Revd Rex A E Hunt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE
27 June 2010. Pentecost 5C. (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
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
We light our candle to illuminate the world we seek.
A lit candle is a protest.
It is a non-conformist.
It says to the darkness, ‘I beg to differ’. (Indian Proverb/adapted)
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
"God molds the shapes of life" (Tune: Little Conard 66 66 88. 469 TiS) 38 TMT
God molds the shapes of life,
drawing the flow of tides,
firing the sunlight's blaze,
glazing the night with pride:
God gives the love which warms and moves
the patterned rhythm life provides.
Ponder the rising sap
changing to leaf's decay;
think of the winter's death
turning to spring's new day,
and in these cycles find the shapes
of all God dreams and all God makes.
Pulse of the veins and lungs,
seasons of human hearts -
patterns that intertwine,
shaping our thought and art;
all these are part of nature's flow -
the life of God we reap and sow.
Sing to the God of change,
chaos, and fine design;
hallow the ordered forms
filled with the life divine.
In God the universe is one
and sings the hymn which God first sung! WWallace
Remain standing
Opening sentences
As a workman gathers his tools,
as a poet gathers her images,
as a musician gathers his band,
as a scholar gathers her arguments,
as a writer gathers his stories,
as a preacher gathers her texts…
All So God gathers people for service. SBrown/sco
Prayer
We pray:
Living Lord, you pour out your life for us,
you pour out your life in us,
you pour out your life through us.
Help us to pass it on.
Amen.
Hymn “Give
respect to humankind” (Tune: ‘Warrington’, 88 88.
207 TiS) 60
SNS2
Giving respect
to humankind
Is wise and
good for there we find
Images of the
God we praise
And love
expressed in countless ways.
Giving respect
to humankind
Can help us all
to leave behind
Thoughts of
revenge and words of spite;
Can prompt
resolve to re-unite.
Giving respect
to humankind
Arises from our
heart and mind;
As we reflect
on those we know
May caring
thoughts have constant flow.
Giving respect to humankind
Is Jesus'
theme; His word defined
How we might
live affirming all
The human
beauty in us all.
So let us honour humankind
With God's own
image, so combined,
We find
ourselves equipped to prize
The gentle,
lovely, kind and wise. (GStuart)
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
“The spirit of God”
By Napoleon Lovely (Adapted). Hymns for the celebration of life/343.
The spirit of God is wonderful to us;
It is revealed in all the ways of creation:
in the ordered course of the stars
and in the unpredictable ways of living things,
In the heat of blazing suns
and in the warmth of human affections.
God’s will is revealed in the majesty of abiding law,
in judgments that are just,
and in the mercy which redeems the penitent
and upholds the humble of heart.
For God’s abode is not only in the heavens;
God dwells in the human heart.
The highways of history are God’s:
but by the humble path of service we enter into God’s kingdom.
God surprises us in homely tasks,
God walks with us on lonely tracks.
God’s beauty is in our lives,
and God’s spirit defines our righteousness.
Music of celebration
EXPLORING
Reading from our religious tradition
Let us now listen to a story from our religious tradition.
Gospel:
Luke 9:51-62 (Inclusive Text)
Jesus and some others set out on the road for Jerusalem.
Some went on ahead into a Samaritan village to make preparations,
but the people would not receive Jesus
because he was making for Jerusalem.
Seeing this, the disciples James and John said,
'Do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?'
But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went off to another village.
As they travelled along they met someone on the road who said to Jesus,
'I will follow you wherever you go.'
Jesus answered,
'Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but I have nowhere to lay my head.'
To another Jesus said, 'Follow me.'
This one replied, 'Let me go and bury my parents first.'
But Jesus answered, 'Leave the dead to bury the dead;
your duty is to go and spread the news of the realm of God.'
Another said, 'I will follow you, but first let me go and say good-bye to my people at home.'
Jesus said: 'Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back
is fit for the realm of God.'
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
A litany: ‘A call to be church’
In response to the word reflected on, let us stand
and share together the litany, A call to be church.
The people stand as they are able
Our God, you call us to be Church:
Le: enable us to create - across cultural, age and class boundaries –
a laboratory of peace,
testing out your vision of community and love
as we struggle live with our differences.
Our God, you call us to be Church:
Ri: enable us to be a parable of the Kingdom,
allowing the upside-down values of your commonwealth
to nudge us away from the acquisitive and self-regarding attitudes of our day.
Our God, you call us to be Church:
Le: enable us to be a sign of contradiction among the nations,
pointing to hope in the midst of disillusion,
offering non-violent resistance when evil threatens,
accepting loss of prestige or wealth in the cause of justice.
Our God, you call us to be Church:
Ri: enable us to be a place of welcome and warmth,
where what is ignored elsewhere may be heard and honoured,
where sorrows may be shared and stories told,
where hard questions may be asked and new ideas greeted with joy.
Our God, you call us to be Church:
All enable us to be a community of praise,
cracking open the dry husks of cynicism and despair,
being clowns and jesters for Christ,
celebrating the mystery of faith in stillness and song. KCompston/sco
The peace
Let us then 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)
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 gifts are presented
May our eyes, our ears, and our mouths be opened.
Let us be doers of the word and not hearers only,
taking on those tasks set before us with uncommon vision
and wholehearted expectation.
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.
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.
SCATTERING
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
“We are many” (Tune: ‘Hamilton’.) 67 (v1-2) FFS
We are many, we are one,
and the work of Christ is done
when we learn to live in true community,
as the stars that fill the night,
as a flock of birds in flight,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine;
as the branches of a tree,
as the waves upon the sea,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine.
All division is made whole
when we honour every soul,
find the life of God in every you and me,
as the fingers of a hand,
as the grains that form the sand,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine;
as the threads upon a loom,
as a field of flowers in bloom,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine.
Remain standing
Words of mission
The God we worship is never confined to this holy place.
So go and travel with the God who is found in ordinary and surprising places.
The community candle is extinguished
With faith to face our challenges,
With love that casts out fear,
With hope to trust tomorrow,
All We accept this day as the gift it is: a reason for rejoicing. GKowalski
Blessing words
The creative power of God go with us.
The compasionate love of Jesus go with us.
The driving force of the Spirit go with us,
as we follow our calling to link God to all people. MDobson/sco
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont “We are many” (Tune: ‘Hamilton’.) 67 (v3) FFS
We will join creation's song,
make a world where all belong,
build as one in peace and loving harmony,
as the voices of a choir,
as the flames within a fire,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine;
as the snowflakes in the snow,
as the colours of a bow,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine. CGibson
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:
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). 1998. Seeing christ in others. An anthology for worship, mediation and mission. Gt. Britain: Norwich. The Canterbury 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.
Hymns for the celebration of life. 1964. MA: Boston. Beacon Press.
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.
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.
Wallace, W. L. 2001. The mystery telling. Hymns and songs for the new millennium. NY: Kingston. Selah Publishing.
Web sites:
UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. UUA.