A Light on the Hill

Order of Service – 31st August 2025

The Order of Service follows below.

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Brougham Place Uniting Church
Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A Light on the Hill

August 31, 2025, 10.00am
Preacher: Rev Linda Driver
Pentecost 12. Green

We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional carers of the land on which our church is built.

As you wait for worship to begin, please turn your phone to silent.

Prelude

Welcome

Acknowledgment of Country

Naa marni?  (Are you all good?)
Marni Ai!     (Good I am)

Lighting of the Candles

MiniM Choir

Bonse Alba

Call to Worship

Water is life.
Without water, we cannot survive.
God is often described as flowing, living, life-giving water.
Let us come and drink the water of God.
Let us come and worship.

Opening Prayer

God: Water-of-Life,
we come to drink from your streams,
and we pray for justice that flows like strong river currents
to be present in this place. Amen.

We sing: Joyful, Joyful

Together in Song 152

  1. Joyful, joyful, we adore you,
    God of glory, God of love;
    hearts unfold like flowers before you
    opening to the sun above.
    Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
    drive the dark of doubt away;
    giver of immortal gladness,
    fill us with the light of day.

  2. All your works with joy surround you,
    earth and heav’n reflect your rays,
    stars and angels sing around you,
    centre of unbroken praise.
    Field and forest, vale and mountain,
    flowery meadow, flashing sea,
    singing bird and flowing fountain
    call to praise you joyfully.

  3. You are giving and forgiving,
    ever blessing, ever blest,
    well-spring of the joy of living,
    ocean-depth of happy rest.
    You our Father, Christ our brother,
    all are yours who live in love;
    teach us how to love each other,
    lift us to your joy above.

Prayer of Confession

Water is life.
But… at times, water is scarce.
Through drought, through greed, through the havoc humans cause on the environment.

Water is life.
But… at times, there is too much water.
In floods, in rising sea levels, in the havoc humans cause on the environment.

Water is life.
But… water is dangerous.
Like flash-flooding, or ocean rips, or water sources that have been poisoned.

Let us pause to consider God as living water, as the source of good water, enough water, not-too-much water, and to consider the ways that we dishonour this image.

A time of silence is kept

Words of Grace

Water is life.

For followers of Christ, baptismal water is a symbol of death to our old ways and a symbol of rising to new life in Christ’s ways. Remember your baptism and give thanks.

Hear these words of hope and truth:
God is living water.
God invites you to drink.
In Christ, your thirst is quenched.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Passing of the Peace

The peace of our God be with you.
And also with you.

Community News and Notices

You can sign up to receive BP E-news by email and read past issues on our website: www.bpuc.org

Children’s Time (Exploring the Theme)

Children and Young People may go downstairs for Sunday School and Youth. Parents, you are welcome to join your child in Sunday School if you feel your child may need your assistance. Alternatively, you may wish for your child to remain with you for the duration of worship. Activity packs are available at the entrances.

We sing: In Water We Grow

Together in Song 494

  1. In water we grow,
    secure in the womb,
    and speechlessly know
    love’s safety and room.
    Baptising and blessing
    we publish for good
    the freeing, caressing
    safe keeping of God.

  2. In water we wash:
    the dirt of each day,
    its trouble and rush
    are carried away.
    In Christ re-created
    by love’s cleansing art,
    self-will and self-hatred
    dissolve and depart.

  3. In water we dive,
    and cannot draw breath,
    then surface alive,
    rebounding from death.
    Our old self goes under,
    in Christ dead and drowned.
    We rise, washed in wonder,
    by love clad and crowned.

  4. In water we dwell,
    for by its deep flow
    through bloodstream and cell,
    we live, think, and grow.
    Praise God, love outflowing,
    whose well of new birth
    baptizes our knowing,
    and waters the earth.

Scripture Readings: Jeremiah 2:4-13 and Psalm 81:1, 10-16

Jeremiah 2:4-13

Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord:

What wrong did your ancestors find in me

that they went far from me

and went after worthless things and became worthless themselves?

They did not say, “Where is the Lord,

who brought us up from the land of Egypt,

who led us in the wilderness,

in a land of deserts and pits,

in a land of drought and deep darkness,

in a land that no one passes through,

where no one lives?“

I brought you into a plentiful land

to eat its fruits and its good things.

But when you entered you defiled my land

and made my heritage an abomination.

The priests did not say, “Where is the Lord?”

Those who handle the law did not know me;

the rulers transgressed against me;

the prophets prophesied by Baal

and went after things that do not profit.

Therefore once more I accuse you,

says the Lord,

and I accuse your children’s children.

Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look;

send to Kedar and examine with care;

see if there has ever been such a thing.

Has a nation changed its gods,

even though they are no gods?

But my people have changed their glory

for something that does not profit.

Be appalled, O heavens, at this;

be shocked; be utterly desolate, says the Lord,

for my people have committed two evils:

they have forsaken me,

the fountain of living water,

and dug out cisterns for themselves,

cracked cisterns

that can hold no water.

Psalm 81:1, 10-16

Sing aloud to God our strength;

shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

I am the Lord your God,

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

“But my people did not listen to my voice;

Israel would not submit to me.

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,

to follow their own counsels.

O that my people would listen to me,

that Israel would walk in my ways!

Then I would quickly subdue their enemies

and turn my hand against their foes.

Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,

and their doom would last forever.

I would feed you with the finest of the wheat,

and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

May the Spirit of God open our eyes to see, our ears to hear,
and our hearts to understand.

Message

We sing: Like A Candle

  1. Like a candle burning wildly,
    raging soft and against the night,
    spark that leaps to clear the shadows,
    sending warm disturbing light.
    We are called to live the passion.
    Hope stands strong against all pain.
    For it’s only in the burning
    that the candle shows its flame.

  2. Like a river running freely,
    rapids swirl beside our feet,
    swiftly flowing from the highland,
    comes to rest, still waters meet.
    All our journeys rising, falling,
    making turns we least expect,
    when the Spirit churns within us,
    know God’s power through the test.

  3. Like an angel walking lightly
    on this fragile earth of clay,
    touching folk with raw compassion
    laughing, playing on the way,
    Freely living every moment
    in the mystery of grace.
    Giving, dying, living, rising
    – see the beauty of God’s face.

  4. See the hope that burns in darkness,
    show compassion strong and kind,
    bind the hurt and broken-hearted,
    be God’s hands and voice and eyes.
    Sing a new song ev’ry sunrise,
    climb to places out of reach,
    walk in freedom in God’s Spirit,
    as we die so we shall live.

  5. We are called to live the passion.
    Hope stands strong against all pain.
    For it’s only in the burning
    that the candle shows its flame.

Offering

To give electronically please go to bpuc.org/give

Alternatively, there is an offering bowl near the lectern on the left-hand side as you exit the church.

Offering Prayer

Gracious God, we give you thanks for life, for your presence, for the gifts that we receive. May these gifts be used to build a world of justice, compassion, and grace. Amen.

We sing: Down to the River to Pray

As I went down to the river to pray,
studying about that good old way.
and who shall wear the starry crown –
Good Lord, show me the way.

Oh *children let’s go down,
Let’s go down, come on down.
O children, let’s go down,
down to the river to pray.

*faithful, people

Prayers of the People

O God,
Who art the unsearchable abyss of peace,
the ineffable sea of love,
the fountain of blessings,
and the bestower of affection,
who sendest peace to those that receive it;
open to us this day the sea of your love,
and water us with the plenteous streams from the riches of your grace.

Make us children of quietness,
and heirs of peace.
Kindle in us the fire of your love;
sow in us your awe;
strengthen our weakness by your power;
bind us closely to you and to each other in one firm bond of unity;
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

And now with the confidence of the children of God, let us pray the prayer Jesus taught us saying…

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.

MiniM Choir

Shalom

Benediction

May God, the living water,
quench your thirst.
May God, the flowing fountain
water your gardens.
May God, the sea of love,
flow around you.

Go in peace to love and serve our God, the water of life.
In the name of Christ, we will! Amen.

Remembrance of Baptism and Postlude

You are invited to come forward, as Jacob plays the Postlude. Dip your fingers in the water and mark yourselves with the sign of the cross on your forehead or your hand.

Come and share morning tea together, in the basement. There are stairs behind the organ and a ramp between the church and the car park. All are welcome!

Thank you for joining us for worship! If you would like to get in touch or request a prayer, please make use of the Contact Cards in the pews and next to the Offering Bowl. Alternately, you can email our Minister, Rev Linda Driver:

This service has been prepared with assistance from

Bec Lindsay: Liturgy, Learning, & (Purposeful) Life (L3)
© 2025, Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of South Australia

Cover image by wal_172619 from Pixabay


Congregation Hymns/Songs:

Joyful, Joyful
Together in Song 152
Henry Van Dyke 1852-1933alt. Public Domain.

In Water We Grow
Together in Song 494
Brian Arthur Wren 1936-
Words © 1993 Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Like A Candle
Craig Mitchell, Tim Beale and Roger Imms.
Copyright © Craig Mitchell, Words used with permission of Craig Mitchell.

Down to the River to Pray
Text and Tune: American folk song. Public Domain

www.bpuc.org