Ascension Day – 21 May 2020

Ascension Day Service

For this special Ascension Day service, we welcome the Rev Dr George Marchinkowski of Somerset West United Church, near Cape Town, South Africa. George is a friend and South African colleague of our minister, Neil Meyer. He is a former Moderator of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa and has visited us at Kintore as a guest preacher before. The congregation of Somerset West United Church is also the church in which Neil grew up and from which he entered the ministry.

Call to worship

Our God has ascended with a mighty shout.
The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring!
Come, let’s sing praise to God together,
for our God is sovereign over all the earth!

Hymn: Crown him with many crowns

Ascension Day Prayer

Jesus Christ, mediator and high priest, we thank you for becoming human and for experiencing the joys and sorrows of life, which assures us that you are able to sympathize and rejoice with us. We praise you for the many joys of life: for the beauty of creation, for your work in this world, for the growth of your kingdom, for the greatest source of our happiness: the gift of eternal life.

As our mediator, you stand before God, petitioning him on our behalf, so we boldly bring before you our prayers for creation and its care, for the nations of the world, for our nation and its leaders, for this community and those in authority, for the church universal as it works on your behalf, for this local church in its ministry, for persons with particular needs.
We pray this in your strong name, O Christ, our mediator and high priest. Amen.

Hymn: Jesus Shall Reign

Scripture Reading

John 16: 16–18
16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” 17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
Luke 24: 44 – 53
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Sermon: “A Little While” and “A Little While”
Rev Dr George Marchinkowski

Hymn: Rejoice, the Lord is King

Benediction

May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
the Love of God the Father
and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with us and those whom we love
now and evermore.
Amen.

You can read the full transcript of Georg’s sermon here:

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