Hybrid Church 16th Sunday after Pentecost, September 25, 2022

Hybrid Church 16th Sunday after Pentecost, September 25, 2022

Rev. Sally Bullas

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

Welcome & Announcements

If you are gathering in person, on zoom or worshipping at home with the bulletin, welcome! We are one community, one in the body of Christ. 

Centering & Stillness

Introit: Gather Us In (x2)                                                               MV #7 

 Gather us in, ground us in you.

 Gather us in, ground us in you.

 Gather us in, gather us in,

 ground us, ground us in you.

Greeting
One:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, 

          and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:     And also with you

Call to Worship   enfleshed

One: Come, let us ground ourselves in the sacred wonder of this           ordinary day . . . come, all you embodied beings,

All:    you creatures inherently worthy of tender care!

One:  What you hold—your sorrow, stories, 

          disappointments, and dreams—

All:    All of it belongs in the care of the Beloved.

One:  What lives in your body, what is beyond words—

          what aches, longs, and dances—

All:    All of it belongs in the loving embrace of the Holy.

One:  Let us worship God who witnesses our complexity

All:    and Loves us unwaveringly.

Opening Prayer       enfleshed
Soft-Place-to-Land God, we desire to create communities courageous enough to hold heartbreak; who do not shy away from grief, loss, and sorrow. We yearn for space, time, and ceremony to attend to all that has been lost. Instead of soothing ourselves with platitudes and distractions, may we, with your strength, have patience and fortitude to work towards deep healing and restoration. Amen.                                                                            

Hymn: Be Still, My Soul      VU #652

1 Be still, my soul, for God is on your side;

bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Trust in your God, your Saviour and your guide,

who through all changes faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul, your best, your heavenly friend

through stormy ways leads to a peaceful end.

2 Be still, my soul, for God will undertake

to guide the future surely as the past.

Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake,

all now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul, life's tempests still obey

the voice that once the waves' wild fury strayed.

3 Be still, my soul, the hour is hastening on

when we shall be for ever in God's peace;

when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

love’s joys restored, our strivings shall cease.

Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,

all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Prayer of Confession    Uniting Church of Australia     

One:  In the stopping, in the pausing, in the quiet,
          we cannot avoid what we are not:
All:    Our faults, our lack of faith,
          our lack of vision and of action,
          our lack of trust – all bubble to the surface.
One:  You, Loving God, see who we are
          and still stand by us – offering us hope
All:    and above all, forgiveness.  

Silent prayer of confession

Assurance of Grace

Friends, receive God’s forgiveness.
May God’s love set you free this day and always. Amen.     

Passing of the Peace

One:    The peace of Christ be with you! 

All:      And also with you!

You are invited to turn to those directly around you and share Christ’s peace. Those on zoom, please unmute and share with one another.

Reader: By the gift of your Spirit, calm and quiet our souls that we may hear your Word today and be lifted up to walk with you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

First Reading: Amos 6:1a, 4-7 (NRSV)        Reader: Angela Nutter 

Alas for those who are at ease in Zion,

   and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria,

the notables of the first of the nations,

   to whom the house of Israel resorts!

Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory,

   and lounge on their couches,

and eat lambs from the flock,

   and calves from the stall;

who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,

   and like David improvise on instruments of music;

who drink wine from bowls,

   and anoint themselves with the finest oils,

   but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!

Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile,

   and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.

Psalm 146 VU#868      Reader: Angela Nutter

Refrain: Give your praise to God, O my soul!

Praise God, O my soul. As long as I live I will praise God.

     Yes, as long as I have life I will sing praises to God.

Put not your trust in princes, nor in any mortal,

for in them there is no help.

     When they breathe their last they return to dust;

     when their plans come to nothing.

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,

     whose hope is the Maker of heaven and earth,

     the sea, and all that is in them,

the One who keeps faith for ever,

     who gives justice to the oppressed,

     who gives food to the hungry. [Refrain]

God sets prisoners free, restores sight to the blind.

     God straightens those who are bent;

     loves those who are just.

God cares for the stranger in the land,

and sustains the widow and orphan;

     but the way of the wicked God turns to ruin.

God shall reign forever, O Zion,

     your God for all generations. Amen [Refrain]

 

Gospel Reading  Reader: Angela Nutter

As is your custom, please stand or sit for the reading of the gospel. 

Reader: God be with you.       

All:      And also with you

Reader:           The Good News of Jesus Christ according to Luke

All:          Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 16:19-31 (NRSV)

‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.” He said, “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” He said, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” ’   

Reader: This is the Gospel of Christ.   

All:          Praise be to Jesus Christ       

Reflection:           “No Way Out…But There is a Way Forward”

Silent Reflection

Hymn: Healer of Our Every Ill     VU #619  

Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

1 You who know our fears and sadness,
grace us with your peace and gladness;
Spirit of all comfort, fill our hearts. [Refrain]

2 In the pain and joy beholding
how your grace is still unfolding,
give us all your vision, God of love. [Refrain]

3 Give us strength to love each other,
every sister, every brother;
Spirit of all kindness, be our guide. [Refrain]

4 You who know each thought and feeling,
teach us all your way of healing;
Spirit of compassion, fill each heart. [Refrain]

New Zealand Creed

Let us affirm our faith . . .

You, O God, are supreme and holy.

You create our world and give us life.

Your purpose overarches everything we do.

You have always been with us.

You are God.

          You, O God, are infinitely generous,

          good beyond all measure.

          You came to us before we came to you.

You have revealed and proved

your love for us in Jesus Christ,

who lived and died and rose again.

You are with us now.

You are God.

          You, O God, are Holy Spirit.

          You empower us to be your gospel in the world.

          You reconcile and heal; you overcome death.

          You are our God. We worship you.

Prayers of the People        Susan Brockley                                

One:  Loving God

All:    Hear Our Prayers

Lord’s Prayer (sung)    VU #959 Our Father in heaven, 

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, 

your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil,

for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,

now and for ever.

Offering

The Living God has compassion for those forced to leave their homes, those displaced, those among rising prices with paychecks that will never be enough. The Holy upholds those yearning for belonging, those whose friends and companions have died, those whose communities have let them down. Let us be expressions of divine love by upholding one another; by offering each other belonging and home. 

Doxology                                                                                                                                         CP #669

Praise God the Source of life and birth,

Praise God the Word, who came to earth.

Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.

All Glory, honour to God’s name.

Offering Prayer                                                                      

Bless your beloveds with safe and secure housing. Bless your beloveds with rest and kind relationships. Shield your beloveds from destruction and disaster. Bless our offerings to these dreams of thriving. Amen.

 

Hymn: Great Is Thy Faithfulness                                                      VU #288  

1 Great is thy faithfulness, God our Creator,

there is no shadow of turning with thee;

thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;

as thou has been thou forever wilt be.

[Refrain:]

Great is thy faithfulness!

Great is thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

all I have needed thy hand hath provided --

great is thy faithfulness, ever to me!

2 Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

sun, moon, and stars in their courses above

join with all nature in manifold witness

to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. [Refrain]

3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,

strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow --

wondrous the portion thy blessings provide. [Refrain]

Thank You

Blessing            Iona Community

If you are with another person, you’re invited to bless each other, taking every other line.

 

One:   The Creator’s blessing be yours on your road, on your journey, guiding you, cherishing you.

Right/ The Son’s blessing be yours, wine and water, bread and stories,

Zoom feeding you, challenging you.

Left:   The Spirit’s blessing be yours, wind and fire, joy and wisdom,            comforting you, disturbing you.

All:     The Angel’s blessing be yours, on your house, on your living, guarding you, encouraging you. Let us walk together, a community on a journey, sustained in God’s blessing. Amen!

One:   Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:     Thanks be to God! Alleluia!