Revd Rex A E Hunt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE
11 January 2009. Baptism of Jesus B. (White).
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
May the light of this candle remind us
of the possibility for everyone to achieve
truth and goodness in our lives,
if we only seek it (BBullmer/icuu)
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
“We laugh, we cry” (Tune: ‘Credo’, Irreg.)) 354 SLT
We laugh, we cry, we live, we die;
we dance, we sing our song.
We need to feel there’s something here
to which we can belong.
We need to feel the freedom
just to have some time alone.
But most of all we need close friends
we can call our very own.
And we believe in life,
and in the strength of love;
and we have found a need to be together.
We have our hearts to give,
we have our thoughts to receive;
and we believe that sharing is an answer.
A child is born among us and
we feel a special glow.
We see time’s endless journey
as we watch the baby grow.
We thrill to hear imagination
freely running wild.
We dedicate our minds and hearts
To the spirit of this child.
And we believe in life,
and in the strength of love;
and we have found a time to be together.
And with the grace of age,
we share the wonder of youth;
and we believe that growing is an answer.
Our lives are full of wonder and
our time is very brief.
The death of one among us
fills us all with pain and grief.
But as we live, so shall we die
and when our lives are done
the memories we shared with friends,
they will linger on and on.
And we believe in life,
and in the strength of love;
and we have found a place to be together.
We have the right to grow,
we have the gift to believe;
that peace within our living is an answer.
We seek elusive answers to
the questions of this life.
We seek to put an end to all
the waste of human strife.
We search for truth, equality,
and blessed peace of mind.
And then, we come together here,
to make sense of what we find.
And we believe in life,
and in the strength of love;
and we have found a joy being together.
And in our search for peace,
maybe we’ll finally see;
even to question, truly, is an answer. (Shelley J Denham)
People sit
Opening sentences
We are called to worship, not just by words spoken, but also by miracles recalled:
All a baby's first cry,
the petals of a rose,
mist-covered hills,
the restless tides of the seas,
human love, human hope.
We respond:
All with gratitude,
with joy,
with wonder,
at life's boundless possibilities. (Adapt. GBMcKeeman)
Prayer
We pray:
As we gather in this place of worship, challenge us, O God,
with your truth and inspire us with your love.
Then as we return to our worlds of work and learning and living,
enlighten us with your wisdom,
and empower us with your strength.
Amen.
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.
Those visiting, please sign our Visitors book.
CENTERING
With an Australian accent
"Awareness"
By Cynthia Brown.
Space for God's glory. Mission Prayer Handbook 2004/33.
Small feet taste the wave-washed sand.
Black and white, white and black –
What matter?
It's another friend.
The sea, deep turquoise, meets
azure sky arching high above.
The sun is warm, it sparkles on the ocean.
Space. Peace. Timelessness.
Two children meeting.
I watch and am touched by
the Glory of God.
Silence
Let us gather together in the silence of this place,
which now we make holy
by our every act of worship.
(Silence)
Music of reflection
EXPLORING
Reading from our biblical tradition
Gospel:
Mark 1:4-11 (Scholars Version)
So, John the Baptiser appeared in the wilderness calling for baptism and a change of heart
that lead to forgiveness of sins.
And everyone from the Judean countryside
and all the residents of Jerusalem, streamed out to him
and were baptised by him in the Jordan river, admitting their sins.
And John was dressed in camel hair
and wore a leather belt around his waist
and lived on locusts and raw honey.
And he began his proclamation by saying:
‘Someone more powerful than I will succeed me,
whose sandal straps I am not fit to bend down and untie.
‘I have been baptising you with water,
but he will baptise you with holy spirit.’
During that same period Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee
and was baptised in the Jordan by John.
And just as he got up out of the water,
he saw the skies torn open and the spirit coming down
toward him like a dove.
There was also a voice from the skies:
‘You are my favoured son. I fully approve of you.’
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
CELEBRATING
Litany: ‘Travelling on…”
In response to the word reflected on, let us stand and share together a special litany.
The people stand as they are able
When hope invites us to journey
elusive, beckoning onward
but never in our grasp:
All God of wisdom and promise
give us courage to travel on.
Wn When dreams glimmer in the distance,
fading, clouded and hidden
or shining with new brightness:
All God of wisdom and promise
give us courage to travel on.
Mn When established patterns collapse
into the uncertainty of the unknown
and security dissolves into a memory:
All God of wisdom and promise
give us courage to travel on.
Wn When the illusion of success
threatens to divert us
and silence our souls' yearning:
All God of wisdom and promise
give us courage to travel on.
Mn When we think our journey has ended
in the star-lit glow only to find
the end is a new beginning:
All God of wisdom and promise
give us courage to travel on. JBerry/ssb
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 'O river mother, spirit of creation' (Tune: ‘Highwood’, 11.10.11.10, 617 TiS)
O river mother, spirit of creation,
flowing so freely since the dawn of time,
source of all life and onward propagation,
summer's bright warmth and winter's frozen rime.
Once from a riven altar, out through history,
your source of life flowed on to all the earth;
then cosmic letters formed the timeless story,
charged with your passion, grace and love and worth.
Now at the point in time of our existence,
through faith and science we discern our place.
We understand your gentle, calm persistence
folding around us with your love and grace.
O river mother, flowing to the future,
on past the present that we see and feel,
take us, flow with us, kindly love and nurture
virtues that make your presence strong and real. © APratt 25/1/2004
Offerings
Our offerings for the celebration of life in this place and beyond, shall now be received.
Presentation People stand as gifts are presented
As we have received, so we give:
freely, cheerfully and liberally.
People sit
AFFIRMING
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 appropriate
All God, lover of us all, most holy one.
Help us to respond to you.
To create what you want for us here on earth.
Give us today enough for our needs.
Forgive our weak and deliberate offences,
just as we must forgive others
when they hurt us.
Help us to resist evil and to do what is good.
For we are yours, endowed with your power
to make our world whole.
Amen. (LWinkley/cw)
SCATTERING
Hymn "In water we grow" (Tune: Paderborn, 55 55 65 65) 494 (v1-2) TiS
In water we grow,
secure in the womb,
and speechlessly know
love's safety and room.
Baptizing and blessing
we publish for good
the freeing, caressing
safe keeping of God.
In water we wash:
the dirt of each day,
its trouble and rush
are carried away.
In Christ re-created
by love's cleansing art,
self-will and self-hatred
dissolve and depart.
Remain standing
Words of mission
Time has now come for us to leave this sacred place.
As we do, may we embrace the challenges
of our lives and our world...
The candle is extinguished
As we prepare to leave this sacred place of celebration,
may we live lives of hope,
be nurturers of a vision of wholeness,
and serve as healers in a wounded world.
All Grant us wisdom.
Grant us courage.
Grant us peace. (Adapt.PLeland-Mayer
Blessing words
May God’s wisdom guide you wherever you walk in this world.
May God’s wisdom encourage you in your daily work.
May God’s wisdom work in you like yeast, and rise in you like hope!
May you taste and se God’s goodness
and may God’s wisdom be your delight
now, this day, and for evermore. (JSPickard/bb)
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont) "In water we grow" (Tune: Paderborn, 55 55 65 65) 494 (v3-4) TiS
In water we dive,
and cannot draw breath,
then surface alive,
rebounding from death.
Our old self goes under,
in Christ dead and drowned.
We rise, washed in wonder,
by love clad and crowned.
In water we dwell,
for by its deep flow
through bloodstream and cell,
we live, think, and grow.
Praise God, love outflowing,
whose well of new birth
baptizes our knowing,
and waters the earth.
The people sit after the hymn
Music
You are invited to keep this copy of the liturgy and take it home with
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:
Burgess, R. 2001. A book of blessings. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Duncan, G. (ed). 2001. Shine on, star of bethlehem. A worship resource for advent, christmas and epiphany. GtB: Norwich. The Canterbury Press.
Funk, R. W; R. W. Hoover. 1993. The five gospels. The search for the authentic words of Jesus. NY: New York. MacMillan Press.
Iona Community. 2001. Iona abbey worship book. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Mission Prayer Handbook: Space for God’s glory. 2004. NSW: Sydney. National Assembly, Uniting Church in Australia.
Singing the living tradition. 1993. MA: Boston. UUA.
Together in song. Australian hymn book 2. 1999. NSW: Sydney. HarperCollins Religious.
Vosper, G. 2008. With or without God. Why the way we live is more important that what we believe. Canada: Toronto. HarperCollins.
Ward, H.; J. Wild, J Morley. (ed). 1995. Celebrating women. New edition. GtB: London. SPCK.
Web sites:
UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. UUA. < www.uua.org/spirituallife/worshipweb/>
Andrew Pratt eMail distribution. UK.