Revd Rex A E Hunt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE
3 January 2010. Epiphany 1C. (White).
Celebrating community: Sacrament of Holy Communion
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) 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 celebration
The gong is sounded three times
Seek not in some far away place for beauty.
It glows in dew-wet grasses all about our feet;
In birds, in sunshine, in a flower blooming…
In life’s common deeds and earth’s common things
God stands revealed. (Adapt.MJSavage/owos)
So let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life
in the presentness of God.
Lighting of candle
A candle is lit
Divine spark from sacred dark
Symbol of our holy intent
illuminate this hour. (KHuff)
Hymn The people stand, as they are able to sing
“Look in wonder” (Tune: ‘Look in wonder’, 87 87 87 87) 29 TEL
Look in wonder, hold in honour
all the beauty of the earth!
World, surrender to her splendor:
God's own blessing for her birth;
sense and savor every colour,
every season, sun to star,
see the measure of this treasure,
all we nurture, all we mar.
Every creature by its nature
shares the cycle, life's design,
every human, man and woman
joins the circle, moves the line;
look in horror, look in anger –
these are lifestreams we destroy!
Tree and river gone forever,
bird and flower dead to joy.
In this garden, Eve and Adam
still are given time and place,
ours to cherish, ours to nourish,
ocean, water, land and space;
God, unnerve us, God, forgive us:
how we plunder, waste and war!
Give new meaning to earth's greening,
that the beauty thrives once more. SEMurray
Remain standing
Opening sentences
God of all creation -
Be with each one of us,
All as growth, creativity and healing,
as light and wisdom.
Spirit of the living God -
Live within our community,
All giving courage to dispel fear,
and resolve conflict,
giving fire to inflame with love.
Spirit of Peace -
Dwell with us so that we may
All know your presence in silences and stillness,
know your vision for your people.
Spirit of Love and Power -
Open our living to your power, so we may
All open ourselves to the joy and pain of others
open ourselves to justice truth and freedom.
(Pause)
All God of all creation
Come into our bodies,
and your body, the church
making us your new creation.
Prayer of awareness
We pray:
Illuminating God, each sunrise and sunset
reminds us of your constant presence.
Awaken in each of us
the possibility for new life, new vision
and renewed energy. (TWatts/s)
Amen.
Hymn “Epiphany hymn” (Tune: ‘Highwood’, 11 10 11 10, 617 TiS)
Deep in the darkness a starlight is gleaming,
Calling us out from the safety of home.
God of the questions, the mystery of dreaming,
Lighten our journey into the unknown.
Out of the darkness the voices are crying,
Terror and fear screaming loud in the night.
God of the hurting, of innocence dying,
Fire us with anger to struggle for right.
Still in the darkness we search for your healing,
Hoping for meaning to comfort our fear.
God of the silence, of unspoken feeling,
Teach us the wisdom to make your truth clear.
On through the darkness we follow your leading,
Searching for joy and a refuge to stay.
God of our longing, the bliss we are seeking,
journey with us to the brightness of day. JBerry/ssb
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.
Those visiting, please sign our Visitors book.
CENTERING
Centering silence
Now let silence gently enfold us.
(Silence)
In this day made fresh,
In the chorus of birds,
In the scent of garden flowers,
We embrace this day in hope.
(Silence)
Music of reflection
EXPLORING
Readings from our broad religious tradition
A reading and a reflection from our broad
religious tradition shall now be read.
From the world around us:
“Gathering”
By Rosemary Mitchell. Birthings and blessings/94.
God speaks!
with excitement!
with enthusiasm!
with new life!
God is present!
God is with us!
nothing can separate us!
Even when we feel unsure,
unclear,
confused,
even when we feel broken to the core of our being -
We hold fast to God's love,
God's acceptance,
we are always welcome in God's household.
We will each, once again,
feel like a well-watered garden.
Full of life!
Radiant in the sun!
It will be good.
It is good.
Gospel:
Matthew 2:1-12 (Inclusive Text)
After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea
during the reign of Herod, some wise leaders came to Jerusalem
from the east.
'Where is the newborn ruler of the Jews?' they asked.
'We saw his star as it rose and have come to do homage.'
At this news Herod was greatly disturbed,
and all Jerusalem as well.
Herod called together all the chief priests and
the scribes of the people, and inquired of them
where the Christ was to be born.
‘In Bethlehem in Judaea,' they said, 'for this is what
the prophet wrote:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah
you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd
my people Israel.'
Then Herod summoned the wise leaders privately,
and asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared,
and sent them to Bethlehem.
'Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found this child, let me know, so that I too
may go and pay homage.'
Having listened to what Herod had to say, they set out.
And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising;
it went forward and halted over the place where the child was.
The sight of the star filled them with delight,
and going into the house they saw the child
with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees
they paid homage.
Then, opening their treasures, they offered gifts
of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod,
and returned to their own country by a different way.
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
A litany for Epiphany
People stand as they are able
v3 When a star in the sky
marked where the new King of the Jews had been born,
wise and learned ones came to Jerusalem looking for him.
Like the wise ones we ask
All Where can we find you, Affirming One?
v1 They brought to the child, with his mother Mary,
their most precious gifts and worshipped him.
We have no treasure to offer nor any star to guide us.
We bring only devotion to your will.
Like the wise ones we ask
All Where can we find you, Amazing One?
v2 Do we look for someone who is rich and powerful,
living in a five-star hotel,
or for the One who had nowhere to lay his head?
Like the wise ones we ask
All Where can we find you, Gracious One?
v3 Are you in the crowded shops during the post-Christmas sales?
Will we find you in the endless round of pre-Christmas
office parties, or squatting homeless in some condemned building?
Like the wise ones we ask
All Where can we find you, Imagining One?
v1 You were in the world but they did not know you.
You came to your own and they did not receive you.
There was no room for you at the inn.
Is there any room for you in our hearts?
Like the wise ones we ask
All Where can we find you, Caring One?
The peace
Let us take a moment to celebrate each other.
The peace of God is here... to stay.
All Thanks be to God.
Hymn “God present to all” (Tune: ‘Ombersley’, 88 88. 567 TiS) 26 SNS
Creation sings amazing songs;
This is the place where God belongs
In movement, colour to behold
In past and future yet untold.
Source of all life's vitality
Enlivens love consistently;
We see God's presence in each face,
In kindly deeds and acts of grace.
Deep in our soul with vision clear
We see God's presence re-appear
Each time a human babe is born,
Each time we rise to greet the dawn.
Wonderful visions constantly
Express great beauty as we see
God's presence in humanity,
So vivid once in Galilee. (GStuart)
The 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 this abundant blessing
All We share the joy.
In this, our time of need,
All May love abound (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 Loving Presence, luminous in all creation,
hallowed be your name.
Thy kin-dom come.
May we reflect on earth
the yielding perfection of the heavens.
Help us to receive an illumed measure from the earth this day.
Forgive us when we trespass against others,
human and other than human,
as we forgive others who trespass against us.
Keep us on the path of wisdom
when we are tempted to take the selfish path.
May it be your rule we follow,
your power we exercise,
and your radiance that allures.
May this be the truth that guides our lives,
the ground from which our future will grow,
until we meet again. (BSanguin/dddc)
CELEBRATING
CELEBRATING COMMUNITY: SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
Invitation
In all the colours and scents and sounds of the world,
In all growing things,
In all creatures and people and their joy,
In the chorus of suns and planets and stars,
We would see God's signature
as the beauty of things. (Adapt. JTrapp)
The offerings
Our offerings for the work of ministry in this city and beyond,
and our gifts of bread and wine, shall now be received.
The presentation People stand as they are able, as offerings/gifts are presented
God of splendour,
your goodness sustains us,
and your graciousness gives us hope.
May we and these gifts of bread, wine and money
be used to further your way of love, hope, and justice.
Offerings/bread and wine are placed on table.
People sit
Thanksgiving
God of the summer’s day,
All Praise and wonder be.
God of the lingering sunset and early dawn,
All Praise and wonder be.
God of the hot north wind and the refreshing shower,
God of the shady tree and the cool water bag,
God of the ripening harvest and sparkling sea,
All Praise and wonder be.
We gather together
conscious that raising our hearts and minds
is a gift of the Spirit of Life at work
in the depths of our being.
All For the presence of that Spirit in us,
we give thanks.
We gather together
conscious that our prayer
gives the Spirit a way of breaking into word and song
unique in all the universe.
All For the words and songs within each of us,
we give thanks.
We gather together
mindful of men and women
throughout human history
who allowed the Spirit of Life
to work in them
for the betterment of our world and humanity.
All For their lives and their inspiration,
we give thanks.
And so we offer our thanks and praise
inviting the Spirit of Life, Love and Goodness
to move freely in our words and actions.
All Holy, holy, holy, celebrating God,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
All Hosanna in the highest.
Jesus is the story we gather around and give thanks for.
Human like us, he discerned
where this Spirit of Life is found:
in the everyday,
in human interaction,
in caring,
in sharing,
in being neighbour.
He urged people to work together
to establish the 'reign of God'
by wholehearted generosity,
by eliminating boundaries between people,
by trust in the goodness of people,
and by working for peace and justice
in all human endeavours.
All We remember his total commitment
to living fully and loving totally
and his faith in a God to be trusted
whatever twists life could take
in this imperfect world. (Adapt.MMorwood/pns)
We also remember the tradition...
On the night before Jesus was handed over
he again shared a meal with his friends.
Through grain and grape, bread and wine,
and in fellowship together,
Jesus spoke of his enduring love for each of them.
So we take this bread and this wine
mindful of the Spirit at work in our lives,
in the ordinary,
in the everyday,
and in our desire to love as generously as Jesus loved.
And all the people shall reply.
All Amen.
Bread and wine
Bread is broken.
We break this bread giving our Amen to God
living and loving in us.
Wine poured out.
We fill this cup with the fruit of the vine,
reminding us of promises to love,
of love generously shared,
of Jesus who loved so totally,
and our call to love as courageously as Jesus loved.
Communion
And they recognised him in the breaking of the bread.
Bread and wine served around the Table in small groups
After communion
We give thanks for the Spirit of Life
visible in Jesus,
visible in us,
visible in people in all walks of life.
We give thanks for faith
that recognises and names this presence
and this bonding of all people.
We pray that we will allow
the life and the teaching of Jesus
to motivate all that we do
so that what we profess to have seen in his life
and heard in his teaching
might be evident in our living and loving
SCATTERING
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
“You are born in us again” (Tune: ‘Dunstan’) 52 (v1-2) COC
You are born in us again
Like the warmth of the summer wind you come,
to melt away the icicles of vanity and pride;
you come to blow the very doors of loving open wide.
Like the warmth of the summer wind you come,
like the warmth of the summer wind you come.
You are born in us again
Like the scent of the summer rain you come,
You come to quench the thirsty and to freshen up the land;
you come to clean away the dust that settled in our hand.
Like the scent of the summer rain you come,
like the scent of the summer rain you come.
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
Be assured that God’s presence goes with us.
All We face the world with renewed faith and hope;
God’s word abides with us.
Let your hearts burn within you
as you dare to trust.
All God’s love is real and alive in us.
Live in gratitude each and every day;
All We will love sincerely and live confidently.
Blessing words
May the God you see in all the colours of creation
arouse in you a sense of awe and wonder.
May the God who is a sacred presence be real to you.
May the God who is a source of inspiration and courage
keep calling you forward.
May your God go with you, and bless you. (FMacnab)
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont.) “You are born in us again” (Tune: ‘Dunstan’) 52 (v3) COC
You are born in us again
Like the light of the summer sun you come,
to ive light to the places that have never seen the Son;
you come now to embrace us, you’re the holy, holy one.
Like the light of the summer sun you come,
like the light of the summer sun you come. (MWilson)
The people sit after the hymn, then prepare to leave
Recessional music
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:
Duncan, G. (ed). 2001. Shine on, star of bethlehem. A worship resource for advent, christmas and epiphany. GtB: Norwich. The Canterbury Press.
Harrington, D. S. 1980. Outstretched wings of the spirit. On being intelligently and devotedly religious. MA: Boston. UUA.
Inclusive readings. Year C. 2006. QLD: Brisbane. Inclusive Language Project. In private circulation.
Iona Community. 2001. Iona abbey worship book. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Mitchell, R. C; G. A. Ricciuti. 1992. Birthings and blessings. Liberating worship services for the inclusive church. NY: New York. Crossroads.
Morwood, M. 2003. Praying a new story. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
Murray, S. E. 2008. Touch the earth lightly. New hymns written between 2003 & 2008. IL: Carol Stream. Hope Publishing.
Sanguin, B. 2007. Darwin, divinity, and the dance of the cosmos. An ecological Christianity. Canada: Kelowna. CopperHouse.
Stuart, G. 2009. Singing a new song. Traditional hymn tunes with new century lyrics. Volume 2. NSW: Toronto. George Stuart.
Vosper, G. 2008. With or without God. Why the way we live is more important that what we believe. Canada: Toronto. HarperCollins.
Watts, T; G. Lord. 2005. Sanctuary. Where heaven touches earth. A group resource for those seeking simplicity, silence, and nurture. Canada: Kelowna. Wood Lake Books.
Withrow, L. 1995. Seasons of prayer. Resources for worship. GtB: London. SPCK.
Web sites:
Huff, Trapp. UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. http://uua.org/spirituallife/worshipweb/index.php
Francis Macnab. St Michael’s Uniting Church Web site. VIC Melbourne.