WS Online – 31 May 2020
Interactive service outline for Church at Home
Welcome to WS Online!
Welcome to our English online service at West Sydney Chinese Christian Church!
Over the next hour, we have the privilege of connecting with God and hearing what He has to say to us. Quite simply, we have the tools to do this through prayer, songs of praise and God’s word to us in the Bible. I’m also looking forward to hearing from our speaker today, Andrew Drury, as he unpacks the next chunk from the book of Ephesians in our sermon series on God’s master plan.
Today is the 31st of May, which means it’s the last day of Autumn and tomorrow marks the beginning of winter in Sydney. As we end one season and begin another, perhaps this is a good time to reflect on the season of life that you’re going through right now. During this season tainted by the effects of COVID-19, who is God to you? What difference has he made to you during this season?
This service is designed in such a way to accommodate for both families and groups worshipping together but also for those who wish to follow along by themselves. Our online Sunday School materials are available here: https://wsccc.org.au/children-strathfield/
Service Video
Interactive Service Outline
Our call to worship
As we begin today’s service please read with us from Psalm 62:1-2.
“1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
Opening prayer
Heavenly Father,
Please give us the ears to listen to you, the eyes to see your goodness and truth and the hearts to be changed by your spirit.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Opening songs
Let’s sing our opening song that celebrates God’s grace for us.
Come Praise & Glorify
Our second song focuses on the sufficency of Jesus. King of Glory
Announcements
Here are some items of news for us as a church family.
- Conversation on the Lawn – Stay after our S9 service this Sunday and catch up with others on the virtual lawn! We will be hosting a Zoom session for those who would like to have fellowship with others from 10:00am to 10:30am. Grab a cup of tea or coffee and join us at our Zoom meeting ID found in your weekly email.
- Q&A with Pastor Andrew – Stick around after our S430 service this Sunday for a Q&A with Rev. Andrew Bardsley as we finish the first half of our Ephesians series. Feel free to bring any questions you may have! Join us at 5:30pm on Facebook live here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WS.Online.Strathfield/
- Missions Month – Who is my neighbour? Join us next Sunday 7th June as we kick off missions month! We will we explore how Jesus radically redefines the phrase “Love thy Neighbour”. Come and hear our missionaries share what this has meant for them.
- Covid-19 Update from Diaconate – We thank the Lord that many aspects of life in Australia are resuming normal activity. This week the NSW government has allowed up to 50 people to meet for church services. However, social distancing measures remain in place (4 sqm per person), which restrict us to no more than 40 people in Strathfield hall/chapel, and 30 at the Croydon Park hall/chapel. It is not known when these restrictions will be lifted. There will also be special hygiene, cleaning and traceability measures required. Therefore our Sunday services will not resume on site yet, but continue on-line for the foreseeable future. We encourage you to cherish the benefits of online church: a focus on relationships, convenience of worship, more time for reflection, consistent offerings, and a new ability to share church with friends.
Congregational Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
Thank you for the love you have shown to us in Jesus. Thank you for this privilege to call you our Father. We acknowledge that this does not come from anything special, or holy, or good, that we have done. In fact, there are many times when we have been anything but special, holy, or good. And this is what makes your grace so incredible. That despite those times we fall short, you still extended out your hand of mercy to us and gave to us your son Jesus. Jesus, our friend, our brother and our saviour.
Father, we pray for this world that cries out for healing from COVID-19. Please be with our leaders during this time of great testing to our resolve. Help these leaders to be wise, humble, selfless and seek the good of others and those that are most vulnerable. Help us also to be a people who persevere with hope, who trust that you have a good and perfect plan even in the midst of suffering. When we struggle with the enormity of everything going on around us, please remind us of your love to us in Jesus.
Father, we also pray for each person joining us online for today’s service, whether or not they are regular members of this church. You know each person intimately. You know our fears, our pains, our struggles, our hearts. Please Holy Spirit work in the lives of each person so that we desire to become more like your son Jesus. Please help us to imitate the servant-hearted nature of Jesus, seeking the good of others and the good of your kingdom.
And finally Father, we pray for the word that you will be speaking to us through Andrew today. We pray that Andrew’s words will be your words. And that through these words, our hearts will be challenged and convicted to be more like your son Jesus.
In his name we pray,
Amen.
Bible reading
The reading for today comes from Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Sermon
Today we’ll hear from Andrew Drury as he speaks on the topic of “The Mysterious Plan of God in Christ.” Please listen here to the recording:
Please listen here to the recording: https://wsccc.org.au/s9/sermons/
Offering Song
We come to a time in the service when we have the opportunity to worship God through offering, in giving back to the Lord a portion of what he has given to us. Even though we cannot all meet together in one building, we have still made our commitment to financially support our pastors, missionaries, and ongoing church expenses.
Because an offering bag cannot be passed around, please make your electronic offerings to church via these accounts.
- General fund: BSB 082 080. Acc 48 243 6244. Name: WSCCC.
- Mission fund: BSB 082 080. Acc 52 856 0495. Name: WSCCC.
- Building fund: BSB 082 451. Acc 73 932 0475. Name: WSCCC.
You can also give online through this link: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1291374
Our offering song is – At the Cross
Offering Prayer
Lord, thank you that you continue to sustain us financially as a church through electronic means. We pray that the money collected will be used wisely by our leaders for the work of the church, for the community around us and for the growth and glory of your kingdom. In Jesus name, Amen.
Closing prayer and benediction
Please continue to contemplate all you have heard from Scripture today, and please take the opportunity this week to share with your family and friends.
As we approach the coming week, let’s finish with Paul’s blessing from 2 Corinthians 13
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all evermore.
Connect with us! If you’d like to get in touch with us, join a small group online, or find out more about Christianity, fill out a response card here: Response Form.