ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST
UNITED CHURCH
SUNDAY SERVICE
Sunday - 8 Aug 2021
Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If any one eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give
for the life of the world.”
John 6 : 51
Hymn:
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
WOV158
1 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fears.
2 It makes the wounded spirit whole
And calms the troubled breast,
Is manna to the hungry soul
And to the weary rest.
3 Dear name! the rock on which I build,
My shield and hiding place,
My never-failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace.
Prayer of praise
This is the place and this is the time, here and now, God waits to break into our experience.
We celebrate our human life, our world, and the universe in which we live. We thank You for the wonders of creation and for the revelation of Yourself to all people. We praise You for the human life lived triumphantly by Jesus, for His sacrifice of His life on the cross, where His love was victorious, even when the world had done its worst.
Lord God, we praise You for Your power at work within us, changing our attitudes and giving us hope and courage.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God, and Father, we worship You, we give You thanks and we praise You for Your glory. We praise You for sending Your Son to be our Saviour. We praise You for the gift of Your Holy and life-giving Spirit.
Amen.
Confession
If we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Let us in a moment of silence confess our sins.
Lord forgive us for where we have been so preoccupied with our own concerns, that we have failed to really listen to others, and have failed to love them as You have loved us. Lord forgive us.
Lord, when we are together in fellowship, we speak of having faith and trust in You, but we often live in anxiety, especially now with the unrest and the Covid pandemic. Lord forgive us.
Sometimes it seems that we are all talk, just empty words, but we lack the deeds that could make the words true. Lord we often speak words that are hurtful and destructive, judgemental and inflame a situation, words that make people feel unloved. Lord forgive us.
Help us to have the courage of our convictions, so that what we do, may be the evidence of what we say. We pray this in the grace of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
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.
Old Testament:
Epistle:
Praise Song:
I will sing of the mercies
SOF 277
I will sing of the mercies of the lord forever,
I will sing, I will sing.
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.
With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness, Thy faithfulness.
With my mouth will I make known
Homily - Rev Peter Witbooi
Hymn:
Through all the changing scenes of life
WOV 30
1 Through all the changing scenes of life,
In trouble and in joy,
The praise of my God shall still
My heart and tongue employ.
2 Of His deliverance I will boast,
Till all that are distressed,
When learning this, will comfort take
And calm their griefs to rest.
3 O magnify the Lord with me,
With me exalt His name;
When in distress to Him I called
He to my rescue came.
We believe and trust in God the Father who created the universe.
We believe and trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who has redeemed the World.
We believe in the Holy Spirit who gives life to the people of God.
Amen.
Prayers:
God bless Africa. Guard our children.
Guide our leaders and give us peace,
for Jesus Christ’s sake.
Heavenly Father we pray for Your Church throughout the world and here in our own country, that Your people may set the example of reacting in love, building up communities that are broken and so establishing Your peace for the world.
We pray for Your help and guidance in guarding our tongues so that we may speak words of love that calm situations, build people up, comfort those who are distressed or bereaved, help those who feel unloved, to feel loved, and bring peace, hope and healing into the lives of those around us. May we reflect Jesus in our lives.
We pray for those who have power in all aspects of our lives and those who govern the nations. May they seek peace, reconciliation, and justice. May they act with integrity and honesty as they serve the people they lead.
Loving Lord God we pray for the powerless, for all victims of war or violence, disease and famine and those who are victims of other people’s hatred.
Compassionate Lord Jesus, we pray for the sick, the anxious, the depressed, those suffering from abuse and addiction, for those who are bereaved, for all who need our prayers. Surround them all with Your loving, comforting and healing arms.
Let us remember before God, those who have passed from this life, especially those who have influenced us for good and whom we still hold in love.
In these prayers we honour and worship our Father God. We proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord. We acknowledge the power of the Holy Spirit.
Lord, grant us the power of Your Spirit that we may act in generous love to the honour of Your name. Amen.
Hymn:
We sing the praise of Him who died
WOV 262
1 We sing the praise of Him who died,
Of Him who died upon the cross;
The sinners’ hope let men deride:
For this we count the world but loss.
2 Inscribed upon the cross we see
In shining letters, ’God is love’;
He bears our sins upon the tree;
He brings us mercy from above.
3 The cross – it takes our guilt away,
It holds the fainting spirit up,
It cheers with hope the gloomy day
And sweetens every bitter cup:
5 The balm of life, the cure of woe,
The measure and the pledge of love,
The sinners’ refuge here below,
The angels’ theme in heaven above.
Now unto Him who is able to keep,
Able to keep you from falling,
And present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory
With exceeding joy.
To the only wise God, our Saviour,
Be glory and majesty, dominion and power,
Both now and forever. Amen.