Eastern Hills Community Church

Prayer

Loving, generous God who brings all life into being through tiny seeds of hope we gather today in the mystery of your creation.

In your presence we think of all that sustains us: our friends, families and homes; clean water, fresh air, good food; even the microbes, bacteria, and enzymes and that which has yet to be named; the intricate systems which make our lives possible.

We thank you for the promise of hope and renewal that comes to us in Jesus Christ and we join together with the rest of creation in praising you our God: our God whose love and faithfulness stretches out to all generations, to all people, to every creature and all creation.  Amen. By Ruth Slater

Meditation

Allow creation to minister to you today. Worship with the bush as it brings glory to our indwelling creator God.

Spend some time in quietness, listening. Hold something in your hand, sit & observe or walk gently.

May our hearts be open to receive the nearness of God and the working of our Creator’s power.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.

Psalm 62:5

After a while you may like to repeat a simple sentence of worship.

Write down anything that has been revealed to you in this time.

Lord I have come to know…

Ingredients

8 eggs

1 1/2 cups castor sugar

2 tbs finely grated orange rind

2 tbs finely grated lemon rind

2 cups SR flour

1 tsp bi-carb soda

250g unsalted butter melted and cooled

500g strawberries hulled and chopped up

200g blueberries

200g raspberries/young berries/boysenberries

2tbs berries to pile on the top to serve

Method

You need a springform tin for this recipe because the cake can’t really be turned out of an ordinary tin.

Beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale. Fold in combined citrus rind. Sift together flour and bi-carb and fold into egg mixture in three separate batches – adding melted butter with the final batch.  Pour 1/3 of the mixture into a greased 22cm springform tin and spread lightly to cover base. Cover evenly with 1/3 combined berries. Repeat layering with remaining butter mixture and berries, finishing with a layer of berries.   Bake at 180C for 1 1/4 hours or until golden and cooked when tested with a skewer. Original recipe says to glaze the top with warmed marmalade, but I prefer to pile some berries on top and sprinkle with icing sugar. Serve with thick cream.

Take a walk outside with a pen and paper, find a comfy spot and reflect on these things for 20 mins.

Prayer

“Gracious God, in these moments

please remind me of your presence and generosity.

Give me the wisdom and courage to live gracefully with myself, others and the world you have wonderfully made.’

Meditation

Take some time and focus on the nearness of God.

Open yourself to the presence of our Creator.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.” [Psalm 145:18]

“The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

All your works praise you, Lord;

your faithful people extol you.” [Psalm 145:9,10]

Reflection

Looking back over the past year,

For what are you most grateful?

What makes you feel thankful?

What gifts and growth will you take from this year into the next?

Eg. Learning, patterns, relationships, dreams, ideas, change, responsibilities, prayers, provision.

Using simple words, express your gratitude to God.

Write a word or short phrase of thanks if you would like.

When or where in the past year do you feel you were you cooperating most fully with God’s action in your life?

When were you resisting? Do you notice weeds that may have taken hold this last year? Things that have wasted your time, destroyed balance, negative habits or patterns.

How do you want to live differently in 2010?

Share these things with God.

“Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life …

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;

may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

[Psalm 143:8b,10]

Closing Prayers

‘Ever-present Father, help me to meet you in the scriptures I read and the prayers I say; in the bread I break and the meals I share; in my investments at work and my enjoyments at play; and in the neighbours and family I welcome, love and serve, for your sake and that your love and peace may reign now and forever. Amen.”

I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’ May that almighty hand guide and uphold us all.

Minnie Haskins 1875 – 1957

“God, of your goodness give me yourself, for you are enough for me. And only in you do I have everything. Amen. Lady Julian of Norwich.

Harold Taylor shares on Healing – Jan 31 – February 14

Harold Taylor from the Order of St Luke and author of ‘Sent to Heal: A handbook on Christian Healing’ is our guest for this three week series at Yarrunga. Harold will be sharing with us about Christian healing and what it means to be a healing community.

http://belgravesurvivalday.org/