40C – Trinity Sunday

39C - Day of Pentecost — 41C - Sunday 9C
 
See also my posts from 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022

 
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.
   (silence)
God of all that is – seen and unseen,
there are times we exploit rather than treasure your gift of creation
   (silence)
Spirit of grace, btreath of life,
who inspired the prophets to speak and act,
there are times we betray the truth of the gospel
   (silence)
There are times we fail to live your love
   (silence)
Holy One whom we name God,
fill us again with your spirit of grace,
so that we may again love you, our neighbour and ourselves
in the way Jesus loved. Amen

OFFERING
Creating and life-giving God,
you have given us the works of your hands,
and made us little less than yourself,
and move us to love
by the presence of your Spirit of grace.
What can we bring but the labours of our living
and the life we have in you,
in Jesus’ name. Amen

For use in worship, with acknowledgement. © Jeff Shrowder 2000, 2016.

A CREATIVE MOMENT 
Trinity: as simple as ABS? 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 Persons of the One God are evident by the effects of their presence.

Holy mystery
of creativity, life and grace,
we name
on our lips and in our silence
our concern
for those suffering illness, grief or broken relationship;
others enduring hardship in material ways.
Enable us,
by your presence,
to comfort, encourage and be with
those known to us,
that they may have hope
through the love poured out
in your holy Spirit …
      (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

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