Order of Service – 28th August 2022

The Order of Service follows below.

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The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
August 28^th, 2022

Prelude

Welcome

Lighting of the Candles and Introit

What Does the Lord Require by Erik Routley

Call to Worship

Gathered or scattered,
onsite or online,
faithful or faltering,
the door is open and God bids us come.

There is a place for everyone,
a seat at the table,
a place to belong.
For God invites us, nourishes us,
enlivens our spirit and restores us.

God is the host and all are welcome.
Let us worship.

Opening Prayer

We Sing: For Everyone Born

For everyone born, a place at the table,
for everyone born, clean water and bread;
a shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,
for everyone born, a star overhead.

And God will delight when we are creators of justice
and joy, compassion and peace:
yes God will delight when we are creators of justice,
justice and joy.
For woman and man, a place at the table,
revising the roles, deciding the share;
with wisdom and grace dividing the power,
for woman and man, a system that’s fair.

And God will delight when we are creators of justice
and joy, compassion and peace:
yes God will delight when we are creators of justice,
justice and joy.
For young and for old, a place at the table,
a voice to be heard, a part in the song,
the hands of a child in hands that are wrinkled,
for young and for old, the right to belong.

And God will delight when we are creators of justice
and joy, compassion and peace:
yes God will delight when we are creators of justice,
justice and joy.
For gay and for straight, a place at the table,
a covenant shared, a welcoming space,
a rainbow of race and gender and colour,
for gay and for straight, the chalice of grace,

And God will delight when we are creators of justice
and joy, compassion and peace:
yes God will delight when we are creators of justice,
justice and joy.
For everyone born, a place at the table,
to live without fear, and simply to be,
to work, to speak out to witness and worship,
for everyone born, the right to be free.

And God will delight when we are creators of justice
and joy, compassion and peace:
yes God will delight when we are creators of justice,
justice and joy!
Of justice, justice and joy!
Of justice, justice and joy!

Prayer

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

We Sing: Come On In

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!
Come on in! Say amen!
We will eat together again.
Now out we go,
God’s love we’ll show.
Come on in! Say amen!

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 at the entrances.

Choral Anthem

Panis Angelicus by César Franck

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:1,7-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.

When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’

He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’

The Gospel of Christ, light of the world.
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

…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.

Sending Forth and Benediction

Choral Blessing

May the God of Peace Go with You – Scottish traditional

Postlude

Come and share morning tea together, downstairs in the basement.