Amelia Ware welcomed us to worship on 4th February. This week we celebrated Holy Communion and we explored prayer, the different ways that we pray and what kind of meaning it holds for us as individuals and as part of the life of our community.
Cath acknowledged that many of our young people are making significant transitions and we made our annual commitment to be a Safe Church.
- Watch the service again on Youtube
- We renewed our commitment to be a Safe Church
- Watch Cath’s reflection
- We celebrated Holy Communion
- Read the Order of Service
Prayers of Adoration & Confession
Watch or 6:15
SONG: Bless the Lord my soul TIS 706
Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.
God of new mornings, who listens steadfastly for our prayers,
Forgive us for thinking that we have to be powerful or strong to make a difference in the world.
Show us how to sustain your daily gift of life with gentleness and care,
Lead us to new understandings as we seek to sing the song of our maker.
Jesus, who lifts up the downtrodden,
Forgive us for the times we have abandoned hope because the task seems too great for us.
Remind us of the effect that even small gestures can have on others,
And guide us as we try to walk your path of kindness.
Holy Spirit, constant presence of love,
Forgive us for when we have clung tightly to unhelpful ways.
Help us to have faith that you will stay with us when we fail and change direction
Encourage us to be creative and try new ways of being, even as we feel vulnerable and unsure.
Amen
Word of Grace
Believe the good news that comes from God: Christ came
that we may have life, and life in all its fullness.
Through Christ, in Christ, and because of Christ, our sin is forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
Amelia Ware, offered for worship 04/02/2024, Epiphany 5B
SONG: Bless the Lord, from the Taize community,
from Together in Song, Harper Collins Religious, WORD OF LIFE
Prayers of the people
Watch or 36:43
We are God’s children, called by name and loved.
We gather like the people outside Simon’s house,
seeking healing, care, welcome, acceptance and longing for you to touch our lives.
Let us pray.
Come O God of Justice and Peace, listen to your children praying.
We pray for the brokenness of our world, for the cycle of suffering which never seems to end.
For those who suffer in war, in discrimination, in slavery, in anger, in fear,
in hopelessness, in homelessness, in sickness, in loneliness, in hunger.
Lord hear our prayer.
Come O God of earth and sea, listen to your children praying.
We pray for our earth, and all the problems we face with our changing climate.
For rising and warming seas, rising temperatures, loss of arable land,
loss of habitat and the extinction of many animals.
We pray for a willingness in Governments and people to work together
to find lasting solutions for the sake of our children.
Lord hear our prayer.
Come O God of love and faith, listen to your children praying.
We pray for people of faith, and those searching for faith everywhere,
and for acceptance of other ways of seeking to be close to you, Creator God.
Lord hear our prayer.
Come O God of community, listen to your children praying.
We pray for the Uniting Church, that we are always willing to adapt
and follow where you lead us.
We pray for our church here at BUC, as we search for a new Minister.
We pray for our leaders, working to keep us together and focused on our purpose.
We pray for our families, children and loved ones, and for everyone who comes here,
or watches online, seeking a place in your heart.
We pray that we are always ready to accept change,
to accept those who are different, to love as you have loved us.
Lord hear our prayer.
Come O God of Heaven and Earth, listen to your children praying.
We come, like the people outside Simon’s house,
because we need your help and strength .
We ask for forgiveness, for healing, for acceptance, for love,
to mend our broken bodies, minds and spirits, to find peace from pain,
and to leave here refreshed and ready to serve you in the week ahead.
Lord hear these our prayers, in the name of Jesus, our Saviour and friend.
Amen
Helen Burnham, offered for worship 04/02/2024
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