MORNING WORSHIP

Date: Sunday 23 August 2026

Preacher: Rev Donald Ker

Order of Service

Opening Responses:

• Thanks be to you, O God, that we have risen this day
  To the rising of life itself.

• Be the purpose of God between us and each purpose
  The hand of God between us and each hand

• The pain of Christ between us and each pain
  The love of Christ between us and each love.

• O God, who brought us to the bright light of this new day
  Bring us to the guiding light of eternity.

Hymn: Singing the Faith: 32

• 1

• Meet and right it is to sing,
  in every time and place,
  glory to our heavenly King,
  the God of truth and grace:
  join we then with sweet accord,
  all in one thanksgiving join;
  holy, holy, holy Lord,
  eternal praise be thine.

• 2

• Thee the first-born sons of light,
  in choral symphonies,
  praise by day, day without night,
  and never, never cease;
  angels and archangels all
  praise the mystic Three in One,
  sing, and stop, and gaze, and fall
  o’erwhelmed before thy throne.

• 3

• Vying with that happy choir,
  who chant thy praise above,
  we on eagles’ wings aspire,
  the wings of faith and love:
  thee they sing with glory crowned,
  we extol the slaughtered Lamb;
  lower if our voices sound,
  our subject is the same.

• 4

• Father, God, thy love we praise,
  which gave thy Son to die;
  Jesus, full of truth and grace,
  alike we glorify;
  Spirit, Comforter divine,
  praise by all to thee be given;
  till we in full chorus join,
  and earth is turned to heaven.

Prayers

Bible reading: Romans 12: 1-8

Hymn: Singing the Faith: 689

• 1

• Summoned by the God who made us
  rich in our diversity,
  gathered in the name of Jesus,
  richer still in unity.
  **Let us bring the gifts that differ
  **and, in splendid, varied ways,
  **sing a new Church into being
  **one in faith and love and praise.

• 2

• Radiant risen from the water,
  robed in holiness and light,
  male and female in God’s image,
  male and female, God’s delight.
  **Let us bring the gifts that differ
  **and, in splendid, varied ways,
  **sing a new Church into being
  **one in faith and love and praise.

• 3

• Trust the goodness of creation;
  trust the Spirit strong within,
  dare to dream the vision promised
  sprung from seed of what has been.
  **Let us bring the gifts that differ
  **and, in splendid, varied ways,
  **sing a new Church into being
  **one in faith and love and praise.

• 4

• Bring the hopes of every nation;
  bring the art of every race.
  Weave a song of peace and justice;
  let it sound through time and space.
  **Let us bring the gifts that differ
  **and, in splendid, varied ways,
  **sing a new Church into being
  **one in faith and love and praise.

• 5

• Draw together at one table
  all the human family;
  shape a circle ever wider
  and a people ever free.
  **Let us bring the gifts that differ
  **and, in splendid, varied ways,
  **sing a new Church into being
  **one in faith and love and praise.

Bible reading: Matthew 16: 13-20

Sermon

Hymn: Singing the Faith: 330

• 1

• Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
  Let earth receive her King;
  let every heart prepare him room,
  and heaven and nature sing,
  and heaven and nature sing,
  and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

• 2

• Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns!
  Let all their songs employ;
  while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
  repeat the sounding joy,
  repeat the sounding joy,
  repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

• 3

• He rules the world with truth and grace,
  and makes the nations prove
  the glories of his righteousness
  and wonders of his love,
  and wonders of his love,
  and wonders, wonders of his love.

Prayers of Intercession

The Lord’s Prayer

• Our Father in heaven,
  hallowed be your Name,
  your kingdom come,
  your will be done,
  on earth as in heaven.
  Give us today our daily bread.
  Forgive us our sins
  as we forgive those who sin against us.
  Save us from the time of trial
  and deliver us from evil.
  For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
  now and for ever.
  Amen.

Offertory

Hymn: Singing the Faith: 610

• 1

• Best of all is God is with us,
  God will hold and never fail.
  Keep that truth when storms are raging,
  God remains though faith is frail.

• 2

• Best of all is God is with us,
  life goes on and needs are met,
  God is strongest in our weakness.
  Love renews, will not forget.

• 3

• Best of all is God is with us,
  hearts are challenged, strangely warmed,
  faith is deepened, courage strengthened,
  grace received and hope reformed.

• 4

• Best of all is God is with us,
  in our joy and through our pain,
  till that final acclamation:
  life is Christ, and death is gain.

• 5

• Best of all is God is with us
  as we scale eternal heights,
  love grows stronger, undiminished;
  earth grows dim by heaven’s lights.

Benediction