Cashmere Presbyterian Church
Minister
The Rev David Coster BA, BTh.
Church Office:
2 Macmillan Avenue
Cashmere
Telephone 332 7129
Website: www.cashmerechurch.org.nz
Mission Statement
Cashmere Presbyterian Church will make the life and teachings of Jesus
Christ known and will share in God’s loving purposes of truth, justice,
peace and wholeness for all people and the world.
Sunday 8th February 2015
Epiphany 5
A very warm welcome to you all, whether this is your first time or
thousandth time in church. You are welcome whatever your age, gender,
marital status, disability, poverty or wealth, race or sexuality. You are
welcome whether you have a deep and mature faith in Christ; are
uncertain and still seeking; or have no faith. If you are new to church,
please do not hesitate to ask one of those on duty if you have any
questions.
You are invited to stay for Morning Tea, which will be served in the
Lounge after the service.
Freewill Offerings cards for the offering plate, for those who offer by way of
automatic payment, are at the entrance to the Church
Order of Worship
(Congregational responses are printed in bold italics)
Lighting of the Fellowship Candle: (Judith Harrington)
Call to worship (From Psalm 147):
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.
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He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.
The Lord sustains the humble,
but casts the wicked to the ground.
He heals the broken-hearted
and binds up their wounds.
The Lord delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
He has revealed his word to his people,
his ways have been made known to us.
Praise the Lord!
Hymn 162:
Come, children, join to sing Hallelujah, Amen!
Opening prayer
at the conclusion of which we will sing the Lord’s Prayer (676)
God says,
When you call me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.
When you seek me, you will find me.
If you search for me with all your heart
I shall let you find me, says the Lord.
(Jeremiah 29:12-14)
Loving God, we praise and thank you for your love, shown to us in so many
ways.
Often we take your kindness for granted.
We do not remember to seek you; we forget to say thank you.
Forgive us, Lord, and help us to trust in you.
Loving God, you have given us so many good gifts, and we are grateful.
Often we forget how blessed we are.
We do not remember to share your kindness with others; we are often
selfish.
Forgive us, Lord, and help us to love one another.
Loving God, your awesome power is beyond our comprehension.
Often we are oblivious to your creativity and your love of the world you have
made.
We do not remember we are your loved children; we complain that you are
far from us.
Forgive us, Lord, and help us to know that you are near.
Loving God, you understand that sometimes we are weary;
you promise to encourage and strengthen those who are tired.
Give us the grace we need to trust in you, to serve you,
to forgive ourselves and others,
and to walk closely in your friendship, all the days of our lives.
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Our Father in heaven … (676 sung)
Notices and celebration of February birthdays and anniversaries.
We pass the peace of Christ to one another.
Hymn 43:
Give to our God immortal praise
Bible readings: (Elisabeth Cooch)
Isaiah 40: 21-31
Mark 1:29-39
Sermon: God is our strength and refuge
Song:
The Power of Your Love
1. Lord, I come to You
Let my heart be changed,
renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I found in You
Lord, I've come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I'll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
2. Lord, unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me
Lord, renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I'll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
Prayers of the People - concluding with the following words from a prayer
based on Psalm 147, Isaiah 40:21-31, and Mark 1:29-39
Lord God, through Jesus you opened the eyes of the blind;
you healed the sick and you fed the hungry.
We give you thanks and praise for your mercy and your love.
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Loving Father, by the Spirit you restore strength to the weary
and give hope to those who are in despair.
We give you thanks and praise for your mercy and your love.
You call us, Lord, to proclaim your deeds and your wonders to all people,
You call us to worship and serve you and you offer us a new life of
righteousness.
We give you thanks and praise for your mercy and your love.
Give us the desire and the strength to share your love and grace with
others, and bless those for whom we have prayed here today.
Amen.
Offertory Prayer:
We give thanks for all we have received, O God: gifts of love and time,
money and abilities. Here, we return a portion of these gifts. Bless
those who receive them, just as we are blessed in the act of sharing
them. Amen.
Hymn:
God is our strength and refuge
1. God is our strength and refuge
Our present help in trouble;
And we therefore will not fear,
Though the earth should change!
Though mountains shake and tremble
Though swirling floods are raging
God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore.
2. There is a flowing river,
Within God’s holy city;
God is in the midst of her,
She shall not be moved!
God’s help is swiftly given,
Thrones vanish in God’s presence,
God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore!
3. Come, see the works of our maker,
Learn of his deeds all powerful;
Wars will cease across the world
When he shatters the spear!
Be still and know your creator,
Uplift him in the nations –
God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore.
Richard Bewes – Hymns for Today’s Churches
Reproduced with permission under licence #604819, LicenSingOnline
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Concluding prayer:
Lord God,
we rejoice in your greatness and power,
your gentleness and love,
your mercy and justice.
Enable us by your Spirit
to honour you in our thoughts,
and words and actions,
and to serve you in every aspect of our lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen (Sung)
Elders Meeting/Review Committee visit
The Parish Review team will be here on Tuesday 3rd March 2015, 7.30pm
(in the Lounge) to meet with Parish Council, Elders, and any other interested
members of the congregation. All members of the congregation are welcome
to attend.
Door Duty, Bible Reading & Candle Lighting
The list for the six months commencing 1st March 2015 will be complied over
the next few weeks. Anyone wishing to add their names to these rosters - or
remove them - please advise Gail in the office. If you know that there are
dates that you will not be available, can you also please advise that
information.
Christchurch APW - Wednesday 11th February
The will be held at St James Church in Barrington Street, commencing at
9.45am. The speakers for the morning will be Ted and Margaret Good, who
have such an interesting story to tell of their work in the slims in South
America. There will be a Sales Table.
Office hours:
Because there is to be a planned power outage on
Tuesday 10 February, Gail will work on Wednesday instead.
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Office cover whilst David is away
If anyone is available to "office-sit" on Wednesday mornings whilst David is
away, can they please contact Elizabeth Taggart. Duties would be
answering the phone, dealing with any visitors, and reading a good book!
Alpine Presbytery Newsletter,
with details of happenings
throughout the Presbytery, is published weekly, and a copy is put on our
noticeboard. A link to the Newsletter is on the homepage of our website.
Choir practices begin Thursday 19 February
We begin working towards our Easter Choir Service which will be held on
Sunday 19th April. Anyone is welcome. We have some attractive but not too
complicated material which promises a very interesting service. Dr Jeremy
Baker will be a guest soloist. We are starting this early as there are a couple
of weeks when we will not be able to practice - in the week of the fair and of
Maundy Thursday.
Plan to come to the seminar:
Friday 1 & Saturday 2 May!
Rugby playing numbers are down, watchers are less, club activities are less
and clubrooms can’t be maintained. Whatever is happening to religion in
New Zealand??
Dr Kevin Ward, formerly of Christchurch and of the Knox Theological centre
in Dunedin, has studied the facts, and will hold two sessions on what is
happening in our churches, and approaches to doing something about it.
Rev Ron Hay, a very effective former teacher and effective parish minister
of Sumner who has written a book for Kiwis called ‘Finding the Forgotten
God’, will also participate.
Sunday 15th February
Service at 10.00am
 Door Duty: Bruce & Helen Leadbetter, Paul Smith
 Morning Tea/Coffee: Graham Cook, Shirley Wilson, Rouie Swan
 Bible Reading: Janice Lee
 Candle Lighting: Leta Quartermain
 Food Trolley: June Shaw
Wednesday 11th February 10.00am
Forum
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