2 October 2016 – Pentecost 20
Coming Together as part of God’s Family
WELCOME:
CALL TO WORSHIP: Gather us in, the lost and the lonely. The broken and breaking, the tired and the aching, all who long for the knowing they belong, found at your feast.
God of belonging, you call us to your feast.
The aged and the young ones,
The faithful and the doubting, the rich and the poor,
The hurting, the tired, the sad, and the joyful.
God of belonging, you call us to your feast.
From fears and obsession, from tears and depression,
From untold excesses, from treasured successes,
God of belonging, you call us to your feast.
To meet, to eat, to be called by name again,
To know we belong, and we have a place and part to play.
Here at this feast. God of belonging, gather us in,
We gather in the presence of our grace filled God.
HYMN: Each Breath is Borrowed Air (Tune: Diademata)
Each breath is borrowed air, not ours to keep and own,
And all our breaths as one declare what wisdom long has known:
To live is to receive and answer back with praise
To what our minds cannot conceive: the source of all our days.
The sea flows in our veins. The dust of stars is spun
To form the coiled, encoded skeins by which our cells are run:
From earth and sea and dust arise yet greater things,
The wonders born of love and trust, a grateful heart that sings:
And when our death draws near and tries to dim our song,
Our parting prayers will make it clear to whom we still belong:
(Thomas Troeger)
OPENING PRAYER:
HYMN: Loving Spirit (Tune Ellen ©David Dell)
Loving Spirit, loving Spirit, you have chosen me to be –
you have drawn me to your wonder, you have set your sign on me.
Like a mother you enfold me, hold my life within your own,
feed me with your very body, form me of your flesh and bone.
Like a father you protect me, teach me the discerning eye,
hoist me up upon your shoulder, let me see the world from high.
Friend and lover, in your closeness I am known and held and blessed: in your promise is my comfort, in your presence I may rest.
Loving Spirit, loving Spirit, you have chosen me to be –
you have drawn me to your wonder, you have set your sign on me. ©Shirley Murray (CH4 597)
Listening to a Word from God
READING: Luke 14:15-24 Jesus tells a parable about an invitation to sit down together around a table for dinner. People offer excuses saying they have more important things to do. The response from the master is to invite others who might be considered less worthy…… Have you ever counted up the number of times Jesus uses a meal together to tell us something about the life he offers to share with us all? Gilly Penwell
ADDRESS: The Table
Responding to God’s Word
A TIME OF QUIET: In the stillness listen for what God is saying to you
PRAYING: Our thanks and our concerns
OFFERING:
Celebrating the Lord’s Supper
HYMN: Welcome, Welcome (Tune: Amazing Grace WOV 56)
Welcome, welcome! The door’s open,
There’s room for all who come,
The table’s laid, the meal prepared
Enough for everyone.
Welcome, welcome! This is God’s feast,
A meal like no other;
Where rich and poor, and great and least,
Are sister and brother.
Welcome, welcome! Come join the throng,
Enjoy the wine and bread;
We eat and drink as friends of Christ,
Our hearts and souls are fed.
This is God’s feast where we are loved,
Your fears, your sins, release;
So come and share with heads held high,
The welcome of God’s peace.
THE WELCOME:
This is the Lord’s Supper. We gather here because God calls to us. As many different people, men, women and children, we come together.
We come because we believe in God’s amazing love. God knows each of us by name, and God rejoices in each one of us. God invites us to come ‘just as we are’.
GREETING EACH OTHER BY NAME:
THE PREPARATION:
The Living God is with us! And with all creation!
Lift up your hearts! We lift them to the Living God.
Let us give thanks to the Creator of all who loves us with the faithful care of a father and mother. For this reason we join with all creation to proclaim your glory:
Holy, Holy, Holy One, God of power, God of love.
Earth, sea and sky are full of your glory.
With joy we praise you! With joy we praise you! Amen!
We praise you holy and gracious Creator, source of life…with one another, and with all your creatures.
But we have so often turned from your love and wisdom. The song we sing is often out of tune with you, with our neighbours and fellow creatures. Now all around we see the tragic harvest of the selfish seeds we have sown.
Yet through it all, you remain faithful to us…Jesus, our light and our teacher.
Living among us he proclaimed a new Way. He broke bread with outcasts and those who knew failure. He taught us to love neighbour, stranger, outsider, and enemy. He shone the light that leads us from violence to peace, from fear to faith, from rivalry to mutual service, and from worry and greed to generosity and joy.
On the night before he died…that as disciples of Jesus we may bring this healing and enlightenment into the world.
THE SHARING OF THE MEAL: You are invited to come forward and share this meal by taking bread and dipping it into the wine.
The body of Christ is broken for you…. The blood of Christ is given for you….
Going Out to Reshape the World
As we have been fed around God’s table of grace, let us go forth in grace and hospitality to others.
THE DEDICATION:
Christ our life: You are alive in the beauty of the earth, in the wonder of spring’s abundant new life.
Christ our life: You are alive in the tenderness of touch, in the heart-beat of intimacy, in the insights of solitude.
Christ our life: You are alive in the creative possibility of the dullest conversation, and the most awesome of happenings.
Christ our life: You are alive to offer re-creation to every unhealed hurt, every damaged heart, and to every deadened place.
The dance of your Spirit soars and surges throughout the whole of creation. So we go from here with renewed courage to be your people, your body, to bring life into our world and community!
SAYING TOGETHER: The Lord’s Prayer
HYMN: Christ be Our Light © Bernadette Farrell (CH4 543)
Longing for light, we wait in darkness. Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people, light for the world to see.
Christ, be our light, Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light, shine in your church gathered today.
Longing for peace, our world is troubled. Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has pow’r to save us. Make us your living voice…
Longing for shelter, many are homeless. Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others, walls made of living stone…
Many the gifts, many the people, many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another, making your kingdom come…
BENEDICTION:
SINGING: Joy Be In Thy Heart (sung through twice)
Joy be in thy heart, Peace be in thy spirit,
Compassion be thy journey, Love be in thee.
Joy be in my heart, Peace be in my spirit,
Compassion be my journey, Love be in me.
NEXT SUNDAY 9th OCTOBER 10am: We will be at Beckenham Methodist. Please bring a plate for morning tea as we say thank you to our brothers and sisters in Christ for their gifts of generosity and hospitality.
NOTICES:
A very warm welcome to all who worship with us this morning. Please stay for morning tea following the service.
2017 FUNDRAISING CALENDARS still available. $20. Please see Charlotte Houston or Judith Mackay.
PARISH BREAKFAST Sunday 30th October 8.30am. All are welcome.
WEDNESDAY WALKERS 5th October: Meet 9.30am at Oderings, near the main entrance, for a walk around Spreydon/Addington. Coffee at Oderings.
All welcome. Sonya 027 253 3397.
FOR YOUR DIARIES: Garage Sale on site at 43 St Martins Rd Saturday 10th December. Details to follow.
NO CRAFTY CRAFTERS this Thursday.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD shoeboxes need to be returned by Sunday 16th October please.
Reverse Greed…Heal the Earth seminar at Knox Centre, 28 Bealey Ave, 5.30 – 7pm Thursday 6th October: Reverse Greed in Energy & Transport.
INDUCTION of Rev Silvia Purdie at Cashmere Presbyterian Church on Sunday 9th October at 7pm. All are welcome to attend.
SOUTH BRIGHTON CHORAL SOCIETY with Chillingham Voices (NSW) present “Notes Across the Tasman” Wednesday 12th October 7.30pm at The Piano: Centre for Music and the Arts, 156 Armagh St. Tickets $15 adults and $5 for children available from Lyndsey McKay.
OPAWA ST MARTINS ANGLICAN PARISH SPRING CARNIVAL Saturday 15th October 8.30am – 12 noon at St Mark’s 101 Opawa Rd. All are welcome.
ORGAN CONCERT AT ST ANDREW’S AT RANGI RURU Sunday 9th October, 2.30pm. John Dodgson at the organ, featuring Sibelius’ FINLANDIA. Entry $12.00
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.
INTERIM MINISTER: Rev Dugald Wilson 380 5024; dugaldwil@gmail.com
BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK: Sun 2nd Jeremy; Mon 3rd Lyn S; Wed 5th David H, David B
