Category: Worship

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Sunday 12th July: Online Worship – Spiritual resources in the time of COVID-19

Dear friends,

Recent events have demonstrated clearly that COVID-19 is an aggressive virus which will not be easily thwarted.  As a people of faith, we have resources to support us through these days.

In our last worship video we reflected on the hope Jesus offers, summarised in the words of the great invitation   “Come to me all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.”

Today we will be exploring some more resources of the faith.

As part of this we will hear from Rhonda Dingle who will offer some guidance for stilling our souls and minds … and opening ourselves to God.

For singing this week, Beth recommends “Great is Thy Faithfulness” – you might enjoy singing along with this gently acoustic version from Maranatha Music:

To learn more about Christian Meditation, Rhonda recommends

“Mindfulness and Christian Meditation” by Tim Stead

available through The Wellspring Centre in Ashburton and also Book Depository.

Big thanks to our helpers this week:

Rhonda Dingle, Western Heights UC (Being Still segment)

Shaghek Qassabyan (Bible Readings)

Abigail and Zoe Hodge McAvaney (Prayers)

 

 

May the grace of Christ attend you,

the love of God surround you,

and the Holy Spirit keep you,

this day and forever.

Amen.

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Sunday 5th July: Online Worship – The Great Invitation

Photo credit: Inzmam Khan https://www.pexels.com/@inzmam-khan-368018

Dear Friends,

Matthew 11: 28 … which is sometimes called “The great invitation” contains a hope-filled message for our time.

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Jesus invites us to come to him because he is here for us’ Come to him and not to those who actually pile up the burdens, who add to the worries.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens…” In other words, we don’t have to come to Jesus when we have it all sorted out, when we have got our religion right, our faith right, when we are in great shape … No … Jesus invites us to come as we are right now … with all our baggage … all our fears and anxieties … all our limitations and sins … all that ails us …

Jesus says, “… I will give you rest …”

This rest is more than a break from work and activity, the Greek word that is translated “rest” is “anapausis” and evokes the experience of weary travellers finding an oasis in the desert.

  “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Surely a word for our time.

Paul.

 

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Sunday 28th June: Online Worship – Jesus was a refugee

A special welcome to the members of the Belmont Congregation of the Uniting Church who are sharing with us this week and next week, while Rev. Ikani Vaitohi is enjoying a couple of weeks of very well-deserved leave.

We are reflecting this week on the experience of refugees, asylum seekers, displaced persons, migrants … those who have left their places of birth and set out on journeys to new lands.

As part of this service you will hear the story of Shoghig Araboglian and her family.  We are very grateful to Shoghig for sharing her story so that we can all grow in our understanding.

Thanks to Sue, Shoghig, Marina and Shaghek for helping to present worship today.   Thanks also to The String Contingent for granting permission to use their evocative music in today’s video presentation – an amazing and generous group of musicians, some of whom have spent time in Afghanistan teaching music at the Afghan National Institute of Music in 2016.

For a song today you might enjoy this version of “The Blessing” sung by people from churches all over Australia, including some Uniting Churches and some Geelong churches – an ecumenical project!

If you would like to hear more stories from refugees in Australia, see these stories recommended by the Refugee Council of Australia:

 

Some local folk who have attended the Sacred Edge Festival in the past will recognise Mariam Issa, a “festival favourite” introducing a Global Storytelling night for Refugee Week 2020:

You might like to make this your “Family Movie night” this week!

And:

May the grace of Christ attend you,

the love of God surround you,

and the Holy Spirit keep you,

this day and forever.

Amen.

 

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Sunday 14th June: Online Worship – Biodiversity and caring for creation

Hello friends!

This week’s worship online is presented by Paul and the St Luke’s Environment Action Team.  Thanks to Claire, Ian, Michelle, Jean and Lloyd for working with Paul to prepare this thoughtful devotion, and thanks to everyone who contributed photos and footage – featured at the end of today’s video.

O God, we thank you for this earth, our home;
For the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water,
For the everlasting hills
And the never-resting winds,
For trees and the common grass underfoot.
We thank you for our senses
By which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendor of the summer fields,
And taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow,
And smell the breath of the spring.
Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty;
And save our souls from being so blind
That we pass unseeing
When even the common thorn bush
Is aflame with your glory,
O God our creator,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
– Walter Rauschenbusch

You can watch today’s online worship here:

The hymn “All things bright and beautiful” is included within today’s service, but if you are looking for another tune for today, here’s “This pretty planet”:

https://youtu.be/DCwAbfRkJ4E

If you would like to explore ideas of biodiversity and our faithful response, you might like to check out the Faith Ecology Network here: https://www.faithecology.net.au/

And the Uniting Church’s Just Act page here:

https://justact.org.au/

What position should the Synod take in response to climate change?

The Synod of Victoria and Tasmania meetings have passed resolutions relevant to climate change since 1977. However, the last resolution of a Synod meeting that directly addressed the issue of climate change was in 2008. Members of the Synod congregations have been expressing greater concern to the Justice and International Mission (JIM) cluster that the Synod needs to play a more significant role in responding to climate change.  The JIM cluster believes there is a need for the Synod to update its position on the urgency of addressing the causes of climate change and the actions that need to be taken in response.

The consultation paper that can be downloaded from this page explores how serious is the threat of climate change. Based on the assessment of the danger, the paper explores what actions we as Australians should be taking as part of the global effort to respond to climate change. It proposes a position for the Synod to adopt at the next Synod meeting.

 

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Sunday 7th June: Online Worship – Trinity Sunday

Last week we focused on the energising and enlivening power of the Holy Spirit as we celebrated Pentecost.

This week we are marking Trinity Sunday.

The marking of Trinity Sunday is about celebrating the very nature of God.

Today is all about praising God for who God is.

For celebrating God’s revelation of Godself to us in the persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Here is today’s worship service online:

And for singing today, try this musical version of the St Patrick’s Breastplate prayer:

You might also enjoy listening to this beautiful meditation on the mystery of the Holy Trinity from Malcolm Gordon:

 

We cannot let this day go past without referring to the great cry from people of colour to end police brutality and the entrenched targeting of black people by police both in the US and in Australia.  May this movement finally bring change so that black people no longer have to live in fear of their lives from the people who are meant to protect them.  This lament was written by Mark Miller to express the pain and sorrow of this experience:

Merciful and Just God,

Our hearts are concerned with systems of injustice which strip people of their dignity and their very lives. Help us to be those who would seek peace with justice, who would fight for those who are oppressed, offer voices for the voiceless and dignity for all humankind. Be with us this day and guide our steps toward a more just world in your name.

AMEN

 

Footnote:

In pre-COVID times, this weekend would have been the National Celtic Festival in Portarlington.  Sadly, the Festival was cancelled for 2020.  As an acknowledgement of the Uniting church’s Celtic heritage from it’s Presbyterian ancestors and a celebration of unity in Christ, here are 300 churches from all over Ireland singing “Be thou my vision” and sharing the Aaronic Blessing in multiple languages:

 

 

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Messy Church this Friday 29th March on Zoom at 4:30pm

Hello Messy friends and fans!

Our next Messy Church Zoom will be 4:30pm Friday 29th May- put it on the calendar!

We will send out the actual invite to the meeting later as another reminder.

Have a look at the story from the Bible we have attached.  It’s like a story book with pictures so you can print it out:

Phillip and the Ethiopian man

You can read it in the Bible in Acts 8 v 26-40 as well if you want.

Have a think about this question: “ How has the Holy Spirit Spoken to you?”

Some fun things are happening during our Messy Church Zoom.

So before the meeting have ready :

  • some lego
  • 2 pencils and a piece of paper plus some sticky tape
  • something red/orange/or yellow to wave or wear  to symbolise the Holy Spirit.

Sounds exciting doesn’t it?

We can’t wait to see you again and hoping you are all well ,

Love from St Luke’s Messy Church

Messy Church is one place we can mark special transitions. Photo credit: Elizabeth Stoel

 

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Sunday 24th May: Online worship – Easter 7

Greetings friends!

Lloyd and Deborah are presenting today’s worship and they would love you to start with singing along to this song – Praise and Worship people should know it well!

And now join Lloyd and Deborah for worship led from the Sanctuary at St Luke’s:

Don’t forget to check your email for today’s update including the link to our Zoom meeting for sharing time at 10am.

The most recent edition of the Presbytery Newsletter is now available here:

PPPW Newsletter 21 May 2020

And you can also catch up on the latest news from Synod here:

Synod e-news

Finally, a big shout out to everyone at St Luke’s who volunteers their time to the congregation and the wider community – this week is national Volunteer Week when we acknowledge the amazing contributions volunteers make to enriching our community – Thankyou for all you do!

#waveforvolunteers

Stay well friends, more news will be coming your way this week,

Grace and Peace,

Robyn for the St Luke’s Leadership Team.

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Sunday 17th May – Online Worship: Easter 6

Greetings friends!

Today’s worship will be premiering on YouTube at 9:30am, followed by our first Zoom gathering.  Details have been emailed and will also be posted in the Facebook Group.

The beautiful celtic flute playing in the prayers was by a group called Senor Cabrales, and here’s a little more of them:

For singing today why not join with the Notre Dame University Folk Choir?  They’re joyous!

Verse 1

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

Refrain
Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

Verse 2

Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has pow’r to save us.
Make us your living voice.

Refrain

Verse 3

Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.

Refrain

Verse 4

Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stone.

Refrain

Verse 5

Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.

Refrain

© Bernadette Farrell 1993.

Uniting have made their newsletters available online and you can find them here:

Supporter newsletter

Congregation Connect 

Be sure to read them and if you are able please continue to donate to Uniting as their services will be more in demand than ever in these coming months.

The Uniting Church Synod has put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the COVID 19 restrictions and what congregations are able to do.  You can find this information here.

Church Council are meeting online this Tuesday to review the changes in restrictions and see how they will impact St. Luke’s.  The Annual Meeting of the Congregation remains deferred, however we hope to have the Annual Report for 2019 out to you sometime this coming week.

Please continue to pray and care for one another and for our wider community.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Zoom today at 10.  The details have been emailed and are also available in the Facebook Group.

Grace and Peace to you!

Robyn

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Sunday 10th May – Online Worship: Easter 5

Photo: Eric Sanman, Pexels

Hello friends!

This week our online worship focuses on Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and the image of the church as a “Priesthood of all believers” – this is borne out today, where much of our ministry takes place within our own homes, in calls to friends and neighbours and simple acts of kindness to one another and to strangers we may meet.

Thanks to Yousef for presenting this week’s readings to us, and to Zoe for reading the Lord’s Prayer.

You can watch this week’s online worship from 9:30am on Youtube here:

For singing at home, you might enjoy this song from “The Jesus Record” by Rich Mullins and A Ragamuffin Band – “That where I am there you may also be” based on today’s gospel reading:

 

Paul mentions the Christian Churches in China and their home based gatherings – you may be interested in learning more in this story from SBS in 2017:

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/chinese-christian-churches-targeted-in-religious-crackdown

Our prayers also focus on those in need – through hunger, loneliness, or ill-health.  Uniting, our church welfare agency, plays a strong role in supporting people on the margins of our society and you can follow some of people’s stories here:

Recognise anyone in this photo?  Some of our St Luke’s Messy Church leaders met via Zoom with others across the Presbytery to share ideas for how to do Messy Church online – stay tuned!

If you’re taking the opportunity to visit other churches during the COVID19 lockdown, you might like to drop in to the UCA Assembly Facebook page for a livestreamed service with Rev Sally Douglas from Richmond UC –

Finally, this week we farewell Olive Hunt, a beloved and warmly remembered member of St Luke’s.  “She was such a humble, elegant lady, always there for other people.”

Olive Hunt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stay well friends, and remember this Wednesday morning at 8am will be our first Zoom prayer meeting from our Facebook Group.