Revd Rex A E Hunt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE
20 June 2010. Pentecost 4C. (Green).
Celebrating community: Sacrament of Holy Communion
Anniversary, Uniting Church in Australia
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
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 community candle
The candle is lit
v1 We are called.
We are named.
We are constituted and owned.
Our very bones are knit together,
Our sinews and muscles woven,
And blood poured through our veins.
v2 We are called here,
Reformed, renewed and reconstituted as the people of God.
By the goodness of God we are here today
made new as the body of Christ.
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
“Spirit of Grace” (Tune: ‘Kremser” 12 11 12 12. 107 TiS)
Come fire of the Spirit, God’s presence revealing.
Come love of the Trinity, live among us.
Inspiring, uniting and giving us your healing –
Strong Spirit bringing justice, good Spirit of grace.
You move in the cosmos, creating, redeeming.
The bush and the desert, the rivers, the seas,
You call us to cherish as stewards of your dreaming –
We praise you living Spirit, good Spirit of grace.
You drive out suspicion, resentment, division.
You foster inclusive community care.
Empower us with passion and drive us into mission.
We praise you Holy Spirit, good Spirit of grace.
The love of the Spirit, the love of Christ Jesus,
The love of the Father, poured out in our midst.
Creation’s new future will grow afresh among us;
The gift of God’s good Spirit, the Spirit of grace. © RBos
Remain standing
Opening sentences
v1 Mysterious God, Word beyond words.
Wm You hide in the ancient rocks
and lie still in a red dust land.
Mn You play in the cosmos and dance with the stars.
All You are one with us to share our lives,
in our joys, our sorrows.
You step out before us to fulfil our dreams.
v2 Pilgrim God, we speak many languages,
we share many cultures
we sing many songs;
All Together we seek to be your church in this place,
Companion on the way! (RHoskin/adapted)
Prayer of awareness
We pray:
God, help us to listen to our inner spirit;
to the inner yearning to belong to something
greater than ourselves.
Help us to listen to our inner spirits
and find there the presence
of your good encouraging spirit.
Amen.
Hymn “Children of the human race” (Tune: ‘Aberystwyth’, 77 77D. 211(i) TiS) 302 SLT
Children of the human race,
off-spring of our Mother Earth,
not alone in endless space
has our planet given birth.
Far across the cosmic skies
countless suns in glory blaze,
and from untold planets rise
endless canticles of praise.
Should some sign of others reach
this, our lonely planet Earth,
differences of form and speech
must not hide our common worth.
When at length our minds are free,
and the clouds of fear disperse,
then at last we’ll learn to be
Children of the Universe. (JAStorey)
The people sit after the hymn
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.
Reflection (A story...)
“When misfortune threatened”
By Elie Wiesel. In Mighty stories, dangerous rituals/36.
When the great Rabbi Israel Shem Tov
saw misfortune threatening the Jews,
it was his custom to go into a certain part of the forest to meditate.
There he would light a fire, say a special prayer,
and the miracle would be accomplished
and the misfortune averted.
Later, when his disciple Rabbi Magid, had occasion,
for the same reason,
to intercede with heaven,
he would go to the same place in the forest and say:
"Master of the Universe, listen!
"I do not know how to light the fire,
but I am still able to say the prayer."
And again the miracle would be accomplished.
Still later, Rabbi Moshe, in order to save his people once more,
would go into the forest and say,
"I do not know how to light the fire.
"I do not know the prayer,
but I know the place and this must be sufficient."
It was sufficient and the miracle was accomplished.
Then it fell to Rabbi Abraham to overcome misfortune.
Sitting in his armchair, his head in his hands, he spoke to God:
"I am unable to light the fire, and I do not know the prayer,
and I cannot even find the place in the forest.
"All I can do is tell the story, and this must be sufficient."
And it was sufficient.
God made humanity because God loves stories.
Music of celebration
EXPLORING
Readings from our religious tradition
Let us now listen to some readings from our religious tradition.
Our reader is (NN).
May we open ourselves to
the seeds of wisdom
that
lies dormant in these readings.
All And
may our minds be fertile soil
in
which they may grow strong and true (GVosper/ab)
Hebrew scriptures:
Psalm 100
Paraphrasing by Francis Macnab. A fine wind is blowing/38.
People of every land, let your whole body burst with joy.
You have
been given the gift of Life.
God gives us these precious moments,
within the great span of eternal time.
He shows us a caring spirit;
Kindness and 1ove
are also planted within us.
The soul of the world expands and great songs
are waiting for us to sing.
People of every land on Earth, celebrate the joy of life.
Be glad to be alive.
The God of life has given you a voice to sing.
The God of life gave us life.
We are the people of God.
We share every day in the goodness he provides.
Therefore let us celebrate.
From our own doorway to every doorway of life
let us breathe our thanks and praise.
The God of life continually shows us goodness.
He opens us to the eternal
transforming experience of love.
In all the changing aspects of life,
we will rejoice that there is something that lasts forever.
In an Australian accent:
“Australian Benedicite”
By Paul Walton (adapted)
v1 Let all creation bless the Lord
All Sing God’s praise, exalt God for ever.
v2 Bless the Lord you heavens;
v1 Bless the Lord sun and moon;
bless the Lord, stars of heaven:
v2 Bless the Lord, all you elemental forces;
bless the Lord, black holes and galaxies;
All Let all creation bless the Lord
Sing God’s praise, exalt God for ever.
v1 Bless the Lord all you sun-drenched spaces,
bless the Lord, you high plains;
v2 Bless the Lord, you reefs and rivers,
bless the Lord, you forests and beaches;
v1 Bless the Lord, Uluru and Nullarbor,
bless the Lord, Kosciusko and Carpentaria;
v2 Bless the Lord, you great gums and acacias,
bless the Lord, rainforest and mallee scrub;
All Let all creation bless the Lord
Sing God’s praise, exalt God for ever.
v1 Bless the Lord you creatures of the bush;
bless the Lord all you fish, you birds of the air;
v2 Bless the Lord all you people,
bless the Lord, Aborigine, Islander, latecomer
v1 Bless the Lord, you public servant and engineer,
bless the Lord, firefighter and artist,
v2 Bless the Lord, politicians and teachers,
bless the Lord, all you nurses and scientists:
All Let all creation bless the Lord
Sing God’s praise, exalt God for ever.
Lighting of UCA candles
In June 1977, people from all over Canberra Region Presbytery,
shared with others all over Australia, in the inauguration
of the Uniting Church in Australia.
Since that time we have been enriched
by the vision of this fellowship -
as a multicultural pilgrim people,
always on the way towards a promised goal.
v1 A candle is lit
We light this candle for our heritage in the
Congregational tradition,
with its commitment to freedom
and to the power of the priesthood of all believers
All We stand in that great tradition.
And we affirm that the Uniting Church
has moved on in its journey as a pilgrim people of God.
v2 A second candle is lit
We light this candle for our heritage in the
Methodist tradition,
with its commitment to social justice
and its enthusiasm in communicating the gospel.
All We stand in that great tradition.
And we affirm that the Uniting Church
has moved on in its journey as a pilgrim people of God.
v3 A third candle is lit
We light this candle for our heritage in the
Presbyterian tradition,
with its respect for scholarship and its deep
understanding of the nature of the church.
All We stand in that great tradition.
And we affirm that the Uniting Church
has moved on in its journey as a pilgrim people of God.
A fourth candle is lit
v4 We light this fourth candle to celebrate that many others,
from different traditions,
and who have been born since 1977,
are now a vital part of the Uniting Church tradition.
Silence
In Christ we are one.
All In Christ everything is made new.
Thanks be to God!
Doxology (Stand to sing) (Tune: ‘Fairhill’, 88 88. 768(ii) TiS)
Praise God, the love we all may share;
Praise God, the beauty everywhere;
Praise God, the hope of good to be;
Praise God, the truth that makes us free.
Amen. PHewett
The people sit
Gospel:
John 15:1-5, 7-8
A translation into Australian idiom by Nathan Nettleton.
laughingbird.net © 2003.
Jesus said:
I am the true vine. My Father is the chief gardener
who regularly gets out the pruning saw to clean up the vine.
Any branches that fail to bear fruit are cut clean off,
and the fruitful branches are cut back clean
so that they will bear even more fruit.
You have already been cleaned up
by the message I have been preaching to you.
Go on living in me, just as I live in you.
No branch can bear fruit if it has been cut off
and can no longer draw its life from the vine.
Neither can you unless you continue to live your life in me.
I am the whole vine, and you are my branches.
Those of you who remain united to me
and allow me to live my life in you
will produce a solid harvest of good fruit.
By contrast, if you are cut off from me, you won’t produce a thing.
If you go on living in me and my words go on
receiving a home in you, then you can ask for whatever you hope for
and it will be done for you.
My Father receives due glory when you begin following
in my footsteps, and showing it by bearing plenty of fruit.
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
A litany of Thanksgiving
The people stand
For the first people of this land
and their ways of belonging in this place,
All We lift up our hearts and give thanks.
For all those who have come to these shores
from many lands and many traditions,
with the light of the gospel of Christ,
All We lift up our hearts and give thanks.
For this land of rich or sparse beauty,
its diverse and varied people,
and our vocation in this land,
All We lift up our hearts and give thanks.
For all who have seen the vision of unity
in this country and across the world,
All We lift up our hearts and give thanks.
For those whose efforts, in the power of the Holy Spirit,
led to the inauguration of the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977,
All We lift up our hearts and give thanks.
For those called to lead us
in Assemblies, Synods and Presbyteries
and in every congregation,
All We lift up our hearts and give thanks.
For every faithful person
who has used the gifts given them
to serve God and others in quiet and humble places,
All We lift up our hearts and give thanks.
For the mistakes through which we have learned
and the challenges that have stretched our faith,
All We lift up our hearts and give thanks.
And with all pilgrim people who have travelled this life,
as companions and encouragers for us,
All we bring praise and honour, glory and blessing,
now and for ever.
The peace
And 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
“God of diversity” (Tune: ‘Margaret’. By Colin Gibson) 40 HoS
God of diversity, vibrant creation
is bursting with signs of extravagant joy.
In riot of blossom, in species unnumbered
we see that all difference is ours to enjoy.
God of diversity, nations and cultures
tell of the richness life offers to all.
In language and symbol, in story and doctrine
we clothe our experience, respond to your call.
God of diversity, humans embody
the interdependence of ear, eye and hand;
we struggle to learn, in this globe-become-village,
our need of each other in every land.
God of diversity, help us to honour
our different perspectives on things that are true,
as, knowing more deeply the God in Christ Jesus,
we learn how to worship with all who love you. (MBond)
CELEBRATING
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)
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 prayers:
Could also include the following prayer from the Unity Church of Venice, Florida....
To whales, dolphins, manatees, pelicans, seagulls
and all aquatic bird species,
fishes, shellfish, planktons, corals, algae and
all ion creatures in the Gulf of Mexico, we are sorry.
Please forgive us. Thank you. We love you.
Lord's Prayer:
You are invited to pray in the spirit of the Lord's Prayer, and in your original language, as that is appropriate
All O presence and pow’r within us,
Being and Life of all.
How we are filled, how we o’erflow
with infinite love and gladness!
We shall this day sow grace and peace,
and show mercy to all,
and gentle loving-kindness.
And we shall be not so self-serving,
but a constant source of giving.
For ours is the essence,
and the wholeness,
and the fullness forever. (PALaughlin/4r)
Amen.
CELEBRATING COMMUNITY: SACRAMENT OF HIOLY COMMUNION
Offerings
Our offerings for the work of ministry in this place
and beyond, shall now be received.
Presentation The people stand, as they are able as the offerings are presented
Enable us, who stand upon the shoulders
of those who have gone before,
to catch a vision of what can yet be.
All Through these gifts we invest in God’s realm
which is always here, yet always coming.
Thanksgiving
May it be well with you.
All And also with you.
Life is a gift and we its celebration.
All May we rejoice in the beauty that we are. GVosper/wwg
We give thanks and praise for all that is good in the world.
For that mystery we name God…
For the sage we name Jesus…
For the renewing strength and freedom of the Spirit…
(Silence)
God of winter, the unpopular, slandered season;
God of lightning, wind and storm;
God of brisk winter mornings, frosted back lawns
and stark hillsides; of warm socks, coats and gloves,
raincoats, umbrellas and warm fires,
we open ourselves to all the possibilities life offers us.
So we join our celebration to all people, saying:
All Holy, holy, holy, re-creating 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.
Bread and wine
We remember the times when Jesus faced
difficult decisions and destructive forces:
- in the days and nights of his searching,
- in finding ways to free others from images and ideas
that kept them captive and dependent and fearful of God,
- in breaking down social and religious barriers,
- in facing failure,
- in facing death (MMorwood/pns).
When we too experience the winter of our lives
may we find the courage to let go
and trust in your guiding, warming light.
(Silence)
And as we eat together at this table
we remember
the importance and the words
and the actions of all meals in the tradition of Jesus…
He took bread, gave thanks, broke it,
and gave it to his friends.
Bread
He poured a cup of wine, offered thanks for it,
and gave it also to his friends.
Wine
Response
Everyone is welcome to be here.
All In this way, we lift up a world of inclusion,
where all people live with respect and dignity.
Everyone present will receive a share.
All In this way, we lift up a world of generosity,
where, as in the examples of Jesus,
abundance overcomes scarcity so all are fed.
Everyone is invited now to take a portion,
and to see others also receive.
All In this way, we lift up a world of sufficiency,
where entrenched systems of privilege are challenged,
wealth is shared equally, and all are satisfied with enough. (JNelson-Pallmeyer/wsj)
Communion
So in the meal tradition of Jesus
we break and share bread and pour out and drink wine,
pledging ourselves to allow the spirit that moved in Jesus
to move freely in our lives.
The bread and wine is served
After Communion
God of amazing grace,
in the cold of the winter months
we are grateful for your presence, warming us.
We pray this presence will strengthen us
to follow in the way of Jesus, in this city/village/town/place.
SCATTERING
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
"Faith has set us on a journey" (Tune: Venture) 14 (v1-2) FFS
Faith has set us on a journey
past the landmarks that we know,
taking risks with no insurance
but the Word that tells us "Go!"
Friend or job or home or lover
we may need to leave behind,
outworn truths and ways of thinking,
baggage to the past consigned.
Some are swags of easy conscience
who with others hitch a ride,
some are tourist-package Christians,
dollar-safe, with Book and guide.
There are others on this journey -
those who long and pray and search,
heave the stones to free the structures,
love the Christ and leave the Church.
Remain standing
Words of mission
As we prepare to leave this sacred space
where we have worshipped together,
let us return to our work enlivened and renewed...
The community 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 blessing in the strength of the Brindabellas,
the calm of Lake Burley Griffin
the freshness of gum tree and wild flower remain with you...
And may God's strength, peace and creativity
go with you always.
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont "Faith has set us on a journey" (Tune: Venture) 14 (v3) FFS
We are this unlikely people
in the Body knit as one,
company of clowns and cripples -
some are wise and some can run.
Prophets are our travel agents,
gospel-makers lay this road:
to the place of peace and promise
faith will take us into God. SEMurray
The people sit after the hymn
'This week' at (NN)
Notices
Birthdays and anniversaries
Significant events
Journey candles
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
I recommend the use of
LicenSing - Copyright cleared music for churches
Some of the resources used in shaping this liturgy:
Anderson, H.; E. Foley. 1998. Mighty stories, dangerous rituals. Weaving together the human and the divine. C: San Francisco. Jossey-Bass Inc.
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.
Hope is our song. New hymns and songs from Aotearoa New Zealand. 2009. NZ: Palmerston North. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Iona Community. 2001. Iona abbey worship book. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Laughlin, P. A. 2009. “Pray without seeking. Toward a truly mystical Lord’s Prayer” in The Fourth R 22, 6, 20-24.
Macnab, F. 2006. A fine wind is blowing: Psalms of the bible in words that blow you away. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
Morwood, M. 2003. Praying a new story. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
Nelson-Pallmeyer, J; B. Hesle. 2005. Worship in the spirit of Jesus. Theology, liturgy, and songs without violence. OH: Cleveland. The Pilgrim Press.
Singing the living tradition. 1993. MA: Boston.
UUA.
Special resources. UCA National Assembly. 2007
Vosper, G. 2009/2010. Another breath. Prayers for celebration and reflection. QLD: Brisbane. The Centre for Progressive Religious Thought, Brisbane.
Vosper, G. 2008. With or without God. Why the way we live is more important that what we believe. Canada: Toronto. HarperCollins.
Web sites:
Hewett. UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. http://uua.org/spirituallife/worshipweb/index.php>
Nathan Nettleton. <www.laughingbird.net> © 2003.