BERGENIA

Plant Bergenia under trees and in shady locations.

In sunnier areas flowers dominate at the expense of foliage.

Flowers grow in clusters on large stems and open during winter.

Photo: Scott Hawkins

(From website "12 Best Winter Flowers")

 

 

 

 

Preparing for Worship

 

Welcome to Boronia Park Uniting Church and our weekly worship resources. This moment let us think about the presence of God amidst of our busy days and how we could find it as symbol of hope and trust. How often would we be able to feel or believe that we walk with God? Does that practice form and transform us as Christ’s community? In this moment of worship and remembrance, what would you hope and trust if you believe that you are in God’s presence? Is hope only you? Or for many? If it’s practical, light a candle, wishing you are now in seeking God’s presence near you.

 

Acknowledgement for the First Peoples

 

I/We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land, Elders past, present and emerging, on which we gather this day. I/We recognize their special relationship with the land and all creation. And thank them.

 

 

Opening Responses 

 

The response is in bold font.

 

The world belongs to God,

the earth and all its people.

 

How good and how lovely it is

to live together in unity.

 

Love and faith come together,

justice and peace join hands.

 

If the Lord’s disciples keep silent

these stones would shout aloud.

 

Open our lips, O God

and our mouths shall proclaim your praise.

 

 

Song                         Majesty

 

 

Majesty, worship His majesty.

Unto Jesus be all glory,

honour, and praise.

 

Majesty, kingdom authority

flow from His throne

Unto His own; His anthem raise.

 

So exalt, lift up on high

The name of Jesus.

Magnify, come glorify

Christ Jesus, the King.

 

Majesty, worship His majesty –

Jesus who died, now glorified,

King of all kings.

 

Jack Hayford © 1981 New Spring

CCLI Licence # 260394

 

 

Prayer of Confession

 

Holy God, Maker of all

have mercy on us.

 

Jesus Christ, Servant of the poor

have mercy on us.

 

Holy Spirit, Breath of life

have mercy on us.

 

Let us in silence remember our own faults and failings

 

Silence

 

I confess to God

and in the company of all God’s people

that my life and the life of the world

are broken by my sin.

May God forgive you,

Christ renew you,

and the Spirit enable you

to grow in love.

 

Amen.

We confess to God

and in the company of all God’s people

that our lives and the life of the world

are broken by our sin.

 

May God forgive you,

Christ renew you,

and the Spirit enable you

to grow in love.

Amen.

 

 

Prayer for God’s Help

 

Turn again, O God, and give us life,

that your people may rejoice in You.

 

Make me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

 

Give us again the joy of your help,

with your spirit of freedom sustain us.

 

And now, as Jesus taught us, we say:

 

 

The 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 from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours now and forever.

Amen.

 

 

Responsive Psalm Reading

 

How truly wonderful and delightful

to see brothers and sisters

living together in sweet unity!

 

It’s as precious as the sacred scented oil

flowing from the head of the high priest Aaron,

dripping down upon his beard

and running all the way down

to the hem of his priestly robes.

 

This heavenly harmony can be compared to the dew

dripping down from the skies upon Mount Hermon,

refreshing the mountain slopes of Israel.

For from this realm of sweet harmony

God will release his eternal blessing,

the promise of life forever!

(Psalm 133, The Passion Translation)

 

 

The Sign of Peace

 

We are one in Christ

though we are many,

and come from all different and unique backgrounds,

 

May the peace of Christ be with you.

And also with you.

 

Let us greet one another with a sign of peace in your heart language. You may pass your peace to others by phone call or text message, email or posting via social media.

 

 

Scripture Reading        Matthew 15:21-28 (NRSV)

 Zachary Lee leads the bible reading.

 

The Canaanite Woman’s Faith

 

²¹ Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²² Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” ²³ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” ²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵ But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶ He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷ She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

 

This is the Word of the Lord,

Thanks be to God.

 

 

Reflection on the Scripture       Seung Jae Yeon

 

 

Without notice, the woman broke their peaceful time. All with Jesus were surprised, urging their master to send her way. Actually, they wanted him to shut her mouth. But he kept himself in silence. I wondered what Jesus was thinking during his silence. But, anyhow, this was how unnamed or unwelcomed woman came attempt to join in the kingdom of God. For the disciples, her breaking was annoying them as walking with their master with their pride. But for Jesus, it was the reason why He came down dwell among the people of God, no matter who they really were. 

 

In Matthew’s stories, there are characters and events. Characters are Jesus, the disciples, the crowds and the minor characters. The Canaanite woman is one of those minor characters, such as Magi, a leper, the mother-in-law of Peter, the centurion, and two blind men. Those characters of no name had encounter with Jesus and the moments became live-giving event for them which also give us life-giving lessons. The encounter of the Canaanite woman with Jesus on the way to Tyre and Sidon, which were not mainstream Jewish regions, was one of events where Jesus met, taught, fed, healed and performed miracles. The woman has a certain role playing in Matthew’s story as a foil for the disciples, main characters. (Kingsbury, 1973) In her encounter with Jesus, was it a foil for the disciples in good way or the other around?

 

The Canaanite woman, a “no-account” sees and confesses what the disciples cannot, namely that Jesus is the Messiah, Lord, Son of David for all. This may remind us Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians, saying, “God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” Yes, the Canaanite woman abruptly disturbed the disciples, the very first listeners of the story and even us. Only Jesus, as the Messiah as she confessed, was giving her space to listen and tell. Wondering she was confident, beloved or assured in Jesus’ welcoming presence? What would the disciples feel during the dialogue between the gentile woman and their master? Jesus was here with her. He still is. For her, who was excluded by the mainstream Jewish community, Jesus Christ was her sight, viewpoint and the lens for her vision of the world she lives. For us, who have been feeling isolated and depressed by the current pandemic, Jesus Christ is still our sight, viewpoint and the lens for our vision of this world. Thus, what do you see? What would Jesus want us to see this moment? Like the Canaanite woman begged the crumbs of the Messiah’s salvation, would you be able to see the little things in life?

 

In my daily walking, I have practiced to find one little thing that may transform my day – the smell in the bush after raining, watching little water fall on rocks, a meaningful pause to feel the beauty of nature, a gesture of myself being part of nature, and listening to birds singing etc. I can breathe deep and feel I am alive. I can pray there and feel I am still in God’s presence. That saves me. That forms me each day. In the time of huge challenges in current pandemic, I can feel where I am though the circumstances would make me a “no-account”. We are still in God’s presence no matter you have little faith. In there, God starts a big thing in your life – that is God’s grace, Christ’s love and the Holy Spirit’s fellowship. Also, each and every one of us, Boronia Park Uniting Church, holds each other in prayers and thoughts this day. As Jesus said to the woman, we can read the verse as the words of affirmation of God’s promise. “Let it be done for you as you wish.”

 

Let me conclude with a request for you to read the following poem written by Kelly Ann Hall. The title is There I Am.

 

THERE I AM

Kelly Ann Hall

 

Welcome to the heart of God.

Breathe deep, beloved,

I am bringing everyone in.

 

There is nothing to be afraid of,

this is your birthplace.

 

There are no requirements unmet,

this is your birthright.

 

No one is refused,

come in,

let down,

expand

there is more than enough room.

 

Join Me, in the deep

refreshing, endless, eternal.

Wade in and be refreshed!

Let your mind untangle,

Let your body rest

Let your spirit be at ease—

 

I AM this moment.

 

And, by waves of love I will reset your cadence.

By my current, get you back on course

My touchable representations on earth,

I will birth you again

My sons, and

My daughters,

soaked in My love.

 

And bless you, beloved,

to stand and emerge,

still dripping of the heart of God

as one fluid hope-restored movement

to alter the environment for the better

everywhere you go.

 

Because everywhere

you will go,

 

there

I

AM..

 

Amen.

 

 

Affirmation of Faith

 

Let us affirm our faith:

 

We believe in Jesus Christ,

Son of the One God,

Maker and Sustainer of earth, sea and sky.

 

Born of Mary’s womb,

faithful to the God of Abraham and Sarah,

Jesus healed the sick,

served the poor,

and proclaimed heaven on earth.

 

Condemned by the religious,

crucified by the state,

He died

but transformed even death

and rose to life everlasting.

 

He blessed the disciples with the Holy Spirit and

sent them forth, east and west, north and south.

 

We commit ourselves

to Jesus,

to one another as brothers and sisters

and to His mission in the world

in the grace of the Holy Spirit.

 

Amen.

 

 

Hymn                 Be Still, My Soul

 

 

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side;

bear patiently the cross grief and pain;

leave to your God to order and provide;

in every change he faithful will remain.

Be till, my soul: your best, your heavenly friend

through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

 

Be still, my soul: your God will undertake

to guide the future as he has the past.

Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake,

all now mysterious shall be clear at last.

Be still, my soul: the tempests still obey

his voice, who ruled them once on Galilee.

 

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart

and all is darkened in the vale of tears,

then you shall better know his love, his heart,

who comes to soothe your sorrow, calm your fears.

Be still, my soul: for Jesus can restore

the trust and hope that strengthened you before.

 

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on

when we shall be for ever with the Lord,

when disappointment, grief and fear are gone,

sorrow forgotten, love’s pure joy restored.

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

all safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

 

Katharina von Schlegel tr. Jane Laurie Borthwick

CCLI #260394

 

 

Offering

 

Let us pray:

 

Thank you, Lord, for all who care.

Bless them with your love.

 

Thanks for mothers and fathers everywhere.

Bless them with your love.

 

For those who brighten up our day.

Bless them with your love.

 

Who always have the right words to say.

Bless them with your love.

 

Thanks for hugs, and love and smiles.

Bless them with your love.

 

Thanks for all those extra miles.

Bless them with your love.

 

And when they feel they're not enough.

Bless them, bless them, with your love.

 

We bless the offering,

we bless you Lord.

Amen.

 

The offering will be used for the congregation’s continuing mission and ministry in these changing times. Please make your offering through a Bank Deposit or a 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. If needed to pick up donations from your home, let Robyn or Seung Jae know.

 

And many thank those who have donated for your sharing love and generosity.

 

 

Prayer for Vale Valerie Patricia Cooper

 

 

Dear my friends, I regret to tell you all that one of our committed Christian friends, Valerie Cooper passed away last Saturday 8, aged at 88. With my mixed emotion, I would like to invite you all to join me in saying this prayer.

Valerie, we now commend you to the love and mercy of God. Please go, go home to be with your Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Let us pray:

 

You, God, are the Lord of life and death.

In the life, death and resurrection of your Son,

Jesus,

you have made us think differently

about our own death.

 

Sometimes it's hard,

but we're trying to understand

that death is not your final word,

that there is yet more to come,

a most glorious more.

But we grieve that death will separate us

in our time and space, because we're human,

and loving relationships matter to us.

 

It's not easy for us to yield someone we love,

even to you, our loving Father,

so help us to unclench our hands,

and release them into your grace.

 

Comfort us with the love of your compassionate heart,

and reunite us at the end of time, in your realm.

 

In the name of Christ.

Amen.

 

 

 Valerie Patricia Cooper

29 December 1932 – 8 August 2020

 

 

Closing Responses and Blessing

 

Let us pray:

 

Look at your hands, see the touch and the tenderness,

God’s own for the world.

 

Loot at your feet, see the path and the direction,

God’s own for the world.

 

Look at your heart, see the fire and the love,

God’s own for the world.

 

Look at the cross, see God’s Son and our Saviour,

God’s own for the world.

 

This is God’s world,

and we will serve God in it.

 

May God bless you, may God keep you always,

And lead your lives with love.

Amen.

 

NEXT SUNDAY – 23 September 2020 The service will be prepared and led by Robyn Harvey.            Bible Reading – Joshua Yeon            Kid’s Talk – Margaret Treble            Prayers of the People – Jenny Keast Also, it will be live streamed at YouTube, starting at 9.30am. You may do google “Boronia Park Sunday Worship” in search. Further information will be provided by Friday 21 August.