Sermons

Sermon and Service: August 2, 2020 Leighmoor Uniting Church -Rev Barbara Allen Suggested Hymns TIS 156: Morning has broken TIS 157: O Lord of every shining constellation TIS 114: Blessed be the everlasting God TIS 602: O Love that wilt not let me go TIS 604: Make me a captive, Lord TIS 151: The love of God is greater far TIS 447: Lord your almighty word Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession O Creator God, you spoke, and the world came into being. From towering cliff faces…to our own faces. You spoke, and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. From a babe named Jesus, helpless as any newborn is…through to an adult, with trials and struggles, from a cluster of mix-matched disciples, educating them about you through miracles…and love… and then to a risen Christ, leading those scared and scarred disciples out in love to form small communities of faith-which became the early church. You spoke, and we were comforted. You never leave our sides, or indeed, our hearts. And yet, mysterious God, we confess that we would rather relate to the gentle comforting aspects of your being than to the disturbing, gripping aspects of your nature. Forgive us. Forgive us when we make you in the image of the God we want-a tame-able, ‘soft’ divine. We know that sometimes we need a shocking word, an unsettling experience, a night of struggle or wrestling, to bring us to our senses- a journey into the dark night of the soul-for us to be enclosed by your arms-and blessed. Forgive us when we try to hide from you. We know that your love is such that you will not let us go until you fulfil your plan for each one of us. Forgive us when we have turned away from our neighbours, when we have switched off the cries of the needy. In a time of silence, we bring before God other things for which we seek forgiveness.  God is love. Through Christ our sins are forgiven (thanks be to God). Take hold of this forgiveness and live your life in the power of the Spirit. Amen Bible Readings: Genesis 32: 22-31 Psalm 17: 1-7, 15 Romans 9: 1-5 Matthew 14: 13-21 Sermon: Wounds of Love  (Genesis 32: 22-31) Jacob-a cheat-one of the great patriarchs -a deceiver-given the name Israel -a supplanter or heel-loved by God. Jacob-a universe-disturber-yet human -a dreamer-seeking the sacred, filled with a sense of wonder and awe. He bargained with God-his response to the sacred. And now? He had wrestled all his life-with his father, Isaac, his twin brother, Esau, his father-in-law Laban. -but here was the struggle that changed him. -indeed-the change was so marked he could no longer go by the name Jacob -he needed to be renamed Israel ‘the one who strives with God,’ The fight for the blessing. In Chapter 27 he had fought for his father’s blessing-he tricked Isaac, disguising himself as Esau -a blessing cannot be retracted. But in this encounter, this wrestle, he does not gain God’s blessing by deceit, or in an underhanded manner- but by being open and honest about it. v.26: “Let me go, for the day is breaking”.  But Jacob said “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” There was a young man who approached a hermit with this request: “Show me how I can find God.” “How great is this desire of yours?” asked the saintly man. “More than anything in the world” came the reply. The hermit took the young man to the shore of a lake and they waded into the water until it was up to their necks.  Then the holy man put his hand on the other’s head and pushed him under water.  The young man struggled desperately, but the hermit did not release him until he was about to drown.  When they returned to the shore, the saint asked, “Son, when you were under water, what did you want more than anything in the world?”  “Air” he replied, without hesitation.  “Well then, when you want to find God as much as you just then wanted air, your eyes will be opened to the wonder of God.” ‘when you want to find God as much as you just then wanted air, your eyes will be opened to the wonder of God.’ Jacob wanted to find God. -to encounter God -even to wrestle with God. For Jacob, it wasn’t enough to meet God in a dream (though most of us would have been quite content with the dream of a ladder of angels linking heaven and earth!) He wanted to meet God face to face.-with all the risk that involved. (it was thought that to see God face to face involved death-it was a fatal experience-remember Moses, having to veil his face?) Jacob wanted this encounter so badly-to confront God-not in a dream, lying down, but upright, with his eyes open. Abraham and Isaac both submitted to God-the idea had come from God, whereas Jacob provoked this confrontation. Let’s pause for a moment, to consider the possible reasons for such a desire. -why Jacob was willing to force such an encounter-to risk his life. Is anything worth that much? Jacob was scared about meeting his brother Esau.  After dispatching his embassy to Esau, hoping to appease Esau’s anger with presents, Jacob was still deeply troubled.  That very night, without waiting for daylight, he decided to move his family across a nearby ford of the Jabbok river, to a place on the other side. Jacob-left alone-with his fears and doubts. He’s scared about meeting Esau(and no wonder-Jacob stole his birthright and the blessing reserved for the elder son-he’s got a lot to lose) Earlier in this chapter Jacob expressed some of his fear, asking God to v. 11: “Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all.” Jacob, in his

Service and sermon July 26, 2020 Leighmoor Uniting Church -Rev Barbara Allen Hymn suggestions: TIS 130: We plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land TIS 137: For the beauty of the earth TIS 581: Happy the home that welcomes you, Lord Jesus TIS 650: Brother, sister, let me serve you TIS 703: As the deer pants for the water TIS 613: Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession O God, you are our holy parent. We, your children, are thankful that you gather us to yourself as a mother hen her chicks. You cover us, and shield us with your love. We know you are with us as we sometimes struggle to live as human family. We thank you for the gift of family-blood relatives, friends, and church family. Help us as we reflect on the biblical family and our own. Help us to be amazed yet again, at your patient forgiving love, active in the stories of your children’s lives. Help us to praise you with undivided hearts. And yet, O Loving God, we confess the disorder in our human family. We fight, we bicker.  Others irritate us-in our blood family, and in our church family too. Forgive us. We weep when the vulnerable are abused, but often we fail to honour and respect the ones closest to us. Forgive us. Help us to welcome your Spirit within us, and among us, so that our shadows do not block out your healing Spirit that glows within us. May we feel forgiven, and strengthened so that we may, with joy, bless the lives of those whom you have chosen to accompany us on this journey called life. This is the best of all: When we are empty, God fill us; When we are disheartened, God is compassionate; When we are wounded, God brings healing; When we confess our sin, God forgives. In Christ, through Christ and because of Christ, our sins are forgiven. (Thanks be to God) Bible Readings Genesis 29: 15-30 Romans 8: 26-39 Matthew 13: 31-33, 44-52 Sermon: Are families perfect? Genesis 29: 15-28 ‘Always keep in mind that parenting is like gardening.  You plant and you wait.  Some seeds take a long time to sprout and develop.’ (Denis Waitley, 1985) Jacob-the trickster. In today’s story-Jacob is tricked.  Is this a family trait? Will he learn from someone else’s deception, will he, at long last, sprout and develop? Or Does this story-of deception and trickery, fit more in line with this quote from George Bernard Shaw: ‘If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.’ (repeat) Most of us remember the television series The Brady Bunch.   It was set in the 1970s.  The story of a widow and a widower, each with 3 perfect children.  They became a ‘blended’ family- but unlike most- or indeed all families, this TV series depicted a ‘perfect’ family; the dramas were usually trivial-who keeps using the telephone and those sorts of things, but, on the whole, a ‘perfect’, unrealistic family.-a family many hoped for. -our own families appeared to be flawed-they didn’t come up to the standard of the Brady Bunch -were our families the only ‘wrong’ ones? -was every other family like the Brady Bunch? What was real?   -and what was fantasy? How did this compare with our own family holidays? We have the ‘ideal’ in our mind, or we see the ads, but, in reality, someone becomes sick the first night away, the accommodation isn’t what it should be, the teenagers argue and bicker all the way to your destination -making everyone as miserable as they are! REAL FAMILIES! -the reality rarely turns out to be as we plan.  Jacob is still on the run, in exile, after tricking his brother out of his birthright and out of his blessing. Last Sunday’s reading spoke of Jacob’s incredible experience of awe and wonder -when, blessed with a divine vision, he saw a ladder of angels- ascending and descending from heaven. A schemer he might be-but he is also one chosen by God to be part of the family by whom the world shall be blessed. Perhaps Jacob’s life may take a turn for the better… Perhaps. Today’s episode is a strange story. It’s caught in the middle-between the dramatic dream of the ladder of angels, from last week-and Jacob’s encounter with God at the river of Jabbok-Jacob’s  ‘wrestle’ with God. Between those two God-filled stories, the vision and the encounter-we have a more mundane episode. Jacob arrives safely at his mother’s home town of Haran.  He finds himself among relatives.  He meets Rachel at the well, helps water the flock. Rachel’s father, Laban, welcomes Jacob, the down-on-his-luck relative from far away-into his household. At first, things go well, and Jacob is no doubt grateful that he has ended up among relatives, family who will care for him and pay him as he works for them. In a sense- he becomes part of the family business But, as in some families- when they work together-there is the potential for conflict. There will be conflict, because Laban and Jacob are similar- Both are schemers, both are tricksters! Laban has another daughter, Leah-she is older than Rachel, her eyes are either ‘weak’ or ‘lovely’- the Hebrew word is unclear.  But whichever- it does not matter, for Jacob has set his sights on Rachel.  He is so smitten with her that he offers to work for Laban for 7 years, in order to make enough money to marry her. (now, if you are married, or in a relationship-would you have worked 7 years for your loved one?) v15: ‘Then Laban said to Jacob, ‘Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing?  Tell me, what shall your wages be?’ v 18: ‘Jacob loved Rachel; so he said: “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter, Rachel.” 7 years: a

Service July 19, 2020  Leighmoor Uniting Church -Rev Barbara Allen Hymn suggestions TIS 134: Praise my soul, the king of heaven TIS 128: Sometimes a light surprises TIS 398: Come down, O love divine TIS 564: O God of Bethel, by whose hand TIS 651: Take, take off your shoes TIS 547: Be thou my vision Call to Worship Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it!” (Genesis 28:16).  God is indeed in this place…wherever we are during lockdown.  We may offer God our praise, and listen to God’s word-wherever we are.  God is indeed in your living room, or in your kitchen, or sitting outside with you in the garden. The Lord is in those places too. Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession Eternal God, how great you are! On the first day of the week, we commemorate your creation of the world, and all that is in it. We also praise you for raising Jesus from the dead, on the first day of the week. We give thanks that you sent your Holy Spirit on your disciples, on the first day of the week. This day is, indeed, special: from Genesis to the Gospels, to the book of Acts…remembered by the church, making this day, Sunday, our Sabbath. O God, you are our holy parent. We, your children, are thankful that you gather us around you, that you cover us with your love. We come trusting in you, as we quite often struggle, trying to live together as human family-in the home, in church, in our community, and in the world. As we reflect on the biblical family story-seeing it as our own story too-help us to be aware, and then thankful for, your patient, forgiving love. O God, you are a dream maker. You have shown us your vision and spoken your word through prophet and angel, and you have revealed the fullness of your dream for all of us in Jesus Christ. Help us to grow into the dream you have for each one of us. And yet, O God, we confess that we do not always want to hear you, or listen to the dreams you have for each one of us. At times we prefer to follow our own desires. Forgive us. Sometimes we run away to avoid hearing you, in case your dreams for us are different from what we want, in case you ask of us that which might make us uncomfortable, or risk unsettling our comfortable lives. Forgive us. Forgive us when we return your love with apathy, Forgive us when we return your dreams and hopes for us with a sense of unworthiness. Forgive us when we neglect our neighbours, when we have become self-consumed. And in a time of silence, we remember other things for which we seek forgiveness… God is love. Through Christ, our sins are forgiven (thanks be to God) Take hold of this forgiveness and live your live in in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen Bible Readings Genesis 28: 10-19a Psalm 139: 1-12, 23-24 Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43 Sermon: Dreams are more than just wishful thinking  Genesis 28: 10-19   [It was hard to choose between the Genesis reading, and Psalm 139, which is one of my favourite psalms.  Maybe I will preach on it another time.] A student went to a famous old rabbi and said, “Master, in the old days there were people who could see God.  Why is it that nobody sees God nowadays?” The old man answered- “My child, nowadays nobody can stoop so low.” -“nowadays nobody can stoop so low!” v.16 ‘Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place-and I did not know it!” The story of Jacob’s dream at Bethel is remarkable, all the more remarkable when one considers the character of Jacob. -from birth-Jacob is a ‘grabber’.   In last week’s reading:  ‘Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob.’ (‘he takes by the heel’, or ‘he supplants.’) He has duped his brother Esau out of his birthright-Esau sold his birthright -for a bowl of red lentil soup.  Now, I think my lentil soup is pretty tasty, but would I expect someone to give me their inheritance-that’s what Esau’s birthright meant-for a bowl of soup-or even for the recipe? Jacob is a shrewd, conniving, trickster! Jacob isn’t named ‘Heel’ or ‘Grabber’ -for nothing. Jacob also deceived his father Isaac; when Isaac was blind and on his deathbed, Jacob dressed up in animal skins and tricked his father into blessing him-giving him the blessing, or the inheritance that is for the eldest son –grabbing the inheritance that should have gone to Esau. Not a likeable person A shady character A trickster. Poor Esau-the not so smart brother. We feel for him- In Genesis 27, after he realizes what Jacob has done: ‘ …he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, :Bless me, me also, father!”  and  “Have you only one blessing, father?  Bless me, me also, father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. Later, ‘Esau said to himself. “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’ (Gen 27:41) Jacob gets out in time. -slips out the back door. Jacob, a shrewd, conniving trickster- flees his homeland, pursued by his estranged brother. A fugitive. He had wanted, more than anything- -to inherit the estate -to have it all -to supplant his older brother in the process. Now he’s ‘out there’ -out between Beersheba and Haran- Which is another way to say ‘nowhere’ Between the ‘known’-his family And the ‘unknown’- the future. -He is without family protection -He is without family support -banished, alone. Alone.  Vulnerable.  Nowhere. It is night, time when wild beasts roam. Jacob prepares to sleep with nothing but a stone for

Service/sermon July 12, 2020  Leighmoor Uniting Church -Rev Barbara Allen Possible hymns: TIS 703: As the deer pants for the water TIS 125: The God of Abraham praise  TIS 442: All praise to our redeeming Lord TIS 595: O Jesus, I have promised TIS 650: Brother, sister, let me serve you Call to Worship Generous God, you are beyond all imaginings, all formulas. We worship you, the great gift-giver. Gift us with grateful hearts, open hands, and gentle souls. Let us worship you today, and always, Amen Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession God of life, our solar system is a magnificent creation. The  galaxy, the Milky Way, contains the moon, the planets, and more than 2 billion stars. In the universe we see some of your glorious works. God of life, within the smallest insect, and inside the tallest giraffe, and in everything in between, is your breath, the breath of all creation. In birdsong and in the calls of other creatures, we hear the work of your hands. God of life, in the dampness of winter’s drizzle and showers, in the chill of a frosty morning, we feel the work of your hands. God of life, you also gift us families and friends. We thank you for the gifts of love, of friendship, of encouragement. And yet, as we remember these gifts, and many others, we come before you to confess our sins, to say we have not measured up to be the people you have created us to be. Forgive us. Forgive us when we have neglected your creation, of which we are stewards. Forgive us when we have taken the wonders of this world, this amazing planet, our home, for granted. Forgive us when we have failed to love others, or have taken their love for granted, especially in families. Forgive us if we have favourites.  May we see that danger, and seek to love all, equally. In a time of silence, we remember others things for which we seek forgiveness. God is love Through Christ our sins are forgiven (thanks be to God). Take hold of this forgiveness, and live your life in the power of the Spirit, Amen   Bible Readings: Genesis 25: 19-34 Matthew 13: 1-9. 18-23 Sermon What a troublesome family!  This legacy of Abraham’s! From the near sacrifice of Isaac-to trickery and deception! We go from drama, through to a love story where Isaac is comforted after his mother’s death, due to the love of his wife, Rebekah, to this! Sibling rivalry, and the disastrous results of favouritism! Problems in parenting are not confined to our times! School holidays-usually good times for families, can also be stressful-emotions are on edge, tantrums erupt, personalities come into play. Just think of a family holiday-for some of us that was quite some years ago-and now-with lockdown-impossible to do-so no long car trips.  But we can remember, can’t we? The elbowing in the back seat…the “Are we there yet?” The whinging, the petty arguments. Or shopping.  “I want what she’s got!” Or, if one child is given something-the other thinks it is better than what they received. In my husband’s household-growing up-if a cake or dessert had to be sliced-one of the children would cut…the other would choose which slice they would have. (that scheme worked in a two-child household!) Peace! Ah-if only it had been that simple in today’s story. We see struggle. We see sibling rivalry. We see the dangers of favouritism. Today’s reading needs to be read, with another unassigned lectionary reading in mind. Next week we are three chapters ahead, in Genesis 28 BUT this rivalry, and stealing, happens again in Chapter 27, when Jacob steals Isaac’s blessing from Esau. We need to have these stories side by side to really grapple with the consequences. The consequences of having favourites. One Australian comedian said that when a parent says to his or her child: “Darling, I don’t have favourites,” you can bet your bottom dollar that parent means “You are not my favourite!” Is that true? It is interesting to note the many similarities between this story of the birth of Jacob and Esau, and the birth of Isaac. Rebekah is barren, as was Sarah-the Lord finally granted Isaac’s request for a child (which is odd in itself-how were Abraham’s descendants going to be ‘as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore’…without a child?  Of course he had other children-Ishmael, and others with the wife he married after Sarah’s death, Keturah…but the promise was thought to be continued through the line of Isaac.) Rebekah’s utterance “Why do I live?” as they struggled within her.  She wasn’t prepared to put up with this (yes, childbirth is difficult-it is life threatening-we forget how dangerous it is and why prayers were recited in times past).  Rebekah was at the end of her tether, so she went and asked God about it, or consulted God through an oracle, which goes to show though desperate, she was not as yet resigned to her fate. ‘the elder shall serve the younger’ : family law.  Usually the elder son was entitled to an inheritance which was double that of the younger; however, in Mesopotamian legal practice, the sharer in the larger portion could be designated, contrary to the actual order of birth.  The interesting thing about this is, that this was later outlawed (in Deuteronomy 21:16 [setting out laws regarding the children from more than one wife]: ‘on the day that he wills his possessions to his sons, he is not permitted to treat the son of the loved as the firstborn in preference to the son of the disliked, who is the firstborn.’ The tradition behind this narrative as well as behind Genesis 27, is a focus on the prehistory of the nations of Israel and Edom. The contrast between the two is highlighted: Esau is a man of the outdoors, who is given to hunting. Jacob, on

Service and sermon.  July 5, 2020  Leighmoor Uniting Church -Rev Barbara Allen Suggested hymns: TIS 135: All things bright and beautiful TIS 137: For the beauty of the earth TIS 129: Amazing Grace TIS 604: Make me a captive Lord TIS 585: I heard the voice of Jesus say Bible Readings: Genesis 24: 34-38, 42-49, 58-67 (Isaac and Rebekah) Song of Songs 2: 8-13 (romantic love) Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-30 Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession Creator God, we give you thanks for the richness of life. During these challenging times may our souls be nourished by your gifts -of creation -of family and friends -of church family, church history, and our church tradition. In Song of Songs we hear words of romantic love.  We give you thanks for the love we have received during our lives-be it romantic love, parental love, love for and from our children, love from our friends, our colleagues, our neighbours, from our animal companions. Love that makes us feel special. Love that gives us a glimpse of the love you have for each one of us, your creation. As we dwell on the beauty and scope of your love we confess that we have not always shown our love to You -to others -or to ourselves. Forgive us for neglecting those who are on the fringe of society, those who are lonely, those who are the ‘forgotten.’ Forgive us when we feel overwhelmed by the crisis of covid-19-help us to keep praying, to keep loving-to have HOPE. Help us to bring comfort, joy, and hope to those who need it, especially during these trying times, when the ways we would normally reach out to show love-such as in a hug, or with a handshake-are now forbidden. Forgive us when we have given up, saying it is all ‘too hard.’ You never give up, you never proclaim ‘it is too hard’…neither should we. In a time of silence, we remember other things for which we seek forgiveness. God is love. Through Christ our sins are forgiven (thanks be to God). Take hold of this forgiveness, and live your live in the power of the Spirit. Amen. Sermon  ‘O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.’ No, it is NOT Christmas in July (and don’t get me started about THAT tradition!) BUT sentiment, or emotions we associate with the Christmas Season, could be the title of today’s sermon. Today’s readings are much brighter than last week’s Bible reading from the Old Testament, from the Hebrew Scriptures. -the near killing of Isaac by his father, Abraham. It was necessary to tackle the dark stories of the Bible, -to acknowledge the dark tales in our own lives BUT Today, today we have some lightness, some comfort, even some deep joy. In the continuation of the story in Genesis, we have a love story-of Isaac and Rebekah-and much needed comfort for Isaac after his mother Sarah, had died: ‘He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her.  So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.’(Gen 24:67) ‘Love, love, love. All you need is love…’ -from the pens of Lennon and McCartney, and from the Bible! Song of Songs is also part of today’s lectionary, speaking of romantic love: ‘The voice of my beloved! Look, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.’(Song of Solomon 2: 8-9) Ah, the Mills and Boon of the Bible!    These days we probably  wouldn’t describe our romantic interest as a ‘gazelle.’   I wonder what an Australian equivalent might be?   A brumby? A roo?  Back to Song of Songs– enchanting poetry.  It may not make it on today’s Hallmark Card, or as an instant card on the internet, but for the times-it was sheer beauty. Over the centuries, this book of the Bible, which, by the way, doesn’t mention God, has been a source of embarrassment.  Why was it included?  Was it a mistake?  Why do we have a book about physical love in the Bible?   To compensate for what was seen as a mistake, or, if not a mistake- meant to mean something else, scholars came up with explanations. From the 2nd century AD, some Jewish writers wrote that this scripture was a symbol of God’s love for his people Israel.  Later, during Christian times, from about the 4th century, these poems were viewed as allegory, describing Jesus’ love for us, the church, his bride.  This idea is pivotal in the Book of Revelation. In Revelation 19: 7-8: ‘’Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.’ And in Revelation 21: 1-2: ‘’ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.’(Rev 21: 1, 2) The church was viewed as Christ’s bride.  In Catholicism becoming a nun meant to become a ‘bride of Christ.’ Some of you may remember the ABC series with that title, about 20 years ago. (I just did a check on Google-it came out 29 years ago-and is now available to watch on ABC iview). In the series, a young woman growing up in the 1960s, walks away from her fiancé, to join a convent, after feeling she has received a call to become a nun. In some female orders, when the postulant receives ‘the habit’, becoming a novice, she has a wedding, or a marriage ceremony-dressed in white with a veil, to symbolize her marriage to Christ.  She then receives a habit, and wears a white veil. This ceremony is described by Karen Armstrong, in her autobiography Through the Narrow Gate**: ‘The congregation waited breathlessly.  Then right at the back of the procession a single file of five young girls entered the

Service June 28, 2020  Leighmoor Uniting Church,  Rev Barbara Allen Hymn suggestions: TIS 454: Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness TIS 137: For the beauty of the earth TIS 619: Have faith in God, my heart TIS 599: Take my life, and let it be TIS 658: I, the Lord of sea and sky TIS 547: Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession O loving, merciful, nurturing God, we gather in our homes-as a scattered community-apart-but joined. We are physically distant, but emotionally and spiritually connected. We raise our voices to you, wherever we are, separated, but as one voice, to worship you, our Creator God. We thank you for each new day. We may feel the monotony of being in lock down, but if we take on its lessons of valuing the preciousness of life, rekindling an appreciation of the simple things in life, then -we can always give you thanks, and see this experience as a time of building up our faith and our trust. We thank you for the magnificent planet earth, for its many beauties and delights. From bird song, to frog croaking, from vast stretches of wilderness to blue ocean, we give you thanks. We thank you for family, our blood relatives, our church family, and our friends. Although we know you love us dearly-at times, we still have questions. We know that faith is about believing in things unseen…but we are human. Forgive us when we demand to know everything…for when we are cross because we are denied answers. Forgive us when we neglect our planet, our earthly home, Forgive us when we become self centred, only concerned about ourselves and our loved ones…when we neglect others in this world. Forgive us when we act and sound like head-strong toddlers-demanding what we see as rightfully ours…and clutching at things, instead of sharing. In a time of silence, we remember other things for which we need forgiveness. God is love Through Christ our sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Take hold of this forgiveness and live your lives, as forgiven and much loved people, in the presence of the Spirit. Amen  Bible Readings: Genesis 22: 1-14 Psalm 13 Romans 6: 12-23 Matthew 10: 40-42 Sermon In Jerusalem, inside the old city, stands the great gold mosque. The Dome of the Rock.  When you see photographs of Jerusalem-this gold dome stands out.  The mosque is built over the place where the temple stood-the only piece left is what is known as the ‘Wailing Wall’- many Jews go there to pray, to place prayers from others-written on paper-into the cracks in the wall- to ascend to heaven. The Rock over which the shrine is built is sacred to both Muslims and Jews. In Islam, this is thought to be the place where the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam, is believed to have ascended into heaven. For Jews, it is a special holy place, the site of today’s story from Genesis. – Mt Moriah-the rock where Abraham laid Isaac and raised his knife to kill him. On a visit to Jerusalem, I saw this rock, or a portion of the exposed part of Mt Moriah. As I gazed at it-my skin prickled. -my skin prickled. -a wild and windy mountain! The story from Genesis 22 of the near sacrifice of Isaac is one of the most troubling, disturbing, and powerful stories in the Bible. -The story defeats those who would use the Bible as a book of answers- because, even after we have finished interpreting the story, there are still unanswered questions. A story of a God who might threaten the life of an innocent child is deeply disturbing, perplexing. Remember that Abraham has set out on a journey with God-on the basis of little more than a promise -a promise that, through him, would lead to the entire world being blessed. Yet- without descendants, there will be no blessing to the world, through Abraham and Sarah. Much is at stake here in how the story ends. Last week we heard of the story of Ishmael and Hagar.  Abraham had had a son through his wife’s slave, Hagar. Then Sarah bore Isaac. Last week’s story saw Abraham sending Hagar and Ishmael out into the desert -in a sense-Abraham lost his son Ishmael -he never saw him again. Now-is he to lose his only other child, Isaac? Other questions- Is Isaac on the altar, similar to Ishmael in the desert? Is Abraham, who sent Hagar and Ishmael at Sarah’s command-any different from Abraham who acts at God’s command? Is Sarah’s ‘get rid of Ishmael’ now replaced by God’s ‘get rid of Isaac?’ Can God protect and provide for both Ishmael and Isaac? Questions, questions- this dark story is a story ringed with questions. Let’s enter this story for we can gain strength from it-eventually! ‘After these things God tested Abraham.’ God, after assuring Abraham that through Isaac his name would endure in his descendants -directs him to slay this child of promise -and risks leaving him as he was before-alone in the world without prospect for the future. “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will show you.” -‘your only son’ -and we jump up and down and say “What about Ishmael?  He’s your son too!” In one Jewish commentary the writer tells of an old tradition-that Abraham was tested by God because he favoured Isaac over Ishmael. ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love …’ But-but-if we were to assume for a moment that God wished to punish a sinful father-why would he inflict a worse punishment on the son? ‘So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for

Service June 21, 2020 Leighmoor UC Possible hymns: TIS 130: We plough the seed and scatter TIS 474: Here in this place TIS 473: Community of Christ TIS 585:  I heard the voice of Jesus say TIS 629: When I needed a neighbour  Bible Readings: Genesis 21: 8-21 Psalm 86: 1-10, 16-17 Romans 6: 1b-11 Matthew 10: 24-39 Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession. God of the desert, you reach out in compassion toward all who cry to you in their need. Those who have been called ‘forgotten’, you name ‘beloved.’ Those who have been cast out, you gather to yourself. Those who have been reviled, you bless. Fashion us after your own heart, so that we may love as you love, and care as you care. Without you, life is like a desert, but with you, life can be like the country after abundant rain. You have blessed us in so many rich and wonderful ways-through family, home, and friends, with shelter, gardens, pets, food, and with laughter. We thank you that you are out there-in the wilderness of street and prison, hearing the voices of the poor and the needy. We thank you that you show no partiality, but love the whole human family. And yet, to you, our merciful and loving God-we confess that sometimes our ways are unjust. We who enjoy the blessing of family and friends, sometimes limit caring for those in the deserts of loneliness, isolation, or illness. Forgive us. We confess that we have turned away from oppression, we have distanced ourselves from scenes of pain, shut ourselves off from the cries of the homeless. Forgive us. Forgive us when we separate ourselves from you, from the rest of the human family, whom you love. God is love. Through Christ our sins are forgiven. (Thanks be to God). Take hold of this forgiveness and live your life in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Sermon  ‘The teacher sat around a blazing fire with a small number of students, late at night. The teacher asked a question: “How can we know when the night has ended and the day has begun?” Eagerly one young man answered- “You know the night is over and the day has begun when you can look off in the distance and determine which animal is your dog and which is the sheep.  Is that the right answer, teacher?” “It is a good answer,” the teacher said slowly, “but it is not the answer I would give,” he said. After several minutes of discussion, a second student ventured a guess. “You know the night is over and the day has begun when light falls on the leaves and you can tell whether it is a palm tree or a fig tree.” Once again the teacher shook his head.   “That was a fine answer, but it is not the answer I see,” he said gently. Immediately the students began to argue with one another.  Finally, one of them begged the teacher, “Answer your own question, Teacher, for we cannot think of another response.” The teacher looked intently at the eager young faces before he began to speak.   “When you look into the eyes of a human being and see a brother or sister, you know that it is morning.  If you cannot see a sister or brother, you will know that it will always be night.” -if you cannot see a sister or brother, you will know that it will always be night. ‘But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac.  So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.’” (Gen 21:9-10) Last Sunday I chose to deviate from the lectionary.  If we had followed it we would have heard the promise to Abraham and Sarah-and the fulfilment of that promise through the birth of Isaac. -God’s blessing to a family. But Genesis is also a story about another family- the whole human family outside the family of Abraham. -a reminder that the God of Israel is also the God of other families, like that of Hagar and Ishmael. The past two weeks have dealt with God’s covenant relationship with Abraham, Sarah and Isaac. Abram shown the stars and being told his descendants will be more numerous than those heavenly bodies. A familiar story.   A visit by three angels who promise that Sarah will give birth in her old age. She laughs.  When the baby is born she names him Isaac ‘he who laughs/rejoices’ Today we hear about God’s covenant relationship with Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael. Let’s go back a step, to when Sarah was childless-in her eighties. They had been promised by God that they would be parents of a great nation. But time went by- and still no child. Life was not easy for Sarah. -to be barren, without child-made her a victim of ridicule and contempt. -survival depended on children. It was the woman who was blamed for infertility, so she was viewed as worthless. So, what does Sarah do? She’s tired of waiting, time’s running out (she is in her eighties!), not getting any younger! She doesn’t wait for God to act. -she doesn’t wait for God to act. She’s TIRED of waiting. So she takes matters into her own hands. She suggests that Abraham take her Egyptian slave Hagar as a wife -to bear an heir. So Abraham fathers a child through the maid, Hagar. Back in chapter 16 we read of Sarai (before she is blessed with the name Sarah ‘princess’ and Abram becomes Abraham-‘father of many/a multitude’) suggesting this to Abram. It appears that there was a law or custom that allowed for this to take place.  In certain Mesopotamian documents it sets out this kind of law and practice. If a wife provided her husband with a

Leighmoor UC.  June 14. 2020 Call to Worship Come, let us welcome the Sabbath in joy and peace! It brings comfort to our hearts, workday cares are set aside. On the Sabbath we remember our blessings from God, and our anxieties and heartache are softened. Come, let us worship our loving God, who modelled rest for us! Prayer of Adoration and Confession God of life, you brought all into being. In you, we are part of the glory of creation. In you, we receive the mystery of grace. In you, we find the wisdom of community. God of all glory, on this first day, you began creation, bringing light out of darkness. On this day you began your new creation raising Jesus Christ out of the darkness of death. On this Lord’s day, may our hearts praise you as we remember, and are thankful,  for all your blessings, including the precious treasure of the Sabbath. We are aware that we have misused your gifts of creation. We have not been faithful or careful stewards. Forgive us for neglecting your planet, by polluting its waters and habitats, for allowing species to become extinct or endangered. Forgive us when we have neglected our brothers and sisters, of different races, colours, religions. Forgive us when we have been indifferent to the plight of our indigenous brothers and sisters, for turning away from reports we hear of cruelty in police custody, or about lower life spans, poorer health, and harder access to good education, housing, and job opportunities. (in a time of silence we remember other things for which we seek forgiveness) Forgive us for superficial worship, and if our prayers have been of a selfish nature. Amen Words of Assurance. This is the best of all, when we are empty, God fill us, when we are disheartened, God is compassionate, when we are wounded, God brings healing, when we confess our sins, God forgives us. In Christ, through Christ, and because of Christ, Our sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Amen Bible Readings:  Exodus 20: 8-11                              Matthew 12: 9-13 Today I am departing from my usual practice of following the lectionary readings set for this week. Genesis is one of my favourite books in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, but we have nine more weeks when we can explore those readings, so I am taking this opportunity to address something some of us may be struggling with a little. The Sabbath. How to observe the Sabbath, and to keep it special, during this time of lock down. Do you remember the film, ‘Chariots of Fire’?  I noticed it was showing on tv the other night-but by then it was half over.  When it came out, back in 1981 (yes, that long ago!) I was very moved by it.   In the movie, Eric Liddell, a Scottish Presbyterian preacher and former Scotland rugby player, is chosen to run in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. His sister Jenny fears that running is diverting Eric from his calling to be a missionary in China. (that has never been a problem for me…if I take up running I have lost the plot!) Eric tells Jenny that his vocation is unchanged, but that he believes it is also part of God’s purpose for him to run.  He says to Jenny, “God made me fast, and when I run I feel his pleasure.” “when I run I feel his pleasure.” Does that happen for you?  Not in terms of running, but is there a time or activity when you sense God’s pleasure, God’s delight-when you are doing God’s will? When Liddell, a strict observer of the Sabbath, discovers that his Olympic 100m heat is on a Sunday, he refuses to take part. Entered instead-at short notice-for the 400 m, Liddell goes on to win a gold medal. How many runners would have refused to run on a Sunday? How many sportsmen and sportswomen refuse to take part in sporting activities held on a Sunday? The reading from Exodus is a familiar one.  ‘Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy.’(Exodus 20:8) What is the Sabbath? The word ‘Sabbath’ comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat, which means to pause, to cease, and to be still. It is the opportunity to get off the treadmill of life and to reflect on our values and priorities. Lock down has given us that opportunity, hasn’t it? To reflect, to pause, to out aside activities. In their book Balance *, Robert Warren and Sue Mayfield write that the Sabbath encompasses six things: Stillness: to pause, to be still. Rhythm: the pattern of resting one day in seven imitates the rhythm of creation in Genesis 1 where God worked creatively for 6 days and then paused to rest and enjoy all that He had made (NOT that God needed to rest-God was modelling right practice-humans need some rest and re creation) Receiving: Sabbath is a gift from God, a gift of grace, a reminder that all we have comes from God’s creative love. ‘We do not so much practice Sabbath as receive it.’ Refreshment: it is more than stopping work-it is about restoration, creativity and play. Freedom: it is about liberation, wholeness, and well-being. Holy: God calls it holy and exhorts us to do the same. Joy Davidman wrote: ‘How do you make a day holy?  By seeing that it is holy already, and behaving accordingly.’ Let’s explore the Sabbath in Scripture. As I said earlier, it is that wonderful rhythm from Genesis 1: ‘In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth…’ ‘So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.’ It is sharing God’s enjoyment of creation (a return to Eden from the curses in Chapter 3 when Adam and Eve were evicted from the garden-so it is

Trinity Sunday June 7th, 2020 Leighmoor UC. Possible Hymns: TIS 100: ‘All creatures of our God and King TIS 132: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty’ TIS 478: ‘I bind unto myself today’ TIS 447: ‘Lord, your almighty word’ Prayers of Adoration and Confession Most blessed, most holy God, before the brightness of your presence the angels and archangels veil their faces. We worship you, eternal Trinity. You are God, the Creator, God beyond us, we adore you. You have created all that has come into being. You are the depth of all that is. When we gaze into the universe-we marvel at your handiwork. You are God the Son, God beside us. In you we see divine love and human greatness combined. You mirror what human life should be…what love can be. God the Spirit, God around us, we adore you. You draw us to the Creator, and to Christ. You are the power within us, making us the people you want us to be. Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we adore you. We thank you for all your gifts, great and small. For the gift of your nearness to us in the things that happen in our lives-and for the gift of your distance from us, in the mystery and wonder of life. When we are tired, worn down, when our commitment has grown cold, you come and warm our hearts. When our faith seems dry and dead, you breathe upon us and give us life. Yet we come before you, seeking forgiveness. We have not loved you with our whole heart, we have not loved our neighbour as ourselves. Forgive us. We like things tidy and explainable, but you defy our understanding. We are tempted to live closed to the spiritual world, but you touch us with dreams and visions. When we lose faith in the goodness of creation, in the father-like love of our Creator: forgive us. When we lose faith in Jesus as the true reflection of your suffering, conquering, redeeming love: forgive us. When we lose faith in your Spirit’s presence among us: forgive us. God is love. Through Christ our sins are forgiven  (thanks be to God). Take hold of this forgiveness, and live your life in the power of the Spirit. Amen Bible Readings Genesis 1: 1-2:4a Psalm 8 2 Corinthians 13: 11-13 Matthew 28: 16-20 Sermon: Keep your distance! Today is Trinity Sunday -the first Sunday after Pentecost, when we celebrated the third person of the Trinity-the Holy Spirit. Trinity Sunday is a transitional Sunday: -we move out of the 50 days of the Easter Season, out of Pentecost, into the ordinary time of the Church year. -no great feasts or celebrations, with the exception of next Saturday, which is the anniversary of the forming of the Uniting Church,  until November 1st-All Saints Day. Trinity Sunday. The English preacher, Colin Morris, said that any preacher with good sense would call in sick on Trinity Sunday. Last year, in my previous parish, a retired minister came up to me and thanked me for preaching-saying he had to do it most years! I can understand that sentiment. -trying to get across the concept of the Trinity, the central Christian doctrine-that the One God exists in Three Persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and one substance. The notion of one God who is three persons is mystery Yet-it is not altogether beyond us. -we can grasp something of what ‘Trinity’ means. In its barest outline, the doctrine contains 4 truths: In the one divine nature, there are 3 Persons, the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit Each is wholly himself The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God They are not three Gods, but one God. One substance, or nature. 3 in 1. If we asked ‘Who are you?’ each of the three would give His own answer-Father, Son or Holy Spirit. BUT if we asked ‘What are you? ’each would answer God. Each contains the same divine nature or substance. 1 in 3  3 in 1. If the idea of God as both 3 and 1 is confusing, Frederick Buechner suggests the following: -look in a mirror There is  The interior life-known only to yourself and those you choose to communicate it to (the Father) The visible face which is some way reflects your inner life (the Son) The invisible power that you have in order to communicate that interior life in such a way that others do not merely know about it, but know it in the sense of its becoming part of who they are (Holy Spirit). Yet what you are looking at in the mirror is clearly, and unable to be divided-the one and only YOU. Father, Son and Holy Spirit- may seem a mystery of mathematics (and most mathematics is a mystery to me!) -we may try to explain it or understand it by looking at water -as water droplets, ice and steam-3 in 1-all water, but in 3 ways Or be like St Patrick, who used a shamrock to illustrate the 3 persons (the 3 leaves)- as being part of the whole. (the substance, or nature) BUT, in the end, The Trinity is about distance and closeness Distance, and closeness. The Trinity is the result of a debate about who God really is. Knowing we will never know-but wrestling with that anyway. Isn’t that one reason we attend  church today?  We are trying to understand something of the nature of God, a God who has touched our lives-and is still active in our lives. Let’s travel back to the 4th century and meet two individuals who were passionate about God-and instrumental behind what is a human construct-the Trinity.  Arius: a priest in charge of twelve parishes. A persuasive preacher, a writer of verse and song, And Athanasius-secretary to the bishop of Alexandria. He is one of the giants of Christian history because of his part in defining

Pentecost.  May 31, 2020.  Leighmoor UC Suggested Hymns: TIS 572: O thou who camest from above TIS 398: Come down, O Love divine, TIS 675: Lord, the light of your love is shining TIS 407: Breathe on me, breath of God TIS 416: Great God, your Spirit, like the wind TIS 418: She sits like a bird, brooding on the waters TIS 421: Where the Spirit is, there’s freedom The mood of Pentecost is one of great energy. Images of fire, wind, breath and flowing water. Colour, sound, movement. Let us open ourselves to the moving of the Holy Spirit of God in our midst, in our lives. Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving, and Confession O God of glory, You created the earth by your power, you save the human race by your mercy and you make all new by your grace. We give thanks for your Spirit. -active in creation. The Spirit of Jesus, Spirit of love -present in the church. We rejoice in your presence around us and in us, like wind in our faces and breath in our lungs. Your Spirit gives us life. We give thanks that in your power, by your Spirit you give new birth and new life, Like fire, warmth and radiance, like life in dormant bulbs which burst forth in spring. We rejoice that you seek us, accept us, treasure us, with love older than the mountains you created, older than the distant stars you set in the heavens. Your love is old…yet new every morning. We thank you Creator Spirit, Life-giving Spirit, Nurturing Spirit, Spirit of love. And yet, you who created us for life together, We confess that we have turned from your way. We have not loved you with all our heart; we have not loved one another as you commanded. We have been quick to claim our own rights, but have been careless of the rights of others. We have taken much and given little. Forgive us. We confess that we have tried to relegate your movement as Spirit, to our command and understanding. (in a time of silence, we remember other things for which we seek forgiveness). God is love Through Christ our sins are forgiven (thanks be to God). Take hold of this forgiveness And live your live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen Bible Readings Acts 2: 1-21 Psalm 104: 24-34, 35b 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-13 John 7: 37-39 Sermon: A strange gift. What is the strangest gift you have ever received?  A wedding present, unused?  We received a unique wedding present-a set of long handled filigree forks and a matching spoon-an exotic item that one uses to dip figs in honey!-well-I don’t like figs-and I don’t eat honey- so-needless to say-perhaps like wedding presents you received-it has never been used! Perhaps your unusual gift was a birthday present, maybe an item of clothing, hiding at the back of your wardrobe, never seeing the light! Today is Pentecost, a day when we remember the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the church.’ It is important to remember that Pentecost doesn’t celebrate the Spirit coming into being.  Sometimes Christians speak about Pentecost as being the ‘coming’ of the Holy Spirit.  No The Spirit, God’s Spirit, has been active from before creation; today’s psalm, Psalm 104 speaks of God’s spirit being active in every age and generation-and for all species.   What WE celebrate at Pentecost is a moment of new openness and receptivity to this Spirit which gave birth to the church.  In a sense, we ‘see’ the gift of the holy Spirit with new eyes. A strange gift, the Spirit.  Imagine wrapping it up…and giving it to a child to open. A box full of nothing…and everything! The Spirit-symbolized by fire, breath, the dove, and wind. Our Uniting Church logo has the dove, and the red flame. Fire Living in bush fire prone Australia, we fear the hot summer, for we know that a fire burns more brightly with a strong wind.  We know that so well from last summer, don’t we? Fire and Wind. 1.Wind can be violent, or destructive.  It can force us, or push us, to change direction. Think of how hard it is to walk when there’s a strong head wind!  At times, we may feel like autumn leaves-tossed about, buffeted by the wind-having no real control over our movements. We think of the power of cyclones, hurricanes and tornados. When we lived in Canada, we visited the equivalent of the mid-west, which was prairie country.  We noticed how strange the air was-and the sky-which was a yellow-brown colour.  It was so quiet.  That evening, as we sat in a restaurant-we marvelled at its strangeness, not knowing the reason.  The following morning we were told that the danger of the tornado had passed. We were babes in the wood! The destructive power of wind. 2 On the other hand, wind can be cooling, refreshing, life-giving. Think back to summer-the still, hot days-and then the most welcome evening breeze.  Wind can be life-giving.  If our lungs do not fill with air-we die. At the birth of a child, it is important to have the baby breathe-to scream is even better-better for its lungs, maybe not so for the new parents! The kiss of life-we can save lives with our own breath. Mouth to mouth can be life-to-life. Sadly, these days we are learning that our breath, or the breath of others, can be deadly. Wind. In Genesis: ‘then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being’(Gen 2:7) And in Psalm 104: ‘when you take away their breath, they die And return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit (or breath) they are created; And you renew the face of the ground.’(104: 29-30) Wind can be life-giving, the Spirit is life giving. Most of us have watched