Watchword for the Week
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near (Isaiah 55:6)
(Moravian Daily Texts 2016)
ORGAN PRELUDE
WELCOME and OPENING RESPONSES
(Based on Psalm 63 and Isaiah 55)
Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and
you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
God, our souls thirst for you, our flesh faints
for you, as in a dry and weary land.
Why do you labour and spend your money on
the things that don’t satisfy?
We look up and see God in the sanctuary.
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good and
delight yourselves in rich food.
Our souls are satisfied with a rich feast, and
our mouths praise you with joyful lips.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
listen, so that you may live.
We will bless you as long as we live! We will
lift up our hands and call on your name!
Come, let us worship.
Hymn 147 1-3 + 5 + 7 * All creatures of our God
People’s Choice Hymns are marked with an asterisk (*)
PRAYER of APPROACH (The Coventry Litany)
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,
and so, together, we all pray:
The hatred which divides nation from nation,
race from race, class from class,
Father, forgive.
The covetous desires of people and nations to
possess what is not their own, Father, forgive.
The greed which exploits the work of human
hands and lays waste the earth,
Father, forgive.
Our envy of the welfare and happiness of
others, Father, forgive.
Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned,
the homeless, the refugee, Father, forgive.
The lust which dishonours the bodies of men,
women and children, Father, forgive.
The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves
and not in God, Father, forgive.
WORDS of ASSURANCE
In Christ, God has shown us the way out of our
sin and our division: “Be kind to one another,
tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in
Christ forgave you.” Thanks be to God. Amen.
CHILDREN’S TIME
Hymn 137(1) * All things bright and beautiful
All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
he made their glowing colours,
he made their tiny wings.
SHARING GOD’S PEACE
(Children may go to join the Kids’ Church programme)
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Isaiah 55:1-9 OT p. 720 (721)
St. Luke 13:1-9 NT p. 96
People may stand for the Gospel reading.
The word of God: Thanks be to God!
Hymn 462 * The King of Love my Shepherd is
SERMON Pastor Horst Grabski
Hymn 543 * Christ, be our light!
(Offerings are gathered and brought forward)
DEDICATION PRAYER
Generous God, we dedicate these gifts and
our whole lives to you. You provide for our
needs and deepest longings. Take these
gifts and help them be the water that
quenches others’ thirst, and the food that
makes a rich feast of justice and peace in
today’s world. Amen.
NOTICES and PRAYERS for OTHERS
Response: Living Spirit of God,
quench our thirst.
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, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn 191 * Do not be afraid
BLESSING and Threefold Amen (No. 819)
ORGAN POSTLUDE
Today’s guest preacher Horst Grabski (left) was,
until 2003, pastor of the Petrikirche in Bochum. He
was actively involved in developing relations between
Bochum and its Ukrainian twin town Donetsk, as well
as in dialogue between the Christian churches in
Bochum and local Islam representatives.