Order of Service – 15th May 2022

The Order of Service follows below.

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The Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 15^th, 2022
We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional carers of the land on which our church is built.

Prelude

Love is Your Way by Per Harling

Welcome

Lighting of the Candles and Introit

O Love of God How Strong and True

Call to Worship

Opening Prayer

Love is…
not just about me.

Love is…
more about you.

Love is…
opening your arms in welcome.

Love is…
spending time with people.

Love is…
making relationships.

Love is…
kneeling down in the dirt to help.

Love is…
listening.

Love is…
holding hands.

Love is…
sharing ourselves.

Love is…
healing.

Love is…
all this and more.

Love is…
a glint of God.

May love be.
Amen.

We Sing: There’s a Spirit of Love in this Place

There’s a spirit of love in this place,
there’s a spirit of love in this place.
You can’t see it but it’s there,
just as precious as the air;
There’s a spirit of love in this place.
There’s the presence of peace in this room,
there’s the presence of peace in this room.
In God’s tenderness is found
peace that passes human bounds,
There’s the presence of peace in this room.

O alleluia, sing alleluia!
We bless your holy name
O alleluia, sing alleluia!
There’s a spirit of love in this place.
There’s a space for grace in our hearts,
there’s a space for grace in our hearts.
It’s in learning to forgive that our spirits truly live.
There’s a space for grace in our hearts.

O alleluia, sing alleluia!
We bless your holy name,
we bless your name.
O alleluia, sing alleluia!
There’s a space for grace,
there’s the presence of peace,
there’s a spirit of love in this place.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Passing of the Peace

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

Community News and Notices

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Children’s Time

Children may go downstairs for Sunday School. 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 from the Welcome Desks.

Scripture Reading: John 13: 31-35

When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

The Gospel of Christ, light of the world.
Thanks be to God.

Choral Anthem

Love is Your Way by Per Harling and Shirley Murray

Scripture Reading: Acts 11:1-18

Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’ Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.” And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’

In this we hear God’s Word.
Thanks be to God.

Sermon

We Sing: Will You Let Me Be Your Servant

Will you let me be your servant,
let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant too.
We are pilgrims on a journey,
we are travellers on the road;
We are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ-light for you
in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you
speak the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow
till we’ve seen this journey through
When we sing to God in heaven
we will find such harmony,
born of all we’ve known together
of Christ’s love and agony
Will you let me be your servant,
let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant too.

Together in Song, 650. Richard Gillard. Words and music by permission Integrity Music (Aust). Words used with permission under copyright CCLI Licence No 137219. Copyright cleared music for churches.

Offering

To give electronically please go to bpuc.org/give

Prayers of the People

Kyrie eleison… (Lord, have mercy)

…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.

We Sing: We Sing A Love That Sets All People Free

We sing a love that sets all people free,
that blows like wind, that burns like scorching flame,
enfolds like earth, springs up like water clear:
come, living love, live in our hearts today.
We sing a love that seeks another’s good,
that longs to serve, and not to count the cost,
a love that, yielding, finds itself made new:
come, caring love, live in our hearts today.
We sing a love, unflinching, unafraid
to be itself, despite another’s wrath,
a love that stands alone and undismayed:
come, strengthening love, live in our hearts today.
We sing a love, that, wandering, will not rest
until it finds its way, its home, its source,
through joy and sadness pressing on refreshed:
come, pilgrim love, live in our hearts today.
We sing a burning, fiery, Holy Ghost
that seeks out shades of ancient bitterness,
transfiguring these, as Christ in every heart:
come joyful love, live in our hearts today.

Sending Forth and Benediction

Choral Blessing

Deep Peace by Rosemary Nairn

Postlude

The Holy City by Adolph Adam

Please come and share morning tea in the basement. There are stairs behind the organ and a ramp between the church and the car park leading to the basement.