easter 7C / ascension – may 8, 2016 – colour: white/ gold : eat service

Acts 16:16-34, Psalm 97 , Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26

Big week friends… Ascension of Christ , Federal Budget, International Midwives and Mothers Day…

Please take some time to fill out the online Discernment Questions that were circulated at last weeks service.  We will be sharing our commitments at next weeks Covenant Service.

Please read the Invitation to Covenant Letter including our building proposal for the coming year which we will be voting about next Sunday.

Call 2 Worship

Marcus led the call to worship with a reflection on the ascension, a Garry Deverell inspired thought on the ‘superabundant’ presence of Jesus, and the refrain we have been singing as our Call to Worship throughout the season of Easter inspired by Kentucky Farmer, Wendell Berry.

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Ministry of the Word

Jacob and Leonie Bolton led a reflection on their journey of understanding Communion over soup, bread and wine (including homemade apple scrumpy!)

I grew up in a family that wasn’t particularly religious, but despite my lacking knowledge of Christendom I always searched and longed to know more of god. 

By the time I was 19 I gave my life to Jesus, to this day I can’t be sure how this happened, it just did. 

Since this time I have searched for an expression of my faith in new and different ways, tho I guess because traditional antics of faithful expressions never appealed me to see Christ in them, I have often rebelled against traditional and age old expressions of traditional christian faith. 

Unless personal revelation ever broke ground in me to understand traditional expressions and their values, I have always felt irked or resistant to them – sometimes quietly, but mostly openly smile emoticon

One such ritual for a very long time was how communion was observed. For as long as I had been going to church, it seemed communion was treated more as a time of quiet reflection and repentance.

I always felt objectified to this, as while I understood it a valid expression, I also found it a betrayal of scripture. 

When Jesus conducted the pass over feast if bread and wine were not on the menu, I believe we would be celebrating communion with other foods. 

With this revelation, I came to see the coke and pizza served at youth group nights and the celebration that insued, as being no different to bread and wine and the celebration of the Passover holiday

Since this time i have understood such examples of having breakfast at a cafe with family and loved ones, with coffee as wine, bacon and eggs as bread, and community as the common union which is communion. 

In my understanding Communion is less about the symbols and the food and more about the bringing of ppl together. Using food to celebrate love for each other and drawing to the heart of community as the spirit of god ushers thru us and draws us to its centre. 

But 1 Corinthians 11 warns us against creating a perversion of communion. Do not sit at the head of the table,do not reserve places of privilidge, do not cast judgement upon the ppl that feast. 

The beauty that is communion is it forces is to observe how all of us – despite, our differences in social stance, class based on income or decisions we have made for ourselves. Are actually not too different in that we all required sustenance. 

As it is indeed true, god does invite everyone one to the table, it is within the communion feast that ppl are striped of their titles and humbled, the tax collector sits with the slave owner, the roman soldier sits with the beggar, and the priest sits with the prostitute. 

Barriers are broken down, humanity is released and names are now known, and the creation of kingdom come is now gods will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

– Jacob

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Prayers for Others

Common Grace campaign for Mothers Day ‘Aussie Momma’s Stand Up

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Covenanting 2016-17

Marcus encouraged people to fill out our online discernment questionnaire about making Covenant commitments for the coming year at next weeks Pentecost service.

Andy talked about next weeks church meeting and decision making with regards to the re-development of our buildings. 

Quote of the Week

“I had high hopes when Scott Morrison entered Parliament because the issues of poverty and Australian aid were a central pillar of why he went into office. I’m personally shocked that he’s been part of a cabinet that has left our aid program in tatters. I just don’t understand how Scott Morrison’s convictions have changed. Politics is about tough choices but you have to walk your talk. Otherwise, why else did you go into power?” 

– Rev. Tim Costello (on a further $224 million dollar cut to foregin aid in this weeks Federal Budget)