SONG
The opening song is, ‘How great thou art’, courtesy of EmuMusic. If you have problems connecting, try this direct link to YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLRrd30cxf4
Call to worship
Jesus calls to us by name and those who belong to him hear his voice.
You may like to light a candle at this time.
God’s truth has been revealed in the risen Jesus Christ, the light of the world. May the light shine for the hope of the world.
Acknowledgment of country
As we begin, it is appropriate to recognise that this great land has been home to our first nations peoples for many thousands of years. Therefore, let us also acknowledge those Aboriginal peoples who are the first habitants of the regions in which we dwell and honour them for their care of the land.
Prayer
Let us pray…
Gracious God, we give you thanks and praise for the day you have made, for the life you have given, and for the love you have poured out. We thank you for Jesus our Shepherd, who calls us by name and leads us safely to the waters that refresh and bring eternal life. Help us to give you the praise and honour you deserve, and to worship you in our hearts throughout the day and every day. Amen.
Forgive us, O God, for the times when we fail to reach out and be with those who are going through difficult times; those who feel trapped in a valley of shadows and find themselves overwhelmed by life. Jesus, good shepherd, help us to take time and make space to hear your call to us. May we reveal your love, compassion and comfort wherever you need us to bind up the wounds of the victims in our community and in the world. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen
From the Bible
The Bible readings for today are from Psalm 23 and John 10:22-30. The words of the readings are included below and the Gospel reading is in the video underneath.
Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff– they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.
John 10:22-30
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
Dramatic readings from Lumo
Here is the dramatic re-enactment of the Gospel reading by the Lumo group, with an extra 12 verses at the end. If you have trouble connecting you can go directly to YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLm_JdGec54
Message
The message today is brought to us by Geoff Wellington from the Saltbush Community. Jesus the Good Shepherd, who calls his chosen by name, invites all to believe.
Can we hear our name being called by the risen Christ and respond to the invitation of the fullness of life?
Before a time of prayer you may like to spend some time in silence sitting still. Close your eyes lightly. Sit relaxed but alert. Simply be still and open to God. You may prefer to do this while listening to the ‘Optional reflective music’ below.
Optional reflective music
“The Lord’s my shepherd” by Aileen Gilchrist. If you have trouble connecting, go directly to YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgQdWA_EVXE&t=25s
Prayers for Others
Loving Shepherd, you lead and guide, you walk alongside, all of your sheep. You care for those who stay close to your comforting staff, and even those of us who are lost or stray.
We are grateful for the lush green pastures in our our lives, and we pause now to offer our thanksgiving for the goodness’s in our lives…
There are many who walk in the shadows of fear and suffering and despair, and we pause now, to offer our prayers for the broken and bleeding places in this world…
We offer our prayers for the sheep of our own flocks, in our families and friends, the church and our community…(pause)
O Loving Shepherd, we have all we need, as we live in You. Amen.
Blessing
Let us go with trust in the good shepherd. Let us believe in the name of Jesus Christ, loving one another, just as he has commanded us.
Bless us and the people we meet along the way Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
SONG
The closing song is, “In Christ Alone”, by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty (arranged by David Wesley). If you have problems connecting, try this direct link to YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY4CW5pte98&t=77s
Optional Postlude
“Oceans, where feet may fail”, from Hillsong United.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPHALQ6dChA&t=68s
Fun Activities
Messy Family Fun Psalm 23
There are many fun activities at HomeFaith based on today’s theme of the ‘Good Shepherd’ at:
https://homefaith.net/resources/messy-family-fun-psalm-23-2022/
Easter colouring in
Just copy/paste or download the image and then print it out!
Resources
The ‘Prayers for others’ and ‘Blessing’ are based on content in the Saltbush service for this week, which can be found at:
https://saltbushcommunity.uca.org.au/video/the-word/easter-4-life-with-the-shepherd-john-10-22-30-ps-23/
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