49B - Sunday 17B — 51B - Sunday 19B
See also my post from 2012, 2018, 2021, 2024
PSALM 51:1-12
Be gracious to me, O God,
according to your lovingkindness;
according to your abundant compassion
blot out my rebellious acts.
Like a cloudburst, wash my wrongdoing from me
and scour my sins from me;
for I am only too aware of my rebellion,
and my sin is always in front of me.
I have sinned against you – you alone,
and done what is displeasing in your eyes
and so you have a just case when you speak;
blameless when you judge.
Truly, I was born among waywardness,
and my mother conceived me in a sinful society;
indeed, you desired faithfulness in the womb,
and in being kept hidden you caused me to know wisdom
Unsin me with hyssop and I shall be clean;
wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my wrongdoing.
Create for me a clean heart, O God,
and re-create a generous spirit within me.
Do not throw me aside from your presence;
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your favour;
and let a willing spirit sustain me.
OFFERING
God of abundance,
you have given more than we could ask for.
By the power of your Spirit within us,
enable us to extend your hospitality and generosity
to our neighbours;
in Jesus’ name. Amen.
A CREATIVE MOMENT – Ephesians 4:1-16
Perhaps several opportunities:
(a) v.5: Remembering our baptism (Reaffirmation).
(b) vv.11-13: Celebrating/honouring/naming the gifts of ministry exercised in the congregation. Invite members to stand, and remain standing, who are involved in the various ministries are named: participation in leading worship (liturgist, reader, intercessor, musicians etc; pastoral visiting; opportunity/thrift shop volunteers; property maintenance; elder; fellowship/faith-sharing groups; Bible study; and so on. Make sure the list gets everyone standing. We are all part of the one body.
(c) Imagine ways appropriate for your congregation of acknowledging and honouring the diversity within your congregation; diversity which is “knit together” in the one body. For example: As for last Sunday, have a display of various kinds of breads arranged, perhaps especially include loaves of multi-grain bread. (This also ties in the Gospel theme.) Just as the many and various grains make one loaf so we are made one in following Jesus. The bread (toasted?) could be shared over morning tea after worship.
If worship today includes Holy Communion, this would be an occasion to break and share a multi-grain loaf.
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 borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
God of unfailing love,
who is above all and through all and in all;
you have blessed us with this new day;
with birds of the air, and fish of the sea;
with animals, plant life, crops, rich vegetation,
trees bowed down with fruit:
yet we cry to you, O LORD,
for those we name in word and silence
and those whose trouble is known only to you,
that in our living
they may be comforted, encouraged and sustained.
God of this day,
hear our prayer;
in Jesus’ name…
(The Prayers of the People continue)
Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
Or metrical psalms? Try Dale A. Schoening’s Sing the Psalms
| HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR SUNDAY 18B |
|
| Fill my whole life, O Lord my God | TIS 596 |
| O Lord Jesus, Marrkapmirr | TIS 253 |
| Take my life and let it be | TIS 599 |
| Thuma mina (Send me, Lord) | |
| 2 Samuel 11: 26- 12: 13a |
|
| Father of mercy, God of consolation | TIS 472 |
| Guide me, O thou great Redeemer | TIS 569 |
| Make me a captive, Lord | TIS 604 |
| Praise, my soul, the King of heaven | TIS 134 |
| Sometimes a healing word is comfort | TIS 682 |
| What does the Lord require? | TIS 618 |
| Psalm 51:1-12 |
|
| A new heart, Lord, create in me | TIS 559 |
| Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned | TIS 32 |
| Create in us a new heart, O God | TIS 712 |
| Dear Shepherd of your people hear | TIS 444 |
| God, you touch the earth with beauty | TIS 610 |
| Have mercy on us, living God | TIS 31 |
| Lord Jesus, think on me | TIS 546 |
| Lord, I come to you | TIS 685 |
| O Holy Spirit, enter in | TIS 400 |
| Refresh my heart, Lord, renew my love | TIS 744 |
| Ephesians 4:1-16 |
|
| Christ is the world’s true light | TIS 238 |
| Christ, from whom all blessings flow | TIS 440 |
| Come, risen Lord, and deign to be our guest | TIS 524 |
| Help us to accept each other | TIS 648 |
| I greet you, my Redeemer sure | TIS 198 |
| In Christ there is no east or west | TIS 459 |
| O Lord of every shining constellation | TIS 157 |
| The church’s one foundation | TIS 457 |
| Your hand O God has guided | TIS 456 |
| Your words to me are life and health | TIS 430 |
| John 6:24-35 |
|
| Bread of the world, in mercy broken | TIS 512 |
| Break now the bread of life | TIS 429 |
| I am the Bread of Life | TIS 535 |
| Jesus the Lord said, I am the bread | TIS 239 |
| Lord Jesus joy of loving hearts | TIS 499 |
| Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us | TIS 526 |
| My God, your table now is spread | TIS 510 |
| O God of Bethel, by whose hand | TIS 564 |
| Robe yourself, my soul, with gladness | TIS 503 |