Online worship resources for Sunday 23 August

Reflecting on Exodus 1.8-2.10, Romans 12.1-8, Matthew 16.13-20

Scapegoats, collective violence and working with Spirit to do what we can…

In this audio form of worship Rev Dr Sally Douglas introduces a Pentecost Season Table Liturgy and invites us to participate at home in this worship over a meal. See the PDF of the Table Liturgy below. The audio worship does not include a full service, because we are all invited to utilise this Table Liturgy. Instead, the audio includes the bible readings for the day, and a reflection on the reading from Exodus about these brave midwives doing what they can and on Paul’s call to take our gifts seriously.

If you would like to become more involved in Richmond Uniting (eg. Midday prayers via zoom, discussion groups etc) please email richmond.uniting@bigpond.com to find out more. 

Listen to this week’s service using the embedded player below. You can also copy this link into your podcast player of choice if you would like to receive updates as they are released: https://anchor.fm/s/c70d97c/podcast/rss

Table Liturgy for the Season after Pentecost

Background:

Evidence indicates that in the early church people gathered for worship in homes, over meals. You are invited to print out this Table liturgy for the Season after Pentecost and utilise it for worship over a meal either alone, or with others, at home on Sunday 23rd August 2020. This simple worship service is grounded in John’s Gospel. It focuses on Jesus’ words, declared in the midst of ministry that he is the bread of life and on Jesus’ declaration of sharing the living water. While the liturgy includes bread and water, it is does not include Holy Communion. John’s Gospel does not include an account of the last supper Eucharist.

This liturgy includes prayers, pauses, spaces for song, for personal reflection and for shared discussion, if you are eating with others. If you are engaging in this worship alone, you may wish to have pencil and paper on the table, so that after the Gospel reading you can write or sketch about your ideas, questions and insights as you eat.

In preparation for this worship you are invited to gather a candle, bread and water, a bible and some tea light candles if you would like to light them during the prayers for others.

Wondering Questions

How do you react to the idea that we humans, at a state level and at a family and individual level, across cultures, religions and times, have the tendency to create scapegoats – turning people or whole communities into ‘the other’?

What might it be like to take seriously the possibility that God longs to work with you creatively, as you are, so that you can do what you can to stand for compassion and to stand against violent human tendencies?

What are some of your gifts, humble or grand, that God might be longing for you to share with the whole body of Christ and in our wider global village, for the building up of faith and hope and love?

Music Suggestion

Your Labour is not in vain by The Porter’s Gate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPj3Kf7Dorw

Table liturgy

Download the table liturgy