Two widows, one sailor cum lighthouse keeper and his wife, one master of customs and his wife, one overseer and his wife and three ladies began meeting in a Flag Street parlour one-hundred and seventy-two years ago. And here we are today having been through good times and bad, unhappy times and joyful times, and still doing what that first ‘gathered community’ did – give praise to God and serve him with all our hearts and minds and souls. We can look back with nostalgia. But what is more important is that we look forward with hope and vision to build ‘temples’ by our work, witness and service.
Our 172nd church anniversary was a time to remember but also to recall that what we do today is part of building a glorious tomorrow. We can keep harking back to what was. However, our constancy mirrors the constancy of God in Christ through the power of the spirit transforming our lives and the lives of all we count as being part of our family – the new gathered community of believers.
An extraordinarily large congregation gathered for the anniversary. It included Margaret McMurtrie’s Colin & Christine over from Canada for Margaret’s birthday. That birthday was remembered in the service with the singing of ‘Happy Birthday’ and cake! Those attending the service were welcomed by Karen Abram and Ann Shadbolt. Wendy Slattery led our opening prayers and Karen and Ann read the scripture passages. They with Robert Wadsworth distributed the bread and wine at the sacrament. The organist was John Gibson. The service was led by Tom Birch.
WORDS ON WHICH TO MEDITATE AS WE PREPARE FOR WORSHIP
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the Lord’s house.”
And now we are here,
standing inside the gates of Jerusalem!
This is where the tribes come …
to give thanks to the Lord according to his command.
(Psalm 122, parts.)
GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
THE CALL TO WORSHIP
How I love your Temple,
Lord Almighty!
How I want to be there!
I long to be in the Lord’s Temple.
With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God.
The Lord is our protector and glorious king.
Lord Almighty,
how happy are those who trust in you!
HYMN 34: Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty (Tune: Nicaea. Music: JB Dykes. Words: Reginald Heber.)
PRAYERS OF ADORATION AND CONFESSION
HYMN 195: I danced in the morning when the world was begun (Tune: Shaker tune. Music: Adapted by Sydney Carter arranged by John Birch. Words: Sydney Carter.)
NOTICES FOR THE COMING WEEK AND WE OFFER OUR MORNING GIFTS
OFFERING PRAYER
God,
we bring our gifts to you in grateful praise for all you have done for us.
We offer them that they may be used to build living stones for your service.
We offer ourselves to be built into the living stones of the future.
What we offer now are symbols of our love for you,
and a token of your great investment in us.
Honour our faith,
that from these small beginnings may grow evidence of your love,
justice and peace.
AMEN
THE WORD OF GOD
OLD TESTAMENT READING: 1 Chronicles, Chapter 29, Verses 6 to 19
Bench ‘Good News Bible’ Old Testament page 426: David hands over to Solomon the architectural plans for the temple and ‘officially’ hands over the throne. David is paralleled with Moses in this book. Just as Moses did not make it into the promised land, so David does not get to build the temple. The temple is not merely for Israel but for God-fearing people throughout the world. With the building of the temple the people are finally home.
EPISTLE: Ephesians, Chapter 2, Verses 19 to 22
Bench ‘Good News Bible’ New Testament page 242: The author would advise that the past be forgotten. However, the caution is one regarding remembrance: remember the life of the past; remember as a means to thanksgiving, praise and service; remember those who are now part of God’s household. The remembering is for us to reflect that status in our actions.
HYMN 376: This is the day the Lord has made (Tune: Richmond. Music: Melody by Thomas Hawes as adapted by Samuel Webbe. Words: Psalm 118; Part 4 (based on vv 24, 26) of paraphrase by Isaac Watts.)
GOSPEL: John, Chapter 2, Verse 13 to 22
Bench ‘Good News Bible’ New Testament page 119: The passage concerns claims about the identity of Jesus and the varying responses to those claims. The disciples do not completely understand who he is. However, they always connect him with the fulfillment of scripture. Others fail to understand and eventually oppose him to corrupt the law and derive from it a personal profit.
- A WORD IN SEASON
- HYMN 567: Thy hand, O God, has guided thy flock, from age to age (Tune: Thornbury. Music: Basil Harwood. Words: EH Plumptree.)
OUR RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD
THE INVITATION TO THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION AND THE GRACIOUS WORDS
The risen Christ came and stood among the disciples and said:
‘Peace be with you!’
Then they were glad when they saw the Lord.
Alleluia!
The peace of the risen Christ be always with us.
HYMN 600: Christ is the world’s Light, he and none other (Tune: Christe sanctorum. Music: Melody from Paris Antiphoner harmonised by David Evans. Words: F Pratt Green.)
THE PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
- THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE BREAD AND WINE
TIME OF QUIET REFLECTION
Loving God,
there are times when in your house we have been less than living stones.
Times when we have been dull in worship,
slow in service and lax in love not making everyone welcome.
Thank you,
Living God,
you who raises stone and temple to make a place of encounter with you,
a place to worship the one and only God.
Raise us up that we may be temples to your glory.
May we recognise the places when we encounter you in Christ because
Jesus comes to build us up in to a spiritual house for your glory,
a people who have shared in worship here round this table.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN 712: All people that on earth do dwell (Tune: Old Hundredth. Music: Later form of melody in the German Psalter. Words: Psalm 100 metrical version by William Kethe.)
- PRAYER OF DISMISSAL
Loving God, guide your people, strengthen, equip and inspire each one for service, and so may we, with them, joyfully serve you, sensitively proclaim you,
and faithfully express your love for all.