Easter 2C
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Easter 4C
Easter 5C
Easter 6C
Easter 7C
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Easter 4C LECTIONARY GENERATED LITURGY Easter 4 C Acts 9:36-43 ; Psalm 23; Revelation 7:9-17; John 10:22-30 . Rec text - NRSV. Hymns are from the Australian Hymn Book (AHB) or Together in Song ( TIS) unless otherwise indicated. Worship Leader - normal type. Congregational responses - bold type Permission is granted to churches to use this material in services of worship. This liturgy remains the property of Moira B Laidlaw Additional resources for Easter 4C: Picture of sheep; Australian Prayers. Bruce D Prewer, Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide,1983 . Other worthwhile resources: “A Meditation on Psalm 23” by Marjorie J. Thompson in Weavings, Volume ix, Number 3 “Listening”, May/June 1994, The Upper Room, Nashville USA - Weavings is an excellent resource and is available from Mediacom, PO Box 610, Unley, SA 5061; “Because the Lord is my Shepherd”by Christopher Walker - Hymn 66 in As One Voice; Willow Connection Pty Ltd, DeeWhy NSW 2099; “The Lord is my Shepherd” set to a Traditional Cornish Melody - Hymn 82 in Sing Alleluia, Supplement to the Australian Hymn Book, Collins Liturgical Australia, Blackburn, Victoria 3130,1988; “The Lord’s my Shepherd” paraphrased by Jane Parker Huber, Hymn 20 in Singing in Celebration, Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, Kentucky. CALL TO WORSHIP : based on Revelation 7 verses 9,10,15 -17. There was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes, nations and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb!” They worship God day and night and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; ALL: for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. TIS 233/AHB 176: “I will sing the wondrous story” TIS 10/AHB 16: “The Lord’s my shepherd.” TIS 108/AHB 26: “You holy angels bright” TIS 588/AHB 504: “ In heavenly love abiding” PRAYER OF ADORATION AND CONFESSION We praise you, O God, for giving shape and meaning to the ancient image of yourself as shepherd through the person of Jesus Christ. In him, your compassion has been eternally revealed, giving your rod and staff the human face of love. Through Jesus’ persistence-even to death - in seeking and saving the lost, your goodness and mercy has been abundantly experienced. His ongoing life continues to guide and lead us in paths of righteousness. How can we do other than praise and adore you, O God, for such depth of care for us and how can we do other than listen to Jesus’ voice as he calls us to follow him. And yet, we confess that there are times when we fail to hear and obey his call because our lives are so filled with noise and self-centred activities. Forgive us, O God, for the times when we put our own comfort first and fail to reach out and accompany those who are going through difficult times - those who feel imprisoned in a valley of shadows and find themselves overwhelmed by life. Jesus, good shepherd, help us to take the time and make the space to hear your call to us. The call to reveal your love, compassion and comfort wherever you need us to bind up the wounds of the victims of today’s society. (silent confession) Forgive us, O God, for ignoring the plight of those deprived of the basic necessities of life - food and shelter. Jesus, good shepherd, help us to take the time and make the space to hear your call to us. The call to reveal in tangible and authentic ways, your passion for those who feel powerless to make any changes for good in their lives. (silent confession) Forgive us, O God, for enjoying the benefits of your goodness and mercy in our lives while exercising judgmental or unmerciful attitudes towards other people. Jesus, good shepherd, help us to take the time and make the space to hear your call to us. The call to empty ourselves of all that is contrary to your life within us so that your goodness and mercies are enjoyed not as rewards to be hoarded but as gifts to be shared. In your name, we pray. Amen ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS : Jesus himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins we might live for righteousness; by his wounds we have been healed. For we were going astray like sheep, but now have been returned to the shepherd and guardian of our souls. (based on 1 Peter 2:24 ) So, hear the good news: In Jesus Christ we are sought, we are found, we are forgiven. Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honour, power and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 7: 12 ) A WORD WITH THE CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE A picture of sheep. Ask the children/young people if they have had any experience of looking after or working with sheep. Can they tell anything at all about sheep’s characteristics? Hopefully some might say that sheep are stubborn, obstinate, headstrong creatures. In other words, sheep like to have their own way and don’t like following commands issued by farmers/shepherds and carried out by sheepdogs. Ask if any saw the film “Babe”. If so, they may remember the sheepdog’s opinion of sheep - that they are stupid and need to be treated out of that understanding - even if it means being cruel to them. The sheepdogs were shown a different way, when Babe spoke to the sheep with respect and kindly invited them to be obedient and follow the farmer’s commands. We can be like the sheep, stubborn and obstinate - always wanting our own way, but Jesus showed us another way to live - to love one another as he loves us. That means to care for others out of a real concern for them - the way Jesus cares for us. He is called the good shepherd because - even although we sometimes behave like sheep -he still cares for us. He invites us to listen to his voice so that we know what he wants us to do so that we can live as he wants us to live. And how do we listen for his voice? Many, many ways - some of these are: coming to church and Sundayschool and learning more about Jesus through the words we hear from the bible, from other people, and through our prayers and the songs and hymns we sing. We sing about God’s love and Jesus’ love in hymns such as - TIS 145/AHB 81: “The king of love my shepherd is” TIS 253: “O Lord Jesus Marrkapmirr” ACTS 9:36-43 REVELATION 7:9-17 GOSPEL: John 10:22-30 SERMON TIS 597/AHB 516: “ Master, speak, thy servant heareth” TIS 656: “Jesus, my Lord, let me be” TIS 681: Lord, let me see...” SUGGESTIONS FOR PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION “Shepherd of your sheep” Page 130 - Australian Prayers THE LORD’S PRAYER OFFERING OFFERTORY PRAYER Jesus, Good Shepherd, we thank you for the ways in which you have enfolded us in your love and called us by name to follow you. May these gifts and our lives offered in your name, be used to enfold others in your love. Amen TIS 569/AHB 478: “Guide me, O thou great Redeemer” TIS 420: “Holy Spirit, go before us” BENEDICTION Go, blessed with the goodness and mercy of God, the comfort and love of Jesus Christ, the insight and guidance of the Holy Spirit THREEFOLD AMEN |