Liturgies Online

LECTIONARY GENERATED LITURGY
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Year B
2 Samuel 5:1-5,9-10; Psalm 48; 2 Cor. 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13. Rec. text- NRSV
Hymns are from the Australian Hymn Book (AHB) or Together in Song (TIS)
or 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 Pentecost 5B: Scripture in Song , CMC Australasia, Unit 9/147 Marshalltown Road, Grovedale, Victoria 3216; UNITING IN WORSHIP People’s Book, Uniting Church Press, Melbourne, Victoria, 1988; ALL TOGETHER WHATEVER Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 2001

CALL TO WORSHIP: Based on Psalm 48:verses1,9,10,11,14 NRSV
Let us praise God here in this place of worship, in awe over God’s steadfast love.
Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth...
Let the whole world rejoice because of your righteous judgments.
Let us pass on the message of God’s greatness wherever we go
So that generation to generation will know that this is our God who will guide us forever.

TIS 155: “ O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder...” (How great thou art)
TIS 98/AHB 1: “We praise,we worship thee, O God”
TIS 106/AHB 14: “Now thank we all our God”

OPENING PRAYER - “God of Winter” - Page 26 Australian Prayers or:
Great is your name, O God, so great that we would hesitate to approach you if it were not for the person of Jesus - your love in human form. Because of Jesus, we now know that greatness is equal to humility, and serving others is the true mark of obedience to you. And yet, Jesus was rejected in his own home-town among those who knew him best. May we never reject him or you, O God, as we testify to your greatness through our witness, our worship and our serving others in love and with compassion. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

EPISTLE: 2 Corinthians 12: 2-10

SUGGESTION FOR CHILDREN’S TALK - Ask the children/young folk if they were going to boast about something what would it be? Possibly it may be about possessions, or achievement... Either tell the following yourself or invite three youngsters to act it out. Have one tell in a worried voice how he/she just cannot work out a particular maths problem - have them ask another to help. This one says in a “know-all” - “boasting “ way - something like: “I’m good at maths - I never have to worry about it - I know the answer- and I’m not going to tell you...” - going on to ridicule the person for not knowing what to do. The third person then comes forward and says that they are happy to help... Do this three times with different contexts - an English or languages problem - or physics -whatever... Then ask the children which person who was asked to help was really concerned enough to do so...also point out how the person asking for help was making themselves vulnerable and open to ridicule by the one who wouldn’t help. Make the comparison with what Paul is saying in today’s reading that it’s better to appear weak and vulnerable than to be overbearing and boastful. Greatness in Paul’s eyes is knowing that he is living as Jesus wants him to - knowing that his power is more evident in his weakness than it would be if he were boasting about his achievements and ridiculing others for not achieving the same as he could .

TIS 650/ SA 14: “Brother, sister let me serve you”
TIS 640/ AHB 561: “Kneels at the feet of his friends” In AHB 561, invite
people to replace “men” in verse 2 with “folk” and with “these” in verse 3

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -
Merciful God, of what do we boast? Can we truly say with Paul that we do not boast about ourselves or our achievements? Does the danger in such thinking lie in the next step - the thought that we can do anything - or all things by ourselves?
Forgive us the times when we ignore you, O God, and depend on our own strength to do things our own way.
Paul talks about power being made perfect in weakness.
Forgive us for believing that we have to be hard and domineering if we want to get ahead in life.
Paul says that he boasts of his weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in him.
Forgive us when we use our power selfishly or aggressively, ignoring that indwelling, Christ-given power which frees us to be vulnerable.
Jesus says “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”

Permeate our lives with your grace, Lord, so that we can affirm with Paul that we are content with weaknesses for your sake, and fill us with the knowledge that it is when we allow ourselves to be empowered by you, that we are truly strong. Amen

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
Hear again the good news: that Jesus’ grace is sufficient for us all - sufficient for us to be forgiven in his name. Receive that grace and rejoice in the power to live in his strength.
Thanks be to God!

Scripture in Song 34: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus”

OLD TESTAMENT: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
GOSPEL: Mark 6:1-13

SERMON

TIS 629/AHB 558: “When I needed a neighbour”
TIS 351/AHB 271: “Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim”
TIS 624: “ Christ be my leader by night as by day”

SUGGESTIONS FOR PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
A Litany of General Intercession 1” Pages 172-175, UNITING IN WORSHIP, PEOPLE’S BOOK.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

OFFERING and OFFERTORY PRAYER
As the disciples went out and proclaimed the gospel in word and deed, so may we do likewise. Bless and use all our endeavours, O God, visible through these gifts and our lives, as we seek to be strong, yet humble followers of Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen

TIS 468/ SA 90: “We are your people; Spirit of grace...” ; TIS 691: “Faith will not grow from words alone”
TIS 665: “Jesus Christ is waiting”

BENEDICTION:
Go, secure in the knowledge of God’s guidance,
assured of Jesus’ abundant grace
and equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit.

TIS 755: “You shall go out with joy”