons and in doing so,
make us confront those dark places within ourselves.
Help us to become the change we long to see in the world.
We offer to you all our prayers spoken and whispered in our hearts,
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
O Lord, hear my prayer,
O Lord, hear my prayer:
When I call, answer me.
O Lord, hear my prayer,
O Lord, hear my prayer,
Come and listen to me.
Joanne van Ravenswaaij, offered for worship 27/09/2026, Season of Creation 4
SONG: O Lord, hear my prayer, by Jacques Berthier,
from Together in Song, Harper Collins Religious, WORD OF LIFE
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