This Sunday's Flower Duty - Isabella Lee (Thank You Bella)

Welcome           Rosemary Brook

 

 

THIS SUNDAY, it is Mother's Day so we present carnations to all mothers and those who have mother figure for acknowledging their love and care.

 

 

Preparing for Worship

 

THIS WEEK, if weather permits you, I encourage you to find a space outside, for instance, balcony, veranda, back/front garden or a local park/reserve. Find a space where you feel nature, being part of the abundance of mother nature and reflecting on the love of mother or those who are mothering you these days. You may wish to have a photo of her/them or anything that has story about her/them. Feel free to join any part of the liturgy. It is ok.

 

Acknowledgement for the First Peoples

 

Before we begin, we would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional owners of the soil, water and sky on which we live the Life that the risen Lord Jesus Christ has given for us.

 

Greeting to Members

 

We greet each other, especially those who is listed on the fourth page of the Congregation Directory. I would like to call them by name:

 

Alan, Jenny and Jemma Keast,

Katrina Koo,

Marie Luise Klimkowski, AND

Tommy, Carmen, Michelle and Jayden Lam

 

And in our imagination, let us have big waving hands to each other.

 

Opening Prayer

Please join together in the opening prayer. Title is Apart but Together.

 

Let us pray:

 

Spirit of life and love,

we gather together in different ways this morning,

from computer screens,

from telephones,

from car radios;

we gather,

reaching out across the wires,

waving from a safe distance,

to come together in religious community.

 

From living room to front porch to car seat,

we gather as we are able,

ready to be of service to each other,

to the world,

ready to build the community of hope and of love,

as we face this bright morning.

 

We are apart,

but we are together,

offering our love,

our commitment,

our hope,

and our prayers,

in service to one another and this world.

 

It is a new way,

but an old way,

that we come together in worship today.

 

Amen.

 

Assembly Song 1 – Moring Has Broken (156)

 

Sing the hymn that praises the beauty of God’s creation that we cannot dominant but live as part of it.

 

 

 

Morning has broken

like the first morning;

blackbird has spoken

like the first bird.

Praise for the singing,

praise for the morning,

praise for them, springing

fresh from the word.

 

Sweet the rain’s new fall

sunlit from heaven,

like the first dewfall

on the first grass.

Praise for the sweetness

of the wet garden,

sprung from completeness

where his feet pass.

 

Mine is the sunlight;

mine is the morning

born of the one light

Eden saw play.

Praise with elation,

praise every morning,

God’s recreation

of the new day.

 

Words and music from Enlarged Songs of Praise 1931 by permission Oxford University Press

CCLI #260394

 

The Peace

The peace of our God be with you.

And also with you.

 

Let us find ways to share peace and joy with one another. You might like to make a phone call OR send a message to those we greeted at GREETING TO MEMBERS. Especially, for your mother or those who are motherly person in life. Let us share Easter hope across our friendship this day.

 

Scripture Readings    Jean Boyd

 

Psalm 31:1-5; 15-16 & John 14:1-14  [Click to read other versions]

 

Firstly, Jean Boyd reads Psalm 31 for us.

 

Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies

 

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

 

¹ In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
    do not let me ever be put to shame;
    in your righteousness deliver me.
² Incline your ear to me;
    rescue me speedily.
  Be a rock of refuge for me,
    a strong fortress to save me.

³ You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
    for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
⁴ take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.
⁵ Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

 

¹⁵ My times are in your hand;
    deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
¹⁶ Let your face shine upon your servant;
    save me in your steadfast love.

 

The Gospel reading comes from John 14:1-14 (NRSV).

 

Jesus the Way to the Father

 

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to the place where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

 

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. ¹² Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

 

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

Kid’s Talk            Margaret Maxwell

 

Find Mother's Day Kid's Talk

 

 

And please find more resources for kids and family.

 

Assembly Song 2 – Your Labor is Not In Vain

 

Sing this song and discover the love of God that always holds us tight whenever we seek to find.

 

 

Your labor is not in vain

though the ground underneath you is cursed and stained.

Your planting and reaping are never the same,

but your labor is not in vain.

 

Your labor is not unknown

though the rocks they cry out and the sea it may groan.

The place of your toil may not seem like a home,

but your labor is not unknown.

 

Refrain

For I am with you, I am with you.

I am with you, I am with you,

for I have called you, called you by name.

Your labor is not in vain.

 

The vineyards you plant will bear fruit;

the fields will sing out and rejoice with the truth,

for all that is old will at last be made new:

the vineyards you plant will bear fruit.

Refrain

 

The houses you labored to build

will finally with laughter and joy be filled.

The serpent that hurts and destroys shall be killed,

and all that is broken be healed.

Refrain

 

For I am with you, I am with you.

I am with you, I am with you,

for I have called you, called you by name.

Your labor is not in vain.

 

© 2017 Porter’s Gate Publishing | CCLI #260394

 

Reflection on the Scripture    Seung Jae Yeon

View the video of Seung Jae’s reflection sharing.

 

 

Before I begin my reflection sharing, I would like to say a word of comfort to those who lost their child or mum in recent years. The word is that you are still a person who is a motherly one to care and love many people near you and is loved by many people who are recipients of your love and care. I acknowledge that your Mother’s Day this Sunday can be observed because you are making our life greater and liveable. You deserve to receive the honour. So I say THANK YOU.

 

In Sanskrit language, I may choose a word kalpa meaning a relatively long period of time by human calculation to say something about eternity. Aeon is equivalent in English word, 겁 in Korean, and 劫 [Jié] in Chinese. I learnt its meaning when I was little. One kalpa or 芥子劫[Jièzǐ jié] is this: imagine that you fill the mustard seeds which represent little tiny thing in the circumference of 40 cubits and take a long time for a long time until all of them are taken away. And 8, 000 kalpa is needed to have the mother and son relationship. Can you imagine that? If you are a mother or have mother in life, you would have a great relationship eternal. That is such a blessing and blessing that you may live today.

 

One of my favourite hymns sings eternity or eternal love of God that we are received from Him.

 

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

and were the skies of parchment made;

were every stalk on earth a quill,

and everyone a scribe by trade;

to write the love of God above

would drain the ocean dry;

nor could the scroll contain the whole,

though stretched from sky to sky

 

O love of God, how rich and pure;

how measureless and strong!

It shall for evermore endure,

the saints’ and angels’ song.

 

In John’s gospel chapter 14, Jesus acts like mothers who are strong, persevering in His effort to lead all believers to the kingdom of God where all are safely live like home and mother’s touching love. He is not inviting the disciples or us as readers to change attitude toward own understanding or to do things better. He is only telling kindly a story of relationship or connectedness with God the Father.

 

In my reading, so I was able to find some characters in Jesus’ acts and words. Jesus is explaining to His friends, Thomas and Philip, unpacking His true relationship between God and himself. He seems to be calm and gentle. He does not seem to give up convincing them to accept the invitation of beginning the relationship with God. He is giving himself up and then introducing Himself to them as the way, the truth and the life. His invitation to God is able to touch them because Jesus knows God the Father. He knows there is only and one way for his friend to thrive in life. Believing in God and believing in Him. He is wanting his friends to have a moment to see meaning of life differently from the being described by the world to the one whom is known by God in the new relationship. When Philip asks Him, saying “show me the Father”, He finally reveals the Relationship eternal between God and Himself. Jesus says, “believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” Jesus reveals Himself as the One from the Beginning to the End, the Creator eternal who sets kalpa up in the history of universe. As He reveals to his friends, Jesus Christ thru the power of the Holy Spirit reveals the Relationship eternal for you and for many.

 

In verse 14, Jesus encourages us to join the relationship, saying “if in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” In your prayer, in your asking God in Christ’s name, you may be now joined in the relationship eternal with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ message of following the way, the truth and the life in Him means correction as if a mother corrects her kids dress or uniform before going to school or makes bed for kids wishing them a good sleep. Jesus’s message is like a mother’s touch making her kid perfect in her care.

 

For me, mother, or her touch in life mean eternal. There is a beginning but no end. If there is the last one who loves me, I can say that that person is my mother. My very firsts – flesh, bones, blood, touch, warmth, connection, attachment, breathes and feelings are my mum. I was her, she was me during the period that I was formed and developed. I went out to this world thru her, being delivered from her belly. For my mum, I meant her pain that she had never had and the thick scar on her belly skin. On an early winter day, Wednesday 26 November 1975 I was born. In my mum’s perspective, she gave birth to her first child. Her explanation about the birth would have been her pain and cries on that day. On the day when I was born and she gave birth to me, both of us had a new day in life. One became a human being and the other became a mother. The relationship between mother and son began as there are so many the same relation in history. The 28 years old young lady began her new life or title ‘mother’ since November 26, 1975.

 

Years ago, I passed the age that my mother gave birth to me, growing old and realising my mother is getting weaker but wiser in her life. She means for me an eternal being. Her love is eternal. Her presence is eternal even though we live in different continent and time zone. In me, I am aware that she lives to form my day today and directs me to go. I am not saying that she is perfect. But she is eternal so that I live with her in spirit and in skin and blood given by her. Especially in the last 19 years I have been touched by her – missing her dishes, her patting, her words of comfort, her calmness and kindness. All is maternal tenderness in touching my life and myself. Her touching became a second skin that I wear. Except mother, we never had such a figure in life. Those who is raising children are the ones like Jesus are touching someone’s life no matter how it is great or not. You are honoured by what you have done on earth. Your name will be forever remembered as mother.

 

In His life on earth, and still now, Jesus Christ our Lord is touching many lives including you and me. His touching begins on the Way. His eternal touching cannot be possessed so that it cannot be inherited. His eternity and His love eternal are not someone’s property or possession. In our faith, Jesus is the only One who takes great care to protect its entitlement for us. He owns it. So we share with each other the promise of eternal life, particularly as we are travelling thru the surreal period of time in life. We have been in difficult April and don’t know how long it will last. We need each other’s company in spirit as well as Christ’s love and his touch in life. Let us show Christ and the life-touching power of Jesus presence that we may find in his death, resurrection and exaltation. As mothers show her trust in touching their children, let us be Christ’s touching to each one’ life. May the love of God eternal be with us today and the day ahead.

 

Let me conclude with a prayer called “Your Mother is Always with You”.

 

She's the whisper of the leaves

as you walk down the street,

she's the smell of certain foods you remember,

flowers you pick,

the fragrance of life itself.

 

She's the cool hand on your brow

when you're not feeling well, she's your

breath in the air on a cold winter's day.

 

She is the sound of the rain

that lulls you to sleep,

the colours of a rainbow,

she is Christmas morning.

 

Your mother

lives inside your laughter.

 

She's the place you came from, your first home,

and she's the map you follow with every

step you take.

 

She's your first love, your first friend,

even your first enemy, but

nothing on earth can separate you.

 

Not time, not space... not even death.

 

Amen.

 

Prayers of the People               Phoebe Kim

 

Join in the deep reflective prayer that Phoebe prays on behalf of the congregation.

 

Let us pray:

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

 

thank you for letting us admire this beautiful Autumn

that you created.

 

Thank you for letting us know how thankful we are

that we can still worship you and still live within nature.

 

We’ve been continuing to be challenged with the Coronavirus19

after the struggling with huge bush fires earlier this year.

 

We thank you for this week especially for Mother’s Day.

 

We thank for all women who care for us.

 

We remember

that it’s mostly mothers on the frontline

as nurses, as teachers and in supermarket.

 

Thank you for creating our mothers

who love and look after us like you do,

Whereas many people get down

due to the many difficulties surrounding us,

we know to also thank you for realizing that

 

there are so many hidden heroes

who look after patients, elderlies,

and people dedicated to help others

who are in extremely economic crisis

due to these problems.

 

Now is the time for requiring

an altruistic mind more than ever.

 

Father, please allow us to your compassion

so that we can care for others who need it

whatever it is economically, physically or mentally.

 

We pray father,

that step by step,

we can help create the world that you envisioned.

 

When you created the world,

you looked and proclaimed it good.

 

Father, help us make the world good again.

Make us renew our life style

so that we care for the nature

and slow down any disease formation.

 

We pray for the countries

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal

in the World Ecumenical Cycle of Prayers.

 

We ask for your light and love to shine in these countries,

not only protect them from the coronavirus as the global issue

that their people flourish and live in wellbeing.

 

We pray that global conflicts cease

so that we may all enjoy peace and security.

 

We think of

the St Charles Borromeo and Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish

in our Inter Church Council of Prayers.

We pray that they are also guided and strengthened

as they walk alongside us in Jesus’ footsteps.

We thank you for our Minister, Seungjae

and all that he does for the life and light of Boronia Park.

 

Please give him your wisdom so he can guide us well

in this particularly difficult season.

 

We thank you for our fellow members

who breathe life into our congregation

and support each other in our faith journey

even though we could not gather together

due to social distancing.

 

Please let us dwell within your warm heart,

so that we are thinking of each other more often.

 

We think of the young people at our church

and pray as they grow in faith,

that we are able to guide them and nurture them.

 

We pray that all members are in safe and healthy

under your protection.

 

We pray for all these things in Jesus name.

 

Amen.

 

Lord’s Prayer

 

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 in the time of trial and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours

now and forever.

 

Amen.

 

Assembly Song 3 – You are Mine

 

Sing this song and discover the love of God that always holds us tight whenever we seeks to find.

 

 

I will come to you in the silence,

I will lift you from all your fear.

You will hear my voice, I claim you as my choice,

be still and know I am here.

 

I am hope for all who are hopeless,

I am eyes for all who long to see.

In the shadows of the night, I will be your light,

come and rest in me.

 

Refrain

Do not be afraid, I am with you,

I have called you each by name.

Come and follow me,

I will bring you home;

I love you and you are mine.

 

I am strength for all the despairing,

healing for the ones who dwell in shame.

All the blind will see, the lame will all run free,

and all will know my name.

Refrain

 

I am the Word that leads all to freedom.

I am the peace the world cannot give.

I will call your name, embracing all your pain,

stand up, now walk, and live!

Refrain

 

Do not be afraid, I am with you,

I have called you each by name.

Come and follow me,

I will bring you home;

I love you and you are mine.

 

© 1991 GIA Publications, Inc. | CCLI #260394

 

Offering

 

Let us pray:

 

Blessed are you,

O Lord our God,

Creator and Redeemer of the whole world;

from you we receive the gift of life,

and by your grace we have gifts to offer you.

 

Accept our offerings and our lives

in praise and thanksgiving,

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who brings us again from death to life,

and holds forward the promise

of your everlasting kingdom. Amen.

 

The offering will be used for the congregation’s continuing mission and ministry in the changing time. Please make offering through Bank Deposit or personal cheque whichever is convenient to you.

 

Account Name: Boronia Park Uniting Church

BSB: 634-634               

Account: 100023784

Reference: Offering      

 

Please contact Robyn Harvey, Treasurer on 0418 783 290 or robyn.49@bigpond.net.au for more information about how to make Direct Debit.

 

If you are in a position to help others, Sydney Community Services, where we have donated foods and goods to support the need in our local community, may ask us to donate ANY pasta sauce or chunk soup cans. SCS has passed their appreciation for our donation.

 

Song Reflection  God Will Make A Way

Vocal: Isabella Lee | Piano: Grace Song

 

 

 

Sending Forth and Benediction

Let us pray:

 

Lord, thank you for all mothers.

 

For the new ones,

who endure sleepless nights

with infants in arms.

 

For the busy ones,

who juggle the pressures of

home and family life.

 

For the steadfast ones,

who nurture and care for

our special vulnerable children.

 

For the patient ones,

who always seek to forgive and

engage with their pre-teens.

 

For the persistent ones,

who cleverly find new ways

to connect with their mini-adults.

 

For the mother aunts,

who step in to cradle and care for

nieces and nephews.

 

For all grandmas,

who love and support

their precious grandchildren.

 

For the foster mums

that are called to gather and cover

the fragile ones.

 

For the Sunday mums

who care for our children

and lead them in faith.

 

For the mums who give

far beyond their own resources,

who overcome disability to cherish and love.

 

Thank you, Lord,

for all our beautiful mothers.

 

Help us to support them and keep them in our prayers.

 

May you bless them now on this their special day.

 

Amen.

 

Prelude

View this amazing film of Mother Earth that is narrated by Jane Goodall, an English primatologist and anthropologist. It is so touching. Please watch.

 

 

 

 Click to download the printable liturgy of worship service