Welcome to the Sunday Online Worship 12/09/2021 of the Eastern Region of the Riverina Presbytery. This service includes some pre-recorded videos and some YouTube music videos.
HYMN: “TELL OUT MY SOUL”
Let us worship together, and sing if you are able, our first hymn, which is “Tell out my soul”. Sung at St.Anne’s Catherdral, Belfast. The video is in the window below and if you have problems connecting you can go directly to YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6ji4y9Q-K0
WELCOME & CALL TO WORSHIP
The ‘Call to Worship’ and ‘Opening Prayers’, which are in the video below, are led by Rev. Keith Robinson. The words are underneath the video.
Welcome to the Sunday online worship for 12/09/2021 from the Eastern Region of the Riverina Presbytery. Today we will be looking at the Letter of James and be reminded that our words are powerful and can be used for good or ill.
As we begin our worship, let us also acknowledge the Wiradjuri people. They are the first inhabitants of our region, and part of God’s good creation. We honour them for their care of the land, on which we live today.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God, let us proclaim the glory of God in our worship. All of creation expresses who God is; may we see each other as expressions of God, made in Christ’s image. May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to God; and may we follow the way of Christ with our whole lives. Let us pray
PRAYER
Merciful God, we confess that we are not always careful with our words or our actions. We express our own hurt, anger, frustration, resentment, without thought of its wider impact; and we label people with names that put them down, sometimes unintentionally. We gossip and spread rumours about others, and say things that are not quite true in order to look or feel better. We confess these hurtful words and ask your forgiveness.
Help us to follow your ways of love and grace. May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to you, Oh God. Help us to show love in all we say and all we do. We pray these things in Christ, Amen.
In the letter of James we hear: ‘Humble yourselves before the Lord, and you will be lifted up’ (James 4:10). Therefore, the good news is that through Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God!
BIBLE READINGS
Today’s readings are read to us in the video below by Rev. Keith Robinson and are from James 3:1-12 and the Gospel of Mark 8:27-38. In the Letter of James we are reminded that our words are powerful and can be used for good or ill. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus asks his disciples, “who do you say I am?” and Peter proclaims Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus warns his followers there will be sacrifices to make if they follow him.
MUSICAL REFLECTION
Wendy Ritchie sings the musical reflection for today: ‘I heard the voice of Jesus say’. The video is in the window below and if you have problems connecting you can go directly to YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74kyfROS4q8
REFLECTION
The speaker is Rev. Keith Robinson, and there is a video of the message in the window below.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & LORD’S PRAYER
Go to the video below for the ‘Prayers of the people’, which are led by Ros Robinson & Rev. Keith Robinson. The video includes the Lord’s Prayer & a closing blessing by Keith.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and 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.
WORD OF MISSION & BLESSING
May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to God, may we take up our cross and follow Christ, and may the Holy Spirit empower us to proclaim our faith by our words and our deeds. Amen.
HYMN: “GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS”
The video for the closing hymn, “Great is your faithfulness”, is in the window below. If you have problems connecting you can go directly to YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGNrtJsuEM8&t=51s
POSTLUDE:
Today’s postlude is ”Lord of all hopefulness” (Slane), sung by the choir of St. Alban’s Cathedral, Hertfordshire, England. The video is in the window below and if you have problems connecting you can go directly to YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8mti7VL3gg&t=92s
RESOURCES for Online Worship 12/09/2021:
- The call to worship, opening prayer and blessing were based on:
Lay Leaders Liturgy: Worship Resources, Sunday 12 September 2021, MediaCom EDUCATION. - All music in the Vimeo videos was purchased as royalty free and not requiring acknowledgment.
