39A - Day of Pentecost — 41A - Sunday 9A
See also my posts from 2014, 2017, 2020, 2023
PRAYER OF ADORATION AND CONFESSION – Psalm 8
O LORD, our God, how splendid is your name in all the earth;
a radiance I will worship to the ends of the cosmos.
On weak infant babbling you have established strength
on account of your enemies,
to subdue chaos and death.
I gaze at the night sky, and marvel at your handiwork;
the moon and stars which you have set in place.
Who am I that you remember me,
or the whole human family, that you care about us?
You have made us in your image, little less than yourself,
and surrounded us with the glory and splendour of your creating word.
Yet you have given us these works of your hands:
you have put the world at our feet;
sheep and cattle, herds and flocks,
birds of the air – blue wren and wedgetail eagle,
fish of the sea – fairy penguin and Southern Right whale
— all the creatures that live and move in the depths and shallows.
O LORD, our God, how splendid is your name in all the earth
Maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen…
We lament the times we exploit rather than treasure your gift of creation.
Holy One whose love was most clearly revealed in Jesus,
We lament the times we fail to live out your commandment to love
Holy Spirit, giver of life, who has spoken through the prophets,
We lament the times we betray the truth of the gospel.
Source of life, Word of life, Breath of life,
fill us again with your creative power,
remake us in your image
so that we may better love you and worship you,
in all our living. Amen
A CREATIVE MOMENT
Trinity, as simple as A-B-S? (What follows is an outline of my recollection of a moment in worship led by our parish minister, quite some years ago, and well before I was ordained.) Materials: A telephone – it could be one from your study desk, or a mobile/cell ‘phone. The glossy, attractive finish to the telephone comes from Acrylonitrile one of the plastics used in making the telephone. The telephone’s impact strength – which means it will bounce rather than break if dropped – comes from Butadene. And Styrene give the telephone its attractively moulded shape. You can’t see each of these plastics; what you see is the result, or effect, of their presence. Three plastics; one telephone. So too, the three personae of the One God are evident by the effects of their presence.
Another suggestion: Gen 1:1-2:4a, Ps 8 offer the opportunity to engage with a variety of themes. The reading of either or both lections could be accompanied by the projection of images of the cosmos and the created world.
Have a lighted candle as a focus point in the worship space symbolising the light separated from the darkness and Christ, the light of the world. Draped blue and brown cloth could symbolise the waters and the dry land.
How do we live in this world? What does it mean to be created “in the image of God”? Have we misunderstood what it means to “fill the earth and subdue it”? What does it mean to “have dominion over all the earth” in the light of the gospel?
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession with connection to the lections for the day. Sometimes this prayer will borrow lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
Holy, holy, holy are you,
Source of life,
Word of life,
Breath of life,
Send us
to warm the lives of those we name
on our unclean lips and in the silence of our hearts;
Send us
to celebrate with those open to your abundance;
Send us
to bring comfort to those among us and around us who are hurting,
Send us
to encourage those for whom the light of life
shines less brightly.
(The Prayers of the People continue)
Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
| HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR TRINITY SUNDAY | |
| Genesis:1:1-2:4a | |
| All things bright and beautful | TIS 135 |
| At the dawning of salvation | TIS 392 |
| Colourful Creator, God of mystery | TIS 190 |
| Did you ever see a kookaburra laugh | TIS 175 |
| For the beauty of the earth | TIS 137 |
| Holy Spirit, ever dwelling | TIS 410 |
| Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty | TIS 132 |
| Lord, your almighty word | TIS 447 |
| Loving Spirit, loving Spirit | TIS 417 |
| Made in God’s likeness, moved by the Spirit | TIS 671 |
| Morning has broken | TIS 156 |
| O Lord of every shining constellation | TIS 157 |
| Pull back the veil on the dawn of creation | TIS 326 |
| She sits like a bird brooding on the water | TIS 418 |
| Sing a new song, sing a new song | TIS 166 |
| Stars and planets flung in orbit | TIS 186 |
| The sounds in God’s world all agree | TIS 176 |
| Touch the earth lightly | TIS 668 |
| Where wide sky rolls down and touches red sand | TIS 188 |
| Psalm 8 | |
| Lord, our Lord, your glorious name | TIS 3 |
| 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 | |
| Father, bless us as we go | TIS 781 |
| Go now in peace | TIS 782 |
| Peace with the Father, peace with Christ his Son | TIS 466 |
| Father in heaven, grant to your children | TIS 465 |
| Lord Christ, true peace of all above | TIS 623 |
| Matthew 28:16-20 |
|
| Christians, lift up your hearts … | TIS 423 |
| Dearest Jesus, we are here | TIS 480 |
| Father, we adore you | TIS 716 |
| Filled with the Spirit’s power, with one | TIS 411 |
| How firm a foundation, you people of God | TIS 578 |
| Jesus calls us here to meet him | TIS 477 |
| May the grace of Christ our Saviour | TIS 777 |
| O Lord Jesus Marrkapmirr | TIS 253 |
| O breath of life, come sweeping through us | TIS 409 |
| O what a gift, what a wonderful gift | TIS 278 |
| Praise with joy the world’s Creator | TIS 179 |
| This is the truth we hold | TIS 469 |