Gaspar, Peter. Memorial to the Persecuted - Bearing a Heavy Weight Together, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

Wesley Church Melbourne Congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia

Sunday Worship at Home 5th July 2020

Bearing a Heavy Weight Together

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Greeting and Introduction Call to Worship

The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. (Psalm 145: 14) Jesus said: Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. …For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:29-30)

Acknowledgement of Country We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation,

traditional custodians of the land, under God.

We commit ourselves to working for reconciliation in this land.

Tips for using this resource: 1. At various points through this Order of Service you will find links (in brown text) to audio (voice) files which are recordings by the worship lead-er (Alistair this week). You maybe asked whether to trust the site you’ll be directed to; choose Allow to proceed. Please be assured archive.org is a trusted website. 2. For some of the music there are links which will take you to a YouTube site. When you finish listening to the music (and maybe singing along?) You will need to close the YouTube link or click the back button, and you will then return to the Order of Service.

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Hymn 153 God is love ©Together in Song. Sung by John Lander. Recorded at Anglican parish of St Linus Merlynston 1. God is love, let heav’n adore him; God is love, let earth rejoice;

let creation sing before him, and exalt him with one voice. God, who laid the earth’s foundation, he who spread the heavens above, and who breathes through all creation God is love, eternal Love.

2. God is love, and gently enfolding all the world is one embrace, with unfailing grasp is holding every child of every race. And when human hearts are breaking under sorrow’s iron rod, then they find that selfsame aching deep within the heart of God.

3. God is love, and, though with blindness sin afflicts our human hearts, God’s eternal lovingkindness holding, guiding, grace imparts. Sin and death and hell shall never o’er us final triumph gain; God is love, so love for ever o’er the universe must reign.

Opening Prayers

New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live justly and peacefully with our neighbours, and to devote each day to living with your Son so that we may see him more clearly, follow him more nearly,

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and love him more dearly, day by day. O God, who has mercy on all, take away from me my sins, and any lukewarmness of heart, and kindle in me the fire of your Holy Spirit. Replace my heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love you, to delight in you, to follow, serve and enjoy you forever. Amen.

Introduction of the theme with the children Readings

Your Word, O Lord, is a lamp to our feet: a light to our path. Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 Read by Geoffrey Urquhart Jesus said: "But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon'; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

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May your Word live in us: and bear much fruit to your glory.

Solo Comfort ye my people Handel Sung by John Lander. Music played by Geoffrey Urquhart. Recorded at Anglican parish of St Linus Merlynston Sermon/Reflection “Living in the way and company of Jesus” Rev Alistair Macrae

Questions for reflection:

Note any response you had to the reading and/or reflection In the gospel reading Jesus talks of ‘comfort’ and ‘rest’ and also his ‘yoke’. How might we hold these in creative tension in living the Christian life?

(Feel free to join the after church conversation, details below) Hymn 647 Comfort, comfort all my people ©Together in Song. Sung by John Lander. Recorded at Anglican parish of St Linus Merlynston

Refrain Comfort, comfort all my people with the comfort of my Word. Speak it tender to my people: all your sins are taken away.

1. Though your tears be rivers running, though your tears be an ocean full though you cry with the hurt of living: comfort, comfort. Every valley shall be lifted, every mountain shall be low, every rough place will be smoother: comfort, comfort. Refrain 2. Though your eyes see only darkness, though your eyes can see no light,

though your eyes see pain and sorrow; comfort, comfort.

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Every night will have its morning, every pain will have an end, every burden will be lightened; comfort, comfort.

Refrain Prayers for others and The Lord’s Prayer

Gracious God, friend of those in need, your Son Jesus has untied our burdens and healed our spirits. We lift up the prayers of our hearts for those still burdened, those seeking healing, those in need within the church and the world. In silence, pray for people and situations occupying your heart and mind… Almighty God, who covers the earth in Your divine mercy with a curtain of darkness so that all who are weary may rest, grant us all to rest in you today and this coming night. May your grace comfort and support all who are to spend it in sorrow, in loneliness, suffering or in fear. We commend ourselves into your hands, together with all who are dear to us. Strengthen and confirm your people; stir up the careless, relieve the sick, ease those who are burdened by fear and nameless anxieties, give peace to the dying. Through Christ Jesus, who taught us to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

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Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

Hymn 590 What a friend we have in Jesus ©Together in Song. Sung by John Lander. Recorded at Anglican parish of St Linus Merlynston 1. What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer: O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. 2. Have we trials and temptations, is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged: take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness: take it to the Lord in prayer. 3. Are we weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care? Jesus is our only refuge: take it to the Lord in prayer. Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer; in his arms he’ll take and shield you, you will find a solace there. Benediction

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Giving You can contribute by setting up a regular or occasional transfer from your bank account into the Wesley Church Melbourne Offerings Account. Direct Transfer BSB 013 423 Account Number 472 967 586 OR PayID: WesleyMelbOffering@gmail.com If you’d like to set up a regular transfer, please contact us at churchoffice@wesleychurch.org.au for more details.

Wesley Church Melbourne

churchhoffice@wesleychurch.org.au https://wesleychurchmelbourne.org.au/

Want to have a ‘cuppa and chat’ with others after worship today or any Sunday? Email Alistair at amacrae@wesleychurch.org.au and you will receive an invitation to join the conversation on Zoom at 12 noon (you can arrive a bit late and still get in).

Postlude Voluntary in C major John Barrett