Pentecost 20
15 October 2023
A Service of Praise, Prayer and Proclamation
Sentence
This is our God for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. Isaiah 25.9
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Gracious God, we humbly thank you for life and health and safety, for freedom to work, leisure to rest, and for all that is beautiful in creation and human life. But, above all, we praise you for our Saviour, Jesus Christ, for his death and resurrection; for the gift of your Spirit; and for the hope of sharing in your glory. Fill our hearts with all joy and peace in believing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Saving and healing God,
you have promised
that those who have died with Christ shall live with him:
grant us grace to be continually thankful for all you have done for us,
and in that thankfulness
to be eager to serve and live for others,
so that we and all your children may rejoice in your salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Ministry of the Word
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1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, ‘Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 2 Aaron said to them, ‘Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.’ 3 So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from them, formed it in a mould, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a festival to the LORD .’ 6 They rose early the next day, and offered burnt-offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel. 7 The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; 8 they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it, and said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” ’ 9 The LORD said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. 10 Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.’ 11 But Moses implored the LORD his God, and said, ‘O LORD , why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, “It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth”? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, “I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.” ’ 14 And the LORD changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.
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1 Praise the Lord; O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good: and his mercy endures for ever.
2 Who can express the mighty acts of the Lord: or fully voice his praise?
3 Blessed are those who act according to justice: who at all times do the right.
4 Remember me, O Lord, when you visit your people with your favour: and come to me also with your salvation,
5 That I may see the prosperity of your chosen: that I may rejoice with the rejoicing of your people, and exult with those who are your own.
6 We have sinned like our ancestors: we have acted perversely and done wrong.
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20 At Horeb they made themselves a calf: and bowed down in worship to an image.
21 And so they exchanged the glory of God: for the likeness of an ox that eats hay.
22 They forgot God who was their saviour: that had done such great things in Egypt,
23 Who had worked his wonders in the land of Ham: and his terrible deeds at the Red Sea.
24 Therefore he thought to destroy them: had not Moses his servant stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.
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1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
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1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 ‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.’
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I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father;
from there he will come to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen. -
Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4.16
Let us now confess our sins to almighty God.
Heavenly Father,
you have loved us with an everlasting love, but we have broken your holy laws and have left undone what we ought to have done.
We are sorry for our sins and turn away from them. For the sake of your Son who died for us, forgive us, cleanse us and change us.
By your Holy Spirit, enable us to live for you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.God desires that none should perish, but that all should turn to Christ, and live. In response to his call we acknowledge our sins. God pardons those who humbly repent, and truly believe the gospel. Therefore we have peace with God, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Ministry of Prayer
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SEASON OF CREATION 2023 PRAYER
Creator of All,
From your communion of love life sprung forth like a mighty river and the whole cosmos came into being.
On this Earth of overflowing love, the Word was made flesh and went forth with
the life-giving waters proclaiming peace and justice for all creation.
You called human beings to till and keep your garden. You placed us into right
relationship with each creature, but we failed to listen to the cries of the Earth
and the cries of the most vulnerable. We broke with the flowing communion of
love and sinned against you by not safeguarding the conditions for life.
We lament the loss of our fellow species and their habitats, we grieve the loss
of human cultures, along with the lives and livelihoods that have been displaced
or perished, and we ache at the sight of an economy of death, war and violence
that we have inflicted on ourselves and on the Earth.
Open our ears to your creative, reconciling and sustaining Word that calls to us
through the book of Scripture and the book of creation. Bless us once again
with your life-giving waters so that the Creator Spirit may let justice and peace
flow in our hearts and overflow into all creation.
Open our hearts to receive the living waters of God’s justice and peace, and to
share it with our suffering brothers and sisters, all creatures around us, and all
creation.
Bless us to walk together with all people of good will so that the many streams
of the living waters of God’s justice and peace may become a mighty river all
over the Earth.
In the name of the One who came to proclaim good news to all creation,
Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Link to Pray Daily from ACSQ
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Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sin
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
The Sending out of God’s People
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Loving God, we thank you for hearing our prayers, feeding us with your word, and encouraging us in our meeting together.
Take us and use us to love and serve you and all people, in the power of your Spirit and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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May the God of peace equip you with everything good for doing his will, working in you what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.