Prayers for the earth Response: May your kind kingdom come may your loving will be done

Life-Giver, Pain-Bearer, Love Maker Source of all that is and that shall be. Father and Mother of us all. Loving God, in whom is heaven: The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by all peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth. With the bread that we need for today, feed us.

In the hurts we absorb from one another forgive us and help us to forgive.

In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever, amen.

Song: Thuma mina, thuma mina, thuma mina, thuma mina, Somandla.

Send me Lord, send me Jesus, send me Jesus … send me, Lord.

Fill me, Lord fill me Jesus, fill me Jesus …. fill me, Lord.

Lead me, Lord lead me Jesus, lead me Jesus … lead me, Lord

(TiS 749) Traditional South African

Final Blessing richmond.unitingchurch.org.au

Minister Rev Dr Sally Douglas

Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated

John 6.11

25 July 2021 Ordinary (Sacred) Time Week 9

RichmondUniting Church

www.richmond.unitingchurch.org.au

Prayers of thanks and gratitude Holy One Sacred Three God of fierce compassion

I love you, O Lord, my strength (Psalm 18.1)

In kindness and delight you speak the cosmos into being calling us to care for all things with you

I love you, O Lord, my strength (Psalm 18.1) In Jesus, we encounter your Word in flesh your story of grace in person

I love you, O Lord, my strength (Psalm 18.1) In Spirit Holy you call us into your wild, gracious life setting us free from fear

I love you, O Lord, my strength (Psalm 18.1)

Holy One - Sacred Three Our source and our homecoming our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you

so we are still before you

silence

may we worship in spirit and truth this night. through Christ we pray, Amen.

Song: As the deer pants for the water so my soul longs after you. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship you. You alone are my strength and shield, to you alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship you. (TiS 703)

Drawn from Psalm 42.

Reading from Sacred Scripture

Psalm 14 John 6.1-15

For these words of faith and Jesus the Word Thanks be to God Imaginative prayer exploration Reflecting together Wondering questions

How was the experience of engaging with the bible using your imagination?

What struck you most in sharing the reading in this way tonight?

The disciples are full of fear and stuck in scarcity thinking that there is not enough. Jesus blows this fear out of the water, and out of scraps makes a feast for all, with 12 baskets gathered up. In your life do you get stuck in scarcity thinking – thinking that there is not enough time, or hope, support or wisdom? How would it be to take your fear that there is not enough to Jesus, so that Jesus may turn the scraps into nourishing fullness?

Prayer of letting go Words of Assurance and declaration of forgiveness

Hear Christ’s word of grace to each one of us: Your sins are forgiven

Thanks be to God