Welcome        Jenny and Alan Keast 

 

This Sunday's Flower Duty - Heather McDowell (Thank You Heather)

Preparing for Communion Service

 

You may wish to find a comfortable space and light a candle to remember the presence of Christ this day.

The Assembly of the Uniting Church has decided that on an online service we are able to receive the elements of communion, which are bread and wine. If you want it, please prepare a loaf of bread and a cup of grape juice or wine for partaking in His Life over the communion.

Today it is ok to share communion at home as we had done at church.

 

Acknowledgement for the First Peoples

 

Before we begin, we would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional owners of the land 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 third page of the Congregation Directory. I would like to call them by name:

 

Justin Han and Christy Kim, Ashley, Emily,

John and Robyn Harvey,

Barnabas Joo and Phobe Kim, Grace and Ilyas, Sophia, Susan,

AND Hae-Lyun Kang

 

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

 

Call to Worship

 

We gather to worship the One

who crafted creation out of nothing,

All: our cries of joy join the songs of the universe.

 

We gather to lift our praise

to the God who gives us voice,

we bring the songs which have echoed

in our hearts all week long.

 

We gather as the children of God,

our joy unbroken in God's love.

we lift up the new,

new songs of faith, hope and love.

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

let us worship God.

 

Assembly Song 1 – At the dawn of salvation (392)

 

Click here and add your voice to praise the risen Lord and the glory of salvation.

 

Verse 1

At the dawning of salvation;

in the morning of the world,

Christ is raised, a living banner

by the love of God unfurled,

 

Through the daylight, through the darkness,

Christ leads on his great array:

all the saints and all the sinners

he has gathered on his way.

 

Verse 2

He is risen in the morning,

he is risen from the dead;

he is laughter after sadness,

he is light when night has fled.

 

He has suffered, he has triumphed,

life is his alone to give:

as he gave it once he gives it

evermore, that we may live.

 

Verse 3 

For the glory of salvation

in the dawn of Easter day

we will praise you, loving Father;

we rejoice to sing and pray

 

with the Son and with the Spirit.

Lead us on, your great array,

saints and sinners celebrating

your triumphant love today.

 

Adaptation © C. A. Gibson | CCLI #260394

 

Prayer of Thanksgiving

 

Let us pray:

 

You raise your hand

and gently begin

the work of creation:

birds carry the twittering

while stars keep them glittering;

mountains dance in laughter

and little children clap

their hands with joy.

Love's Composer,

our new songs are lifted to you.

 

The old, old song

is made new in our hearts:

Christ is Risen!

Sing Alleluia!

You invite us to sing to a world

deafened by despair

and haunted by the tunes of fear.

Lord of the Dance,

our new songs are lifted to you.

 

Believing we cannot

carry a tune,

we hesitate to join in

the chorus of praise

sung by all creation.

So, you softly and gently

hum the song in our hearts

until they burst with you,

raising a rousing chorus

of Amazing Grace.

Music-making Spirit,

our new songs are lifted to you.

 

Every song, old and new, is offered to you,

God in Community, Holy in One,

we pray in Jesus’ name.

We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

The Peace

The peace of our God be with you.

All: 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 Grace and Ilyas who recently came back home after their long journey through many continents, lands, seas and nations you may welcome them. Let us share Easter hope across our friendship this day.

 

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:42-47 (Click to read)  Jenny Keast

Hear the Word of the Lord written and witnessed in the Acts of the disciples of Christ. Jenny Keast reads the passage for us.

The Believers Form a Community

⁴² All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

⁴³ A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.⁴⁴ And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. ⁴⁵ They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. ⁴⁶ They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— ⁴⁷ all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

Kid’s Talk            Rosemary Brook

Find here Easter 4 Kid’s talk led by Rosemary Brook.

 

Reflection on Scripture           Seung Jae Yeon

View the video of Seung Jae’s reflection sharing.

 

Ordinary days – its powerfulness and greatness in God 

There are certain things that I routinely do every morning when I wake up. I do stretch on my bed, open windows to get fresh air in house, turn on the radio – mainly ABC Classic FM, turn on the coffee machine, drink a cup of water, check a day’s brief, make and drink my first coffee for the day, and greet to my children and Grace if they join in my morning routine.

I wonder what your very first morning would look like. I wonder whether you have a routine like mine or there was something new.

After ordinary six days of my week my Sunday morning gives me another routine that I have practiced at Boronia Park Uniting Church. There are also certain things that I routinely do every Sunday morning except when I am on leave last six years: Take a morning walk (to be honest not every Sunday), greet to Margaret Maxwell who prepares morning tea and have my first chat of the day, unpack my Sunday ministry things in my office with a brief prayer, turn on the computer and the data projector and set up the sound system, welcome members who arrive at the church carpark or the corridor, practice to sing hymns with accompanists, do vestry prayer with the elders, then start worship service. Always begin with big waving hands, sing hymns, pray, listen for the Scripture, preach, preside communion and do blessings at the end. Greet to the members of congregation at the door, have morning tea, once a month celebrate members’ birthday, remind my little ducks for a bus trip, welcome on behalf of the congregation if a new comer joins, do Youth Group, say goodbye at the carpark and lock the door and go home. 

All that I just listed is my ordinary days as Seung Jae and as a minister. It comes back every day and every week. There are 52 weeks a year. I’ve done last 6 years but there are some people who practice it in their whole life time. However, all that we have practiced each and every Sunday stop. Since the Youth Full Worship on Sunday 29 March, we have practiced our faith and worshipped God from home. In the name of self-isolation, we now work from home, study from home, stay in and keep social-physical distancing.

I wonder how you have lived your ordinary days last five weeks.

Recently I have heard many people say that they want to go back to ordinary days. Many people wish to go back to work, to school and to church. We are now missing so much the time when we met freely to have chat over coffee or meal, attended classes to study with peers and friends, and gathered in one place to worship, giving praise and praying together. Those people maybe you and me. I do want to go back to the ordinary days especially on my Sunday.

In my faith in the coming of Jesus Christ, I anticipate in it. But today I do anticipate in the coming of the ordinary days. I am not saying that I want to go back to the old days. Just wanting to go back to five weeks ago when I did freely see and meet you on Sunday. I anticipate in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But today we do want Him to bring us back the ordinary days, don’t we? Yes, we have great values on church’s mission, discipleship and growth but today we just want to gather in one place to worship as a Sunday congregation. The ordinary days have more value than other things. The power of our ordinary days is emerging. Now we may say that our everyday life and the ordinary days are the greatest thing in our life. Greatest are your day today and my days. If we anticipate it, it means so much for us to live today. What are you longing for today?

Today’s Scripture reading tells us the story of a primitive and emerging Christ community called Jerusalem Church and of their life story. The passage has only six verses, but it may contain a full story of sustainability, energy and faithfulness in the life of the community.

Those early church members in Jerusalem devoted to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, and to sharing in meals and often the lord’s supper and to prayer. They witnessed many signs and wonders of miracle and owe of Christ. They gathered in one place – we don’t know how big its congregation was, maybe it was a members’ house or dwelling place – sharing everything as common possessions and even sales proceeds with those in need. They worshipped at the Temple, met for the Lord’s Supper with great joy and generosity. Many outside its congregation praised them and enjoyed what they practiced so the Jerusalem church community grew up in number and their capacity to continue Christ’s teaching – Love God and love your fellow human beings. His teaching was the two most important commandments that sum up all demands made on humanity. These led the followers into a deeper sense of living life given by God on a day given by God the Creator.

The members of the Jerusalem Church lived ordinary days in awaiting the Second Coming of Christ as promised. In those days, every day they experienced the great work of Jesus Christ witnessing what He had done for them. Because they wanted to have those days back where their fellow Christians – maybe their parents, grandparents or friends with Jesus went for preaching good news, teaching and learning, sharing meals and their belongings, healing the sick and giving comfort with joy and faithful heart. They lived what they would anticipate in.  In their ordinary life and its life style they truly fulfilled the life of the people of God. They received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (we will celebrate it soon) and they as the recipients of the power of Holy Spirit demonstrated it every day. They were not special by what they are but so special in the eye of God and fellow human beings because of how they lived. They simply anticipated in those ordinary days being with Jesus so lived as it would be. I believe that they could follow Jesus because they occupied the power of ordinary days given by their master Jesus Christ the risen Lord.   

 

Great is your faithfulness, O God my Father,

in you no shadow of turning we see;

you never fail and your love is unchanging:

as you have been you for ever will be.

 

Great is your faithfulness,

great is your faithfulness,

morning by morning new mercies we see;

all we have needed your hand has provided:

great is your faithfulness, Lord God, to me.

 

His faithfulness is great. Every moment we see His new mercies. He and his hand has provided all we have needed. He is God, a God to me is always great and faithful. This is the God who we believe in. This is the God who we follow in our church community, Boronia Park Uniting Church, no matter wherever we are gathering this moment – perhaps your home or room is now a place to worship God where you praise His faithfulness with your great joy in salvation and mercies from Him. As the Jerusalem church formed Christ’s community in their ordinary day, I believe that we form a Christ’s community here. His kingdom is here. His reign is here with us. I wonder what we would expect to see if his kingdom and reign is upon and among us now?

The anticipation of the early Jerusalem Christians was simple. They wanted to go back to the days being with their master Jesus Christ. So, they lived like Jesus for they anticipated in. They acted towards others as their neighbours would have Jesus act towards themselves. There is a great example of it. Peter and John healed the lame man sitting at the gate by the name of Jesus Christ. The report about what the lame man and the local people reacted still rings in our ears.

All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! (Acts 3:9-10, NLT)

The two disciples did as Jesus had done in ministry. In their ordinary day as they went on to the Temple to pray, they healed their neighbour lame by the name of their master, Jesus. The lame man praised and the local community was amazed by the power of two ordinary men as well as astounded by the power of Jesus’ name. It happened to them all on an ordinary day, by the ordinary men and thru the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Those in the report including two disciples, the man who used to be lame and those passing the gate witnessing it, would have had a kingdom experience that Jesus worked in their ordinary days. The power of the ordinary men and women, of the ordinary day, and of the simple act towards our neighbours will make us his disciples in our faith journey.

What I have come to do here this moment is to make an appeal to all more than a lesson or teaching. I therefore would place the remaining tasks – whatever you learnt from the Scripture in your hands. I trust you because I trust in God. I believe that we will form a Christ’s community thru this surreal time in our history.

 

Let us pray:

Dear loving God,

Please do not remain us without your care and mercy.

We pray that as a scattered community in these days

we continue to form the body of your Son Jesus Christ

that we love God and our fellow human beings unlike the world does.

We ask you Lord to show your way – a better way we should take

thru COVID-19 and beyond.

As we form Christ’s body, also let us share it with many.

Thus guide us and lead us.

We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Prayers of the People        Isabella Lee

Join in the Prayers of the People led by Isabella Lee.

 

Let us pray:

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

we gather together from all different places today in prayer.

 

We pray for each other,

for this period of isolation that we are going through.

 

On one hand,

for some of us it is a great opportunity to slow down

and spend time at home, appreciating the smaller things

that often go unnoticed.

 

However, on the other hand

some of us are struggling with loneliness

and are finding it challenging to adjust to our temporary lifestyles.

 

Help us to remember that we are never alone,

to remember that you are with us

and that our church family are praying for us.

 

Help us to be blessed by our current way of worship.

 

We acknowledge how fortunate

we have been to have a place of worship every Sunday.

 

How fortunate we are

to have a second family outside of our homes.

 

In these times, we are reminded that it is You

and the people that bind together our church,

not our physical building.

 

Church is made up of all of us,

so we all join together at this time in our hearts

to pray for our community, the wider community,

our country and the world.

 

For the safety, security, health and wellbeing of all.

 

We know that it is only our unity apart

that can overcome this global challenge.

 

We pray for the members of our church,

that we all find ways to be connected to each other

even as we are distanced.

 

We pray for our minister Seungjae, Grace and their family.

 

May they see our gratitude for their efforts

made in the adjustment in our worship.

 

Thank you for all the gifts you have given them

that they share with us each and every week.

Lord, we acknowledge how persistently

Seungjae has been working for you and our community,
it is time consuming and it is tiring.

 

Please help him to know that we all appreciate his efforts

with thankful hearts.

 

We pray for the churches in our community

especially for Hunters Hill Congregational Church.

 

We pray for the guidance and resilience of their pastor and leaders.

 

For the congregation’s support and sense of community

through this very unusual time in their worship lives.

 

Give them the strength to adapt and adjust

to the challenges they face.

 

For India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan,

we pray for the wisdom of the leaders of these countries.

 

Help them to set a good example for their people

to follow after so they can navigate their country effectively

through these difficult times.

 

Bring peace to conflicts and controversy and settle the suffering.

 

We pray for the countries of the world.

 

Now more than ever,

we are reminded that no matter where we live,

that we are all equal.

 

This virus knows no bounds;

regardless of what ethnicity or religion we are,

whether we are rich or poor,

famous or unknown,

whatever country we live in,

we are ALL equal,

we are ALL affected.

 

We would also like to pray for the students

around Australia and the world,

may they find strength to adapt to their new styles of learning

and help them through their studies.

 

Guide them away from the distractions

that are brought on with the changes of their learning environments

and help them find a balance between school and home life.

 

We also remember that there are still

those who are in positions of vulnerability,

those who are more susceptible to illness

through pre-existing conditions and the elderly.

 

We pray for all those who are unable to make an income

due to their loss of jobs may you fulfil their needs.

 

For all of our frontline workers,

we pray for their health and safety.

 

We thank them for their commitment, diligence and endurance

as their jobs expose them to the extremes of the crisis.

 

Help them to understand the immense gratitude and support

that we all have for them.

 

The other challenges of the world have not stopped

because of the COVID19 virus.

 

Hunger, poverty, war, sickness and suffering are

still happening through this time.

 

We pray for those in need due to these situations,

may your blessings and peace be upon them all.

 

Lord please pour out your blessing on us.

 

Help us to have faith not fear.

 

Peace not panic.

 

Trust not turmoil.

 

Love not hate.

 

We ask all of these in Jesus name. Amen.

 

Communion Hymn – Table of Plenty

 

Hear the communion hymn Table of Plenty, as preparing your heart and mind to receive the elements of communion.

 

Refrain

Come to the feast of heaven and earth!

Come to the table of plenty!

God will provide for all that we need,

here at the table of plenty.

 

O, come and sit at my table

where saints and sinners are friends.

I wait to welcome the lost

and lonely to share the cup of my love.

              Refrain

 

O, come and eat without money;

come to drink without price.

My feast of gladness will feed

your spirit with faith and fullness of life.

              Refrain

 

My bread will ever sustain you

through days of sorrow and woe.

My wine will flow like a sea

of gladness to flood the depths of your soul.

              Refrain

 

© 1992 Daniel L. Schutte | CCLI #260394

 

CELEBRATING THE LORD’S SUPPER

 

Join in the table fellowship known as Holy Communion in spirit.

 

Setting of the Table

 

Christ our Lord invites to his table

all who love him,

who earnestly repent of their broken image in God

and seek to live in peace and love

with one another.

 

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

 

Let us pray:

 

Hear the words of institution of this sacrament

as recorded by the apostle Paul:

 

“For I received from the Lord

what I also delivered to you,

that the Lord Jesus,

on the night when he was betrayed,

took bread,

and when he had given thanks,

he broke it and said:

 

All: This is my body, which is for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

 

In the same way also the cup,

after supper, saying:

 

This cup is the new covenant in my blood.

Do this, as often as you drink it,

for the remembrance of me.

 

For as often as you eat this bread

and drink the cup,

you proclaim the Lord’s death

until he comes.”                    _{1 Corinthians 11:23-26}

 

And so according to our Saviour’s command,

we set this bread and this cup apart

for the holy supper to which he calls us,

and we come to God

with our prayer of thanksgiving.

 

Please join in the prayer:

 

Lord Jesus Christ,

we thank you for inviting each one of us

to be part of this community.

 

Help us never to think of

our position in it as one of privilege,

but as an opportunity to serve

each other and your world.

 

As we travel together,

help us to be constantly

aware of the needs

of the rest of the community,

and keep us humble.

 

Lord, help us never to make trouble,

but always to work for peace,

to be open, warm, and honest,

motivated always by your love.

 

Help us never to stand

on the letter of the law,

never to be concerned with our own rights,

our own place,

our own importance.

 

As we come together to receive

your bread and cup, make us

bread ready to be broken,

wine ready to be shared,

to meet the needs of all your children,

and be your presence in the world.

 

[Hands on congregation]

 

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us,

gathered here,

 

[Hands over elements]

 

and on these gifts of bread and wine.    

Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,

that we may be for the world

the body of Christ redeemed by his blood.

 

[Hands out to congregation]

 

By your Spirit make us one with Christ,

one with each other,

and one in ministry to all the world,

until Christ comes in final victory

and we feast at his heavenly meal.

 

Through your Son Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,

all honour and glory is yours,

Almighty Father, now and for ever.

 

Amen.

 

Breaking the Bread

 

The bread we break

is a sharing in the body of Christ.

 

Presenting the Cup

 

The cup we take

is a sharing in the blood of Christ.

 

The gifts of God for the people of God

All: The body of Christ.

 

Holy Communion

 

Please come to this table in spirit

and celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

You may eat and drink with your faithful prayer or reflect on your own meaning of the Lord’s Supper if not participating it.

 

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.

 

Prayer after Communion

 

Let us pray:

 

Lord Jesus, we love and adore you.

You're a special friend to us.

Welcome, Lord Jesus, o welcome.

Thank you for coming to us.

Thank you, Lord Jesus,

O thank you for giving yourself to us.

Make us strong to show your love wherever we may be.

Be near us, Lord Jesus,

we ask you to stay close by us forever

and love us, we pray.

Bless all of us children in your loving care

and bring us to heaven to live with you there.

 

We are ready now, Lord Jesus,

to show how much we care.

We are ready now to give your love at home and everywhere.

All: Amen.

 

Assembly Song 2 – We abide in You

 

Hear the song We Abide in You and know for sure that we are a Christ’s community echoing a trust voice to each other.

 

We are the vineyard You have planted

tend our leaves and wild branches,

we abide, we abide in You.

We abide, we abide in You.

 

Fruit growing from our strength and labor

rain on us with grace and favor,

we abide, we abide in you.

We abide, we abide in You. 

 

Chorus

Where can my soul find living water?

Apart from You we bear no fruit!

O plant my feet down by the river.

We abide, we abide in You.

 

We are the vineyard You have planted

tend our leaves and wild branches,

we abide, we abide in You.

we abide, we abide in You.

Chorus (sing twice)

 

We abide, we abide in You.

We abide, we abide in You.

 

© 2017 Hymns from the Porter’s Gate | 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.

 

Also, you may continue to support the charity work of Sydney Community Services by giving donation of food. You can drop off any unperishable food (cans and spaghetti etc) at the church office every Thursday between 10am and 12pm. Or contact Seung Jae to collect from your home.

 

If you are a knitter, please make Trauma Teddy or Beanies for Homeless to give. Contact Seung Jae for the patterns.

 

Sending Forth and Benediction

 

Let us pray:

 

From the comfort of this place,

to the discomfort of discipleship,

All: we will go to serve your people, Loving God.

 

Paying our attention perseveringly

to our community

where our love of Christ is needed,

All: we will go to wrap others in your grace,

Jesus the risen Lord.

 

Listening to the stories of the early church community,

learning the acts and the language of ordinary days,

we will go to discover the truth you share

in every moment, Spirit of Wisdom.

 

The blessing of God almighty,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.

Postlude

Hear the song called You Are Mine and conclude the worship service.

 

 

 

 Click to download the liturgy of worship service