Watchword for the Week

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger

and abounding in steadfast love.

(Psalm 145:8)

(Moravian Daily Texts 2017)

ORGAN PRELUDE

WELCOME and CALL to WORSHIP

(as used in the Iona Abbey Morning Service)

The world belongs to God,

the earth and all its people.

How good it is, how wonderful,

to live together in unity.

Love and faith come together;

justice and peace join hands.

If Christ’s disciples keep silent,

these stones would shout aloud.

Open our lips, O God,

and our mouths shall proclaim your praise.

Hymn 104 1-3 The Lord of heaven confess

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

PRAYER of APPROACH

Blessed be God who creates all out of nothing;

Blessed be Jesus who gives all for nothing;

Blessed be the Spirit for whom nothing is

impossible; Blessed be God forever.

Creator Spirit, wellspring of our lives, as your

faithfulness is deeper than the deepest ocean,

carry us safely on the tide of your love.

As the refreshing rain falls

on the just and unjust alike, refresh us with

your mercy, for you know our own injustice.

As a river flows steadily on,

defying all the odds of stone and water,

flow over every boundary and border

that separates us from each other.

As we were once held in the waters of our

mother’s womb, hold us in the peace and

power of your abiding presence.

As the waters of our baptism washed us and

welcomed us, renew us now in fullness of life

and unity of love. Amen.

PRAYER of CONFESSION

O God, source of all wisdom and understanding,

have mercy on your divided and quarrelsome

people. Because we have knowledge but lack

self-knowledge; because we speak of peace but

depart from the paths of peace;

because we wish one thing but do another,

Lord have mercy on us.

By your justice, hold us to account,

in your kindness deliver us from evil,

through your love restore us to right relationship,

that we may live with undivided hearts

centred on you. In penitence,

we acknowledge our need of you.

Hymn 613 1-3 Gracious Spirit, hear our pleading

(Hymn of the Month, June 2011)

CHILDREN’S TIME

Hymn 762 * Glory to God, glory to God

WORDS of ASSURANCE

Glory to God, who persistently loves us, who is

insistently faithful, who comforts with a healing

touch, who bears the heaviest of our burdens,

and who transforms us with the power of love.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

SHARING GOD’S PEACE

(Children may join the Kids’ Church programme)

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Romans 7:15-25a NT p. 194

St. Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 NT p. 16

People may stand for the Gospel reading.

The word of God: Thanks be to God!

Hymn 212 * Morning has broken

SERMON Rev. James Brown

Hymn 188 Thou hidden love of God

(Offerings are gathered and brought forward)

(Hymn of the Month, July 2017)

DEDICATION PRAYER (in unison)

Lord, what we have, we offer: our time, our

commitment, our resources. But, most of all,

we offer ourselves. Help us to be used in

your work, to encourage each other in giving

and serving, and to extend your kingdom of

love. Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS (See Notices overleaf)

SPECIAL THANKSGIVING

Wherever you go, may the joy

of our gracious God be with you.

Wherever you go, may the face

of the gentle Christ be with you.

Wherever you go, may the embracing

Spirit of love be with you. Amen.

PRAYERS for OTHERS (sung response)

Hear our prayer, O God:

Come, bring your burdens to God; (3x)

for Jesus will never say no.

The LORD’S PRAYER (Biblical Greek)

English words at: Hymn 652, Second Form (b)

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

Πάτερ ήμών ό έν τοις ούρανοις, άγιασθήτω τό

όνομά σου, έλθέτω ή βασιλεία σου, γενηθήτω τό

θέληά σου ώς έν ούρανω καί έπί της γης, τον

άρτον ήμών τόν έπιούσιον δός ήμιν σήμερον, καί

άφες ήμιν τά όφειλήματα ήμων ώς καί ήμεις

άφίεμεν τοις όφειλέταις ήμων, καί μή είσενέγκης

ήμας είς πειρασμόν, άλλά ρυσαι ήμας άπο του

πονρου, ότι σου έστίν ή βασιλεία, καί ή δύναμις,

καί ή δόξα είς τούς αίωνας, άμήν.

Hymn 519 * Love divine, all loves excelling

BLESSING and Threefold Amen (No. 819)

ORGAN POSTLUDE