it’s a short ride to Hades no stopping no coming back it’s not much of a place but better than no life at all Jesus went there descendit ad inferos he didn’t stay long less than forty hours he said Hades wasn’t the end of the line he said the last stop was New Jerusalem […]
Read full text
Tune: God rest you merry For the lyrics, music and a power point, click here. To Bethlehem, a stable bare, We journey to behold The baby born to change the world. The story has been told. He brings the lonely to his side. He makes the timid bold. O Tidings of comfort and joy Comfort […]
Read full text
a responsive prayer of confession arising from Luke 12.13-21 8th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C God of Life, Creator of the earth and all that is in it, We lift our prayers of thanks to you For the beauty of the earth that surrounds us, For spring flowers that dazzle us and summer’s greenery that […]
Read full text
All: God makes peace within us. Let us claim it. God makes peace between us. Let us share it (nwi). One: Let us greet another as a sign of God’s peace. The peace of God is here… to stay. (Iona) All: Thanks be to God. From the Pentecost Service, “Gathering for the Celebration of Life” […]
Read full text
Tune: Dominus Regit Me Title: Ministering to Christ The sacred role of ministry Of caring for the broken – Christ can be heard, but silently As if his pain has spoken. The ministry to Christ is known In caring for the stricken; He comes to us in flesh and bone Of those caught in affliction. Christ […]
Read full text
Tune: Darwall For the lyrics, music and a power point, click here. A dream of dignity For all humanity It is a dream so bold; ‘Can’t happen,’ we’ve been told; But we can strive To keep alive This hope for human harmony A dream of dignity For all humanity; A dream that Jesus saw Was […]
Read full text
Ladies Original Poem Award — Snowy Mountains Poets Championships, Australia 1998 (I have not been able to locate the poet’s name.) Possible introduction to using this poem in worship: On World Environment Day, may we be mindful of the sins against the environment and the creator that we have committed in the name of beauty, expediency, and […]
Read full text
We pray for the peace of the world. Especially we commend to your mercy the homeless and refugees; those who have been dispossessed and have lost their employment; those whose families have been disrupted and who mourn the loss of loved ones. We pray for the situation in [……..]. Grant that the sane and selfless […]
Read full text
At the Manger Tune: Cradle Song New words for ‘Away in a Manger’ For printable lyrics and music click here. Visit George’s website here to discover several modern Christmas Carols set to familiar tunes. Away in the manger, no pillow or bed, The baby boy Jesus is born in a shed; The stars in the […]
Read full text
You are invited to pray in the spirit of the Lord’s Prayer, and in your original language, as that is appropriate. All Gracious Spirit, Who loves us like a mother, Whose realm is blooming among us now. And within. We pray that your compassion guide us in every action. Give us what we need for […]
Read full text
This service was compiled in 2007 for Boronia Church of Christ, Boronia, Victoria, Australia Call to Communion Face the music. Jesus calls us to follow him, not just to another party of praise, but to the hard work of bringing God’s love and justice into this world of violence and fear. Let us prepare ourselves […]
Read full text
Our God, The world is more magical, less predictable, more autonomous, less controllable, more varied, less simple, more infinite, less knowable, more wonderfully troubling than we could have imagined being able to tolerate when we were young. More surprising, able to operate without us adaptive, resistant robust fragile complex and into this environment, we are. […]
Read full text
Our God, Your living word is not static but the unfolding story of your actions in the world We pray that we would be part of that story as recipients and participants cutting across the addiction people have for the world cultural addictions of greed, of status, appearance, recognition, of voyeurism, celebrity worship, the need […]
Read full text