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
22 April 2007. Easter 3C. (White).
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
Music
Entry into worship
The gong is sounded three times
Let there be joy in our coming together this morning.
Let there be truth heard in the words we speak
and the songs we sing.
Let there be help and healing for our disharmony and despair.
Let there be silence for the voice within us and beyond us.
Let there be joy in our coming together. Carl Seaburg
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life
in the presentness of God.
Lighting of community candle
The candle is lit
For gathering today in this sacred space,
we light the flame.
For the opportunity to be together as a community,
to remember the past,
to claim our future,
to be alive in our present,
we light the flame. (Apt./Dillman Sorrells)
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
“I danced in the morning…” (Tune: ‘Lord of the dance’) 242 TiS
Remain standing
Opening sentences
Through this time of celebration,
we leave for a time the daily sequence of events,
to examine life in its eternal dimensions
and consequences:
All asking questions about our values
our directions, our goals, and
our relationships.
Let us spend this time in the presentness
of the Sacred One - God.
All Praise be for this gathered community
in this sacred place, for all people.
Prayer
We pray:
God, help us to listen to our inner spirits...
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. Francis Macnab
Amen.
Hymn “Morning has broken” (Tune: ‘Bunessan’, 55 54D) 156 TiS
The 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.
Music of celebration
EXPLORING
Readings from our religious tradition
Let us now listen to some stories from our broad religious tradition.
From our world around us:
“Christian toleration?”
By Sue Brown. Seeing Christ in others/98.
Toleration is often
exalted as a virtue.
I am not so sure.
I know I do not yearn to be 'tolerated'.
Did the father barely tolerate the prodigal?
Does the father merely tolerate us all?
I tolerate, without much thought,
the motorway at dawn,
stale air in city streets,
siren and motor horn.
I tolerate an icy wind,
I tolerate the daily grind.
I tolerate the miscellany
of pulsating humankind
Do I tolerate my brothers and my sisters?
I know I do not long to be tolerated.
I long to be
loved,
understood,
welcomed.
Hebrew scriptures:
Psalm 30
A contemporary paraphrasing by Francis Macnab. A fine wind is blowing/14-15.
The author of the Psalm finds himself 'in the pits". Yet he also feels God lifting him up… ‘Let me throw off the heavy blanket of depression’, he says.
When I really stop to think, I know I have a lot to thank God for.
There were times when I clearly needed help,
when people around me were being of no help at all.
I began to sink into the worst misery.
I kept asking: How can I get out of
this hell-hole?
Then I felt the listening God was hearing me.
I began to feel his presence
lifting me up;
and the things and the people against me
became less dominant in my thoughts…
After all, what is the good of my life,
if I am down in the pits of despair,
continually griping about this and groaning about that…?
Let me throw off the heavy blanket of my depressions,
and put on the lighter clothes of a buoyant spirit.
Set me free, O God, so that I can sing good songs every day.
Yes, everyday,
I want to be part of God's great-song!
Hymn In solidarity with those for whom standing is not easy or possible, we will remain seated to sing
“In the bulb there is a flower” (Tune: “Hymn of Promise”, 87 87D)
In the bulb there is a flower;
in the seed, an apple tree;
in cocoons, a hidden promise;
butterflies with soon be free!
in the cold and snow of winter
there's a spring that waits to be,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
There's a song in every silence,
seeking word and melody.
there's a dawn in every darkness,
bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future,
what it holds, a mystery;
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
In our end is our beginning;
in our time, infinity;
in our doubt there is believing;
in our life, eternity.
In our death, a resurrection;
at the last, a victory,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see. Natalie A W Sleeth
Gospel:
John 21:1-17 (Inclusive Text)
Jesus showed himself again to the disciples.
It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this:
Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
the sons of Zebedee and two more of the disciples were together.
Simon Peter said, 'I'm going fishing.'
They replied, 'We'll come with you.'
They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.
It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore,
though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus.
Jesus called out, 'Have you caught anything, friends?'
And when they answered, 'No',
Jesus said, 'Throw the net out to starboard and you'll find something.'
So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish
they could not haul it in.
The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is Jesus.'
At these words, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on,
wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water.
The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish;
they were only about a hundred yards from land.
As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there,
and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it.
Jesus said, 'Bring some of the fish you have just caught.'
Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore,
full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them;
and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken.
Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.'
None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, 'Who are you?
Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them,
and the same with the fish.
This was the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples
after rising from the dead.
After the meal Jesus said to Simon Peter,
'Do you love me more than these others do?'
Peter answered, 'Yes, you know I love you.'
Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.'
A second time Jesus said, 'Simon, do you love me?'
Peter replied, 'Yes, you know I love you.'
Jesus said, 'Look after my sheep.'
Then said a third time, 'Simon, do you love me?'
Peter was upset that Jesus asked the third time, 'Do you love me?' and said,
'You know everything; you know that I love you.'
Jesus said, 'Feed my sheep… Follow me!'
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
An affirmation of faith
In response to the word reflected on, let us stand
and share together an affirmation of faith.
The people stand
We experience the holiness of God
All in wonder of creation
in endless sky and sea;
in breathless beauty and quiet bush;
in acts of courage and silent heart.
We know Jesus as a gateway into God
All in gifts of healing and liberations of life;
in recognitions of love and callings to serve;
in sufferings for others and glimpses of grace.
We live from God's Spirit
All in moments of faith,
in dreams beyond hoping
and in rhythms of new energy.
We name the God who is our centre.
All We claim the goodness that is ours in God.
We announce the truth that lies at the heart of the gospel.
We believe we are not alone in our struggle
to be the church. (D McRae-McMahon/eoj)
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.
Hymn of the Month
“Easter song: Christ is alive” 15 AA
Christ is alive, and the universe must celebrate,
and the stars and the suns shout on this Easter Day!
Christ is alive, and his family must celebrate
in a great alleluia,
a great alleluia
to praise the power that made the stone roll away.
Here is our hope: in the mystery of suffering
is the heartbeat of Love, Love that will not let go,
here is our hope, that in God we are not separate,
and we sing alleluia,
we sing alleluia
to praise the power that made the stone roll away.
Christ Spirit, dance through the dullness of humanity
to the music of God, God who has set us free!
You are the pulse of the new creations energy;
with a great alleluia,
a great alleluia
we praise the power that made the stone roll away. Shirley Murray
CELEBRATING
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:
The landscape of life is filled with the nearness of God:
a daffodil in bloom,
a single green leaf,
the red and green flash of a parrot.
May we too be a people of adventure and life,
grace-filled companions, offering
courage and hope in ordinary places.
Amen.
Offerings 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
We are people of all ages who enter this space bringing our joys and concerns.
Joys and concerns shared.
The Care candle is lit
Prayers
Pastoral
Lord's Prayer
You are invited to pray this contemporary prayer in the spirit of the Lord's Prayer,
and in your original language, as that is appropriate
All God, lover of us all, most holy one.
Help us to respond to you.
To create what you want for us here on earth.
Give us today enough for our needs.
Forgive our weak and deliberate offences,
just as we must forgive others when they hurt us.
Help us to resist evil and to do what is good.
For we are yours, endowed with your power
to make our world whole.
Amen. (Lala Winkley/cw)
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
As we prepare to leave this sacred space
where we have worshipped together,
let us return to our work enlivened and renewed...
The candle is extinguished
Worship need not cease.
All It can echo in our lives, in our words,
in our deeds, in our moods, in our dreams.
Carry worship with you wherever you may go.
Be a blessing in your going out and your coming in. Gordon. McKeeman
Blessing words
Walk well your journey in peace and in justice.
May you be wrapped in the shawl of God's loving.
May you be cherished.
May you be blessed… this day, and for ever.
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 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.
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). 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.
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.
McRae-McMahon, D. 1993. Echoes of our journey. Liturgies of the people. VIC: Melbourne. JBCE.
Macnab, F. 2006. A fine wind is blowing: Psalms of the bible in words that blow you away. 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.
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.