Staying Afloat – Finding Sanctuary
Welcome to a video from St Luke’s Uniting Church, Highton. I’m Paul Stephens, the minster in placement.
In the last video we looked at how prayer is literarily a life-giving gift. This week our focus is on the value of finding sanctuary in our lives.
Don’t forget that to contact us or find out what is on at St Luke’s (or in the current situation “not on”), … go to our website: stlukesuca.org.au for all the information you need.
Opening Prayer
Faithful God, you draw near to us
in our joy and in our grief,
in our hope and in our despair.
When we are bowed down, you raise us anew.
We turn to you now in search of your healing touch.
In you is found true sanctuary.
God of compassion and love,
Open our eyes, dispel our fears,
… show us the real life you offer through
the Risen crucified One, Jesus Christ.
Based on a prayer posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/
Merciful God,
You deal with us,
according to your unwavering love;
according to your abundant mercy
help us to name our need of you …
help us to be honest about the sin and the guilt we have carried for so long…
Write in the deepest recesses of our beings the good news of your forgiveness and grace …
Free us to live the abundant lives you desire for each of us … lives marked by love of you, neighbour and self.
Create in us clean hearts,
Renew your spirit within us.
Restore to us the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in us a willing spirit.
We offer these our prayers in the name of Christ. Amen.
Based on Psalm 51 and a prayer written by Rev. Abi, and posted on Rev. Abi’s Long and Winding Road blog
Scripture reading:
Lamentations 3: 19-24
The thought of my affliction and my homelessness
is wormwood and gall!
My soul continually thinks of it
and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
Matthew 11: 25-30
At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Prayers of intercession
This prayer is based on a prayer by the late Rev. Bruce Prewer.
Holy God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
You embrace all time and eternity in your love,
but through Jesus we know you are concerned for each one of us, hear our prayers for our brothers and sisters in the human family who this day are enduring hard times.
Bless those near us or far away whose very being is torn by grief. Come to them through the arms and words of others, that they may be embraced with your comfort.
Bless those near to us or far away who are suffering from injury or disease … especially those with COVID-19. May they receive both medical care and the inner resources to regain their health.
Bless those near us or far away who are finding the impact of COVID-19 on their lives and livelihoods just so hard. We pray you might bless leaders, medical authorities and practitioners, scientists … all who seek to bring an end to this pandemic.
Bless those near or far away who are unjustly treated; socially or politically, at work or at home, free or captive. Bring justice and rehabilitation, we pray.
Bless those near us or far away, who flee oppression and violence. We pray that they might find genuine sanctuary … and we think at this time particularly of the people of Afghanistan.
Bless those near us or far away, who are seeking something to put their faith in. May they find the abundant life found in Jesus Christ.
Bless those known to us with needs, whether they be near or far away … Help us to uphold each person in prayer and to offer the appropriate support.
Holy God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
please assist us to turn our good intentions into deeds and to carry our prayers over into all the coming and going of this week ahead of us. Through Christ our model and our enabler.
Amen!
www.bruceprewer.com/DocB/BSUNDAY23.htm
Word of mission
Go in peace, and remember:
goodness is stronger than evil;
love is stronger than hate;
light is stronger than darkness;
life is stronger than death;
victory is ours
through Christ who loved us.
Amen.
Blessing
Unless otherwise stated prayers are either by the author or based on resources from Uniting in Worship 2 © Uniting Church Press, Sydney, 2005. And images are from Wikimedia Commons and are in the public domain.
Call to Worship:
A Place of Sanctuary
From the corners of worry and fear,
from the shadows where we huddle with our doubts,
God calls us to this place of sanctuary
where we can draw from Love’s deep wells.
In every moment where we look for strength to continue,
in every time wonder if faith is worth it,
Jesus calls us to this time
where we can welcome the peace given to us.
In every person who embraces us with acceptance,
in every touch that offers healing and hope,
the Spirit calls us to see those around us
as God’s beloved, our sisters and brothers of grace.
~ written by Thom Schuman, and posted on Lectionary Liturgies. http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/
[1] Faith and Theology: Karl Barth: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (faith-theology.com)
