ST CLEMENT CHURCH
ASCENSION SUNDAY COMMUNITY SERVICE
Good morning
Today we are celebrating Christ’s Ascension to the Father when He promised that He would never leave us.
With the many difficulties and crises world-wide, in our country and in our personal lives may we never
forget that promise. Christ IS with us, no matter what.
My love to you all
Liz
We meet together in the presence of God whose love is freedom, whose touch is healing, whose voice is calm.
We meet not in our own strength but in the knowledge that God’s Spirit abides within us, in our worship today and in our daily lives when we depart from this place.
The blessing received is shared, in the hope that others might be drawn to the God we serve.
Amen
We say together:
Lord God, in a universe that seems so immense it is easy to feel insignificant as we stand here today.
Yet we know that we are precious in your sight – unique individuals loved and blessed in so many ways. We stand in awe of the one who has created all things and dedicate this time and all our days to your service. Accept this offering we pray, our sacrifice of praise and worship.
Amen
Hymn: 73 Christ is made the sure foundation (Mission Praise)
Prayer of Confession
Creator God, forgive our moments of ingratitude, the spiritual blindness that prevents us from appreciating the wonder that is this world, the endless cycle of nature, of life and death and rebirth.
Forgive us for taking without giving, reaping without sowing.
Open our eyes to see, our lips to praise, our hands to share.
May our feet tread lightly on the path we tread, our footsteps be worthy of following, for they lead to you.
Amen
The Collect
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens, so we in heart and mind may also ascend and with him continually dwell; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen
Readings:
Acts 1. 1 - 11
Ephesians 1. 15 - 23
Hymn: 647 The head that once was crowned with thorns
Gospel: Luke 24. 44 - 53
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’
Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them.
While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heave.
And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
(This is the Gospel of our Lord. Praise to you, O Christ)
Reflection
We live in a world in which up is better than down. Singers want to be at the top of the charts; athletes want to be on top of their game and students want to be at the top of their class. Everyone would rather have an up day than a down day. When the stock market rises, we celebrate, but despair when it crashes down. No one wants to be at the bottom of someone’s list. We work to climb, not to descend the career ladder. We hear and read about mountain climbers but not much is said or written about valley descenders. Recently, my nearly three-year-old granddaughter delighted in showing me how high she can jump and, at least for a moment, defy gravity.
The reality is that we want to live ascended lives. We want to break free from the things that hold us down and rise above it all. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is right. Something within us knows that we are more than earthbound creatures. The problem is that we have distorted what ascension and an ascended life mean. We forget, or perhaps deny, that Christ’s ascension seats humanity next to God, and settle for attempted self-ascension.
That distortion has invaded our theology and understanding of God. In this distorted view, God, heaven and holiness are up there somewhere while we are stuck down here. So we spend our time jumping up and down like little children thinking that if we jump hard enough, high enough and fast enough we can touch the moon. This gets lived out in so many ways. It almost always involves comparison, competition and judgement of some kind. We compare ourselves and our lives with other people and their lives. We compete with each other believing that for us to ascend the other has to descend or at least not jump as high as us. We are forever judging ourselves and one another. We fill our lives with busyness hoping to climb to new heights. A life of self-ascension keeps us searching for the next high.
Our attempts at self-ascension fragment our world and our lives. They separate the creature from the creator. They destroy relationships and intimacy. Ultimately, they become the gravity that denies us the ascended life we are seeking, a life that, in reality, is already ours.
Jesus’ ascension isn’t about his absence but about his presence. The ascension of Jesus completes the resurrection. The resurrection is victory over death. The ascension, however, lifts humanity up to heaven. Jesus’ ascension seats human flesh, your flesh and my flesh, at the right hand of God the Fater. We now partake of God’s glory and divinity.
The ascension is more about letting go than it is reaching and grasping. The question for us is not, “How do we ascend?” That has already been accomplished. The question is: “What pulls us down?”
What do we need to let go of? Fear, anger or resentment often weigh us down. The need to be right or in control is a heavy burden. For some, self-righteousness, jealousy or pride is their gravity. Many of us will be caught in chains of perfectionism and the need to prove we are enough. For others it may be indifference or apathy. Far too many lives are tethered by addiction. Gravity takes many forms and I wonder, what is the gravity that may deny each of us Jesus’ ascension?
The gravity that keeps us down is not creation or the circumstances of our lives. Gravity is not around us but within us. So, as each of us begins to look at our life and identify the places of gravity, we should not despair. The very things that hold us down also point the way to ascension. Our participation in Jesus’ ascension begins not by looking up but by looking within.
Amen
Hymn: 67 Breathe on me breath of God
Our Intercessions
Lord Jesus, You became man and came to live among us. For love of us you suffered and died for us.
Because You are God, You conquered death and rose on the third day.
Today we remember when You returned to your Father and our Father, but You promised to remain with us until the end of time, and send us the Holy Spirit.
Come Holy Spirit, purify and transform us, kindle within us the fire of your love.
Heavenly Father we come to you in the greatness of your love and lift up our hearts in prayer and praise. We thank you that the way to your presence is always open through your Son Jesus Christ and that you invite us to draw near in full assurance of faith. Help us to pray simply and sincerely, unselfishly and gratefully, remembering the needs of others as well as our own, and giving thanks always for everything in the name of Christ our Lord.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer
O God our Father, we pray for your blessing to rest upon this church. We are grateful for its worship and fellowship, for its nurture and love. Help us to see the kind of church you need today. May we not lose sight of the many and varied needs of this community. Hold up before us the vision of your kingdom, a kingdom of justice and mercy, truth and compassion. Help us to grasp the meaning of the Gospel which you have entrusted to us, and give us grace to live by it.
We give thanks for the love and care of our priests Reverend Di and Father David who do so much for us.
Hold them in your safekeeping as they serve you and us.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer
We pray for those less fortunate than ourselves; those who live in developing countries and countries where there is very little stability. Teach us to be ever mindful of those who are weary with the relentless struggle to keep alive; for those who can never look forward to a good meal and a comfortable bed, and those who barely have the necessities of life, much less its extras
.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer
We pray for all children everywhere. Give us understanding of their needs and show us how best we can help them as they face their problems and prepare for life in the world. We remember all those young people who are sitting public exams at school, at college or at university and pray that their efforts will be justly rewarded and that they will achieve what is necessary to move forward along their chosen path.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer
We pray for all who are frightened because they are ill. Reassure them that because of the knowledge that you give to us many diseases can now be cured. Help them to have confidence in those with medical knowledge to diagnose illness and care for the sick. Give them courage, hope, peace and the knowledge that you are present in their weakness, pain and suffering. We bring before you: Reverend Diane, Ken, Sabie, Brian, May, Susan, Lauren, Lynda, Sandra, Roger and Helen, Daphne and David, Pam and David, Dot, Maureen, Mary, Allison and Rob, Kate, Catherine, Jan, Anita and Stephen, Michael and Patricia, Jeremy, Felicity, Callum and Elaine, Barbara, Laurie, Jeanette and Dave,
We especially pray for those who have no one to help them, that in their loneliness they may know that you are with them always.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray for those whose hearts have been saddened by the death of someone close and dear to them, for members of our families who have died and whose anniversary we recall. Help us to experience the comfort of the Holy Spirit within us, and the fellowship of the church family around us until we are reunited once more in your heavenly kingdom. We pray for families throughout the world who have lost loved ones this week both through tragic events and through natural causes. May they also experience the comfort of the Holy Spirit within them and the love and fellowship of the Church family around them.
Jesus Christ is the Light of the World, a light which no darkness can quench.
We remember before God those who have died this week. The Light of Christ eternally shines and brings hope.
You turn our darkness into light; in your Light shall we see light.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer
Father, we pray that as we come before your table today that our communion is not mere routine but a precious time of fellowship with Jesus Christ as we thankfully remember His redeeming love and meet with Him as our Living Lord. May we come to your table with joyful and expectant hearts, and go out afterwards nourished and strengthened in spirit to serve you in the world, to the glory of your name.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer
All praise to thee, ascended Lord; all glory ever be to Father, Son and Holy Ghost through all eternity.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of St Allen, St Andrew and St Clement and all Christian people.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
We say together:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen
Ascension by Colleen Hitchcock
And if I go,
while you’re still here …
Know that I live on,
vibrating to a different measure
… behind a veil you cannot see through.
You will not see me,
so you must have faith.
I wait for the time when we can soar together again,
… both aware of each other.
Until then, live your life to its fullest.
And when you need me,
Just whisper my name in your heart
… I will be there.
The Peace
Jesus says: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled,
Neither let them be afraid.’
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
Hymn: 202 Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluia!
The Blessing
May the grace of God uphold us,
the peace of God surround us,
the love of God flow from us,
and the strength of God protect
and bring us safely through this day.
Amen