Order of Service – 28 August 2022

Living Stones

(Words for the hymns and bible reading follows the call to worship)

Welcome and Notices
Call to worship
HYMN 225 [CH4]   Summer suns are glowing
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
1st Reflection
HYMN 151 [MP]   For I’m building a people of power  [twice]
Bible Reading:  1 Peter 2: 1-10
Video:  There is a hope
2nd Reflection
HYMN   Church of God, elect and glorious
3rd Reflection
HYMN 806 [MP]   Beauty for brokenness
Prayers for the world
HYMN 640 [MP]    The Church’s one foundation
Benediction

 

Call to Worship
We are met in the presence of God
And we do not meet alone
With the angels in highest heaven
We gather to worship God
With the saints of every age
We gather to worship God
With the Church throughout the world
We gather to worship God
We are met in the presence of God
And we do not meet alone

HYMN 225 [CH4]   Summer suns are glowing

1 Summer suns are glowing
over land and sea;
happy light is flowing,
bountiful and free.
Everything rejoices
in the the rays;
all earth’s thousand voices
swell the psalm of praise.
2 See God’s mercy streaming
over all the world,
and his banner gleaming,
everywhere unfurled.
Broad and deep and glorious,
as the heaven above,
shines in might victorious
his eternal love.
3 Lord, upon our blindness
your pure radiance pour;
for your loving-kindness
make us love you more.
And, when clouds are drifting
dark across the sky,
then, the veil uplifting;
Father, still be nigh.
4 We will never doubt you,
though you veil your light;
life is dark without you;
death with you is bright.
Light of light, shine o’er us
on our pilgrim way;
still go on before us,
to the endless day.

HYMN 151 [MP]   For I’m building a people of power  [twice]

For I’m building a people of power
and I am making a people of praise,
that will move through this land by My spirit,
and will glorify My precious name.
Build your church, Lord,
make us strong, Lord,
join our hearts, Lord, through Your Son,
make us one, Lord, in Your body,
in the kingdom of Your Son.

 

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 2: 1-10

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—  you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

HYMN – Church of God

1 Church of God, elect and glorious,
holy nation, chosen race;
called as God’s own special people,
royal priests and heirs of grace:
know the purpose of your calling,
show to all his mighty deeds;
tell of love which knows no limits,
grace which meets all human needs.

2 God has called you out of darkness
into his most marvellous light;
brought his truth to life within you,
turned your blindness into sight.
Let your light so shine around you
that God’s name is glorified;
and all find fresh hope and purpose
in Christ Jesus crucified.

3 Once you were an alien people,
strangers to God’s heart of love;
but he brought you home in mercy,
citizens of heaven above.
Let his love flow out to others,
let them feel a Father’s care;
that they too may know his welcome
and his countless blessings share.

4 Church of God, elect and holy,
be the people he intends;
strong in faith and swift to answer
each command your master sends:
royal priests, fulfil your calling
through your sacrifice and prayer;
give your lives in joyful service
sing his praise, his love declare.

 

HYMN 806 [MP]   Beauty for brokenness

1 Beauty for brokenness,
hope for despair,
Lord, in Your suffering world
this is our prayer,
Bread for the children,
justice, joy, peace,
sunrise to sunset,
Your kingdom increase!
Chorus
God for the poor,
friends of the weak,
give us compassion we pray:
melt our colds hearts,
let tears fall like rain;
come, change our love
form a spark to a flame.
2 Shelter for fragile lives,
cues for their ills,
work for the craftsmen,
trade for their skills;
land for the dispossessed,
rights for the weak,
voices to plead for the cause
of those who can’t speak.
3 Refuge from cruel wars,
havens from fear,
cities for sanctuary,
freedoms to share.
Peace to the killing-fields,
scorched earth to green,
Christ for the bitterness,
His cross for the pain.
4 Rest for the ravaged earth,
oceans and streams
plundered and poisoned –
our future, our dreams.
Lord, end our madness,
carelessness, greed;
make us content with
the things that we need.
5 Lighten our darkness,
breathe on this flame
until Your justice
burns brightly again;
until the nations
learn of Your ways,
seek Your salvation
and bring You their praise.

 

HYMN 640 [MP]    The Church’s one foundation

1 The Church’s one foundation
is Jesus Christ our Lord;
she is His new creation
by water and the word;
from heaven He came and sought her
to be His holy bride;
with His own blood He brought her,
and for her life He died.

2 Elect from every nation,
yet one o’er all the earth,
her charter of salvation
one Lord, one faith, one birth,
one holy name she blesses,
partakes one Holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with every grace endued.

3 Though with a scornful wonder
men see her sore oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder
by heresies distressed;
yet saints their watch are keeping,
their cry goes up: “How long?”
and soon the night of weeping
shall be the morn of song.

4 Mid toil and tribulation,
and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation
of peace for evermore;
till with the vision glorious
her longing eyes are blest,
and the great Church victorious
shall be the Church at rest.

5 Yet she on earth has union
with God the Three-in-One,
and mystic sweet communion
with those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
like them, the meek and lowly,
on high may dwell with Thee.