Revd Rex A E Hunt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE
3 May 2009. Easter 4B. (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 the celebration
The gong is sounded three times
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life in the presentness of God.
(Silence)
Hymn “Crowded table, urgent faces” (Tune: ‘Maria’s Tune’ 87 87D. 420 TiS)
Crowded table, urgent faces,
people longing for the bread,
bread of life and bread for living,
bread for rising from the dead;
Young and old, both men and women,
those for whom this life is hard,
those who live in warmth and comfort,
those whose life is stained or tarred;
All are welcome, wise or foolish,
at this table all are fed,
sharing wine in celebration,
eating Christ’s communion bread.
Then in costly life and giving
we will share what we receive,
demonstrate in daily living
all that we affirm, believe. © APratt 10/12/2005
Opening sentences
As we enter into this sacred place,
put away the pressures of the world that ask us
to perform,
to take up masks,
to put on brave fronts.
Silence the voices that ask you to be perfect.
This is a community of compassion and welcoming. (EAHewitt/adapt)
All We bring all that we are and all that we yet can be,
to this safe and holy place.
Prayer of awareness
We pray:
God of sky and God of earth, we honour
your presence within us and beyond.
May we be empowered with your loving and just peace.
Amen.
Lighting of the community candle
The candle is lit
Hymn "Song of faith" (Tune: Abbeyfield, 87 87 87 87) 57 FFS
Song of faith that sings forever
through God's people, ages long,
Word that holds the world together
when our hearts take up the song,
always, always somewhere sounding,
though the source we do not see,
counterpoint to all despairing
it is hope that sets the key.
Song of faith in exultation,
rising through the vaults of prayer,
tune of simple celebration
offered up in open air,
song in chapel and cathedral,
descant to our daily tone,
song from sickbed or in prison:
faith must often sing alone.
And when life would overwhelm us,
when there seems no song to sing,
hear the constant voice of courage
out of fear and suffering:
all who've loved and trusted Jesus,
all who lift us to be strong,
endless, endless are the voices
of the faith that makes the song. (SMurray)
Welcome In your own words
A warm welcome is extended to all.
Especially those who are worshipping at St James 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
Meditation
Continuing the series of ‘After Easter’ meditations
by Michael Benedikt… Jewish by birth.
“God is here now and at hand”
Michael Benedikt. God is the good we do. Theology of theopraxy/6.
God is not out there,
or back then.
God is here, now,
and at hand.
We are larger, each one of us, than all of the galaxies combined.
This is why the rabbis said:
“to redeem one person is to redeem the world”.
Silence
Let us again listen to the silence of this sacred space.
A space made ready for us by willing hands.
Now let silence gently enfold us.
(Silence)
In this day made fresh,
In the chorus of birds,
In the scent of wild flowers,
We embrace this day in hope.
(Silence)
Music
EXPLORING
Readings from biblical tradition
Two readings from our biblical tradition shall now be read by (NN).
Hebrew scriptures: (Responsive)
Psalm 23 (Accompanied by drum beat)
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
The Lord lets me rest in green pastures
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
by still waters he leads me, restores my soul.
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
God leads me in paths that are right and true
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
for the sake of the name of my Shepherd, the Lord.
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
Silence
No drum beat
Even though I walk through the valley,
the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, - they comfort me.
Silence
Drum beat
You prepare a table before me,
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
and I’m safe from those who would harm me.
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
With oil on my head you anoint me.
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
My cup overflows with God’s goodness,
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all my life
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
and I’ll live in God’s house all my days.
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
Quieter
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
Whisper
All Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. (WPoG)
Silence
Gospel:
John 10:11-18 (Inclusive Text)
Jesus said:
"I am the good shepherd.
Good shepherds lay down their lives for their sheep.
"The hirelings, since they are not the shepherds
and the sheep do not belong to them,
abandon the sheep and run away
as soon as they see a wolf coming,
and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep.
"I am the good shepherd.
I know my own and my own know me,
just as God, who sent me, knows me, and I know God.
"And I lay down my life for the sheep.
There are other sheep I have that are not of this fold,
and these I have to lead as well.
"They too will listen to my voice,
and there will be only one flock and one shepherd.
"God loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
"No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will,
and as it is in my power to take it up again.
"And this is the command I have been given
by the One who sent me."
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
A litany of the ‘ordinary’
In response to the word reflected on, let us share a litany celebrating the ‘ordinary’.
The people remain seated
May we awaken to the presence of God,
All here in this ordinary place.
May we awaken to the power of love,
All here in this ordinary crowd.
May we build a neighbourhood of justice for all,
All now in this ordinary time.
May we daily work to build a world at peace,
All now with these ordinary hands. (JNelson-Pallmeyer/wsj)
The peace
No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey,
you are welcome here in this safe and sacred place.
So let us greet another as a sign of God's peace.
The peace and presence 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
“Where are you going?” (Tune: ‘Pilgrim Tune’, 97 66 7) 86 RP
Where are you going? God only knows.
Walk on pilgrim, pilgrim sing.
It's not where you're going.
It's how you are changing.
Come on pilgrim! Pilgrim sing!
Walk with another, walk on as one.
Come on pilgrim, pilgrim sing.
Your friends will walk with you,
and others will join you.
Walk on pilgrims! Pilgrims sing!
Walk midst the water, walk through the fire.
Walk on pilgrims, pilgrims sing.
Your God will walk with you,
your God will protect you.
Come on pilgrims! Pilgrims sing!
Climb up the mountain, follow the sun.
Come on pilgrims, pilgrims sing.
The leaves turn to auburn
to welcome the autumn.
Walk on pilgrims! Pilgrims sing!
God is behind you, God is ahead.
Walk on pilgrims, pilgrims sing.
The winter may chill you,
the spring will enchant you.
Come on pilgrims! Pilgrims sing!
Summer is coming, spirit of joy.
Come on pilgrims, pilgrims sing.
Then dance as you travel,
sing 'hail resurrection'.
Walk on pilgrims! Pilgrims sing! (APratt)
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 Father, may your name be holy.
May your rule take place.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Pardon our debts, for we ourselves pardon
everyone in debt to us.
And do not bring us to trial
into a trying situation. (BMack/Q)
Conversation with the children
"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)
CELEBRATING COMMUNITY: SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
Offerings
Our offerings for the celebration of life in this place and beyond,
and our gifts of bread and wine, shall now be received.
Presentation
Here today, through money, bread and wine,
we renew our unity with one another,
and with all those who have gone before us in this place.
Here today, through money, bread and wine,
we renew our communion with the earth
and our interwovenness with the broken ones of the world.
The story
We are reminded again of the tradition that surrounds this story.
Long ago, as was his custom, Jesus shared a meal with his friends.
He took bread, gave thanks, and broke it.
And handed it to his friends, inviting them to eat:
'Remember all that I have been to you'.
Long ago, during that same meal,
Jesus poured a cup of wine, offered thanks for it,
and gave it to his friends:
‘Remember me and give thanks for all I have given'.
Thanksgiving
Creativity God, Source of Life, we offer our thanks.
All The smell of gums after rain,
The surprise of ducks in flight,
The taste of peach and plum and nectarine.
For all gifts simple and profound,
in country and city,
in paddock, or back yard and on lake:
All We give thanks.
We who hold all such good things in trust join in the praise of all people:
All Holy! Holy! Holy!
Heaven and earth are holy and good.
Holy is peace.
All Holy is truth. Holy is love.
In this season of transition as the leaves continue their subtle change of colour
and our hearts cling to the warmth as the days shorten,
once again we are reminded,
that new possibilities can rise from our failures
or disappointments
or what has come to an end.
We give thanks for all the influences for good in our lives
that have helped us to become more human and humane:
more loving,
more compassionate,
more courageous,
more just,
more intelligent.
All God is not done with creation.
God is not done with us.
Nor are we done with God. (MBenedikt/ggwd)
Especially we give thanks for Jesus of Nazareth,
gatherer of folk,
teller of stories,
breaker of bread,
pourer of wine,
weaver of lives.
In his life, wisdom, stories and social vision
we recall the words he spoke to call forth in us
love, care and respect for one another:
All And we believe the same Spirit of God
that came to visibility in Jesus
yearns for visible expression in us. (MMorwood/pns)
Bread and Wine
So we take this bread and this wine...
The bread is broken... the wine poured, in silence.
Bread broken…
Wine poured out… for the life of the world.
Communion
Come, taste of this same bread and wine...
Gifts of the earth.
Work of human hands.
Distribution of bread and wine
After Communion
May the bread and the wine and the remembering
be a blessing on us all.
SCATTERING
Hymn “A firemist and a planet” (Tune: 'Thornbury', 76 76D, 15 TiS). 343 (v1-2) SLT
A firemist and a planet,
a crystal and a cell,
a starfish and a saurian,
and caves where ancients dwelt;
the sense of law and beauty,
a face turned from the sod
- some call it evolution,
and others call it God.
Haze on the far horizon,
the infinite tender sky,
the ripe, rich tints of [wheat]fields,
and wild geese sailing high;
and over high and low-land,
the charm of golden rod
- some people call it autumn,
and others call it God.
Words of mission
Let us take on this week’s life with renewed hope and imagination...
The candle is extinguished
May we truly pay attention to the world as it is,
with all its joys and sorrows.
All And may we learn to find joy in savoring
rather than consuming. (JNelson-Pallmeyer/wsj)
Blessing words
Go forth into this day with confidence in the
enabling spirit of God that challenges and
nurtures you to growth.
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont). “A firemist…” (Tune: 'Thornbury', 76 76D, 15 TiS) 343 (v1-2) SLT
Like tides on crescent sea-beach,
when moon's so new and thin,
into our hearts high yearnings
come welling, surging in,
come from the mystic ocean
whose rim not foot has trod
- some people call it longing,
and others call it God.
A sentry lone and frozen,
a mother starved for her brood,
and Socrates' dread hemlock,
and Jesus on the rood;
and millions, who, though nameless,
the straight, hard pathway trod,
- some call it consecration,
and others call it God. Wm H Carruth
The people sit
'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:
Benedikt, M. 2007. God is the good we do. Theology of theopraxy. NY: New York. Bottino Books.
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.
Faith forever singing. Songs for a new day. 2000. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Inclusive readings. Year B. 2005. Qld: Brisbane. Inclusive Language Project. In private circulation.
Iona Community. 2001. Iona abbey worship book. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Nelson-Pallmeyer, J; B. Hesle. 2005. Worship in the spirit of Jesus. Theology, liturgy, and songs without violence. OH: Cleveland. The Pilgrim Press.
Mack, B. L. 1993. The lost gospel. The book of Q and christian origins. NY: New York. HarperSanFrancisco.
Morwood, M. 2003. Praying a new story. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
Pratt, A. 2006. Reclaiming praise. Hymns from a spiritual journey. GtB: London. Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Seasons of the Spirit/Whole people of God.
Singing the living tradition. 1993. MA: Boston. UUA.
Stinson, J. 2006. “The encounter of progressive christian theology with the language of prayer and ritual on Sunday morning”. Westar Institute/Westar Leaders Seminar. March 2006.
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/>
Andrew Pratt eMail distribution. UK.