WELCOME & NOTICES
Call to Worship
God gave us creation to enjoy, with rolling landscapes of delight, with wonders of earth and sea and the endless discoveries of beauty.
God made us in infinite diversity, with all the vivid colours of our differences, the marvel of our gifts and skills to be explored and celebrated.
Let us come in praise in thanksgiving.
HYMN: For the Music of Creation (Tune: Austria)
For the music of creation, for the song your Spirit sings,
for the sound’s divine expression, burst of joy in living things.
God, our God, the world’s composer, hear us, echoes of your voice. Music is your art, your glory, let the human heart rejoice.
Psalms and symphonies exalt you, drum and trumpet, string and reed, simple melodies acclaim you, tunes that rise from deepest need, hymns of longing and belonging, carols from a cheerful throat,
lilt of lullaby and love song catching heaven in a note.
All the voices of the ages, in transcendent chorus meet.
Worship lifting up the senses, hands that praise and dancing feet.
Over discord and division, music speaks your joy and peace,
harmony of earth and heaven, song of God that cannot cease.
OPENING PRAYER: John Shanks
SUNG LORD’S PRAYER
PIANO RECITAL ~ Ethan Doughty
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN ~ ???
HYMN: 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.
The cold wind in the winter, the pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden – he made them every one.
The purple-headed mountain, the river running by,
the sunset and the morning that brightens up the sky,
He gave us eyes to see them, and lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty, who has made all things well.
©CF Alexander (WOV70)
READINGS:
Ephesians 4: 1-7 & Psalm 29 (Leslie Brandt) Joan Macdonald
REFLECTION: Audrey Dunnachie
A TIME OF QUIET
THE OFFERING (together):
You have gifted each one of us, living God. Some with spontaneous friendship, some with ability to plan, some with an observant eye, some with a generous nature, some with warm compassion.
Bless our gifts of personality, the gifts that make us who we are.
Bless these gifts of money and food, that together all these things may advance the way of Jesus, in our church family and in this city. Amen.
HYMN: In the bulb there is a flower
In the bulb there is a flower, in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody,
there’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future: what it holds a mystery,
unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
In our end is our beginning, in our time, infinity;
in our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity.
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
©Hope Publishing (VU)
WE GREET ONE ANOTHER
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE: June Service
HYMN: For the Beauty of the Earth (Tune: Lucerna Laudoniae)
For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth over and around us lies,
Christ, our God, to thee we raise this our sacrifice of praise.
For the beauty of each hour of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon, and stars of light,
For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind’s delight,
for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight,
For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild,
For each perfect gift of thine to our race so freely given,
graces human and divine, flowers of earth and buds of heaven,
BLESSING
NOTICES:
A very warm welcome to all who worship with us this morning. Please stay for morning tea following the service.
Many thanks to the Worship committee for leading our worship this morning.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN of the Annual General Meeting of parishioners on Sunday 20th September 2015 following Morning Worship. All are encouraged to attend. Please send any items for General Business or apologies to me by Thursday.
Irene Gray, Session Clerk.
WEDNESDAY WALKERS 16th Sept: Meet 9.30am at South Library for a river walk led by Lorraine. Coffee at Red Café. All are welcome. Sonya 339 7038.
SESSION meets on Wednesday 16th September at 7.30pm in the Lounge.
CRAFTY CRAFTERS Thursdays 10am -12noon in the Lounge. $3. All Welcome.
ST MARTIN’S PARISH OFFICE HOURS: Wed & Thurs 9am-12noon and Fri 9-11am. Phone 332 6192 or email stmartpresch@xtra.co.nz. Website: www.stmartins.org.nz. Any notices to Anna by 9am each Thursday please.
ALPINE PRESBYTERY Newsletter is on the noticeboard in the Lounge.
NEW READERS’ ROSTER available today – check to see if there’s one for you.
Please accept this as a personal thank you for all the wonderful Get well cards and messages sent to Tony, Gill and myself following my recent by-pass surgery. Your messages, your prayers and concern have meant a great deal to us following the unexpected ‘blip’ in my life.
I am making really good progress, a strict regime of walking, resting and gentle household chores seem to fill my day. Hopefully I will be back at worship in the next few weeks. Thank you – Allison.
OPERATION SHOEBOX: If you would like to participate, please collect a box from June Service. These need to be returned by Sunday 25th October.
ST JAMES’ MEN’S MUSTER meets tomorrow 134 William Brittan Ave, Halswell for a shared lunch at 12.30pm. Bruce McKessar will be speaking about his experience white water rafting on the Zambesi. All men welcome.
A letter has been received from the Acting Moderator regarding the Presbyterian Church’s response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis – see the noticeboard for details.
BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK: Sun 13th Peter; Wed 16th Bob; Fri 18th Gilly, Benjamin.