Liturgies Online

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 6B: Scripture in Song , CMC Australasia, Unit 9/147 Marshalltown Road, Grovedale, Victoria 3216; MORE AUSTRALIAN PSALMS , Bruce Prewer, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, South Australia, 1996; BE OUR FREEDOM, LORD, ed Terry C Falla, Openbook Publisher, Adelaide, South Australia 1994. .

For the Call to Worship invite one half of the congregation to read a line and the other half to respond
CALL TO WORSHIP: Based on Psalm 24 NRSV
LEFT: The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
RIGHT: the world, and those who live in it;
L: for the Lord has founded it on the seas,
R: and established it on the rivers.
L: Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
R: And who shall stand in the Lord’s holy place?
L: Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
R: who do not speak or act in false or deceitful ways .
L: They will receive blessing from the Lord,
R: blessing from the God of their salvation.
L: Such is the company of those who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
R: Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
L: that the King of glory may come in.
R: Who is the King of glory?
ALL: The Lord of hosts is the King of glory. Hallelujah! Amen!

TIS 512/AHB 286: “Ye gates, lift up your heads on high”
TIS 279/AHB 212: “The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices”
TIS 267: “Lift up your heads, you mighty gates”
TIS 190: “Colourful Creator, God of mystery” Alternate Tune 382 Noel Nouvelet

OPENING PRAYER
We rejoice, O God, that the earth and all who live in it are yours. We who live in the world count this a privilege beyond all other. We therefore ponder the question - who can stand before you - for we know that we do not always have clean hands and pure hearts. Yet we also know that you have reached out to us in Jesus and have reconciled us to you and to one another in him. So we lift up our heads and praise you for coming into our hearts through the risen Christ and the power of your Spirit. May this time of worship here today leave no doubt that you are the King of glory not only in our hearts and lives but also in our witness to those around us in this part of the world in which we live. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen

TIS 718: “Glory to the King of kings”
SCRIPTURE IN SONG 159: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts”

EPISTLE: Ephesians 1:3-14

SUGGESTION FOR CHILDREN’S TALK - If there is someone in the congregation with a family tree get them to bring it to church and briefly talk about people in it and how exciting it is to research one’s family tree. Talk about the far greater excitement in finding out the marvellous news as set out in the Ephesians reading, that we are part of God’s family. Just as we have our own family characteristics, so we have been blessed with particular characteristics as part of God’s family. Ask the children/young people what they believe these characteristics might be. Say that they may find some in the next hymn:
TIS 465/AHB 399: “Father in heaven, grant to your children...” or
TIS 459/AHB 391 “In Christ there is no east or west” In AHB 391, invite people
to replace “all mankind” in verse 2 with “humankind” and “son” in verse 3 with “child”

LITANY OF CONFESSION
We read in Ephesians that we were chosen by God before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before God in love.
Such a privilege...
Such a responsibility....
God chose us...to be holy and blameless.
We do try, but being holy all the time is not easy.
Forgive us Lord, when we fail.

We read that we are destined for adoption as God’s children through Jesus Christ...
Such a privilege...
Such a responsibility....
Our identity as members of God’s family should be apparent to others...
That means being recognisable as Christians through our words and deeds.
Forgive us Lord, when we fail

We also read that we were marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit which is the guarantee of our inheritance as God’s own people...
Such a privilege...
Such a wonderful privilege, knowing that the burden of living up to such an inheritance has been taken off our shoulders because of the grace which has been lavished upon us. For God also promised that in Jesus we have been forgiven according to the riches of his grace.
May we always be aware of the tremendous privilege which has been bestowed upon us by God and may our response to such blessings be to live as grace-full and joy-full followers of Jesus, our Lord and our Saviour. Amen

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
Hear again the good news: Because of the riches of God’s grace: in Jesus we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses - all gifts of God’s generous and amazing grace. Based on Ephesians 1: 7 NRSV
Thanks be to God!

TIS 129/AHB 56 “Amazing grace”

OLD TESTAMENT; 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
GOSPEL: Mark 6:14-29

SERMON

TIS 416/SA 41 “Great God, your Spirit like the wind”
TIS 398/AHB 310 “Come down, O Love divine”

SUGGESTIONS FOR PRAYERS FOR OTHERS
“Grace is” - page 64 - More Australian Psalms and “The destiny to which you draw us” - page 156 - Be our Freedom, Lord

THE LORD’S PRAYER
OFFERING
OFFERTORY PRAYER
God of extravagant grace who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing - what can we offer in return ? Surely nothing less than a similar extravagance. Bless and accept these gifts and our lives as our response to your gracious acts towards us. May we reflect such graciousness in all our dealings with others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen

TIS 560/AHB 465 “All my hope on God is founded”
TIS 650/SA 14: “Brother, sister, let me serve you”
TIS 648: “Help us accept each other”

BENEDICTION:
Go,
Blessed and enriched with God’s glorious and extravagant grace,
Blessed and accepted as members of God’s family through our Lord Jesus Christ
Blessed, sealed and protected with God’s Holy Spirit.

THREEFOLD AMEN