Revd Rex A E Hunt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE
26 July 2009. Pentecost 8B. (Green).
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
Come into this place.
Together we make it a holy place with our every act of worship.
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life
in the presentness of God.
(Silence)
Lighting of the community candle
The candle is lit
Hymn “Jesus comes to me…” (Tune: ‘Joy”). 77 AA
Jesus comes to me as a springtime tree
and I receive him as a springtime tree.
Fragrant the blossoming of the child,
fresh with laughter, free and wild,
and carrying the green of summer.
Jesus comes to me as a summer tree
and I receive him as a summer tree.
Warm in the sun and richly laid
with patterns of growth through light and shade,
and carrying the fire of autumn.
Jesus comes to me as an autumn tree
and I receive him as an autumn tree.
Season of ripeness, brightly ablaze
like a torch in the quietness of closing days
and carrying the wood of winter.
Jesus comes to me as a winter tree
and I receive him as a winter tree.
Gentle the cross and gentle the snow,
gentle the path where he and I go,
carrying the buds of spring. (JCowley)
Opening sentences
Together, God in us, in human life,
Wn Creating us, in our uniqueness,
Mn Uniting us in our solidarity,
Wn Holding us in our belonging,
Mn Cradling us in our vulnerability,
Seeking us in our searching for justice and peace,
All Together, God in us, in our humanity (Adapt.FBallantyne/tpp).
Prayer of awareness
We pray:
May the joys and the concerns of this present day
move and jolt us to our greater selves
and our greater thoughts. RKleinheksel/adapted
Amen.
Hymn “O God of earth and space” (Tune: ‘Leoni’, 66 84D. 125 TiS)
O God of earth and space,
of sea and fire and air,
Your providence surrounds us here
and everywhere.
In fruit and grain and tree,
in shelter from the cold,
In cooling breezes, flowing wells,
now as of old.
Where faithfulness is shown,
where love and truth abound,
Where beauty graces human life,
there you are found.
Inspirer of all thought!
Creative force of art!
The melody on every tongue,
in every heart!
Wherever freedom reigns,
where sin is overthrown,
Where justice fused with mercy rules,
there you are known.
Give us the courage clear,
to make the earth a home,
For all to live in harmony,
in Christ’s shalom. JPHuber/C3ccc
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
Reflection
"To the God above God..."
By Gary Kowalski. UUA Worship Web.
To the God above God we turn our thoughts in meditation.
To the God above the god of any single nation,
who unites the people of the world
in the bonds of kinship and peace;
To the God above the god of any single ideology,
who knows that one human life
is more valuable than all the systems in the world;
To the God above the god of any single religion,
whose goodness and inspiration
are the possession of people of all faiths;
To the God above God
who brings humility to our minds
and reverence to our hearts...
We dedicate ourselves in work and in prayer.
Silence
Now let silence gently enfold us.
(Silence)
May the silence which we now share
quieten us,
touch our need,
refresh our courage,
enlarge our wonder.
(Silence)
Music
EXPLORING
Readings from broad religious tradition
Two readings from our broad religious tradition shall now be offered.
The world around us:
"Just a housewife"
By Cordelia Baker-Pearce. Celebrating women/44.
I packed five cakes of bread and two small fishes,
Sent him off, my youngest lad,
To take his father's dinner to the field.
Came back alone he did, all goggle-eyed.
My fresh-baked bread that varmint gave away
To some young travelling preacher out of Galilee.
It fed five thousand people.
What a tale!
It can't be true... but if it is.
What kind of dough did these hands knead
This morning?
Gospel:
Mark 6: 35-44 (NRSV)
It had grown dark, so the disciples came to Jesus and said:
‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late;
send them away so they may go into the surrounding country and villages
and buy something for themselves to eat.’
But Jesus answered:
‘You give them something to eat.’
They replied:
‘Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread,
and give it to them to eat?’
Jesus replied:
‘How many loaves have you? Go and see.’
When they had found out, they said:
‘Five, and two fish.’
Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down
in groups of hundreds and of fifties.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish,
he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves,
and gave them to his disciples to set before the people;
and he divided the two fish among them all.
And all ate and were filled;
and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.
Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
A litany: Life in all its fullness
The people stand as they are able
Bless you Wise and Holy One,
for your down-to-earth vision
of the best of what human life can be.
All Bless you Wise and Holy One,
for your call to life in all its fullness…
v1 when we honour who we are as easily
as we are enthralled by what others
want us to be;
v2 when we stop pursuing happiness
and let it embrace us;
v3 when we love
not in the hope of getting
but for the joy of giving;
v4 when love is not
what-you-can-do-for-me
but what-we-can-be together;
v5 when we choose our leaders
not for their image
but for their imagination,
not for the politics they play
but for the principles they live;
v6 when our economy thrives
on our expressing who we are
not on our spending what we have;
v7 when the earth itself
is our communion table;
v8 when we bite into theology's questions
as readily as we swallow technology’s answers;
v9 when we celebrate today as not just all we have
but all we need.
Bless you Wise and Holy One
All for calling us to life in all its fullness,
not just hereafter, but here and now. (NSD Esdon.edited/ea)
The peace
God makes peace within us. Let us claim it.
God makes peace between us. Let us share it (nwi).
Let us greet another as a sign of God's peace.
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
“Where are the voices” (Tune: ‘Portent’) 75 FFS
Where are the voices for the earth?
Where are the eyes to see her pain,
wasted by our consuming path,
weeping the tears of poisoned rain?
Sacred the soil that hugs the seed,
sacred the silent fall of snow,
sacred the world that God decreed,
water and sun and river flow.
Where shall we run who break this code,
where shall tomorrow's children be,
left with the ruined gifts of God,
death for the creatures, land and sea?
We are the voices for the earth,
we who will care enough to cry,
cherish her beauty, clear her breath,
live that our planet may not die. (SMurray)
CELEBRATING
Offerings
Our offerings for the celebration of life in this place and beyond,
shall now be received.
Presentation
May these offerings which we now present, be a sign of our gratitude
and a sign of our hope
for life and the world (Adapt.FMacnab/h).
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)
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 joy and in sorrow
All We do not walk alone (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 Life-Giver, Pain-Bearer, Love-Maker.
Source of all that is and that shall be.
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed
by all peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done
by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
now and forever. Amen. (UIW2)
SCATTERING
Hymn “Travelling the road to freedom” (Tune: ‘Travelling’). 52 EOA
Travelling the road to freedom.
Who wants to travel the road with me?
Feted by noise and branches
And banners hanging from every tree;
Cheered on by frenzied people,
Puzzled by what they hear and see:
Travelling the road to freedom,
Who wants to travel the road with me?
Travelling the road to freedom.
Who wants to travel the road with me?
Partnered by staunch supporters
Who, come the dark, will turn and flee;
Nourished by faith and patience,
Neither of which is plain to see:
Travelling the road to freedom,
Who wants to travel the road with me?
Remain standing
Words of mission
Let us go in faith to ponder in our hearts
the mystery and the wonder of this season...
The candle is extinguished
A blessing on you who are poor.
All yours is the realm of God.
A blessing on you who mourn,
All you shall be comforted.
A blessing on you who hunger for justice,
All you shall be satisfied.
A blessing on you who make peace,
All you shall be called children of God.
A blessing on you who are persecuted in the cause of right,
All yours is the realm of heaven.
Blessing words
As the many threads are made one in the cloth,
as the many grains are made one in the bread,
as the many grapes are made one in the wine,
so we who are many are made one
as we gather around this table. (Adapt. NSlee/bb)
All Amen!
Hymn (Cont). “Travelling the road to freedom” (Tune: ‘Travelling’). 52 EOA
Travelling the road to freedom.
Who wants to travel the road with me?
Tipping the scales of justice,
Setting both minds and captives free;
Suffering and yet forgiving,
Even when my friends most disagree:
Travelling the road to freedom,
Who wants to travel the road with me?
Travelling the road to freedom.
I am the Way, I’ll take you there.
Choose to come on the journey,
Or choose to criticise and stare.
Earth’s mesmerising evil
Only a traveller can repair.
Travelling the road to freedom,
I am the Way, I’ll take you there. (Bell/Maule)
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:
Alleluia Aotearoa. Hymns and songs for all churches. 1993. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust
Bell, J; G. Maule. 1990. Enemy of apathy. Wild Goose Songs Vol. 2. Revised edition. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
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.
Burgess, R. 2001. A book of blessings. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Duncan, G. (ed). 2005. Entertaining angels. A worship anthology on sharing Christ’s hospitality. GtB: Norwich. The Canterbury Press.
Duncan, G. (ed). 2003. Timeless prayers for peace. Voices together from around the world. GtB: Norwich. The Canterbury Press.
Faith forever singing. Songs for a new day. 2000. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Holy Bible. NRSV. 1989. Ten: Nashville. Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Iona Community. 2001. Iona abbey worship book. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Macnab, F. 1996. Hope: The deeper longings of the mind and heart. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
The St Hilda Community. 1996. The new women included. A book of services and prayers. GtB: London. SPCK.
Uniting in Worship 2. 2005. NSW: Sydney. Uniting Church Press.
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/>
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake. MI. <www.christ-community.net/>