Order of Service – 27th March 2022

The Order of Service follows below.

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The Fourth Sunday in Lent
March 27^th, 2022
We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional carers of the land on which our church is built.

Lent invites us to journey with God. It is a time to turn – towards God and towards our inner life. As we follow this journey, we are invited to consider the turning of the path towards Jerusalem and the stories of turning we encounter along the way.

Prelude

I Will Sing of My Redeemer

Welcome

Lighting of the Candles

Call to Worship

This is the day that God has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Let us come into worship, bringing the fullness of our lives, with all of our complexities.
Here we are nurtured and nourished.

Let us sing and pray, hope and dream, listen and speak out.
Here we are renewed and restored.

Let us worship God together.

Prayer

Giver of life and gardener of our souls,
good soil is turned over,
churned and mixed to let nutrients in,
to allow water to flow,
to make space for air below the surface.

Help us to find space for you, loving God.
Help us to make room for others, welcoming Jesus.
Help us to allow space for renewal, life-giving Spirit.
Amen

We Sing: Welcome

Let’s walk together for a while
and ask where we begin
to build a world where love can grow
and hope can enter in.
To be the hands of healing
and to plant the seeds of peace,

singing welcome, welcome to this place,
you’re invited to come and know God’s grace.
All are welcome, the love of God to share
’cause all of us are welcome here,
all are welcome in this place.
Let’s talk together of a time
when we will share a feast,
where pride and power kneel to serve
the lonely and the least,
and joy will set the table
as we join our hands to pray,

singing welcome, welcome to this place,
you’re invited to come and know God’s grace.
All are welcome, the love of God to share
’cause all of us are welcome here,
all are welcome in this place.

Words: Laurie Zelman and Mark A Miller. Music: Mark A Miller. © 2007 Abingdon Press. International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission under CCLI Licence 137219. Copyright cleared Music for Churches.

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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We Sing: Come on in! Take a Seat!

Come on in! Take a seat!
There’s a place for you at the feast:
for big and small,
short and tall.
Come on in, take a seat!
Come on in! Share the food!
Pass it all the way ’round the room.
Here love abounds
and friends are found.
Come on in, share the food!
Repeat verse 1:
Come on in! Take a seat!
There’s a place for you at the feast:
for big and small,
short and tall.
Come on in, take a seat!

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.

Choral Anthem

I Waited for the Lord by Mendelssohn

Scripture Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

So he told them this parable:

‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.

‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’

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

Sermon

Offering and Musical Reflection

Welcome Me Back Home by Paul Somerville

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Prayers of the People

…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: Praise with Joy the World’s Creator

Praise with joy the world’s Creator,
God of justice, love and peace,
source and end of human knowledge,
force of greatness without cease.
Celebrate the Maker’s glory,
power to rescue and release.
Praise the Son who feeds the hungry,
frees the captive, finds the lost,
heals the sick, upsets religion,
fearless both of fate and cost.
Celebrate Christ’s constant presence –
Friend and Stranger, Guest and Host.
Praise the Spirit sent among us,
liberating truth from pride,
forging bonds where race or gender,
age or nation dare divide.
Celebrate the Spirit’s treasure –
foolishness none dare deride.
Praise the Maker, Son and Spirit,
one God in community,
calling Christians to embody
oneness and diversity.
Thus the world shall yet believe, when
shown Christ’s vibrant unity.

Together in Song #179. John L. Bell and Graham Maule. Words used with permission under copyright CCLI Licence No 137219. Copyright cleared music for churches.

Commissioning of Church Council

Responses of Elected Church Councillors:

Do you confess anew Jesus Christ as Lord?
I do.

Do you believe that you are called by God through the Church to this ministry?
I do.

Being guided by the Basis of Union of the Uniting Church in Australia, will you live and work within the faith and unity of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church?
With God’s help I will.

Relying on God’s grace, do you promise to carry out the duties of your office?
I do.

Congregational responses:

Will you, the members of this congregation, accept these brothers and sisters as church councillors?
We will.

Will you encourage them in love and support them in their ministry, serving with them the one Lord Jesus Christ?
We will.

Sending Forth and Benediction

Choral Blessing

Deep peace – Robin Mann

Postlude

Liberty Bell by Sousa and Thornbury by Basil Harwood

Please wait for the COVID Marshal to indicate it is time to move. Please be mindful of physical distancing at the Stanley Street exit, moving away from the doors to enjoy conversation.

For those worshipping in the building, next week will again be an opportunity to enjoy morning tea in the park together.