Revd Rex A E Hunt
MSc(Hons), GradDipCommMgt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE
14 September 2008. Pentecost 18A/Creation 2A. (Green).
Land Sunday
Acknowledgement of land
(An act towards reconciliation)
For thousands of years Indigenous people have walked
in this land, on their own country.
Their relationship with the land is at the centre of their lives.
We acknowledge the (NN) People and their stewardship
of this land throughout the ages.
(NN) is a safe place for all people to worship regardless of
race, creed, age, cultural background or sexual orientation
GATHERING
Gathering music
Entry into worship
The gong is sounded three times
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life in the presentness of God.
Lighting of the candle
The community candle is lit in silence
v2 Fountain of life...
Pulse of life...
Breath of life...
All Earth is filled with the presentness of God.
v1 A planet filled with the presentness of God
All quivering in the forests,
vibrating in the land,
pulsating in the wilderness,
shimmering in the rivers.
v2 Together this day, let us sense
the face of God in all creation. (Adapt.NHabel)
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
"O Brother Sun" (Tune: Ye banks & braes, 88 88D) 1066 STJ
O Brother Sun, you bring us light,
all shining 'round in fiery might.
O Sister Moon, you heal and bless,
your beauty shines in tenderness.
O Brother Wind, you sweep the hills,
your mighty breath both freshens and fills.
O Sister Water, you cleanse and flow
through rivers and streams, in ice and snow.
O Brother Fire, you warm our night,
with all your dancing coloured light.
O Sister Earth, you feed all things,
all birds, all creatures, all scales and wings.
O Sister Death, you meet us here
and take us to our God so near.
O God of Life, we give you praise
for all your creatures, for all your ways.
Remain standing after the hymn (Adpat.St Francis of Assisi by Sharon Anway)
Opening sentences
We invite the country to worship with us:
All wild flowers and mysterious mushrooms,
swirling grasses and golden wattle.
We invite the farmlands to sing with us:
All wheat fields, orchards and vineyards,
red gums, gardens and wetlands.
We join with all the fauna in praising God:
All kangaroos, emus and bandicoots,
echidnas, eagles and magpies.
We invite the ground to stir deep below:
All life-giving microbes restoring the soil,
beetles and worms preparing our food.
We celebrate the song of the soil!
All Sing, soil, sing! (Adapt/NHabel)
Prayer
We pray:
Creating God, we celebrate your vibrant presence
among us and our kin in creation,
especially in the soil,
the paddocks and the land.
May our spirits be lifted to rejoice with the land,
the wild flowers, and
all the creatures of the countryside.
Amen.
Hymn “God who carved... landscape” (Tune: ‘Dansey’). 31 FFS
God who carved this timeless landscape,
snow-clad ridge to valley plain,
power of surging race and river,
limestone crag and scarred terrain;
maker still of earth, fire, water,
artistry of sight and sound,
Southern lights and sunset splendour,
raise our eyes and you are found.
Calendar of nature's balance,
rhythms of the farming year,
shearing, milking, ploughing, pruning,
manger setting ever near!
lonely struggle in the byways,
nor'west dust or snow and flood,
fellowship of tears and laughter:
Lord, with you, we're understood.
Giving thanks for those before us,
village life and tussock track,
as we turn to face the future,
history's wind upon our back;
scattered are our congregations,
each now shares in ministry,
bonding strength of work together:
spirit of community. Doug Grierson
The people sit
Welcome
In your own words
A warm welcome is extended to all.
Especially those who are worshipping at (NN) for the first time
or who have returned after an absence.
Your presence both enriches us and this time of celebration together.
Refer to printed liturgy.
Fellowship hour following worship.
Those visiting, please sign our Visitors book.
CENTERING
Remembering
Take the eucalyptus leaf you received at the door,
rub it between your fingers, break it, smell it,
and share with the person next to you
a special memory of the soil,
the paddocks or wild creatures in the country.
Conversation
Silence
We remember with delight the gardens
and paddocks of our childhood.
The places where we played in the sand, when we felt close
to the ground
to bright flowers and baby animals.
All We remember and rejoice.
Away from the busyness of our day-to-day living
and in the silence of this place,
let us now give thanks
for the land, for soils that sustain our life!
(Silence)
Sung reflection
As this day dawns in beauty,
we pledge ourselves
to repair the web. (CPChrist/swc)
(Silence)
Earth is a sanctuary, a sacred planet
filled with the presentness of God.
All A home for us to share with our kin. (NHabel)
EXPLORING
Readings from our broad religious tradition
Two readings from our broad religious tradition shall now be read by (NN).
From the world around us:
"The small plot of ground..."
By Alla Renee Bozarth. Earth prayers/132
The small plot of ground
on which you were born
cannot be expected
to stay forever
the same.
Earth changes,
and home becomes different
places.
You took flesh
from clay
but the clay
did not come
from just one
place.
To feel alive,
important, and safe,
know your own waters
and hills, but know
more.
You have stars in your bones
and oceans
in blood.
You have opposing
terrain in each eye.
You belong to the land
and sky of your first cry,
you belong to infinity.
Gospel:
Matthew 18:23b-34 (Inclusive text)
The reign of God may be compared to a ruler
who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
When he began the reckoning,
one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him;
and, as he could not pay,
the master ordered him to be sold,
together with his wife and children and all his possessions,
and payment to be made.
So the slave fell on his knees before the master, saying,
‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
And out of compassion for him,
the master of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.
But that same slave, as he went out,
came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii;
and seizing him by the throat, he said,
‘Pay what you owe.’
Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him,
‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’
But he refused.
Then he went and threw him into prison
until he would pay the debt.
When his fellow slaves saw what had happened,
they were greatly distressed,
and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.
Then his master summoned him and said to him,
‘You wicked slave!
I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave,
as I had mercy on you?’
And in anger his master handed him over to be tortured
until he would pay his entire debt.
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
A celebration of faith
In response to the word reflected on, let us stand
and share a celebration of faith.
The people stand as they are able
Our land is alive with the glory of God:
All desert sands hum and gum trees dance,
brown grasses sing
All and mountains breathe their stillness.
All created things add their rhythm of delight
All and even the stones rap out their praise.
Let our voices mingle with the song of the earth.
All May our hearts join the beat of her joy.
For our triune God is with us:
All our creator surrounds and upholds us.
Christ Jesus walks beside and before us.
The Spirit moves within and between us.
Blessed be God,
our wonder and our delight. JTymms/mgs
The peace
Let us take a moment to celebrate each other.
The peace of God is here… to stay.
All Thanks be to God.
You are invited to share the peace with your neighbours
Hymn of the Month
“We are not our own” (Tune: ‘Nexus’, 89 85) 317 SLT
We are not our own. Earth forms us,
human leaves on nature's growing vine,
fruit of many generations,
seeds of life divine.
We are not alone. Earth names us:
past and present, peoples near and far,
family and friends and strangers
show us who we are.
Therefore let us make thanksgiving,
and with justice, willing and aware,
give to earth, and all things living,
liturgies of care.
Let us be a house of welcome,
living stone upholding living stone,
gladly showing all our neighbours
we are not our own! (Brian Wren)
CELEBRATING
With the children
Children gather on the conversation mat
Conversation
"Somewhere someone"
The kingdom of love is coming because:
All somewhere someone is kind when others are unkind,
somewhere someone shares with another in need,
somewhere someone refuses to hate, while others hate,
somewhere someone is patient - and waits in love,
somewhere someone returns good for evil,
somewhere someone serves another, in love,
somewhere someone is calm in a storm,
somewhere someone is loving everybody.
Is that someone you? (jke)
Offerings
Our offerings for the celebration of life in this place and beyond, shall now be received.
Presentation People stand as the gifts are presented
Spirit of God,
among the streets of business
and in places of healing and learning:
All Renew the face of the earth.
Among the budding orchards
and in the grassless paddocks:
All Renew the face of the earth.
Among the tired and broken families:
All Renew the face of the earth.
Among these people and with these gifts:
All Renew the face of the earth. MAbbot/sc
People sit
Reflections and prayers
Care candle
We are people of all ages who enter this space bringing our joys and concerns.
Joys and concerns shared
Listening response
In the light and beauty of day
All We give thanks in awe and wonder.
In the dark and stillness of night
All We dream of healing and hope (GVosper/wwg)
And so we take this flame and light our special care candle.
The Care candle is lit
In all our joys and in all our concerns, may we be ever mindful
of the presentness of God among us,
and to see new possibilities of the now.
Pastoral prayer
Lord's Prayer
You are invited to pray in the spirit of the Lord's Prayer, and in your original language, as that is appropriate
All God - heart of the world:
revealed through every aspect of creation:
understood through our awareness.
May we honour the holiness of creation and act accordingly
so that your love is reflected in the way we live.
May we always be thankful for the food we eat
and the friends we have.
May we forgive those who transgress against us
and be forgiven for our own.
In the freedom of love may we live as your heartbeat
and not be compromised by hesitation.
Through our freedom, may your justice
be seen and heard and experienced
forever and ever. Amen. SJ. Weinberg
SCATTERING
Hymn "The majesty of mountains" 139 (v1-2) AA
The majesty of mountains,
the sovereignty of skies,
the regal rock that arch above
where veils of vapour rise,
are gifts of God, the Lord of love,
the worshipful, the wise.
The running of the river,
the surging of the sea,
the grass that grows high on the hill,
the flower and fruiting tree,
our Saviour sends us, by whose will
all creatures came to be.
Remain standing
Words of mission
The presentness of God reaches beyond this place...
The candle is extinguished
Hold again the eucalyptus leaf in your hands
as you go forth into this week.
v2 Will you care for creation?
All We will care for creation!
We will nurture the land!
We will celebrate life!
v2 This we know, the earth does not belong to us,
All We belong to the earth.
Blessing words
Go in peace to claim the life of Christ within your midst:
and may the earth be warm under your feet,
the rain bring the gentle flowers
of the bush bright around you,
and the wind blows as the breath of the Spirit before you.
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont) "The majesty of mountains" 139 (v3) AA
The Glory of the Godhead,
the Spirit and the Son,
the Father, faithful down the days:
to them, the Three-in-One,
while life shall last, be perfect praise
and highest honour done! Michael Perry.
The people sit after the hymn
'This week' at (NN)
Notices
Birthdays and anniversaries
Significant events
Journey candles
Music
Fellowship
Morning tea is now served.
You are invited to share in the moment of fellowship.
You are invited to keep this copy of the liturgy and take it home with you
to share with another member of your family, or with a friend.
I recommend the use of
LicenSing - Copyright cleared music for churches.
Some of the resources used in shaping this liturgy:
Abbott, M. 2001. Sparks of the cosmos. Rituals for seasonal use. SA: Unley. MediaCom Education.
Alleluia Aotearoa. Hymns and songs for all churches. 1993. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Binkley, C. G.; J. M. McKeel. 2001. Jesus and his kingdom of equals. An international curriculum on the life and teaching of Jesus. CA: Santa Rosa. Polebridge Press.
Christ, C. P. 2003. She who changes. Re-imagining the divine in the world. NY: New York. Palgrave Macmillan.
Faith forever singing. Songs for a new day. 2000. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Habel, Norman. 2004. Habel hymns 1. Songs to celebrate with creation. SA: Adelaide. Flinders Press.
Inclusive readings. Year A. 2004. Qld: Brisbane. Inclusive Language Project. In private circulation.
Iona Community. 2001. Iona abbey worship book. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Moving with God's spirit. A collection of prayers, hymns, affirmations and reflections. 1997. WA: Perth. Uniting Church in Australia, National Assembly.
Roberts, E; E. Amidon. 1991. Earth prayers from around the world. 365 prayers, poems, and invocations for honoring the earth. NY: New York. HarperCollins.
Singing the journey. 2005. MA: Boston. UUA.
Singing the living tradition. 1993. MA: Boston. UUA.
Vosper, G. 2008. With or without God. Why the way we live is more important that what we believe. Canada: Toronto. HarperCollins.
Web sites:
UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. UUA. < www.uua.org/spirituallife/worshipweb/>
Sherri Weinberg. St Paul's Presbyterian Church. NZ: Devonport.
Norman Habel Creation Liturgies. <www.seasonofcreation.com>