ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST
UNITED CHURCH
Sunday - 27 June 2021
Jesus told him,
“Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
Mark 5: 36b
HYMN:
To God be the glory
WOV 85
1 To God be the glory, great things he hath done:
so loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the life-gate that all may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory! great things he hath done!
3 Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done,
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son,
but purer, and higher, and greater will be
our wonder, our rapture, when Jesus we see.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory! great things he hath done!
Prayer of praise
Almighty God, our Father, For the joy of Your presence
Changing and renewing us day by day,
We offer You our praise.
For Your Word that endures,teaches and challenges,
Generation to generation, we offer You our praise.
For the blessings You bring us,the outpouring of Your love
Day by day, we offer You our praise.
For peace beyond understanding, Blesséd assurance
Day by day we offer You our praise.
Amen.
Confession
Holy and most merciful God,
You alone know how often we have sinned
in wandering from Your ways,
in wasting Your gifts,
in forgetting Your love,
in the wrong we have done
and in the good we have not done.
In Your presence we confess our sinfulness, our shortcomings, and our offences against You;
through ignorance; through weakness; through our own deliberate fault.
Have mercy on us, O Lord,
for we are ashamed and sorry
for all we have done that is not in accordance with Your will.
Forgive us and renew us
and help us to live in Your light and walk in Your ways,
for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
Amen.
Old Testament:
Epistle:
Praise Song : Give thanks
SOF 124
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son (x2)
And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us" (x2)
Give thanks
Homily - Rev Peter Witbooi
Response Hymn:
Jesu, lover of my soul
WOV 139
1 Jesus, lover of my soul,
let me to thy bosom fly,
while the nearer waters roll,
while the tempest still is high;
hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
till the storm of life is past;
safe into the haven guide,
O receive my soul at last!
2 Other refuge have I none;
hangs my helpless soul on thee;
leave, ah! leave me not alone,
still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed,
all my help from thee I bring;
cover my defenceless head
with the shadow of thy wing.
4 Plenteous grace with thee is found,
grace to cover all my sin;
let the healing streams abound;
make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art;
freely let me take of thee;
spring thou up within my heart,
rise to all eternity.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
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.
Lord God, through Your grace we are Your people:
through Your Son You have redeemed us;
in Your Spirit You have made us Your own.
hear now our prayers for Your people.
We pray for the Church; send out the light and truth of Your gospel and bring people everywhere to know and love You.
We pray for the world; guide with Your wisdom and power the leaders of the nations, so that everyone may live in peace and mutual trust, sharing with justice the resources of the earth.
We pray for our country; give the people of this land a spirit of unselfishness, compassion, and fairness in public and private life.
We pray for all who are in trouble; help and comfort the lonely, the bereaved and the oppressed. Heal the sick in body and mind, and provide for the homeless, the hungry and the destitute. Heal, sustain and protect all those for whom covid-19 has brought illness, distress or poverty.
Holy God, our only hope is in You. We thank You for the past, trust You for today and believe in a future where we life forever in the light of Your love. 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.
HYMN: O Love that wilt not let me go
WOV 525
1 O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee.
I give thee back the life I owe,
that in thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fuller be.
2 O Light that follows all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee.
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
that in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
may brighter, fairer be.
3 O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee.
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain,
that morn shall tearless be.
4 O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee.
I lay in dust, life’s glory dead,
and from the ground there blossoms red,
life that shall endless be.
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.