SCOTS CHURCH ADELAIDEUNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA

237 North TerraceAdelaide, South Australia

We, the Uniting Church people of Scots Church on North Terrace are called by God to be a welcoming,

inclusive, worshipping community of God,committed to justice, learning and care,

anticipating a world transformed by the love of God

10th May, 2020Preacher: Rev Dr Peter Trudinger Liturgist: Dr Margaret Secombe

REMEMBERING THE FIRST PEOPLE

We remember with gratitude the Kaurna people, the original custodians of the land on which we now gather

and ask for God’s grace to be good stewards of this place with them and to strive for reconciliation between all who

share it.

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WE GATHER TO CELEBRATE THE PRESENCE OF DIVINE MYSTERY

A warm welcome is extended to all.Your presence both enriches us

and this time of celebration together.

An asterisk * indicates you are invited to stand as you are able. You are invited to speak the words in bold.

Helpful instructions are in italics

Our worship service follows a classic pattern. For those of you unfamiliar with this, sentences in this font briefly explain the parts of the service.

If you require the hearing loop please sit in middle of centre pews

GATHERING(The meditation, prelude and image are intended to help you set aside the stresses of the outside world and prepare for worship.)

MeditationThe fourteenth century mystic, Meister Eckhart, wrote “God is at home, it is we who have gone for a walk.” In our time of plague, this is reversed. We are at home, but God is out for a walk. These are words of comfort. God is out, visiting each and every one of our family, our church, our world, and with God’s presence, we are bound together as a community, albeit separated. We are together.

Prelude

Welcome

Call to Worship(We start by reminding ourselves that we are here to worship God together. The Call is often based on a passage from the Bible.)

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Once we were like rough dead stones,but now we are living stones.

Once we were alone,but now we are built into a holy house.

Once we were not a people,but now we are God’s people.

Once we did not know friendship,but now we have received God’s friendship.

We are always welcomed into God’s presence.We are always welcome in God’s world.

(based on 2 Peter2:5, 10)Christ is risen.

He is risen indeed.Hallelujah!

Opening Prayer (This prayer usually focuses on God, e.g., acknowledging that God is with us or praising God. The hymn continues the praise.)

Suggested Hymn TiS 369 Hail the day that sees him rise (Tune TiS 388)

Prayer of Confession(There is a vast difference between God and humans. Humans often do things that are hurtful to others or to God. This prayer acknowledges that there is room for improvement and asks for God’s forgiveness.)

We will follow each short prayer with the wordsHelp us to see in the midst of our blindness,

help us to make room for all.

Assurance of Pardon and RenewalHear these word of assurance:…In Christ Jesus, we are forgiven and made whole.

Thanks be to God.

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WE LISTEN FOR WHAT THE SPIRITIS SAYING TO THE CHURCH TODAY

(We want to live in the way God wants us to live. First we pray that God might help us understand what that means. Then we listen to part of the Bible, and finally a message explaining what those words might mean for us today. The hymn often picks up on some theme from the Bible reading.)

Prayer for Illumination

The Good News for Today1 Peter 2:2-10John 14:1-14

In sacred words of old,we have heard the Spirit speak anew.

Suggested Hymn O Christ, the great foundation (Tune: TiS 457)

1. O Christ, the great foundation on which your people standto preach your true salvation in every age and land:Pour out your Holy Spirit to make us strong and pure,to keep the faith unbroken as long as words endure.

2. Baptized in one confession, one church in all the earth,we bear our Lord's impression, the sign of second birth:One holy people gathered in love beyond our own,by grace we were invited, by grace we make You known.

3. Where tyrants' hold is tightened, where strong devour the weak,

where innocents are frightened, the righteous fear to speak,there let your church awaking attack the powers of sinand, all their ramparts breaking, with you the victory win.

4. This is the moment glorious when he who once was deadshall lead his church victorous, their champion and their

head.The Lord of all creation his heavenly kingdom brings,the final consummation, the glory of all things.

Timothy T’ingfang Lew

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© 1977, Christian Conference of Asia, admin. by GIA Publications, Inc. Used with permission

Sermon

Silent Reflection

WE RESPOND IN FAITH(In this section we commit ourselves to live lives that are in keeping with God’s will.)

Suggested Hymn TiS 456 Your hand, O God, has guided

Prayers of the People (God has asked us to love and care for each other. In this prayer, we remember situations of need in the world. It closes with the Lord’s Prayer, which was taught by Jesus to his disciples and is used by all Christians.)

Life and Ministry of the Congregation(We mention some of the things that are happening in our community, including the practical ways we can respond to God’s love for us, by loving our neighbour.)

Invitation to the Offering(One practical way of responding is to contribute money which is used to help others who are in need.)

Our God is extravagant in love. Out of God’s love flows the whole of creation. So let us give an offering of what we have – time, material goods, words or money – and join in God’s act of love.

*Prayer of Dedication(We offer the money to God and pray that it might be used wisely.) Suggested Hymn TiS 613 Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all

joy

*Commissioning(At the end of the service, we prepare to go back to our daily lives. The Commissioning reminds us how we are to live in the world. The Blessing reassures us that God is with us in our daily lives.)

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Please join in the Easter HallelujahChrist is risen!

He is risen indeed!

*Blessing

*Choral Amen TiS 783(ii)

Postlude This is an opportunity for quiet reflection. Please remain seated until the postlude has ended. No applause is necessary.

WE DEPART IN PEACETO LOVE AND SERVE

Let the church of Jesus, the Christ, arise and go forth into the world as a vibrant witness to the abiding presence of

God’s love.

We exchange the peace of the Christ with one another.

Sources used in worship today include Elizabeth Dilley, Words for Worship and Seasons of the Spirit. Music reproduced with permission, licenses #A1050, LicenSingOnline, and #496838, CCLI. Image: ID 27244Z, pixabay.com/photos/beach-ocean-sand-seacoast-1324657/. Used with permission.

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Staying in Touch with Church from Home

As we continue stay at home to keep ourselves and our community safe, here are some alternative ways to stay in touch with Scots and

the wider church:

ONLINE

You can read New Times https://sa.uca.org.au/new-times/

You can read Frontier News at https://frontierservices.org/

You can access Sunday Service videos on our website at:

http://scotschurch.org/

A selection of TALK articles are available at:

http://scotschurch.org/home/talk.html

BY PHONE

You can call our Minister, Peter: 0405 423 076

You can call the Scots office staff (Mon – Thurs, 9am – 3pm): 8223 1505

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About Scots Church Adelaide

Scots Church was opened in 1851 by local supporters of the Free Church, a reform movement in the Church of Scotland that opposed political control of the church and engaged with the social changes of the 1800s, including industrialisation and urbanisation. The church originally was named after the leader of the movement, Thomas Chalmers. In 1929, the congregation amalgamated with Flinders St Presbyterian Church and took the name Scots Church. After the Flinders St church was demolished items such as the organ, windows and plaques, were placed in Scots Church, and the stonework re-used as facing for the office block. In 1977 Scots Church joined the Uniting Church in Australia

Over the years, the congregation has supported many social initiatives around Adelaide. Today Scots proudly continues in its commitment to the city community as a neighbour and place open to all. We host several community organizations, including the SA Jazz Archive and The Big Issue. Our facilities are available for use by other community groups.

The building is the second oldest church still standing in the city. The current minister of the congregation is Rev Dr Peter Trudinger. Worship services are held at 10.30am each Sunday.

SCOTS CHURCH ADELAIDEUNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA

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237 North Terrace, Adelaide, Phone 8223 1505 Minister: Rev Dr Peter Trudinger

www.scotschurch.orgwww.facebook.com/scotschurchadelaide

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