Worship online Sunday 24th October 2021

Wisdom

Welcome and notices

Please go to our website https://stlukesuca.org.au if you want to find out more about the life of the congregation.

Opening Prayer & Confession

Lets look to the Psalms as we come to God in prayer

Drawn from Psalm 37

(1-4) Do not fret because of the wicked;  do not be envious of wrongdoers,

for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.

Trust in God, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.

Delight in everything about God, and God will give you the desires of your heart.

(5-7)

Commit the way you live to God; if you trust God, God will act to show where you are right,

and bring justices to your case, like the bight noonday sun.

Be still before God, wait patiently for her response.

Do not fret over those who seem to be getting their way despite evil desires and motives.

Trust in God to show you how they will be stopped, and truth and grace will prevail.

(27-28)

Run from evil, and do good; so you shall be at home with God for ever.

For God loves justice and will not forsake his faithful ones.

(30-31)

The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom; they speak for justice.

The law of their God is in their hearts; they don’t slip as they follow in God’s footsteps.

Opening prayer

God we recognise that we do slip.

We strive to be faithful to your love and grace to us, but too often we focus on ourselves:

we want to be as successful as others in our careers, families, sports or talents

we become frustrated and angry when others don’t understand the world the way we do

we hold on too tightly to beliefs that make us comfortable – when you challenge us to see things from your point of view.

Forgive us God.

Help us to learn from the wise ones – from the scriptures, from your Saints through history and today, and even from the insights of the young.

Today open our ears and our hearts to listen and learn from you, to hear again the questions and guidance for us from your Son Jesus, and the wisdom and courage offered through your Holy Spirit.

Teach us to spend more time listening, asking questions to understand and act positively, than in preaching, prosecuting or politicking others to get things our way.

Amen

Family of God, through God’s Spirit we can always draw on the fountain of wisdom and love, even in the darkest of times and when our actions (or inaction) shame us so much. There is enough mercy to cover all your sins, and not yours only, but those of the whole world. Take up the challenge then – live as Christ showed us, as he called you and me to serve in the world.

Live as forgiven people, for in Christ, such you truly are!

Thanks be to God! Amen.

Gospel reading: John 1: 1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.”’)

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

Prayers of the People & Dispersal (by Rev. Ann Perrin, UCA)

Ever-living, ever-present God,

You are with us.

We come before you this day

knowing we’re are to be dispersed,

sent out into your world

to be your church in new ways.

If we are resistant to this change Lord,

hear our prayer of confession

and bless us with forgiveness,

patience and resilience

for we are committed to care for each other as we care for ourselves.

So help us to discover new ways to share

why we live our lives committed to sharing the promises of the gospel.

During these times of change, we will remember those whose groups are still unable to meet together in our buildings, or new challenges to gathering,

and the new ways we will need to navigate to be community.

We remember planned baptisms, weddings and celebrations

And pray times for rejoicing will not be too far away.

We remember those for who this time is one of uncertainty and challenge

those who now live with fear and in isolation,

and those for whom this time is one of anguish and death.

Hold all those in need of your love at this time.

Holy God, you encourage us when doubtful to draw closer to you.

Allow us to recognise your Holy Spirit as our guide, comforter, and companion.

And so with the hope you instill in us

and when the time time is right and this season of our church is over

we will return as your gathered community

with the joy of Easter Day,

celebrating our resilience, knowing our communities are stronger then ever

to continue your work to help build a flourishing world where ever we find ourselves.

AMEN.