Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
What follows is a worship service which, I pray, you can participate in at a time(s) that are convenient to you. This 'service' will take about forty five (45) minutes.
I pray that you will feel called to ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE in this service.
The text that is in regular typeface (that is what you are reading at the moment) is to be read quietly, while the text that is in bold face (like you are reading right now) is meant to be read aloud.
Opening Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we commence our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
A Call To Worship:
We meet in the name of God,
Creator of the universe,
source of true humanity,
mother and father of all. Amen.
An Assurance of Forgiveness:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
The Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):
Be joyful in God, all you lands; sing the glory of his Name.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Our first reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Our second reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Gradual Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we raise out voices in praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
Listen to David speak to this gospel
or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:
Sermon for Ordinary 28, 12th Oct 2025
Welcome sisters and brothers and peace be with you. May the words of my mouth and the meditations in our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. <Amen>
The last time Kim and I were in Singapore we went out for a meal with our children and teenage grandchildren. It was wonderful to see that when the grandchildren asked their parents for something, they would say “please”. Then, after receiving what they asked for, they would say, “thank you”.
Now - I believe it’s true that we all know WHAT WE SHOULD SAY, but unfortunately, we sometimes forget to say it.<PAUSE>
God does so much for us. Our indebtedness to God is enormous and yet most people rarely, or at least infrequently, offer thanks for what He has done.
For a child of God thankfulness is not confined to an event, a day or a season, it is an attitude that we should have everyday, every hour.
Consider the lepers in today’s gospel - stricken with a terrible disease. Shut out and cast off by society, family, friends. Shut out from their faith community. They were simply unapproachable.
So, I am so grateful today that the gospel tells us that where people fear to go or where people won’t go, what is seen as “off limits” - Jesus enters in.
When the law of the day instructs people to “pass on the other side”, Jesus makes it a point to make contact.
It is because Jesus comes in and makes contact that he is able to reach us, to save us and redeem us.
If we don’t shut Him out, if we accept His contact - His promise of ETERNAL redemption will be fulfilled. <PAUSE>
When the lepers could not get to Jesus, Jesus got to them.
When the lepers could not come to Jesus, Jesus came to them.
Now, of the ten who were healed … only one of them returned with “The attitude of gratitude”. Only one returned to praise God and give thanks for what he had been given.
This ONE, cleansed leper easily recognised the difference Christ had made in his life … Praise God, I’ve never had leprosy but if I pause and take some quiet time to think … there are ABUNDANT reasons why I should fall to my knees and give thanks. Countless reasons why I should ALWAYS have an attitude of gratitude.
Just because we are used to having things in our life does NOT mean we can take things for granted and stop giving thanks.
It is exactly because of all the things that we can often take for granted that we MUST give thanks - our families, our friends, our freedom to worship, our freedom to vote, our freedom to travel, our freedom to walk down our streets in safety, our freedom to obtain food, our freedom to get fresh water, get warmth, get light, our freedom to be cared for when we get sick - the list goes on. <PAUSE>
Here is a short story for you to ponder - A father and mother had their son killed while on military service. One day, after church, they came to the minister and told him that they wanted to give a monetary gift in memory of their son.
The minister said, "That’s a wonderful gesture on your part.” and he asked if it was okay to tell the congregation and they said that it was.
So the next Sunday the minister told the congregation of the gift given in memory of the dead son.
Later, another couple were driving home from that church when the woman said to her husband, "Why don’t we give a gift because of our son?" And the husband said, "But our son didn’t die in any conflict! Our son is still alive!" His wife replied, "That’s exactly my point!” <PAUSE>
Ten lepers, ten people cured, ten people PHYSICALLY healed but only ONE is SPIRITUALLY healed.
DO WE NEED A CONSTANT “ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE” - - - YOU BETCHA WE DO AND YOU CAN THANK THAT SINGLE LEPER FOR REMINDING US ABOUT, AND RE-FOCUSING US ON ALL, THE GOOD GOD HAS DONE FOR US.
So, to finish - my question to you all is this - if we were that one healed by Jesus, how could we use our “attitude of gratitude” to bring in the other nine ??
<PAUSE>
I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu. <AMINE>
Pause and Reflect
Just take a moment now to pause. Bow your head, close your eyes.
Allow these words of Holy Scripture and this interpretation of them today to speak to you.
An Affirmation of Our Faith
Let us affirm our faith by saying aloud, and together, "The Apostles Creed":
... and now let us pray for the Church, the World, and Ourselves, giving thanks for God's goodness.
Let us pray aloud, and together:
Sisters and brothers in Christ, God invites us to hold the needs of friends, loved ones and of those cast out or feared by our societies before Him; and so, loving our neighbours as ourselves, we offer our thanksgivings and our petitions on behalf of our faith communities and the world.
(LONGER pause for silent, personal reflection)
Almighty God, at a time when many question the relevance of faith in You, assist us to be witnesses in, and to, the world and, through our witness, strengthen the presence of Christ in our communities.
Make us a welcoming people; recognised as disciples of Christ, as the people of God.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
Creator God, drive away despair from our politics, revive our dreams of justice and truth, and restore our passion for what is good and right.
Establish Your just and gentle rule throughout the world especially where there is conflict; where peace seems so far away and so many have lost everything, even the faint hope of a peaceful future.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
Father God, we pray for our own local community, confessing our own failings and lack of compassion and love. Help us see the good in each other, without bearing grudges and forgiving all grievances.
Help us not to define ourselves by what we do for You, but by what You have done for us.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
Loving God, heal those who are sick and strengthen those who are weak, help them sense the love that You give to each and every one of us,
We especially raise before You now all those who have asked for our prayers from around the world … those we know in New Zealand, in Singapore, in Argentina, in France, in Australia, in the US, in Canada, in Austria, in Ukraine, in China, in Germany, in the Czech Republic, in Syria and any others we now name aloud, or in the silence of our hearts, and those who are known only by You.
In your goodness and mercy, grant them health of body, soundness of mind and peace of heart.
We thank You for those who have come through illness and are on the road to recovery and also for those facing the reality that there is little light at the end of their earthly tunnel.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
Merciful God, as we remember those who have left us, keep happy thoughts with us of the times we shared together when they were alive and a living, loving presence in our lives.
May Your light shine on them for ever and our lives be richer because of their memory.
We especially raise before you at this time our recently departed sisters Glenis (New Zealand) and Marta (Germany).
May all the faithful departed now rest in peace as they most surely have risen in glory.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come unto you
In a moment of silence we pray for ourselves, our families, friends, for all whom we love and for our personal ministries. Make the things that we choose to do worthy of the life, death, and rising again of Your Son.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
Faithful God, in the week that lies before us may we reflect Your love and blessings in our families and our communities; so that the world can see that we are followers of Christ and children of the most High God, and draw others into His loving care.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
Forth in the peace of Christ we go; Christ to the world with joy we bring; Christ in our minds, Christ on our lips, Christ in our hearts, the world’s true King.
Merciful father: accept these prayers for the sake of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
Remembering that we are confident to pray this day, and every day, because Jesus Christ continues to teach us:
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.
Let us conclude our prayers by praying together and aloud:
God of mercy,
you have given us grace to pray with one heart and one voice,
and have promised to hear the prayers
of two or three who agree in your name,
fulfil now, we pray,
the prayers and longings of your people
as may be best for us and for your kingdom.
Grant us in this world to know your truth,
and in the world to come to see your glory. Amen.
The Blessing
May The Risen Lord Christ turn His face towards each and every one of you.
May He cause His light to shine upon you, and
may He grant you His peace, and
The blessing of Almighty God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you and all of those whom you love,
on this day and forever more.
A Closing Hymn:
Let us conclude our worship today by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we unite in another hymn our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
The Dismissal
Go now, go out into the world
to love and serve The Lord.
Go in peace.
AMEN, we go in the name of Christ.
