Psalm 105: 1-6, 23-26, 45c

We shout your name and give you thanks, LORD;
……..we will tell everyone what you have done for us.
We sing your praises in your presence,
……..and publicise your wonderful achievements.

We put your name up in lights, your name alone;
……..our hearts burst with joy when we approach you.
It is you we want most of all, you and your strength;
……..we try to keep near to you all the time.

Like all the descendants of Abraham and Jacob,
……..and all your chosen children,
we remember all the astonishing things you have done
……..and the breath-taking wisdom of your decisions.

Your people turned up in Egypt;
……..yes, Jacob migrated to Africa.
You let them breed there like rabbits, LORD,
……..and they grew stronger than the native population.
The Egyptians grew fearful and bitter
……..and plotted to force your people into slavery.

You sent your trusty worker, Moses,
……..and his chosen right hand man, Aaron.

You are the greatest, LORD!

©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sing: Let Your Presence Fall

Call to Worship

Here in this place where we worship,
we stand on holy ground!

Here in this place
where songs of praise are sung,
we stand on holy ground!

Here in this place where prayers are said,
we stand on holy ground!

Come and hear God speak to your needs.

Come and let go of the burdens you carry.
Come and expect an encounter with God.

Be fully here in this sacred space.

Source: Spill The Beans – Narrative Lectionary – Issue 16

Sing: God of Abraham Praise

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Holy God,
we approach in awe.
We come into your presence
as Moses did:
slowly, cautiously, unsure of ourselves,
unsure of what, or whom we encounter.
Holy God, may we feel welcome in your presence, may we be bold and brave as we come.
Accept our prayers of love
yet, even as we approach,
we become aware of our place, our weakness and our lives. In silence now we name our shadows…
things which lurk in the darkness,
away from your burning light.
Silence
Holy God, forgive us we pray,
accept our humble petitions
so that freed from our burdens we may worship you In this place,
this day.
Amen.

Source: Spill The Beans – Narrative Lectionary – Issue 16

Prepare to hear today’s scripture

Readings:

Exodus 3:1-15
Romans 12:9-21
Matthew 16:21-28

Story:

*Temporary Password GUNGUCFF2020

https://vimeo.com/452523332

Sing: How Great Is Our God

Reflection

https://vimeo.com/452462748

Prayers for others – 30 August 2020

Compassionate God, we thank you for your great love.  In a world which, for many, feels turbulent and uncertain, we call for your guidance and peace.

We pray for all who have lost their jobs or their businesses. We pray for those who are worried and anxious about their future. Guide them and grant them the hope they need.

We lift up the medical teams, heath professionals and researchers who continue to play a crucial role during the pandemic. Protect and restore them, providing new energy as they provide care and solve problems each day.

We pray for political and business decision makers in our nation and community. Grant them wisdom. May they lead with empathy, justice and compassion.

We continue to pray for greater wisdom and responsibility in our stewardship of this earth. May the world community and individuals answer your call to share resources to alleviate poverty, injustice and disease.

Loving God, we pray for those whose lives are troubled by illness and for those who care for them. Send healing and strength. We ask for your comfort and peace for those who grieve.

We pray for those who feel isolated or lonely. Send your light and love to give them the assurance and hope they need. May they find the support they need through family, friends and other services.

We pray for all who touch our lives – our family, our friends and those within the community. We pray for deepening friendships and relationships, and a greater awareness of the needs of others for support and encouragement. Help us to respond to those needs and show your love.

We lift up these prayers in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

Brooke Kilah

Prayer

for what shall we pray, O God?
where there is death,
let us offer life,
where there is brokenness,
let us be healers,
where there is loneliness,
let us offer a welcome.
for what shall we pray, O Jesus?
where there is cruelty,
let us seek justice,
where there is bitterness,
let us sow kindness,
where there is hatred,
let us offer hands of love.
for what shall we pray O Spirit?
where there is anger,
let us be the breath of hope,
where there is violence,
let us be peacemakers,
where neighbourhoods are in ruins,
let us rebuild communities.
for what shall we pray?
for more tenderness than tensions,
for more listening than lecturing,
for more forgiving than pointing fingers,
for more concern for the forgotten than the favoured,
for more humanity than hatred.
hear our prayers, God in Community, Holy in One,
hear our prayers, Amen.

Source:  2020 Thom M. Shuman

Sing: I The Lord of Sea and Sky

Sending

We walk on holy ground
every day of our lives.
We take God with us from this place to bless and guide our steps
this day and always.

Source: Spill The Beans – Narrative Lectionary – Issue 16

Welcome to this week’s worship resources. This week we encourage you to dive into the scripture and hear again the story of Jesus walking on the water and reflect on how this story meets us this week.

Perhaps you might choose one prayer to pray daily, or commit to listening to two songs each day, or reading one of the bible verses every two days?

Faith At Home.

This week we invite you to take the Psalm 67 and rewrite it in your own words. Perhaps you’d like to write your own psalm of blessing, giving thanks to God for all God’s created and given.

Perhaps you might like to go a little further and put it to music, an old hymn, or tune, or perhaps write one of your own.

Grateful

As you make space this weekend think back on your week, what are you grateful for? Spend some time giving thanks to God.

Call to Worship

We come with questions.
We struggle with patience.
We open our hearts to the Lord.

We come in search of answers.
We journey with uncertainty.
We put out trust in the Lord.

Let us worship God together.

Source: Spill The Beans Issue 23

Song: The Earth Has Yielded It’s Harvest

PSALM 67 (Another Version for Today)

Be gracious to us, O God, and bless us;
make your face shine upon us.
Knowing your ways in the earth,
your saving works among all the nations,
let the peoples praise you, O God,
let all the peoples praise you.
Let them shout with joy,
for you judge the nations with justice,
and guide the peoples of the earth.
Let the people praise you, O God,
let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has presented its produce;
you continue to bless us, O God, our God.
May God bless us –
and be held in holy awe to all the ends of the earth.

Source: The Billabong

Song: Psalm 67

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

God who holds us in the depths
and on the mountaintop
we seek your face in worship.

We seek your face to shine
on our questions,
on our certainties,
on our challenges,
on our consolation.

Here in this place,
we know the freedom to sing your praise
while we also ask:
How long, O Lord?

How long before we see your justice?
How long before we see your creation restored?
How long O Lord?

Even as we ask these questions,
we acknowledge our complicity
in all that ails our world.
We acknowledge that often
we do not play our part in sharing love,
in holding out peace.

The things we do too often differentiate
and discriminate and make your kingdom less.

So, Lord, hear our confession,
hear our cry for forgiveness and our pledge,
with your help, to do better.

And then help us who know
we can count on your love
and your forgiveness
to go and make a difference.
To use what you reveal to us here
to restore creation
according to your will.

Amen.

Source: Spill The Beans Issue 23

Story: Something Beautiful

https://youtu.be/Ma_DzzeNuVE

Song: Sharing The Road

Readings:

Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
Psalm 67
Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

Song: I’ll Praise My Maker

Reflection – On Blessings

https://vimeo.com/448216471

Song: We Are Blessed

Prayers for Others

When upon the storms of life you’re tossed about,
When you are discouraged, and begin to doubt,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done

Heavenly Father, we are tossed about upon the storms of life.
We share anxiety and uncertainty about COVID-19
and its impact on health, comfort and wellbeing.
We also may have individual storms of life.
Whilst easier said than done,
we pray for Your encouragement
to count our blessings and be mindful of how much You have done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

Lord God, we think of those with significant health concerns for themselves or loved ones.
Continue to share these loads of care and place Your encouraging and healing hands over these situations.
Grant us peace to be mindful of the access to health services, the skill and resilience of health professionals
and the diligence and focus of scientific researchers, especially in developing a COVID-19 vaccine.

When you look at others with their lands and gold.
Thing that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Almighty Lord, many also face challenges to economic wellbeing due to unemployment or other adjustments that create difficulties to making ends meet.
Remind us of our ultimate citizenship in Heaven and of how fortunate we are to have care from loved ones, access to support services and a relatively peaceful society.

So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Good Shepherd, You are over all, nothing can separate us from Your love and You hear our prayers.
Minister to us through Your Holy Spirit, Your angels and Your Church.
Thank you for the encouragement and friendship shared throughout the Gungahlin Uniting Church community.

Count your blessings, name them one by one:
Count your blessings see what God has done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God has done. AMEN

Ian Bartholomew, August 2020

Blessing Prayer

Using the letters in the word “Blessing” write your own prayer of thanks to God for the blessings you’re thankful for and again write a prayer for help in serving your neighbours this week.

B

L

E

S

S

I

N

G

B

L

E

S

S

I

N

G

Song: For Everyone Born

Sending & Blessing

Send us out, O God!
To speak your words
to a waiting world
and share those words with all who hear.