Just a simple prayer of thanksgiving and praise that has come out of my reflections on Romans 12... Paul speaking to a church that is bought together from across the cultural divide between Jew and gentile. Bought together by grace, in the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and by the presence and filling of God's Holy Spirit and called to present their lives as a living sacrifice; To serve one another and to love one another.
"All over" is sort of a kiwi-ism for being from different countries and cultures... on any given Sunday at St Peters we can have people from nine or ten different cultural backgrounds... we are a smallish church 40-60 on Sunday but we are a new Auckland church reflecting the fact that Auckland is one of the most multi cultural cities in the world (top 10).
The image is the burning bush an emblem of the PCANZ from the stain glass window at St Peters with candles. It represents individuals being filled by the Holy Spirit and our church set a blaze again by the Holy Spirit
Gracious and loving God,
We gather
together today from all over:
From different
origins and cultures,
Diverse backgrounds
and places,
We have journeyed
here by different routes,
Our stories
are different,
But we
gather together before you.
We are one because
of your son Jesus Christ.
We come with
a unity of purpose,
To give you
thanks and praise,
To offer
ourselves in worship.
Holy and Righteous
God,
Great is
your faithful love for us:
We had gone
astray and were lost in darkness and sin,
We were far
off from you and away from your grace,
But you
stepped into our world, the word became flesh,
You sent
your son Jesus to call us back to you,
To proclaim good
news, recovery of sight freedom and release,
To proclaim
and establish your kingdom on earth.
Jesus dies
that our sins may be forgiven,
We know new
life because you raised him to life again,
We are being
transformed by your Holy Spirit’s presence in us.
Good and
merciful Lord,
Fill us
fresh with your Holy Spirit:
Enable and
empower us to witness to the hope we have in you,
To tell and
to live out the love and truth we have found in Jesus.
Just as
Jesus came not to judge but to forgive help us to forgive,
Just as Jesus
came to bring reconciliation allow us to minister your peace,
Just as
Jesus came not to be served but to serve, empower us to serve.
As we are full
of love for you, may we be filled with love for one another,
As we know your
grace and mercy may we let it be known,
WE give
ourselves to you as a living sacrifice
To bring
glory to your name O God, Father Son and Holy Spirit.
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