The Uniting Church of St James
Curtin, ACT
Minister-in-Placement: Revd Rex A E Hunt, MSc(Hons), GradDipCommMgt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE
CELEBRATION OF LIFE
25 February 2007. Lent 1. (Purple).
10.30am. Contemporary liturgical worship
Acknowledgement of land
(An act towards reconciliation by the Church of St James, Curtin.)
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 Ngunnawal People and their stewardship
of this land throughout the ages.
St James 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
Blessed is our God always,
now and for ever
and to the ages of ages.
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life
in the presentness of God.
Lighting of the Community candle
A candle is lit
We light our candle to illuminate the world we seek.
In the search for truth, may we be just.
In the search for justice, may we be loving.
And, in loving, may we find peace. Elizabeth McMaster
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
"We're standing here on holy ground" (Tune: Ellacombe(2) 86 86D, 453 TiS)
We're standing here on holy ground,
on land your hand has made;
Your art displayed in timeless rocks,
in purple haze and space;
Its mighty gums and feathery ferns
your beauty magnify.
Tread softly then, in awe reflect,
and listen to the land.
We're standing here on holy ground,
on land which ancients trod.
They wrote your law in hills and streams
in rocks and caves and trees;
A law to tell us who we are,
to guide and make us strong.
Tread gently then, respect the earth,
remember whence we've come.
We're standing here on holy ground,
on land that toil has shaped.
It's fertile plains will feed us all,
when tilled with care and love.
But mindless greed and drought and flood
wreak havoc in the land.
Then let us tread with love the earth,
that's fed us faithfully.
We're standing here on holy ground,
on land we long to share,
Where each has space and equity,
and neither want nor fear
But demons fierce are dancing here
of race and greed and hate.
Engrave upon our wills, we pray,
your ancient covenant law.
We're standing here on holy ground,
we seek your rule on earth;
Your will be done in politics,
in law court, market, church;
Your gentleness among us reign,
and each one dwell secure;
May generations yet unborn,
live here in harmony. © John Brown. (Adapted - Verses 1-2, 4-6)
Remain standing
Opening sentences
In hope, in longing
All We're glad to come together.
In trust, in community
All We're glad to come together.
In many moods, in many shapes and sizes
All We're glad to come together.
In peace, in joy
All We're glad to come together.
In solidarity with those who struggle
All We're glad to come together.
In resistance to those who dominate
All We're glad to come together.
In memory of Jesus, who lived with compassion
All We're glad to come together.
In assurance that we belong here
All We're glad to come together this Lenten season. (Nelson-Pallmeyer/wsj)
Prayer of awareness
We pray:
Remind us, O Spirit, that life is worth living.
Remind us, O Creator, that the struggle for justice
is worth undertaking.
Remind us, O Mercy, that love and action are one.
Amen. (Nelson-Pallmeyer/wsj)
Hymn "Love will be our Lenten calling" (Tune: Picardy, 87 87 87) 684 TiS
People sit after the hymn
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
"Tender God, touch us"
By Carter Heyward. Celebrating women/145.
Centering silence
Let us take a moment to settle into the silence.
(Silence)
“Bless the Lord my soul” (2)
Silence
In these brief moments of silence and meditation
may we find strength.
May our lives be rich in affection,
deep in understanding and
sympathy for each other.
“Bless the Lord my soul” (7)
May the blessings of life be known to all.
(Silence) Bob Holmes/adapted
EXPLORING
Readings from our religious tradition
Some readings from our broad religious tradition
shall now be offered.
Our reader is Merilyn Tandukar.
Contemporary world:
"We dare to imagine a world where..."
By Linda Jones. Let justice roll down/36.
We dare to imagine a world
Where hunger has no chance to show its face
We dare to dream of a world where war and terror
are afraid to leave their mark
We long to believe in a world of hope
unchained and lives unfettered
We dare to share in the creation of a world
where people break free.
Dare we open our own minds to difference?
Dare we open our own lives to change?
Your realm come, O Holy One
Your will be done. (Adapted)
Gospel:
Luke 4: 1-13 (Inclusive Text)
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness,
being tempted there by the devil for forty days.
During that time Jesus ate nothing and at the end was famished.
Then the devil said,
'If you are the One born of God, tell this stone
to turn into a loaf.'
But Jesus replied,
'Scripture says: No one lives on bread alone.’
Then leading Jesus to a height, the devil showed him in a moment
of time all the nations of the world and said,
'I will give you all this power and the glory of these
for it has been committed to me,
and I give it to anyone I choose.
'Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.'
But Jesus answered,
'Scripture says: you must worship your God, whom alone
you must serve.'
Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem and made him stand
on the parapet of the Temple.
'If you are the One born of God', the devil said,
'throw yourself down from here, for Scripture says,
"God will put angels in charge of you to guard you,"
and again,
"On their hands they will bear you up in case
you will hurt your foot against a stone".
But Jesus answered the devil,
'It has been said, "You must not put your God to the test".
Having exhausted all these ways of tempting Jesus,
the devil left to return at a more opportune time.
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
Litany for Lent
In response to the word reflected on
let us share together a litany celebrating Lent.
The people stand as they are able
O Sustainer and giver of life,
free your people from the temptations of power,
from the urge to control rather than enable.
All Come, Spirit, liberate us
from the forces of domination.
O Loving Empowerer,
help us to challenge abuse of authority wherever it is to be found,
including in ourselves.
All Come, Spirit, give us strength
not to walk by on the other side.
O Still Small Voice,
help the People of God to learn to listen to each other,
and those in authority to understand the strength
that comes from true consultation.
All Come, Spirit of Understanding,
deepen our insights.
O Loving Creator,
help us to affirm ourselves and others,
understanding that we are all uniquely created
and have a voice that needs to be heard.
All Come, Creator of Diversity,
and help us see the value of difference.
O God who made both women and men in your image,
help your church not to deface its image
by treating women as inferior beings.
Help us to recognise and challenge discrimination
based on gender, race, sexual orientation,
clericalism and other excuses for exclusion.
All Come, Spirit of Equality, and imbue us with the values
of interconnectedness with all created nature,
human and non-human. (D McEwan/ml)
The peace
God makes peace within us. Let us claim it.
God makes peace between us. Let us share it.
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.
CELEBRATING
Hymn of the Month The people stand as they are able, to sing
“May the mystery of God enfold us” (Tune: ‘Marlborough Sounds’) 95 AA
May the mystery of God enfold us,
may the wisdom of God uphold us,
may the fragrance of God be around us,
may the brightness of God surround us,
may the wonder of God renew us,
may the loving of God flow through us,
may the peace of God deeply move us,
may the moving of God bring us peace. Joy Cowley
The people sit
The offering Offerings are presented
Let us bring our offerings as a symbol of our ministry
in this place and beyond.
The presentation The people stand as the gifts are brought forward
We pray:
God, by our smallest actions,
we become part of a bigger world.
The smallest giving can be an expression
of the good spirit of generosity and caring.
Help us to carry through the doorway of each new day
this good spirit of generosity and caring. (F Macnab)
Amen.
Offerings/bread and wine placed on the table.
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)
Care candle
Joys and concerns
The Care candle is lit
Prayers
Pastoral
Lord's Prayer
You are invited to pray the Lord's Prayer in your original language, as that is 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 The people stand as they are able, to sing
“It all depends” (Tune: Te Horo) 39 FFS
It all depends on where I'm going
if I reach my anywhere,
but this I'm surely, surely knowing,
that I'll never leave God's care;
it all depends on when I'm travelling,
maybe now or maybe then,
but the Son of God will lead me
through each where and why and when.
It all depends on how I'm choosing
for the life that is in me,
but I will never lose the hand of Christ,
the one who walks with me;
if I stumble or I falter
he will steady me once more,
for there is no darkest pathway
that we cannot both explore.
Words of mission
Let us embrace the wonder of this week
with expectation and imagination...
The candle is extinguished
Now may our wisdom show itself
in deeds of compassion
and in acts of understanding.
All May the fruits of the spirit
be apparent in our lives (Adapted/Philip R Giles)
Blessing words
May the love that gives to life its beauty,
the reverence that gives to life its sacredness,
and the purposes that give to life its deep significance
be strong within each of us
and lead us into ever deepening relationships
with all of life. George G. Brooks
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont.) “It all depends” (Tune: Te Horo) 39 FFS
It all depends on who comes with me
if I break or if I bend,
but this I'm surely, surely knowing,
God will be there at the end -
in the laughter and the sadness,
in the pleasure or the pain,
by my side and all about me
God's own Spirit will remain. Colin Gibson
The people sit after the hymn
'This week' at St James
Notices
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Significant events
Journeys
Recessional 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.
The contemporary hymns used in this liturgy,
in addition to those from Together in Song,
are reproduced with permission under license #A1197.
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.
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.
Duncan, G. (ed). 2003. Let justice roll down. A worship resource for lent, holy week & easter. OH: Cleveland. The Pilgrim Press.
Faith forever singing. Songs for a new day. 2000. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Holmes, R. H. 1972. The Bob Holmes worship materials. Vol. 1. NY: Little Falls. Self published.
Inclusive readings. Year C. 2006. Qld: Brisbane. Inclusive Language Project. In private circulation.
Iona Community. 2001. Iona abbey worship book. Scotland: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Macnab, F. 1996. Hope: The deeper longings of the mind and heart. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
McEwan, D. et al. (ed). 2001. Making liturgy. Creating rituals for worship and life. Gt. Britain: Norwich. The Canterbury Press.
Nelson-Pallmeyer, J; B. Hesle. 2005. Worship in the spirit of Jesus. Theology, liturgy, and songs without violence. OH: Cleveland. The Pilgrim Press.
Special resources. UCA National Assembly. (Issued from time to time).
The St Hilda Community. 1996. The new women included. A book of services and prayers. Gt. Britain: London. SPCK.
Together in song. Australian hymn book 2. 1999. NSW: Sydney. HarperCollins Religious.
Ward, H.; J. Wild, J Morley. (ed). 1995. Celebrating women. New edition. Gt. Britain: London. SPCK.
Web sites:
UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. UUA.
PAGE
PAGE 1