Order of Service – 17th August 2025

The Order of Service follows below.

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Brougham Place Uniting Church
Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A Light on the Hill

August 17, 2025, 10.00am
Preacher: Rev Linda Driver
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

Greeting

Acknowledgment of Country

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

For this Land
We give thanks!
For the First People, the Kaurna People, who cared for this land
We give thanks!
For all nations and people who live on this land
We give thanks!
We honour the custodians
of sacred stories,
of dreamings
and the connections
with the deep earth.
May we work together
for the restoration
of the Land
and Her Peoples.

Lighting of the Candles

We sing: Santo, Santo, Santo

Together in Song 723

Santo, santo, santo.
¡Mi corazón te adora!
Mi corazón te sabe decir:
¡Santo eres Señor!

Holy, holy, holy.
My heart, my heart adores you!
My heart knows how to say to you:
Holy are you, Lord.

Opening Prayer “God of many names”

God of a thousand names,
You come to us in many forms –
manna to the hungry
water to the parched
embrace to the grieving
rainbow to the despairing
champion of the oppressed
defender of the exploited
friend to the lonely
rescuer to the lost
rest for the weary
shock to the comfortable
peace to the restless
gift to the joyful
mystery to the knowing
revelation to the seeking
manna, water, embrace, rainbow, champion, defender, friend, rescuer, rest, shock, peace, gift, mystery, revelation…
In silence, let us reflect on what God’s name is for us at this moment…

(Silent reflection)

Let us give thanks to God.

ALL God of many names. and still the one, true God, You reveal Your name to us in our need, yet remain beyond our control or understanding.
You are God. and we are Your people.
In trust and love we commit ourselves to exploring and discovering who You are and whose we are.
Amen

We sing: In Christ there is no East or West

Together in Song 459(i)

In Christ there is no east or west,
in him no south or north,
but one great fellowship of love
throughout the whole wide earth.
In Christ shall true hearts everywhere
their high communion find,
his service is the golden cord
close-binding humankind.
Join hands, then, people of the faith,
whate’er your race may be;
who serves my Father as his child
is surely kin to me.
In Christ now meet both east and west,
in him meet south and north,
all Christlike souls are one in him
throughout the whole wide earth.

Prayer of Confession “Simply, because they are…”

Jesus, Friend and Brother to all, hear our prayer.
We, who celebrate being part of your family,
too easily forget what it is like to be not included.
Forgotten, set aside, unseen, and unknown,
Nor acknowledged, welcomed, respected, or understood;
Nor having an opinion sought and not be listened to when an answer is offered.
Remaining friendless, though surrounded by many, is a very lonely space in which to be.

(Silent prayer of acknowledgement )

In our comfort, we remain distant.
We are informed of those seeking inclusion but do not act.
We meet with our friends but not seek out the friendless.
Forgive our unseeing ways, lack of empathy, and empty practises.

We see your inclusion of all, not by
race, religion, age, gender, societal structure, wealth, work role, politics, education or health, but,
simply, because they are.

Your love flows as naturally as a drop of water on a dry cloth,
Flowing past, around and beyond barriers set by human minds and actions, offering love, grace and belonging to all.
Refresh our ways, Jesus,
with the water that brings life to our parched ways.

Prayer of Assurance

Friends, Christ has brought us peace by making us all one people.
In assurance we pray:

Warm our hearts, so that our smile radiates welcome.
Open our ears to hear lament.
Reveal to our eyes the invisible ones in the ‘between’ spaces. Strengthen our actions with grace,

so that the space between all your people mirrors our connection and belonging to the radiating love of God.
In your name we pray.
Amen

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 (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: Holy Spirit, Come To Us

Holy Spirit, come to us,
kindle in us the fire of your love.
Holy Spirit, come to us,
Holy Spirit, come to us. (we sing 3 times)

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 and John 16:12-15

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Does not wisdom call

and understanding raise her voice?

On the heights, beside the way,

at the crossroads she takes her stand;

beside the gates in front of the town,

at the entrance of the portals she cries out:

“To you, O people, I call,

and my cry is to all who live.

“The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,

the first of his acts of long ago.

Ages ago I was set up,

at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

When there were no depths I was brought forth,

when there were no springs abounding with water.

Before the mountains had been shaped,

before the hills, I was brought forth,

when he had not yet made earth and fields

or the world’s first bits of soil.

When he established the heavens, I was there;

when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

when he made firm the skies above,

when he established the fountains of the deep,

when he assigned to the sea its limit,

so that the waters might not transgress his command,

when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

then I was beside him, like a master worker,

and I was daily his delight,

playing before him always,

playing in his inhabited world

and delighting in the human race.

John 16:12-15

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

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

Message

Litany Of Commitment

In Christ all human boundaries are swept away!
This we affirm.

Jesus Christ has made peace between people of every race, culture and class!
We are witness bearers to this truth.

Our life together can be a foretaste of the reconciliation of all things in Christ!
We will seek to live as a sign and witness to the kingdom, and a sign of hope within the Australian community.

As we move towards this new day
we stand before God and our siblings to face
who we are and who we seek to be.
We hear the call of God to be open to the gifts of all God’s people.

It will mean naming the sin of racism, even when it exists in the body of Christ.
We will work to create a community of justice and love.

None of God’s people are to be pushed to the fringes of our church.

We will ensure that there are equitable rights
in the use of Uniting Church properties;
access to our church’s resources;
full participation in decision making
in the councils of the church;
and pastoral care for all God’s people.

When we are tempted to hold on to what we have from the past and insulate ourselves from the hurts and struggles of each other,
God give us courage to leave the security of the safe and familiar.

May we celebrate the richness of our diversity and unity, which is your gift.
We go forward as your people
carrying within us the dream
of God’s renewed and reconciled creation. Amen

We sing: Kneels at the Feet of his Friends

Together in Song 639

Kneels at the feet of his friends,
silently washes their feet:
master who acts as a slave to them.

Yesu, Yesu,
fill us with your love,
show us how to serve
the neighbours we have from you.

Neighbours are wealthy and poor,
varied in colour and race,
neighbours are near us and far away.

Yesu, Yesu,
fill us with your love,
show us how to serve
the neighbours we have from you.

These are the ones we should serve,
these are the ones we should love;
all these are neighbours to us and you.

Yesu, Yesu,
fill us with your love,
show us how to serve
the neighbours we have from you.

Loving puts us on our knees,
silently washing their feet,
this is the way we should live with you.

Yesu, Yesu,
fill us with your love,
show us how to serve
the neighbours we have from you.

Prayers of the People

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.

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

We sing: May Our Lives and Our Prayers be One

Chorus:
May our lives and our prayers be one
As our hopes shape the roads we walk on
And when our work and our dreaming’s done
May our lives and our prayers be one.

Within the rhythm of our days
We take the time to muse and pray
The fears we face, the tears we taste
We view in light of holy grace.

Chorus:
May our lives and our prayers be one
As our hopes shape the roads we walk on
And when our work and our dreaming’s done
May our lives and our prayers be one.

We name our deepest hopes and dreams
For those we love and all in need
We picture how the world could be
We live the change we want to see.

Chorus:
May our lives and our prayers be one
As our hopes shape the roads we walk on
And when our work and our dreaming’s done
May our lives and our prayers be one.

Sending Forth and Benediction

Go now, delighting in the diversity of creation and rejoicing in the wisdom woven into every culture.
Walk gently in the footsteps of Christ so that your life may be a sign of peace and reconciliation.

May God, Creator of all peoples,
crown you with wonder and joy;
May Christ Jesus, Word made flesh,
walk with you across every boundary;
May the Holy Spirit, breath of unity,
bind us together in truth and love.
Amen

We sing: Doxology

Together in Song 768

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
praise God, all creatures here below,
praise God above, you heavenly host,
praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Postlude

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: lindad@bpuc.org

This service has been prepared with assistance from

Intercultural Neighbouring Sunday Worship Guide Uniting Church Assembly 2025

Acknowledgment of Country
Adapted from words written by Rev Dr Amelia Koh Butler

Opening Prayer: “God of many names” Rev Norma and John Brown, Mission Prayer Handbook 1991

Prayer of Confession: ‘Simply, because they are…’ and Prayer of Assurance Rev Anne Hewitt, from 2023 Intercultural neighbouring sunday worship resource

Litany of Commitment: Rev Helen Richmond, based on the 1985 Assembly declaration “We Are a Multicultural Church”

Prayers of the People Rev Hee Won Chang

Benediction / Blessing Rev Levon Kardashian

Words for Worship
© 2025, Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of South Australia

Congregation Hymns/Songs:

Santo, Santo, Santo
Together in Song 723
anon. Argentina. ©Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream Il 6018. Public Domain.

In Christ there is no East or West
Together in Song 459(i)
William Arthur Dunkerley (John Oxenham) 1852-1941 alt. Public Domain.

Holy Spirit, Come To Us
Author: The Community of Taize. Tune: Tui amoris ignem.
Composer: Jacques Berthier. c 1998 Taize Community, France, GIA Publications, Inc.

Kneels at the Feet of his Friends
Together in Song 639
Words: Tom Colvin Music: Ghana folk song, adapt. Tom Colvin and people of Ghana. alt Words & Music © 1969 by Hope Publishing Co.

May Our Lives and Our Prayers be One
Paul Somerville © 2013. All rights reserved.

Doxology
Together in Song 768. Thomas Ken 1637-1711 alt. Public Domain.