A Light on the Hill
Order of Service – 24th May 2026
The Order of Service follows below.
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Brougham Place Uniting Church
Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A Light on the Hill
May 24, 2026
Preacher: Gershon Nimbalker
Pentecost. Red
Welcome to Brougham Place Uniting Church.
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 and Acknowledgment of Country
We light the candles and invite God’s Spirit to be upon us during this time of worship.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people;
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Lighting of the Candles
Introit
Kindle The Flame (Silesian Spirit Roadway)
Call to Worship
Today in this place the Spirit is moving,
Calling us into relationship with God and with one another.
Calling us to speak words of truth.
Calling us to speak words of faith.
Calling us to speak words of justice for all.
Those who are like us and those different.
Come, let us worship in justice and truth today.
We sing: Life to the Brim
Life to the Brim, life overflowing
Life pouring out in compassion and grace
Spirit of God, well up within us
Bring us to life in this time and this place.
Life to the brim, life overflowing
Life flooding in from below and above
Spirit of God, pour out upon us
Bring us to faith and to hope and to love.
Come Holy Spirit
Lord and giver of life
Make us your people
Make us the body of Christ
Life to the brim, life overflowing
Foretaste and sign of the healing to come
Spirit of God, strengthen and guide us
Take us and use us ’til your kingdom’s come.
Prayer of Adoration
Big Spirit,
Colourful Spirit,
Noisy Spirit,
Energy of God.
Hear us as we pray.
You dreamt up the shapes of creation,
making a world of blue and green,
and we thank you.
You chose the colours for the rainbow,
you paint it across the sky,
and we thank you.
You make us restless for a new world,
willing us to work for peace,
and we thank you.
You challenge us to break down barriers,
to form friendships
with those others ignore,
and we thank you.
You get angry when
people are treated unfairly,
calling us to love everyone,
and we thank you.
You give us words to communicate
and music with which to sing them,
and we thank you.
Big Spirit,
Colourful Spirit,
Noisy Spirit,
Energy of God.
Hear us as we pray.
Amen.
Prayer of Confession
God of grace,
we confess that we do not always live as your people.
We turn away from what gives life,
and there are times when we fail one another.
Silence is held.
For all these things, God,
we are sorry.
Words of Grace
Hear the good news:
Through Jesus Christ
and by the power of the Holy Spirit,
God renews and restores us in love.
We are held in grace
and given new life.
Thanks be to God.
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
Introducing Gershon and Common Grace
Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-12
On the day of Pentecost all the Lord’s followers were together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak.
Many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in Jerusalem. And when they heard this noise, a crowd gathered. But they were surprised, because they were hearing everything in their own languages. They were excited and amazed, and said:
Don’t all these who are speaking come from Galilee? Then why do we hear them speaking our very own languages? Some of us are from Parthia, Media, and Elam. Others are from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya near Cyrene, Rome, Crete, and Arabia. Some of us were born Jews, and others of us have chosen to be Jews. Yet we all hear them using our own languages to tell the wonderful things God has done.
Everyone was excited and confused. Some of them even kept asking each other, “What does all this mean?”
Children’s Time (Exploring the Theme)
Children may go downstairs for Sunday School. Youth will stay for the whole service. Parents, you are welcome to join your young children in Sunday School if you feel they 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
Come Down, O Love Divine (Tadman-Robins/da Siena)
Scripture Reading
Acts 2:12-21
Everyone was excited and confused. Some of them even kept asking each other, “What does all this mean?”
Others made fun of the Lord’s followers and said, “They are drunk.”
Peter stood with the eleven apostles and spoke in a loud and clear voice to the crowd:
Friends and everyone else living in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I have to say! You are wrong to think that these people are drunk. After all, it is only nine o’clock in the morning. But this is what God told the prophet Joel to say,
When the last days come,
I will give my Spirit
to everyone.
Your sons and daughters
will prophesy.
Your young men
will see visions,
and your old men
will have dreams.
In those days I will give
my Spirit to my servants,
both men and women,
and they will prophesy.
“I will work miracles
in the sky above
and wonders
on the earth below.
There will be blood and fire
and clouds of smoke.
The sun will turn dark,
and the moon
will be as red as blood
before the great
and wonderful day
of the Lord appears.
Then the Lord
will save everyone
who asks for his help.”
Acts 2:42-47
They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together.
Everyone was amazed by the many miracles and wonders that the apostles worked. All the Lord’s followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever was in need. Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved.
May the Spirit of God open our eyes to see, our ears to hear,
and our hearts to understand.
Message
We sing: O Breath of Life
O breath of life, come sweeping through us,
revive your church with life and power;
O breath of life, come cleanse, renew us,
and fit your church to meet this hour.
O wind of God, come bend us, break us,
till humbly we confess our need;
then in your tenderness remake us,
revive, restore: for this we plead.
O breath of love, come breathe within us,
renewing thought and will and heart;
come, love of Christ, afresh to win us,
revive your church in every part.
Revive us, Lord! Is zeal abating
while harvest fields are vast and white?
Revive us, Lord, the world is waiting
equip your church to spread the light.
Responsive Action
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: In A Church That’s Moving Forward
In a church that’s moving forward,
this is where we long to be.
in a church with gifts abounding
and the grace to set them free.
in a church of many cultures,
in a church both old and young,
in a church of many accents
when the song of Christ is sung.
With a Lord who leads the mission
for a people on the way,
with a Lord who’s healing blindness,
lets the voiceless have their say.
with a Lord of every nation,
with a Lord of every place,
with a Lord who shines compassion
on to every tribe and race.
On a road that leads to wholeness
When we’re broken or unsure,
On a road to understanding
Where division finds a cure;
On a road where all may travel,
On a road where many roam,
On a road we walk together,
As we make our journey home.
Benediction
Choral Blessing
Shine Holy Spirit of Peace (R Nairn)
Extroit
It is appropriate to depart during the Extroit if you wish
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
Liturgy, Learning, & (Purposeful) Life (L3)
Dr Michelle Eastwood
© 2025, Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of South Australia
Words for Worship
© 2026, Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of South Australia
Spill the Beans
Spill the Beans Resource Team
Bible Readings are from the Common English Bible.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society
Photo by Paul Driver, at Moonta Bay.
Congregation
Hymns/Songs:
Life to the Brim
© 2011 Andrew Dutney
O Breath of Life
Together in Song 409
Elizabeth Ann Porter Head 1850-1936.
Public Domain.
In A Church That’s Moving Forward
Words: Andrew Williams © 2000,
Music: Nettleton (public domain),
Arrangement: Jennifer Hughes © 2022.
