Conversations
  • Home
  • Books
  • Sustainability
    • Climate Action
    • Integrity
    • Rubbish Challenge
    • Mental health
    • Consultancy
    • Policy
    • Carbon
    • Waste
    • Plastic
    • Safe-to-fail
  • Creation
    • Awhi: Women in Creation Care
    • Climate Theology
    • Earth Day
    • Wellbeing and Climate Change
    • Heaven and Earth
    • Prayers
    • Worship resources
    • Life, the Universe, and God study
    • Eco Church Story
    • Maori & the environment
    • 12 Motivations for EcoMission
    • Motivation and Calling
    • Eco Mission
    • Eco-Mission in NZ
    • Science
  • Worship
    • Advent & Christmas >
      • Advent
      • Christmas
      • Nativity Plays
    • Easter >
      • Lent: Journey in Psalms
      • Maundy Thursday
      • Good Friday
      • Easter Day
      • Passover meal
    • Pentecost
    • Hold the World Gently
    • Kids & all-age worship
    • Call to Worship
    • Confession
    • Communion
    • Blessings
    • Bilingual & Te Reo
    • Baptism
    • Weddings
    • Funerals
    • Night Prayer
    • Trinity
    • Quiet
    • Worship songs
    • Kids songs
    • More Worship Resources >
      • Creeds
      • Lords Prayer variations
      • Little Linking Bits
      • Celtic Prayers
      • Harvest
      • Healing
      • Commissioning
      • A new ministry
      • Journal Reflection resource for Lent
      • Liturgy of the Elements
      • Spirit who defies defining
      • Pet Blessing
      • Psalms in Worship
      • Ephesians worship resources
    • Poem-Prayers >
      • Pictures in my home
      • Slow things
      • Does the sea love me?
      • Drop
      • Tipped out
      • Silence
      • The Swallowed Sword
      • More of You
      • Sometimes
      • Jerusalem Dawning
      • Hopewell Psalm
      • The Visitor's Psalm
      • The Seagull’s Psalm
      • Leunig
  • Psalms
    • Psalms 1-10 >
      • Psalm 1: The Two Ways
      • Psalm 2: Wrath on a hill
      • Psalm 3: The Shield around me
      • Psalm 4: I rest in you
      • Psalm 5: Coming Home
      • Psalm 6: Worn with weeping
      • Psalm 7: The fury of my enemies
      • Psalm 8: Out of the mouths of babes
      • Psalm 9: The weeds and the wheat
      • Psalm 10: Why, Lord, why??
    • Psalms 11-20 >
      • Psalm 11: The XBox Psalm
      • Psalm 12: As in the days of Noah
      • Psalm 13: How long??
      • Psalm 14: All fall short
      • Psalm 15: Be Do-ers of The Word
      • Psalm 16: Fullness of Joy
      • Psalm 17: Under attack
      • Psalm 18: Part A - In Christ
      • Psalm 18: Part B- The Volcano Psalm
      • Psalm 18: Part C- Jesus’ Resurrection Song
      • Psalm 18: Part D- The Superman Psalm
      • Psalm 19: Song of the Stars
      • Psalm 20: God bless you!
    • Psalms 21-30 >
      • Psalm 21: Honouring a godly leader
      • Psalm 22: The Crucifixion Psalm
      • Psalm 23: A Collection
      • Psalm 24: Lift up the Ancient Doors
      • Psalm 25: The Covenant Way
      • Psalm 26: True North
      • Psalm 27: Take courage, my heart!
      • Psalm 28: Are you listening?
      • Psalm 29: The Hurricane Psalm
      • Psalm 30: Joy in the morning
    • Psalms 31-40 >
      • Psalm 31: Strength in exhaustion
      • Psalm 32: The Horse-Trainer's Psalm
      • Psalm 33: Rejoice today!
      • Psalm 34: Always Praising!
      • Psalm 35: Trapped and slandered
      • Psalm 36: Far-Reaching Love
      • Psalm 37: Keep Calm and Carry On
      • Psalm 38: The Burn-out Psalm
      • Psalm 39: A crisis of purpose
      • Psalm 40: The Mud Psalm
    • Psalm 41-50 >
      • Psalm 41: Bad friends
      • Psalm 42: As a deer
      • Psalm 43: A walk of faith
      • Psalm 44: A formal complaint
      • Psalm 45: The Royal Wedding
      • Psalm 46: We will not fear!
      • Psalm 47: A Shout of Praise
      • Psalm 48: Hymn to Jerusalem
      • Psalm 49: Death and Taxes
      • Psalm 50: True Worship
    • Psalms 51-60 >
      • Psalm 51: Standing under the shower of Confession
      • Psalm 52: God sees through
      • Psalm 53: No God?
      • Psalm 54: Help me now as you’ve helped me before
      • Psalm 55: Betrayed by your best friend
      • Psalm 56: The Worrywort’s Psalm
      • Psalm 57: Wake up the day
      • Psalm 58: The Snake Psalm
      • Psalm 59: Safe in the Tower
      • Psalm 60: The Earthquake Psalm
    • Psalms 61-70 >
      • Psalm 61: Can you hear me, God?
      • Psalm 62: Wait in Silence
      • Psalm 63: Hide and Seek
      • Psalm 64: It's not OK!
      • Psalm 65: He’s got the whole world in his hands!
      • Psalm 66: Come and hear!
      • Psalm 67: All you peoples praise!
      • Psalm 68: Gifts for his people
      • Psalm 69: The Mud Psalm
      • Psalm 70: Hurry up!
    • Psalms 71-80 >
      • Psalm 71: All our lives long
      • Psalm 72: Long live the King!
      • Psalm 73: The Jealous Psalm
      • Psalm 74: Destruction and persecution
      • Psalm 75: The pillars of the earth
      • Psalm 76: Weapons of war
      • Psalm 77: The Sleepless Psalm
      • Psalm 78: Tell our story to our children
      • Psalm 79: The terrible prison
      • Psalm 80: God’s shining smile
    • Psalms 81-90 >
      • Psalm 81: Honey from the rock
      • Psalm 82: The Judge’s Judgment
      • Psalm 83: The enemies of Israel
      • Psalm 84: How lovely is your house
      • Psalm 85: See what God is doing!
      • Psalm 86: An undivided heart
      • Psalm 87: The Census Psalm
      • Psalm 88: The Rejection Psalm
      • Psalm 89: The Chosen One
      • Psalm 90: A puff of dust
    • Psalms 91-100 >
      • Psalm 91: An Invitation to Deeper Prayer
      • Psalm 92: Saying thanks at bedtime
      • Psalm 93: Water rising
      • Psalm 94: Praying for a world in trouble
      • Psalm 95: Come let us sing for joy
      • Psalm 96: Words run out
      • Psalm 97: Rejoice, the Lord is King!
      • Psalm 98: Sing along a new song
      • Psalm 99: If you shake us
      • Psalm 100: The joyful parade
    • Psalms 101-110 >
      • Psalm 101: Call me loyal
      • Psalm 102: The time has come!
      • Psalm 103: Bless the Lord, O my soul
      • Psalm 104: Psalm for Aotearoa
      • Psalms 105, 106 & 107: History Psalms
      • Psalm 108: A wake-up call
      • Psalm 109: SO ANGRY!!
      • Psalm 110: All about Jesus
    • Psalm 111-120 >
      • Psalm 111: Praise the Lord, now and forever!
      • Psalm 112: Welcome to the good life!
      • Psalm 113: From the rising of the sun
      • Psalm 114: Skipping mountains
      • Psalm 115: Toy gods
      • Psalm 116: Death could not hold me down
      • Psalm 117: The Shortest Psalm
      • Psalm 118: Pointing to the risen Lord
      • Psalm 119: The Longest Psalm
      • Psalm 120: Speaking peace at home
    • Psalm 121-130 >
      • Psalm 121: The Bodyguard
      • Psalm 122: The Peace of Jerusalem
      • Psalm 123: Asking for help
      • Psalm 124: Like a mouse
      • Psalm 125: Good Balance
      • Psalm 126: A harvest of joy
      • Psalm 127: The Lord builds the house
      • Psalm 128: Live long and prosper
      • Psalm 129: Attacked and whipped
      • Psalm 130: The Dawn Psalm
    • Psalms 131-140 >
      • Psalm 131: Calm and Quiet
      • Psalm 132: The Forever King
      • Psalm 133: Living in Unity
      • Psalm 134: A circle of blessing
      • Psalm 135: Come on, people, praise!
      • Psalm 136: Endless love
      • Psalm 137: By the rivers of Babylon
      • Psalm 138: Thank you for your love!
      • Psalm 139: The Omniscience Psalm
      • Psalm 140: Our God saves
    • Psalms 141-150 >
      • Psalm 141: The Goody-good’s Psalm
      • Psalm 142: Brought Low
      • Psalm 143: A Psalm for Easter Saturday
      • Psalm 144: Blessed are God’s People
      • Psalm 145: We will tell your praise
      • Psalm 146: God at Work
      • Psalm 147: The Winter Psalm
      • Psalm 148: Calling all creation!
      • Psalm 149: The Double Edged Sword
      • Psalm 150: Kiwi Praise!?
    • About Psalms >
      • Jesus and Psalms
      • Violence in Psalms
      • History Psalms, a discussion of 105 & 106
      • Brueggeman on Psalms
    • Psalms in Worship
    • Advent & Christmas Psalms
    • Lectionary Psalms
  • Word
    • Te Reo Māori and faith
    • Listen!
    • Nurture the Holy Spirit
    • The Bible >
      • Making Sense of the Bible
      • People and Stories >
        • Three Wise Men
        • Martha and Mary
        • Samuel & David
        • Bit Parts
        • James who??
        • Joseph
        • Peter's Wife
        • Bible Love stories
      • John
      • Acts
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Dramatic readings
    • God
    • Jesus
    • Life
    • Church
    • Spirituality
    • Identity
    • End Times
    • Israel >
      • Israel: Tough questions
      • Israel: Stories in Place
      • Theological Alleyways
      • Lovely Ladies
  • Ministry
    • Moving On
    • Ethics
    • Fatigue
    • Spirit ministry
    • Pastoral Preaching
    • Maori Ministry
    • Minister's Grief in Ministry Transition
    • When the shit hits the fan
    • This Sacred Moment
    • Poems on ministry
    • Leadership resources
    • Promoting church
    • Musings
    • Pandemic >
      • Short of Breath Theological reflection
      • Stress
      • Alone Together
      • Pangolins and the Fall
      • Mental Health factors
      • Church response
      • Psalm 91: An Invitation to Deeper Prayer
      • Quiet
      • Solitude
    • Burning Bush
  • Supervision
    • Should I sack my supervisor??
    • Supervision FAQs
    • Supervision with Silvia
    • Why supervision?
    • What to bring to supervision?
    • Methods in supervision
    • Ethics in supervision
    • Pastoral Supervision
    • Qualifications
  • Counselling
    • Counselling with Silvia
    • Non-Anxious Living
    • Relationship Repair Kit
    • Poems on therapy
  • Love
    • Love Poems >
      • How to say 'I love you'?
      • The Fabric of Love
      • Be at home in my heart
      • Falling
      • Out of thin air
      • After the waves
      • Mid-life Menagerie
      • How are you?
      • Vacuum
      • Marriage Maths
    • Marriage >
      • Wedding Vows
      • Anniversaries
      • Ethics & Commitment
      • Expectations
      • Desire
      • Emotional Needs
    • Personality
    • Listening
    • Creativity
    • Laughter
    • Trauma/Recovery
    • Stress
    • Motherhood and Spirituality
    • Growing: Human & faith development
    • Dementia
    • Grief >
      • Experience of grief
      • Making sense of death
      • A Grieving of Poems
    • The hardest thing: youth suicide
  • About
    • Contact
    • Family History
    • Pumpkins on the road
    • Trip >
      • Hong Kong & Freising
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • England
      • San Francisco
      • Ben's page
  • Heke te ua

Ephesians worship resources

The Revised Common Lectionary reads through Ephesians in Year B, Pentecost season. 
This page includes a range of prayers, calls to worship, confessions and other material, including for including children, based on the 5 weeks of Ephesians readings.

Ephesians 1: 3-14

Pentecost 8

Call to Worship 

Blessed be God! Praise to the Father of Lord Jesus Christ!
In Christ we are blessed, in Christ we are chosen
to live in the praise of his glorious grace!
In Christ we belong in the family, adopted
to live in the praise of his glorious grace!
In Christ the great mystery of God is revealed;
to live in the praise of his glorious grace!
In Christ we are called to be blameless and free,
to live in the praise of his glorious grace!
Blessed be God! Praise to the Father of Lord Jesus Christ!

Prayer of Confession

Friends, as we gather our thoughts into quietness,
we confess our sins to the One who knows us best.
We know ourselves chosen, adopted as children of God.
We dare to believe that you and I are part of a plan
conceived before the foundation of the universe.
But are we living as God’s children?
Are we honouring our inheritance?
We know ourselves called, but we’re so easily distracted.
We know ourselves loved, but we balk at the cost.
Come, friends, let us confess our sins to the Lord.

(silence)

Friends, our God has poured out grace upon grace,
freely, in great abundance,
even on you, even on me.
though we never earned it and don’t deserve it.
In Christ we are made new through his blood;
all your sins and mine crumble away.
In Christ we are forgiven, signed with the Spirit,
lavished with gift upon gift,
released into hope to live for praise and for glory.
Amen. 

Liturgy for Holy Communion: “All is grace!”
(no responses)

Ephesians 2: 11-22 

Pentecost 9

Call to Worship


We were once strangers to each other and strangers to God,
kept apart by rules and fear 
suspicious of anyone who didn’t look like us.
We were once short on hope and mean with our love.
But Christ broke down the walls between us.
He made us a new people, in one Spirit,
children of God, citizens of the Kingdom.
We belong in Christ, forever at home in God
 

Prayer of Confession
(suitable for children and all-age worship)

Dear God, we like people who look like us, 
and are scared of people who look strange.
But Jesus calls all sorts of people together
into his family and into his love.
He cared so much for every person
that he died on the cross for us,
so that nothing could make walls between people.
 
Dear God we are sorry for not loving people like you do.
Show us how to reach out to people,
even people who are different. 
Jesus make peace between people
in our homes and schools, in our church and in our world.
Amen. 


“Do I belong?”  A Dramatic Reading of Ephesians 2:11-22

In three voices plus congregational response. 
Reader 1 is at the lecturn.
Reader 2 begins up in the pulpit (or somewhere up the front of the church) and slowly steps closer to Reader 3.
Reader 3 starts at the back of the church and walks toward the front during the reading, so that by the last verse the 2 are standing side by side. 

(Teach refrain:
Reader 1      There is a response in this reading. When I say “Christ is our peace” 
                  we all say together “We are one in Christ”.
                  Christ is our peace. 

All:                      We are one in Christ.

Reader 1      Remember a time when you were without Christ,
           aliens to the covenant of promise,
           when you had no hope,
          when for you the world was empty of God.
          Christ is our peace.

All:                      We are one in Christ.

Reader 2      I can’t remember a time when I felt alien here.
                  This is my place, my home. 
                  I’m comfortable here.
                  I know the people, I even like most of them!
                  Everyone is welcome here.

Reader 3      Hello!? What is this place? Who are these people?
                  I’m different from them, my clothes are wrong,
                  I don’t know the words, I don’t know the actions.
                  I can’t fit in here, I could never belong.

Reader 1      But now in Christ you who once were far away 
                  have been brought near by the death of Jesus on the cross.
                 
Christ is our peace. 

All:                      We are one in Christ.

Reader 2      You, there, you’re scruffy, you’re tough,
                  you look like trouble to me!
                  We don't want trouble, we don’t do conflict here!

Reader 3      I’m tired of arguments, beaten down by hostile stares
                  Could I find a peaceful space?
                  Could I rest in a quiet place?

Reader 1      In his own flesh Jesus broke down the hostility between us.
                  The dividing wall came crumbling down.
                  Christ is our peace. 

All:                      We are one in Christ.

Reader 2      Come in, you are welcome. 
                  I don’t know you but I’d like to.
 
Reader 3      Thank you for your welcome.
                  Maybe you’re not so different from me.

Reader 1      Christ came and proclaimed peace, 
                  to you who were far off and to you who were near.
                  Now all are welcome,
                  in one Spirit, to come to the Father
                  Christ is our peace. 

All:                      We are one in Christ.

Reader 2      I try so hard, I do my best
                  to keep the peace and carry the load.
                  Could I just be me? Can I belong just for who I am?

Reader 3      I try so hard, I do my best
                  I don’t have much to offer.
                  Could I just be me? Can I belong just for who I am?
 
Reader 1      You are no longer strangers.
                  No more are you alien!
                  You, and you, and you, are citizens in this Kingdom,
                  members of the household
                  built on Jesus Christ himself, the cornerstone.
                  Christ is our peace. 
All:                      We are one in Christ.

Ephesians 3: 14-21

Call to Worship: “Power is at work”

Based on Ephesians 3:20-21
(involving children)

Try to get a rhythm going, so it is kind of a chant or a slow rap. It could work well done twice, people would enjoy it more the 2nd time round, and helps memorise the verse.
 
Power is at work,
at work within us!
Power of the love,
the love of God!

God can do more -
WAY more -
more than we can ask or
even imagine!

Glory be to God,
from the church, from the people!
Glory for all time,
every generation!
 
God can do more -
WAY more -
more than we can ask or
even imagine!


Prayer of Confession: “The poverty of our imagining”
 
Read Ephesians 3:20-21:
“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Glorious God, we come in worship this morning well aware of falling short of our glory. 

Forgive the poverty of our accomplishing.
Even after all our efforts we still so often feel that we have not done enough. 
We confess our trying to you, and ask for your power to be at work within us.

Forgive the poverty of our asking
We come to prayer too rarely, and we ask of you too sparingly.
We confess our praying to you, and ask for your Spirit to pray within us
make us bold as we claim your victory in the world, 
fire our courage to pray.

Forgive the poverty of our imagining
The world as it is has invaded our souls. 
Our lives are cluttered and mundane.
We confess our dreaming to you, and ask for your dreams of how the world could be;
release creativity in us, free our imaginations.

Forgive the poverty of our praise.
All glory be to you, incredible God!
Glory from the church, glory from generation upon generation, 
through all time till beyond time,
Amen.
 

Call to Worship: ‘Can you measure the love of God?’

Based on Ephesians 3:18-19
(involving children)

Can you measure the love of God?
No matter how long your tape measure, God’s love would be longer!
No matter how deep you drill, God’s love would be deeper!
It’s tougher than titanium and softer than a feather, 
more electric than lightning, more vast than the universe
It’s way more than we can possibly get our heads around,
but it fills our hearts – we can feel it!
It fills our lives – we can enjoy it!
The love of God is the most amazing, the most powerful,
the most abundant, the most intimate, the most lovely thing
and it is a gift to you.

Ephesians 4: 1-16 ​

Call to Worship: The unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
(Ephesians 4:1-6)

Here with these people you are called into a calling.
Come, friends, you are welcome -
in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Here we choose to like each other, lift each other up, humbly, gently, patiently -
in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Here we are a small part of one body in one Spirit,
with one Lord, one faith, one baptism -
in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Here we share hope in one God and Father of all, 
who is above all and through all and in all -
in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

God’s Call to You!

a children’s talk or all-age litany
(could be good to make into a hand-out for the children as a Memory Verse challenge)

Ephesians 4: 1-16 (exerpts, adapted from the Contemporary English Version. A second person reads the Bible verses, in bold.)

Introduction

God is calling you! Even before you were born God knew you, and chose you. And now we hear again his call on our lives. Hear God call you by name …

(you could call out the children’s names, or invite the congregation to call out the name of the person sitting beside them, all at once!)

The call of God comes in 5 parts, and we are going to use the 5 fingers on one hand to help us remember this. 
It was Paul the Apostle who wrote about the way Jesus calls his people, and we are going to hear verses from his letter to the church in Ephesus (chapter 4). 

1) We start with our thumbs. Hold on to your thumb. 
Call number one is this: God calls you because God loves you, just as you are.
I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of God who has chosen you to be his own. (Ephesians 4 verse 1)

2) Call Number Two, hold your first finger:
God calls you into a family, the church, where you belong, where you are important. It matters how we treat each other.

Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body. (Ephesians 4 verses 2-3)

3) The third part of God’s call is the call into his big story.
God calls you to be part of his people and his work through every time and every country.

You were chosen to be God’s people, who have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us. (Ephesians 4 verses 4-6)

4) Number four is the work he has for us to do.
God calls you to lead and to serve, and he gives you what you need for this.

Christ has generously handed out his gifts to us, gifts and skills to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, so that his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. (Ephesians 4 verses 7, 11-12)

5) And last, number five, is an ongoing challenge:
God calls you to keep growing up. Living life with Jesus is always an adventure, to the end of our days.

Together we become will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be just like him. Keep growing in every way to be more like Christ, the head of the body.

Prayer of Confession: Gifts Unopened
(Ephesians 4:7-15)

We confess our sins to the Lord. Let us pray.

Lord Jesus, one God with the Father and the Spirit,
thank you for your amazing generosity to us.
You pour out your gifts on your people,
for the building up of your church,
for the redemption of the world.
We confess to you that many of the gifts you have given us
remain unopened.
We are scared to touch them.
We have not unwrapped them.
We’re afraid of what the gift may become in us,
and of what you will ask of us.
So we chose to remain as children as children, 
vulnerable to pushy teachings and selfish schemes.

Give us again, Lord God, the gifts that we need 
to grow up, to become more like Jesus.
Give us the courage to grasp the gifts within us,
to open space for new skills to grow.
Show us how to serve your people as you call us to.
Thank you, generous God, for the gift of new beginnings.
Amen.

Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2 

​August 12 Pentecost 12
​

Call to Worship: Did you hear about Christ?

(Ephesians 4:21–5:

Did you hear about Christ?
Yes, we heard of the truth that is in Jesus.
Were you taught how to live?
Yes, we were taught to turn away from old habits and lies.
Do you want to be remade?
Yes, we want to be more like God,
we want to know what is right and do what is right.
Will you live a life of love?
Yes, we refuse to grumble or gossip, we won’t be catty or harsh.
We will be kind and caring, as best we can.
We will forgive, as we have been forgiven.
Will you copy Christ?
Yes, because he loved us first
and gave himself up for us.
 

Prayer of Confession: Renewed in every way
(Ephesians 4:22 – 5:2)

Hear again the call of God: 
“Put away your previous way of life, your old self, corrupted and deluded as it was,
and be renewed in every aspect of your thinking. Dress in your new self, which is being re-formed into the image of God, in true righteousness and holiness.” 
(Ephesians 4:22-24)

Let us pray:

Living God, thank you for re-working us to become more like Jesus.
We confess to you that we resist this work in us. 
We quite like our old selves. The old clothes were comfy and familiar. 
We want your renewing of us, but often it hurts.
We so easily slide back into old habits:
we are reluctant to speak the truth to each other for fear of offending,
or our anger gets the better of us and we lash out.
We so easily convince ourselves that we deserve a little more 
(why work hard when you can steal?).
We let cruel words slip out of our mouths, disguised as humour or opinion.

Lord God, we confess that we have each of us grieved the Holy Spirit.
We are truly sorry.
Remake us, Lord, again into your image, for we choose to imitate you,
for your ways are kindness, tenderness, forgiveness.
We choose to live in love as beloved children
forgiven and free, through what Christ has done for us.
Alleluia! Amen.

Ephesians 5: 15-20 

August 19   Pentecost 13 

Call to worship:  Come to be filled
(Ephesians 5: 18-20)
 
Come to be filled,
filled with the Spirit!
Let song fill this house
and praise fill our hearts!
Thanks for the music -
together we sing,
giving thanks to our Father,
now and at every time,
in every place and every moment -
thanks for everything
in the name of Jesus
our Lord, Amen!


Wake up, Sleepy heads!
(Ephesians 5:8-14)

Wake up, sleepy heads!
Rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you!
Once we lived in the dark,
but now we’re in the light.
Once our lives were pointless,
wasted time and full of shame
but now we are children of light!
Our work bears fruit that makes a difference.
Our lives ring true, God delights in us 
as we shine the light of goodness in the dark.
Wake up, sleepy heads!
Rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you!

Instructions for families: A prayer of confession
(Ephesians 6: 1-9)

We hear these instructions for how we should get along in families and at work.
Paul teaches:
 
Children, listen to your parents and do as they say.
Everyone, honour your parents.
Parents, don’t push your children too far.
Teach them in God’s ways.
When you work, do your best,
even when no one is looking.
Everything you do, wherever you are, put your heart into it,
for in all things you are serving God.
When you lead other people,
lead with respect for each person;
don’t use threats,
don’t assume you’re better than anyone else.
At home and at work, be people of integrity.
You are on God’s team and in God’s family!
 
Dear God, we know that we don’t always live with integrity and follow your ways.
Forgive us, Lord.
In silence we confess our failings to you.
(time of quiet)
 
Dear God, strengthen us in your grace,
that we might live and love and work with you.
Peace to you, my brothers and sisters, and love with faith
from God the Father of all, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace be with you. Amen.
(Ephesians 6:23)

Ephesians 6: 10-20

August 26   Pentecost 14

Call to worship: It’s time to get dressed!

(Ephesians 6: 10-17)

OK, Church, it’s time to get dressed!
We don’t get dressed just to look good,
or even to keep warm.
The clothes that God lays out for us
protect us from far worse than the rain;
these clothes protect us from all that is evil,
all that is out to hurt and twist and destroy!
Therefore, put on the full armour of God.
In it, you’ll stand your ground.
In it, you can stand tall.
Tu tonu!
Kia kaha!

The belt is made of truth –
tie it firm around you.
The vest is made of righteousness – 
Christ has put you right.
The shoes are light – 
the spring in your step to go where you’re sent.
The shield is faith – 
inner conviction and outer protection.
The helmet is salvation – 
you know who you are in Christ.
The sword is the word of God – 
so read your Bible, and learn to listen.
There you are, now you’ll all dressed up and ready for anything!


Call to Worship: Grace to you also
(Ephesians 6:23-24)

Peace to you, my sisters,
peace to you, my brothers - 
and peace to you also.

Love to you, my church, with faith - 
and love to you also.
Faith to you, from God the Father 
and the Lord Jesus Christ - 
and faith to you also.
Grace to you, and grace to all 
who love our Lord Jesus with undying love –
and grace to you also.
www.conversations.net.nz
Written by Silvia Purdie 

Resources for life and faith
Proudly powered by Weebly