There is no gathered worship service at Tawa Baptist this Sunday 30 August 2020, due to the ban on gatherings over 100 people. We encourage you to have church at your place instead. Following is a suggested format for a ‘do it yourself’ worship service at home.
Call to worship
You may like to light a candle as a reminder that Christ is present.
At the end of the gospel of Luke we read…
45 Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will sufferand rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his nameto all nations,beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnessesof these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised;but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany,he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple,praising God.
Sung Worship
Listen and/or sing along to the following songs – just google them on YouTube or download on Spotify.
♫ Wairua Tapu (Holy Spirit, welcome)
♫ Way Maker (You are here moving in our midst…) by Leeland
Church Notices
Connect Service – this Sunday (30 August) 7-8pm in our church hall.
For anyone who would like to have some time and space to sing, pray, reflect, read, draw, etc. in an unstructured way. A variety of worship music will be played and you can connect with God on your own or with others.
Covid-19 Level 2 rules apply e.g. signing in, observing physical distancing, etc. (Please stay home if you are unwell.)
Offering
Take this opportunity to make your financial offering to the Lord by on-line banking to your local church &/or a charitable organisation who support the poor.
Pray the following prayer (adapted from the Anglican lectionary)
Eternal and ever living God, our beginning and our end,
you give us strength in the face of suffering and death.
Set our minds on you. Give us courage to take up our cross and follow you.
Help us to trust and live in the power of the resurrection of Jesus.
Through Christ our Liberator. Amen
Listen and/or sing along to the following song – just google on YouTube or download on Spotify.
♫ The Greatest Day in History (Happy Day)
Gospel Reading
Read aloud the following verses from Mark 3:13-19…
13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelvethat they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Intercessory Prayer
This week’s prayer was adapted (drawing inspiration) from the Anglican intercessions. You may want to take turns reading paragraphs of the prayer out loud or nominate someone with you to lead the prayer…
Heavenly Father, tender and compassionate, create in us, your family the church, love so true and deep that in this broken world we may be a sign of unity.
Guide us to care creatively for your world – to hear the cries of the earth, the sighing of water-ways, calls for safe habitat for the creatures with whom we share the environment. Wherever we walk, we are on holy ground, the ground of your creating.
Caring God, you heard the despair of your people, and called Moses to lead them to freedom. We cry to you today for the halt of the pandemic…We pray for inspiration for all working to produce a vaccine…..protection for all who continue to put their lives at risk as they selflessly tend the needs of others.
We thank you for the many different expressions of Christian faith and worship. You call us to serve you with our gifts and talents and we ask that you direct us in your ways. Bless each of the churches in Tawa with your grace and protection. Make your presence real through your people, whether gathered or scattered.
O God, you desire truth in our inward being. Make our intentions pure and our words kind and true. We pray for people who need your healing word…..those longing for comfort…..wanting to find your peace and know your grace….. Give us such compassion that we never turn away from a chance to share the love of Jesus.
All knowing God, we are aware of some of the wounds in this world. We are reminded of the suffering of the Muslim community in New Zealand, with the sentencing of a mass murderer this past week. We see images of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Laura. History keeps repeating itself in a vicious cycle of violence following the shooting of Jacob Blake. There are many other things happening around the world that we do not see. But you see you them Lord. Where we have done wrong, move us to honest confession and genuine repentance. Rid us of prejudice and turn our hatred to love. Where there is chaos, bring your holy order. And where there is despair, extend your life line of hope in Christ. For you are the living God.
We think of those in our community who are experiencing health issues, such as… [name those known to you who are sick]. Lord guide the doctors in their diagnoses and treatment. Minister your healing we ask.
You call us by name and we are yours. Increase our knowledge of you, and help us discover our true self, our true worth, our true belonging in Christ.
Amen.
More Sung Worship
Listen and/or sing along to the following songs – just google them on YouTube or download on Spotify.
♫ All I have because of Jesus (I Will Boast in Christ Alone)
♫ Let Our Praise to You Be as Incense.
Prayer
Father God, by your grace you redeem us into a living hope. Help us now to listen to what you are saying through your word. Calm our hearts and minds to hear your still quiet voice. May our souls be nourished and our spirits renewed. Through Jesus we pray.
Sermon
You can either read the sermon notes found on the ‘2020 Sermons’ page of this website or listen to an audio recording of the sermon via the following link:
Closing Song
Listen and/or sing along to the following song – just google on YouTube or download on Spotify.
♫ There is a Redeemer
Benediction
‘The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance on you and give you his peace. Amen.’
Tawa Baptist 