Welcome to the Sunday Online Worship 19/09/2021 of the Eastern Region of the Riverina Presbytery. This service includes some pre-recorded videos prepared by the region in addition to some music videos.
HYMN: “All Creatures that on earth do dwell”
The first hymn, “All creatures that on earth do dwell”, is sung at The Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich. If you have problems connecting you can go directly to YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xM6Ke4lKJM
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 19/09/2021 from the Eastern Region of the Riverina Presbytery. Today we will be looking at the letter of James and exploring the nature of wisdom.
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.
Blessed are those who follow the ways of the Lord, for God’s ways are just and merciful. Those who follow God’s ways will be nourished in their faith and they will prosper. Come, let us open our hearts to God’s compassionate love and pray (based on Psalm 1).
OPENING PRAYER
Gracious God, we thank you for the family & friends you have given us in Christ Jesus. We pray that you will bless us as we gather today to worship you today and to seek your wisdom and to care for one another. Help us to hear your Word and to do your will. Grant that joy and peace may fill every heart and that in this place we might become more deeply in love with you and with our neighbours. We ask it in the name of Jesus, our Lord, our brother, and our friend. Amen.
O God, we live our lives as best we can—dealing with difficult relationships and situations, putting failures and disappointments behind us, and moving into each new day with as much energy, goodwill, and optimism as we can muster. But here, right now, we seldom have the right answers, we seldom seek your higher wisdom in our lives, we just move ahead. Forgive us for not asking for your insight. Fill us with your wisdom, that we may live lives of goodness and peace. Amen.
When we come before God in humility and honesty, God draws near to us with forgiveness and renewed blessing (based on James 3). Hear then, the good news, through Christ our sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God!
BIBLE READINGS
Today’s readings are read to us in the video below by Ros Robinson from Cootamundra Uniting Church and are from James 3:13 – 4:3, 7 and the Gospel of Mark 9:30-37.
MUSICAL REFLECTION
The musical reflection for today is, “The perfect wisdom of our God” (by Keith & Kristyn Getty), sung by Arianna Hume. If you have problems connecting you can go directly to YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig_kpm_IQIs
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 John Milnes from Cootamundra Uniting Church. 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.
BLESSING
May God draw near to you and strengthen you, may Christ Jesus teach you the ways of simplicity, and may the Holy Spirit fill you with wisdom and make you fruitful in peace and righteousness. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
HYMN: “Will your anchor hold”
The closing hymn, “Will your anchor hold”, is sung at St. Alban’s in Leeds, England. If you have problems connecting you can go directly to YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTfypuXwrMA
POSTLUDE: “Garden”
Today’s postlude is “Garden”, which is sung at Leichhardt Uniting Church in Sydney. It was composed by one of the singers, Mikali Anagnostis. 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=ob5dAbmnn2o&t=16s
RESOURCES – ONLINE WORSHIP 19/09/2021:
- All music in the Vimeo videos was purchased as royalty free and not requiring acknowledgment.
- The Prayers of the people are from “Prayers in the time of a pandemic”, https://www.sydneycatholic.org/pdf/2020/Prayers-in-Time-of-a-Pandemic-v3.0s.pdf, retrieved 18/09/2021.
- Readings: Photo by Robert Bye on Unsplash.
