Watchword for the Week

Jesus spoke to his disciples and said,

“Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27)

(Moravian Daily Texts 2017)

ORGAN PRELUDE

WELCOME and CALL to WORSHIP

(from the Iona Abbey Creation Liturgy)

God above us – trees, birds and sunshine,

stars and moonlight – God above us.

God beneath us – earth, rocks and rivers,

roots and caverns – God beneath us.

God around us – seas, winds and cities,

animals and people – God around us.

God within us – hope, tears and laughter,

love and wonder – God within us.

God above us,

God beneath us,

God around us,

God within us,

we celebrate that

you make us,

you love us,

and you call us

to work and rest with you.

Hymn 510 1-3* Jesus calls us here to meet him

People’s Choice Hymns are marked with an asterisk (*)

PRAYER of APPROACH

God of grace, be with us,

this extravagant, miscellaneous cluster of

people who gather together this day,

to encounter you in word and deed, and to

worship you as Creator and maker of all.

God of all, like every family,

we have our baggage. We ask your kindness

and comfort as we unpack some of what causes

us pain and separation from one another

in an attempt to put things right:

The small annoyances that we let grow into big

frustrations that blind us to life’s everyday joys;

The jealousies that sour relationships

and poison our thoughts about others;

The times we forget to listen

and take the people we love for granted;

The way we run around and pack so much

into our lives that we don’t give time

for the precious gift of gathering peaceably

with one another;

The squabbles and misunderstandings,

the careless words and impatience;

The inequities and falling-outs.

We ask forgiveness of one another and that

your healing spirit of reconciliation will move

within us and provoke us into being more

conscientious about living in genuine and

trustworthy relationships. Amen.

ASSURANCE of PARDON

God is saving all of us by divine mercy, no

exceptions. No matter how we are tossed about

by our emotions, no matter how insecure and

lacking in insight we are, we are all saved in

spite of ourselves, good and bad alike.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

Hymn 178 God is good, we sing and shout it

(Hymn of the Month, August 2017)

SHARING GOD’S PEACE

(Children may join the Kids’ Church programme)

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 OT p. 40

Hymn 779 * Listen now for the Gospel

St. Matthew 14:22-33 NT p. 22

People may stand for the Gospel reading.

The word of God: Thanks be to God!

SERMON Rev. James Brown

Hymn 189 * Be still

(Offerings are gathered and brought forward)

DEDICATION PRAYER (in unison)

Almighty God,

you sent your Holy Spirit

to be the life and light of your Church.

Open our hearts to the riches of your grace,

that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit

in love, joy, and peace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who is alive and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

NOTICES and PRAYERS for OTHERS

Response: Lord, our God:

let only your will be done.

The LORD’S PRAYER

(Please pray in your own preferred language / version.)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be

thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be

done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this

day our daily bread; and forgive us our

trespasses as we forgive those who trespass

against us. And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. For thine is the

kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever

and ever. Amen.

Hymn 260 Eternal Father, strong to save

BLESSING and Threefold Amen (No. 819)

ORGAN POSTLUDE

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