BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//LaughingBird - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:LaughingBird X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://laughingbird.net X-WR-CALDESC:Events for LaughingBird REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Melbourne BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20250405T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20251004T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20260404T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20261003T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20270403T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20271002T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20280401T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20280930T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20290331T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20291006T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20300406T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20301005T160000 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20261101T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20261101T235959 DTSTAMP:20260406T055638 CREATED:20200818T133835Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231210T111002Z UID:10001580-1793491200-1793577599@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 26 - Year A DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n \n\n \n \n Joshua 3: 7-17 \n \n\n \n \n \n The LORD said to Joshua: \n“Today I am going to begin making a hero of you in the eyes of the people\, so that they will recognise that I am with you in the same way that I was with Moses. You are the one who will give the order to the priests who carry the sacred Ark of the Covenant\, telling them to step into the waters of the Jordan with the Ark and then stand still in the river.” \nSo Joshua called an assembly of the people\, and said to them: \n“Gather round and hear what the LORD your God wants to say. The living God is in your midst and is ready to clear the way for you by driving out the seven nations that are occupying the land. This is how you will know it is true. Today\, the Ark of the Covenant — the sacred possession of the Lord of all the earth — will be carried into the Jordan River before your very eyes. And the minute the priests who carry the Ark of the LORD step into the water\, the flow of the river will be cut off upstream and the water will pile up in a heap. You are to select one person from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to participate in marking this occasion.” \nSo the people packed up their camp and got ready to cross the Jordan River into the land\, with the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant at the front. Now it was the wet season and the Jordan was in full flood\, breaking its banks in all directions. But when the people reached the river’s edge\, and the priests carrying the sacred Ark took their first steps into the water\, the swollen waters rushing down from upstream stood still\, and piled up in a heap up near Adaam\, a city near Zarethan. The waters flowing towards the Dead Sea were turned off like a tap\, leaving the riverbed dry\, and so the people were able to cross the river opposite Jericho. The entire Israelite population crossed through the river on a dry track while the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD stood on the dry riverbed in the middle of the Jordan. They stayed there\, with the Ark\, until the whole nation had passed through the Jordan to the other side. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 107: 1-7\, 33-37 \n \n\n \n \n \n Thank you\, LORD! Thank you for being so good.\nYour rock-solid love will never end. \nLORD\, we freely and openly acknowledge\nthat it was you who got us out of trouble;\nyou who put us back on the right track.\nYou gathered us from the four corners of the globe\,\nfrom wherever we had been lost or exiled. \nSome of us were lost in pitiless deserts\,\ndesperate to find shelter and company.\nWithout food or water\,\nour courage dried up and our steps grew weak. \nIn sheer despair\, we cried out to you\, LORD\,\nand in a flash\, you came to our rescue.\nYou guided us back to the main road\nand got us safely to the nearest town. \nWhen people become corrupt\, LORD\,\nyou dry up their water supplies;\nlakes become deserts\nand fruitful land\, a salt-scarred waste. \nBut you love to bring new life\, LORD;\nto pour water down dry creek beds\nand make the deserts burst into flower.\nYou love to open up arid land\nand make new places of plenty\nwhere the homeless and hungry\ncan build and plant and prosper. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n 1 Thessalonians 2: 9-13 \n \n\n \n \n \n Brothers and sisters\, when we were with you\, we all found ourselves jobs around the town\, as I’m sure you remember. We took night shifts and day shifts and whatever we could get\, so that we could pay our own way. We wanted to make sure we wouldn’t have to sponge off you while we were bringing you up to speed with the great news about God’s love. You believers experienced first-hand the way we conducted ourselves in our dealings with you\, and God too will witness that our behaviour was squeaky clean\, straight-down-the-line\, and beyond reproach. As you know\, we related to each of you personally in the way a concerned father might relate to each of his children. We encouraged you\, and spurred you on\, and spelt out to you the importance of living a life that God would be proud to be associated with\, for you are being called to live in the realm of God and to share the glory. \nWe are always thanking God that you recognised the word of God for what it was and took it on board when you heard from us. You didn’t dismiss it as just someone’s speculations\, but accepted it as God’s word and allowed it to start working within and among you who believe. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Matthew 23: 1-12 \n \n\n \n \n \n When the religious leaders had given up arguing with him\, Jesus turned to his followers and the gathered crowd\, and said: \n“The religious experts and the devout Pharisee party hold the authority to teach in the tradition of Moses. For that reason you should pay attention to what they teach and put it into practice. But do not do the things you see them doing\, because they do not practice what they preach. They weigh everyone else down with heavy demands for rigorous religious discipline\, but when people stagger under the load\, they themselves won’t get off their bums to help. Everything they do is done for show. They wear eye-catching ornaments displaying scripture quotes\, and they are always waving their bibles around for everyone to see. They love to be seated among the distinguished guests at formal occasions. They get a kick out of always being invited to appear at openings and premieres. They love to bask in the adulation of a gullible public\, and to have everyone calling them Reverend. But among you\, no one is to be called Reverend\, because there is only one you are to revere. To one another you are all brothers and sisters\, so don’t call anyone on earth Father. Your only Father is the one you have in heaven. Nor should any of you allow yourselves to be described as anointed teachers\, because you have only one anointed teacher – the Messiah. The one who will be regarded as the greatest among you will be the one who is always bending over backwards for others. Those who big-note themselves will be knocked off their perches\, but those who avoid the limelight will end up as everyone’s hero.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection \n \n\n \n \n \n Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Micah 3: 5-12 \n \n\n \n \n \n The LORD has had a gutful of you prophets\nwhose lies cause God’s people to go off the rails.\nYou always have good news\nfor those who put money in your pocket\,\nbut you call down fear and misery\non those can’t afford to grease your palm. \nTherefore the LORD says:\n“Night after night you will be without dreams or visions.\nEverything will go dark and you will see nothing.\nYou so called prophets have had your day in the sun.\nNow your whole world is going black.\nYou visionaries will be exposed as frauds.\nYou expert forecasters will hang your heads in shame.\nYou will shut your mouths and hide your faces\,\nbecause I will leave you with nothing to say.” \nThat’s what the LORD says to you prophets\,\nbut it is different for me\, Micah.\nThe power of the LORD is with me\nand the spirit of the LORD fills me\,\nkeeping me honest\, impartial and strong\,\nso that I can do my job of confronting God’s people\nwith the extent of their immorality and corruption. \nSo hear this\,\nyou leaders who wield power and influence\nover the whole nation of God’s people;\nyou who despise and pervert justice\nand make a mockery of hopes for a fair-go;\nyou who built your power-base on the blood of others\nand Jerusalem on a foundation of corruption! \nHear this:\nThe city’s magistrates are taking bribes.\nIts religious leaders are taking cash for comment.\nIts preachers have sold out to the highest bidder.\nYet they make a big show of their trust in God\, saying\,\n“The LORD is on our side for sure!\nThe LORD will not let disaster come our way.” \nThe fact is\, that because of you lot\,\nJerusalem will be reduced to rubble and cleared like a field.\nThe Temple hill will be nothing but a tangled mass of weeds. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 43 \n \n\n \n \n \n Clear my name\, God;\nside with me against these godless tormentors.\nRescue me from their lies and abuse. \nI trusted you to look after me\, God;\nwhy have you pushed me aside?\nWhy are so many out to get me\,\nmaking my life such a misery? \nLet your truth blaze like a beacon\nso I can see the way to go;\nlet it light up the path and lead me\nto your home on the sacred mountain. \nThen I will offer myself to you in worship\, God;\noffer myself with uninhibited joy.\nI will praise you with music and song\,\nO God\, my God! \nWhy do I feel so defeated?\nWhy am I so anxious and agitated?\nI tell myself not to give up hope\,\nfor you are my God and my help\nand I’ll be glad of that again. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n \n\n \n \n Eucharistic Preface \n \n\n \n \n \n Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\,\nO God of lasting love and Lord of goodness\,\nfor you have lifted the burden of oppression from us\nand called us into your own kingdom and glory. \nYou created the earth\, both dry lands and fertile valleys\,\nand entrusted it to us to tend and harvest.\nUnder your servants Moses and Joshua\nyou saved your people from the oppressors might\nand led them safely through the waters\ninto the land of promise. \nIn your child\, Jesus the Messiah\,\nyour Word has come to us as good news\,\nworking within us that we might live lives worthy of you.\nWhen he was killed by those\nwho mouth the truth but live a lie\,\nyou raised him to life\nand sent your Spirit as our true teacher\,\nleading us in the way of humility\nto the exaltation of your Kingdom. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces) \n \n\n \n \n \n We thank you for your Word which has come to us as good news\nin your child\, Jesus the Messiah\,\nand works within us that we might live lives worthy of you\nand walk in the ways of humility\nto the exaltation of your Kingdom. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n General Prayer of Thanksgiving \n \n\n \n \n \n (Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nO God of lasting love and Lord of goodness\,\nfor you have lifted the burden of oppression from us\nand called us into your own kingdom and glory. \nYou created the earth\, both dry lands and fertile valleys\,\nand entrusted it to us to tend and harvest.\nUnder your servants Moses and Joshua\nyou saved your people from the oppressors might\nand led them safely through the waters\ninto the land of promise. \nIn your child\, Jesus the Messiah\,\nyour Word has come to us as good news\,\nworking within us that we might live lives worthy of you.\nWhen he was killed by those\nwho mouth the truth but live a lie\,\nyou raised him to life\nand sent your Spirit as our true teacher\,\nleading us in the way of humility\nto the exaltation of your Kingdom. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n Through Christ\,\nGod snatches us from the oppression of sin\nand calls us into his own kingdom and glory\,\nfulfilling the promise\nto exalt all who humble themselves. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now\, in the freedom of the gospel of Christ.\nEncourage one another to lead lives worthy of God\nand walk together in service and humility.\nLet your words and your lives be one in Christ. \nAnd may the God of lasting love open the way before you;\nMay Jesus the Messiah be your one instructor;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit lead you on\ninto the promised land of God’s kingdom and glory. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\n Authority in the Community of FaithA sermon on Matthew 23:1-12 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nDelusions of GrandeurA sermon on Matthew 23:1-12 and 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Word of FreedomA sermon on Matthew 23:1-12 and 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBurdens Hard to BearA sermon on Matthew 23:1-12 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHow Wide is your Rainbow Flag?A sermon on Matthew 23:1-12 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap26/2026-11-01/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20291104T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20291104T235959 DTSTAMP:20260406T055638 CREATED:20200818T133835Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231210T111002Z UID:10002085-1888444800-1888531199@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 26 - Year A DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n \n\n \n \n Joshua 3: 7-17 \n \n\n \n \n \n The LORD said to Joshua: \n“Today I am going to begin making a hero of you in the eyes of the people\, so that they will recognise that I am with you in the same way that I was with Moses. You are the one who will give the order to the priests who carry the sacred Ark of the Covenant\, telling them to step into the waters of the Jordan with the Ark and then stand still in the river.” \nSo Joshua called an assembly of the people\, and said to them: \n“Gather round and hear what the LORD your God wants to say. The living God is in your midst and is ready to clear the way for you by driving out the seven nations that are occupying the land. This is how you will know it is true. Today\, the Ark of the Covenant — the sacred possession of the Lord of all the earth — will be carried into the Jordan River before your very eyes. And the minute the priests who carry the Ark of the LORD step into the water\, the flow of the river will be cut off upstream and the water will pile up in a heap. You are to select one person from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to participate in marking this occasion.” \nSo the people packed up their camp and got ready to cross the Jordan River into the land\, with the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant at the front. Now it was the wet season and the Jordan was in full flood\, breaking its banks in all directions. But when the people reached the river’s edge\, and the priests carrying the sacred Ark took their first steps into the water\, the swollen waters rushing down from upstream stood still\, and piled up in a heap up near Adaam\, a city near Zarethan. The waters flowing towards the Dead Sea were turned off like a tap\, leaving the riverbed dry\, and so the people were able to cross the river opposite Jericho. The entire Israelite population crossed through the river on a dry track while the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD stood on the dry riverbed in the middle of the Jordan. They stayed there\, with the Ark\, until the whole nation had passed through the Jordan to the other side. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 107: 1-7\, 33-37 \n \n\n \n \n \n Thank you\, LORD! Thank you for being so good.\nYour rock-solid love will never end. \nLORD\, we freely and openly acknowledge\nthat it was you who got us out of trouble;\nyou who put us back on the right track.\nYou gathered us from the four corners of the globe\,\nfrom wherever we had been lost or exiled. \nSome of us were lost in pitiless deserts\,\ndesperate to find shelter and company.\nWithout food or water\,\nour courage dried up and our steps grew weak. \nIn sheer despair\, we cried out to you\, LORD\,\nand in a flash\, you came to our rescue.\nYou guided us back to the main road\nand got us safely to the nearest town. \nWhen people become corrupt\, LORD\,\nyou dry up their water supplies;\nlakes become deserts\nand fruitful land\, a salt-scarred waste. \nBut you love to bring new life\, LORD;\nto pour water down dry creek beds\nand make the deserts burst into flower.\nYou love to open up arid land\nand make new places of plenty\nwhere the homeless and hungry\ncan build and plant and prosper. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n 1 Thessalonians 2: 9-13 \n \n\n \n \n \n Brothers and sisters\, when we were with you\, we all found ourselves jobs around the town\, as I’m sure you remember. We took night shifts and day shifts and whatever we could get\, so that we could pay our own way. We wanted to make sure we wouldn’t have to sponge off you while we were bringing you up to speed with the great news about God’s love. You believers experienced first-hand the way we conducted ourselves in our dealings with you\, and God too will witness that our behaviour was squeaky clean\, straight-down-the-line\, and beyond reproach. As you know\, we related to each of you personally in the way a concerned father might relate to each of his children. We encouraged you\, and spurred you on\, and spelt out to you the importance of living a life that God would be proud to be associated with\, for you are being called to live in the realm of God and to share the glory. \nWe are always thanking God that you recognised the word of God for what it was and took it on board when you heard from us. You didn’t dismiss it as just someone’s speculations\, but accepted it as God’s word and allowed it to start working within and among you who believe. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Matthew 23: 1-12 \n \n\n \n \n \n When the religious leaders had given up arguing with him\, Jesus turned to his followers and the gathered crowd\, and said: \n“The religious experts and the devout Pharisee party hold the authority to teach in the tradition of Moses. For that reason you should pay attention to what they teach and put it into practice. But do not do the things you see them doing\, because they do not practice what they preach. They weigh everyone else down with heavy demands for rigorous religious discipline\, but when people stagger under the load\, they themselves won’t get off their bums to help. Everything they do is done for show. They wear eye-catching ornaments displaying scripture quotes\, and they are always waving their bibles around for everyone to see. They love to be seated among the distinguished guests at formal occasions. They get a kick out of always being invited to appear at openings and premieres. They love to bask in the adulation of a gullible public\, and to have everyone calling them Reverend. But among you\, no one is to be called Reverend\, because there is only one you are to revere. To one another you are all brothers and sisters\, so don’t call anyone on earth Father. Your only Father is the one you have in heaven. Nor should any of you allow yourselves to be described as anointed teachers\, because you have only one anointed teacher – the Messiah. The one who will be regarded as the greatest among you will be the one who is always bending over backwards for others. Those who big-note themselves will be knocked off their perches\, but those who avoid the limelight will end up as everyone’s hero.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection \n \n\n \n \n \n Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Micah 3: 5-12 \n \n\n \n \n \n The LORD has had a gutful of you prophets\nwhose lies cause God’s people to go off the rails.\nYou always have good news\nfor those who put money in your pocket\,\nbut you call down fear and misery\non those can’t afford to grease your palm. \nTherefore the LORD says:\n“Night after night you will be without dreams or visions.\nEverything will go dark and you will see nothing.\nYou so called prophets have had your day in the sun.\nNow your whole world is going black.\nYou visionaries will be exposed as frauds.\nYou expert forecasters will hang your heads in shame.\nYou will shut your mouths and hide your faces\,\nbecause I will leave you with nothing to say.” \nThat’s what the LORD says to you prophets\,\nbut it is different for me\, Micah.\nThe power of the LORD is with me\nand the spirit of the LORD fills me\,\nkeeping me honest\, impartial and strong\,\nso that I can do my job of confronting God’s people\nwith the extent of their immorality and corruption. \nSo hear this\,\nyou leaders who wield power and influence\nover the whole nation of God’s people;\nyou who despise and pervert justice\nand make a mockery of hopes for a fair-go;\nyou who built your power-base on the blood of others\nand Jerusalem on a foundation of corruption! \nHear this:\nThe city’s magistrates are taking bribes.\nIts religious leaders are taking cash for comment.\nIts preachers have sold out to the highest bidder.\nYet they make a big show of their trust in God\, saying\,\n“The LORD is on our side for sure!\nThe LORD will not let disaster come our way.” \nThe fact is\, that because of you lot\,\nJerusalem will be reduced to rubble and cleared like a field.\nThe Temple hill will be nothing but a tangled mass of weeds. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 43 \n \n\n \n \n \n Clear my name\, God;\nside with me against these godless tormentors.\nRescue me from their lies and abuse. \nI trusted you to look after me\, God;\nwhy have you pushed me aside?\nWhy are so many out to get me\,\nmaking my life such a misery? \nLet your truth blaze like a beacon\nso I can see the way to go;\nlet it light up the path and lead me\nto your home on the sacred mountain. \nThen I will offer myself to you in worship\, God;\noffer myself with uninhibited joy.\nI will praise you with music and song\,\nO God\, my God! \nWhy do I feel so defeated?\nWhy am I so anxious and agitated?\nI tell myself not to give up hope\,\nfor you are my God and my help\nand I’ll be glad of that again. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n \n\n \n \n Eucharistic Preface \n \n\n \n \n \n Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\,\nO God of lasting love and Lord of goodness\,\nfor you have lifted the burden of oppression from us\nand called us into your own kingdom and glory. \nYou created the earth\, both dry lands and fertile valleys\,\nand entrusted it to us to tend and harvest.\nUnder your servants Moses and Joshua\nyou saved your people from the oppressors might\nand led them safely through the waters\ninto the land of promise. \nIn your child\, Jesus the Messiah\,\nyour Word has come to us as good news\,\nworking within us that we might live lives worthy of you.\nWhen he was killed by those\nwho mouth the truth but live a lie\,\nyou raised him to life\nand sent your Spirit as our true teacher\,\nleading us in the way of humility\nto the exaltation of your Kingdom. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces) \n \n\n \n \n \n We thank you for your Word which has come to us as good news\nin your child\, Jesus the Messiah\,\nand works within us that we might live lives worthy of you\nand walk in the ways of humility\nto the exaltation of your Kingdom. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n General Prayer of Thanksgiving \n \n\n \n \n \n (Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nO God of lasting love and Lord of goodness\,\nfor you have lifted the burden of oppression from us\nand called us into your own kingdom and glory. \nYou created the earth\, both dry lands and fertile valleys\,\nand entrusted it to us to tend and harvest.\nUnder your servants Moses and Joshua\nyou saved your people from the oppressors might\nand led them safely through the waters\ninto the land of promise. \nIn your child\, Jesus the Messiah\,\nyour Word has come to us as good news\,\nworking within us that we might live lives worthy of you.\nWhen he was killed by those\nwho mouth the truth but live a lie\,\nyou raised him to life\nand sent your Spirit as our true teacher\,\nleading us in the way of humility\nto the exaltation of your Kingdom. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n Through Christ\,\nGod snatches us from the oppression of sin\nand calls us into his own kingdom and glory\,\nfulfilling the promise\nto exalt all who humble themselves. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now\, in the freedom of the gospel of Christ.\nEncourage one another to lead lives worthy of God\nand walk together in service and humility.\nLet your words and your lives be one in Christ. \nAnd may the God of lasting love open the way before you;\nMay Jesus the Messiah be your one instructor;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit lead you on\ninto the promised land of God’s kingdom and glory. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\n Authority in the Community of FaithA sermon on Matthew 23:1-12 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nDelusions of GrandeurA sermon on Matthew 23:1-12 and 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Word of FreedomA sermon on Matthew 23:1-12 and 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBurdens Hard to BearA sermon on Matthew 23:1-12 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHow Wide is your Rainbow Flag?A sermon on Matthew 23:1-12 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap26/2029-11-04/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P26.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR