Readings:
Genesis 1:20-31
Psalm 104:1,10-25
 
As part of the Church’s “Season of Creation,” today we celebrate God’s gift of animals, particularly those animals that become part of our families. We give thanks for pets.
 
Loving God, we praise and thank you because we can see your goodness and generosity in all that you have created.
We thank you for all that is beautiful and intriguing in the natural world.
We celebrate diversity in creation – in the seasons, in the weather, in landscapes, and in the sheer variety of living creatures that inhabit this planet.
We bring to you our thanks and gratitude for the special bond that can exist between animals and people, especially those animals which become part of our families.
You have given us the blessing and responsibility of caring for animals, and for all your creation. We acknowledge that too often we fail in our responsibilities, and we ask for your forgiveness.
We also acknowledge that often we are not mindful of the needs of other people. We become absorbed in our own concerns and do not care for others as we should.
We pray that you will help us to understand your will for us and for the world you have made.  Help us to walk humbly with you, our God.
We ask for your forgiveness and we thank you for your grace and love.
Amen
 
Watch the recording of the Sermon here: https://youtu.be/Yc0FmtLhAMg

Texts:
Psalm 19
Jeremiah 4: 23-28
Mark 5: 33-37, 16: 1-4

The Heaven’s Declare the Glory of the Lord!
What is the distinctive contribution Christianity brings to the present ecological crisis facing planet earth? Surely it is a creation perspective? That what if this universe has a creator who wants to speak into our responsibility for creation care? And, if so, what words of wisdom does this creator have for us at this time of existential ecological crisis?
Today we will explore what the creator has to say to us about creation through 3 different streams of scripture – poetry, prophecy and gospel. For scripture does bring us such lovely different angles in exploring these things!

Watch the recorded sermon here: https://youtu.be/EEPX4dn7xRE

Our office administrator is on leave for a couple of weeks, so this page won't be being updated during that time.
It is intended to have recorded sermons available, though, and you will be able to access these from our YouTube channel: ​​https://www.youtube.com/@cashmerepresbyterianchurch

Text: Genesis 1: 1-11, 2:4-7

This planet earth is a beauty miracle of creation! The miracle is that we humans are here and able to perceive this beauty.
When I contemplate the extreme odds of a planet like ours and the creation narrative of Genesis, I wonder…… I wonder if God needed a universe this big, this vast, in order to provide the conditions that would allow a planet like earth to come into being? That is, God was prepared to create something as expansive and generous as this universe just to achieve earth with its life-giving dimensions!
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Hamish explores this concept in this week’s sermon, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/L2RNy-6Cu2E 

1 Kings 8:1,6,10-11, 22-30, 41-43
Ephesians 6:10-20
 
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 

This is the last sermon on our series on the Letter to the Ephesians. You can watch the recorded sermon here: https://youtu.be/4QjSiN8bZnA

Text:
1 Kings 2: 10-12; 3:3-14
Ephesians 5: 15-20
 
Come, and praise God!
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Great are the works of God,
full of glory and majesty.
Our God is gracious and compassionate;
our God is merciful and forgiving
our God is faithful and trustworthy,
our God is just and good.
So come, let us worship God.
God’s praise will last forever!
 
Continuing the sermon series on the Letter to the Ephesians, the passage today begins with the image of a ‘walk’; verse 15 literally translated being “be very careful how you walk.” This passage then goes on to give us 2 vital components to walking the Christian life well. I am thinking about the image of 2 hands on the steering wheel, a basic component of driving carefully and well!

For those worshiping at home, you can download a copy of this week’s service sheet here: Bulletin 18 August 2024, and the text of the sermon will be available to download next week from our News page.
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Watch the recording of the sermon here: https://youtu.be/hnDej2J9Sac

Text: Ephesians 4: 25 – 5:2

Until this point in the book of Ephesians you could accuse Paul of being “Too heavenly minded to be of any earthly use!” But here in this passage, Paul changes gear and brings us down to the realities of basic human behaviour that are required to work towards the lofty vision God has for us, for the church, and for humankind on planet earth.
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Watch the recorded sermon here: https://youtu.be/64_F9Xd4_R0

Come, let us put away all things that divide us and love one another.
For we are members of one body
Come, let us put away lies, anger, stealing, and unkind words.
For we have been shown the way to love
Let us be imitators of God, walk as the children of God, and love as Christ first loved us.
Come, let us be the people of God we are called to be

Readings:
John 6:24-35
Ephesians 4:1-16
 
Loving God, we are a body of your people:
from different ages and stages, with varied gifts and passions,
unique histories and circumstances, yet united by our shared faith,
our living hope and the strong bonds of Your love.
We gather to praise you, to be fed by your word,
and to respond in faith to what you ask of us.
Be with each one of us today, O Lord,
that our love for you and others will be strengthened,
and we may be inspired to share all that you have given us, with others.

Today’s sermon is based on the reading from Ephesians, and can be watched here:
https://youtu.be/INxtkaqWW2c

Texts:
Ephesians 3: 14-21
John 6: 1-21

Loving God, we come to you in worship today.
Strengthen us in our innermost being
and dwell in our hearts through faith.
May we be rooted and grounded in Christ,
whose love is beyond all knowledge.
Help us comprehend even the smallest part
of the beautiful mystery of your grace.
Grant that we may experience the fullness
of your presence with us.
 
The Ephesians passage profiles Paul’s fervent and heartfelt prayer for the church, that we might be jolted out of our tendencies to be small-minded and lacking in vision. He wants us to expand our understanding, knowledge and experience of God.

Watch the recorded sermon here: https://youtu.be/d0WVYSIAIPY

​Text: Ephesians 2:11-22

A pivotal verse in our Ephesians reading is ‘With his own body Jesus broke down the walls that separated them and kept them enemies.’
Paul was talking about the walls that separated Jews and Gentiles in his time. But this wall building enterprise is everywhere! In this Ephesians passage, Paul talks about God’s desire to break down those walls wherever they exist.

Watch the recorded sermon here: https://youtu.be/sANNCT3DrqY