Sunday 7 February 2016 9am

WELCOME, NOTICES & CELEBRATIONS

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

 

HYMN: Great is Your Faithfulness

Great is your faithfulness, O God my Father,
there is no shadow of turning from me;
You do not change: your compassions, they fail not;
as you have been you forever will be.

Great is your faithfulness!

Great is your faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
all I have needed your hand has provided.
Great is your faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

 

Summer and winter, and spring time and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to your great faithfulness, mercy and love…

 

Pardon for sin and a peace all enduring,
Your own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!… ©T Chisholm Hope Publishing

 

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING

 

OFFERING

 

LEARNING FOR ALL

 

SONG: He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands

He’s got the whole world in his hands (x4)

 

He’s got the the itsy tiny baby in his hands…(x3)
He’s got the whole world in his hands

 

He’s got you and me, brother in his hands
He’s got you and me sister in his hands
He’s got you and me cuzzie in his hands
He’s got the whole world in his hands.

 

He’s got the mommas and the poppas in his hands
He’s got the grandpas and the grandmas in his hands
He’s got the aunties and the uncles in his hands
He’s got the whole world in his hands.

 

He’s got the movers and the shakers in his hands
He’s got the thinkers and the workers in his hands
He’s got the singers and the musos in his hands
He’s got the whole world in his hands.

 

READINGS:               Psalm 15         Judith Mackay

Matt 5: 1-13     Wayne Barton

 

MESSAGE

 

HYMN: Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down,

fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown.

 

Jesu, thou art all compassion, pure unbounded love thou art;

visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart.

 

Come, almighty, to deliver, let us all thy life receive;

suddenly return, and never, never more thy temples leave.

 

Thee we would be always blessing, serve thee as thy hosts above, pray, and praise thee, without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love.

 

Finish then thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be,

let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee.

 

Changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,

til we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.

©C Wesley (WOV148i)

 

PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION (on screen):

 

HYMN: Nothing is Lost on the Breath of God          ©Shirley Murray (FFS)

Nothing is lost on the breath of God, nothing is lost forever;
God’s breath is love, and that love will remain,

holding the world forever.

No feather too light, no hair too fine, no flower too brief in its glory,
no drop in the ocean, no dust in the air,

but is counted and told in God’s story.

 

Nothing is lost to the eyes of God, nothing is lost forever;
God sees with love, and that love will remain,
holding the world forever.

No journey too far, no distance too great,

no valley of darkness too blinding,
no creature too humble, no child too small
for God to be seeking and finding.

 

Nothing is lost to the heart of God,
nothing is lost forever;
God’s heart is love, and that love will remain,
holding the world forever.

No impulse of love, no office of care,
no moment of life in its fulness,
no beginning too late, no ending too soon,
but is gathered and known in its goodness

 

CONFESSION

 

PEACE

 

GREAT THANKSGIVING

 

SUNG LORD’S PRAYER:

 

COMMUNION is served

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH:

Blessed Trinity, in remembrance of all you have done to save us,
we offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:

Christ has come among us. Christ has died.
Christ has risen. Christ abides with us. Christ will come again.

Abba, Father! Let your kingdom come!
We glorify your name! We glorify your name!

Come, Lord Jesus! Be our daily bread. We glorify your name!
We glorify your name! Holy Spirit! Send us to the world.
We glorify your name! We glorify your name!

Lord, you now have set your servants free

to go in peace as you have promised.
For these eyes of ours have seen the Saviour
whom you have prepared for all the world to see!

Blessing and honour and glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

 

HYMN: In this Familiar Place                                  ©Colin Gibson (AA)

In this familiar place I know the mystery of your grace.

For the love that I receive, for the truth that I believe,
I praise and thank you for this here and now.

 

In halting song and word the music of your voice is heard. For…

 

Among these friends of mine I taste the company divine. For…

 

Within this narrow sphere I learn that you are everywhere. For…

 

SENDING FORTH: You have seen the Saviour. Go now in peace. And the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One in Three and Three in One, go with you.

 

 

NOTICES

A very warm welcome to all who worship with us this morning. Please stay for morning tea following the service. Many thanks to Alan Webster for leading our worship today.

 

FROM THE SESSION CLERK:

‘To answer many of your questions – ‘No’ – we still have not heard from Presbytery re finance for our church’s building project. However, now that the year is finally getting underway, we envisage a decision will be made very soon. Session appreciate it has been a long wait, but knowing the very thorough approach that St Martin’s took to completing forms and ensuring that all the ‘i’s were dotted and the ‘t’s crossed, we are maintaining our positive stance that ‘good news’ will not be too far away. We’ll keep you posted.’

 

FROM THE TREASURER: Total raised at last week’s clothing and bake sale was $890.50. Well Done!!

 

WEDNESDAY WALKERS 10th February: Meet outside the Bus Exchange (cnr Colombo/Lichfield Sts) at 9.30am. We will explore the Margaret Mahy playground and the reopened Art Gallery. Coffee at The Villas, Montreal St. All welcome. Sorry, not a dog friendly walk. Sue 960 7657.

 

APW meets at St James’ Barrington St on Wednesday 10th February at 9.45am. There will be a speaker from Christchurch City Library, and a Sales Table. All welcome. Allison 332 0554.

 

CRAFTY CRAFTERS: Thursdays 10am-12 noon in the Lounge. $3.

 

ARTICLES for next ‘Messenger’ are now required. Please make sure Anneke has any contributions by 19th Feb.

 

PARISH OFFICE: Wednesday & Thursday 9am – 12 noon, Fridays 9-11am Ph 332 6192. Email:stmartpresch@xtra.co.nz. Website:www.stmartins.org.nz. Please make sure Anna has any notices by 9am Thursday.

 

ST JAMES’ MEN’S MUSTER: Meet 15th February 6.30pm at St James’ to carpool for a visit to Theophany Loudspeakers. Roger Allen.

 

“BLOOM” Exhibition 1-28 Feb: Visitor Lounge, Canterbury Museum. Free. Poetry, stories, flowers – marking the 5th anniversary of the 22 Feb quake.

 

ALPINE PRESBYTERY newsletter is on the noticeboard in the Lounge.

 

FLORAL PASSION: Floral costumes by Jenny Gillies and floral installations by Patricia Proctor 5-15 February at the Transitional Cathedral. Tickets available from www.eventfinda.co.nz; 0800 289 849 or from the Cathedral.

 

14th CHCH Boys’ Brigade is starting in the second week of February. BB is a fun filled Christian based programme for boys aged 5-19 yrs old. We operate in three sections, Anchor 5-7 years, Team Adventure 8-10 years and Company Xtreme 11-19 years old.  It is an action packed programme geared for Young Kiwi guys. Anchor and Team meet on a Thursday night and Company on a Friday night at Beckenham Methodist. Stephen Gregory 337 2296, info@14thbb.org.nz or visit www.14thbb.org.nz  Accept the Challenge!

 

SUMMER OF FUN DAY @ St Mark’s Anglican Church, 101 Opawa Rd,  Saturday 13th February 10am-1pm. All are welcome.

 

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK: Sun 7th Kim; Thu 11th William; Sat 13th Margot.