Uniting Church in the City

Wesley Uniting Church

ORDER OF SERVICE

Sunday 21 March 2021

LENT 5

MUSIC: ii Lento from Euphonium Concerto

Joseph Horovitz (b.1926)

WELCOME INTROIT: My Spirit Longs for Thee

Words: John Byrom (1692-1763) Music: Alan Bullard (b. 1947)

CALL TO WORSHIP

The days are surely coming, says God, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

This is the time to begin anew.

I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

This is the time to begin anew.

With my whole heart I will seek you.

This is the time to begin anew.

Come, let us worship God. HYMN TiS 422: “Come, Holy Spirit, come” verses 1, 3 & 6

Come, Holy Spirit, come! inflame our souls with love, transforming every heart and home with wisdom from above. O let us not despise the humble path Christ trod, but choose, to shame the worldly–wise, the foolishness of God.

Come with the gift to heal the wounds of guilt and fear, and to oppression’s face reveal the kingdom drawing near. Where chaos longs to reign, descend, O holy dove, and free us all to work again the miracles of love. Come, Holy Spirit, dance within our hearts today, our earth–bound spirits to entrance, our mortal fears allay; and teach us to desire all other things above, that self–consuming holy fire, the perfect gift of love.

Michael Lindsay Forster 1946– Words © Copyright 1992 Kevin Mayhew Ltd, Rattlesden, Bury St Edmunds,

Suffolk, IP30 OS2, UK Used by permission from Thirty New Hymns

PRAYER OF APPROACH READING FROM THE HEBREW TRADITION:

Jeremiah 31: 31-34

In this is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God. PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND CONFESSION ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

PASSING THE PEACE:

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you. THEME TIME HYMN TiS 679: “God of Jeremiah” verses 1, 3 & 5

God of Jeremiah, grieving with an aching heart for an empire, unbelieving as it falls apart, when your thunder goes unheard, we will tend the prophet’s word, and in season, out of season, we will sing your song. When the palace looks at poverty with scornful eyes, when the scroll of truth is shredded by a leader’s lies, when the glory of the cross is a propaganda gloss, in the square and in the senate we will sing your song. We will praise the grainy granite of the Law’s demands, and the Life–creating, Lover–God with wounded hands; we will spin your storyline to an empire in decline, and in exile or in honour we will sing your song.

Brian Arthur Wren 1936 - Words from Piece Together Praise Copyright © 1996

Hope Publishing Co for USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and by Stainer & Bell Ltd for other territories.

All rights reserved.

READING FROM THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION:

Hebrews 5: 5-10

Your Word, O Lord is a lamp to our feet.

And a light to our path.

ANTHEM: What wondrous love is this?

American Folk Hymn arr. Geoff Weaver (b.1943)

READING FROM THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION:

John 12: 20-33

Lord, may your Word live in us.

And bear much fruit to your glory.

HYMN TiS 738: “My Jesus, my Saviour”

My Jesus, my Saviour Lord, there is none like you; all of my days I want to praise the wonders of your mighty love. My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength, let every breath, all that I am, never cease to worship you.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth; let us sing power and majesty, praise to the King. Mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of your name. I sing for joy at the work of your hands; for ever I’ll love you, for ever I’ll stand. Nothing compares to the promise I have in you!

Darlene Zschech (1993) Words © 1993 D.Zschech/Hillsong Music, Australia

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

HYMN TiS 573: “A charge to keep I have”

A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify, a never–dying soul to save, made fit for God on high: to serve the present age, my calling to fulfill: O may it all my powers engage to do my Master's will! Arm me with zealous care, as in your sight to live; and O your servant, Lord, prepare a strict account to give. Help me to watch and pray, and on yourself rely, so shall I not my trust betray, nor shall I ever die.

Charles Wesley 1707–88 alt.

COMMISSIONING OF ELDERS HYMN TiS 776: “The Aaronic Blessing”

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

THE LORD’S PRAYER:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, Now and forever. Amen

OFFERING MUSIC DURING THE OFFERING: Andante

Antonio Capuzzi (1755-1818)

OFFERING PRAYER:

We bless you Lord God, creator of the world. From you every good and perfect gift comes. Accept these offerings of ours as first fruits of our love and gratitude, and enable us to give ourselves wholly in the life of your kingdom. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

BEING SENT ON GOD’S MISSION HYMN TiS 473: “Community of Christ”

Community of Christ, who make the Cross your own, live out your creed and risk your life for God alone: the God who wears your face, to whom all worlds belong, whose children are of every race and every song. Community of Christ, look past the Church’s door and see the refugee, the hungry, and the poor. Take hands with the oppressed, the jobless in your street, take towel and water, that you wash your neighbour’s feet. Community of Christ, through whom the word must sound – cry out for justice and for peace the whole world round: disarm the powers that war and all that can destroy, turn bombs to bread, and tears of anguish into joy. When menace melts away, so shall God’s will be done, the climate of the world be peace and Christ its Sun;

our currency be love and kindliness our law, our food and faith be shared as one for evermore.

Shirley Erena Murray 1931– Words by permission Hope Publishing Co, USA.

BLESSING AND DISMISSAL:

As we leave this time and place, we go out in good heart to

seek, declare, treasure, delight, meditate.

As we leave this time and place, we go out in good heart to

face the needs of this hour and bear the fruit of love in the world. This is the time to begin anew.

POSTLUDE: Fantasie in G Minor, BWV 542

J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

Please reflect in silence during the postlude.

You are invited to share Morning Tea or Coffee in the foyer.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Minister: Rev Frances Hadfield Leader Colin Binns Reader: Millie Binns Director of Music: Angela Currie Senior Organ Scholar: Boyd Peters Wesley Scholar: Oliver Stark (Euphonium) PA: David McAndrew PowerPoint: Esme Blyth