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
27 May 2007. Pentecost C/Pluralism C. (Red).
10.30am. Contemporary liturgical worship.
Pentecost Sunday - Pluralism Sunday
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
Now is the time to dance heaven's dance,
Time to discern eternity's face,
Moment of knowing beyond all sight,
Day of God's smile and tender embrace. (W L Wallace)
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life in the presentness of this God.
Lighting of community candle
The candle is lit
We light this flame to affirm that new light
is ever waiting to break through to enlighten our ways:
that new truth is ever waiting
to break through to illumine our minds,
and that new love is ever waiting
to break through to warm our hearts.
May we be open to this light,
and to the rich possibilities that it brings us. Charles A. Howe
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
“Lithe spirit you’re bounding and leaping” (Tune: 9 8 11 8) 85 WNC
Lithe spirit you’re bounding and leaping,
stars shimmer and flash from your heels,
until the whole world burns with pardon and praise,
until the lost know how love feels.
O harlequin dazzle by dancing,
let joy spring like sparks from a flame,
until every person consumed by your love
comes blithely to join in your game.
Come juggler, spinning and turning
our chances and dreams like a top,
until all our values are turned upside down
whirl on through the world, never stop. Andrew Pratt
Remain standing
Opening sentences
Spirit Friend, you come like the wind
and the earth grows hale at your breath.
Wm You arrive – like the wind filling a thousand sails on Sydney Harbour…
Mn like moist air carrying refreshing rain to the Brindabellas…
All Seed us with new patterns of life
and leave us giddy with new possibilities
as we breathe this Breath of Life. (Adapted-B Prewer/ap)
Prayer
We pray:
Spirit of life and hope, we sense your presence in this place.
Awaken us again to the mysteries that humble us,
the realities that orient us,
the fellowship that sustains us,
that we may give ourselves in honesty and openness
to the larger life before us.
Amen. (Adapted from Clarke Wells)
Hymn “Praise to the living God” (Tune: ‘Leoni’, 66 84D, 102TiS) 215 SLT
Praise to the living God,
all praised be The Name,
which was, and is, and is to be,
for aye the same.
The one eternal God
ere aught that now appears:
the first, the last, beyond all thought
or timeless years!
Unformed, all lovely forms
declare God’s loveliness,
no holiness on earth
can e’er The Name express
whose love enfolds us all;
whose laud the earth displays,
Yea, everywhere, above, below,
is perfect praise.
The spirit floweth free,
high surging where it will,
in prophet's word did speak of old,
and speaketh still.
The Torah rest secure,
and changeless it shall stand,
deep writ upon the human heart,
on sea and land.
Eternal life hath God
implanted in the soul;
such love shall be our strength
and stay while ages roll.
Praise to the living God!
All praised be The Name
which was, and is, and is to be,
for aye the same! (From the Jewish Yigdal c. 13th cent.)
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.
Meditation
“Help me say goodbye to the leaves”
By Lindy Conroe (Adapted). For all that is our life/50
Grant me courage, Lord, to say goodbye
to the leaves,
to accept the turning.
I want to ignore the red and yellow
glimmers hidden among the greens-
proof that the seasons will,
as they always do,
change again.
The greens I draw energy from
[have] transformed into brilliance,
then fallen and disappeared,
revealing long, black limbs against
grey [June] skies.
I will think of
times past,
people past,
mortality.
Give me courage, Lord, to say goodbye.
Silence
Let us take a moment to settle into the silence.
(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.
May the blessings of life be known to all. )Bob Holmes/adapted
(Silence
Music of reflection
EXPLORING
Readings from a broad religious tradition
Let us now listen to some stories and sayings from
a collection of the world’s religious traditions.
Buddhism
“May every creature abound”
The Buddha. From Life prayers/29.
May every creature abound in well-being and peace.
May every living being, weak or strong, the long and the small
The short and the medium-sized, the mean and the great
May every living being, seen or unseen, those dwelling far off,
Those near by, those already born, those waiting to be born
May all attain inward peace.
Let no one deceive another
Let no one despise another in any situation
Let no one, from antipathy or hatred, wish evil to anyone at all.
Just as a mother, with her own life,
protects her only son from hurt
So within yourself foster a limitless concern
for every living creature.
Display a heart of boundless love for all the world
In all its height and depth and broad extent
Love unrestrained, without hate or enmity
Then as you stand or walk, sit or lie,
until overcome by drowsiness
Devote your mind entirely to this,
it is known as living here life divine.
Progressive Judaism:
“In the beginning…”
Rabbi Arthur Waskow. The Shalom Centre. From Life prayers/14.
In the beginning, darkness covered the face of the deep.
Then the rushing-breath of life hovered over the waters.
Let us breathe together.
Let us catch our breaths from the need to make, to do.
Let us be conscious of the Breath of Life.
We breathe out what the trees breathe in.
We breathe in what the trees breathe out.
Together we breathe each other into life.
Blessed is the One within the many.
Blessed are the Many who make one.
Hymn In solidarity with those for whom standing is not easy or possible, we will remain seated to sing
“God the weaver” (Tune:’Picardy’, 87 87 87, 497TiS)
God the weaver, making patterns,
spinning threads throughout our days -
Joy and sadness interwoven,
strands of sorrow, strands of praise.
Help us to discern your weaving
in the multi-coloured maze.
Teach us, Lord, to trust your guidance
when the pattern is not clear,
and to feel your strength and comfort
when life's fabric's torn by fear.
Help us sense that in the dark times
Lightening love is always near.
When we see the pattern changing
and a new direction starts,
let us know your love unbroken
winds through life in all its parts
by the threads of love and friendship
closely woven in our hearts.
Though we never see the picture
with your sense of space and time,
help us, Lord, to take our places
in our faith's continuing line,
as all lives are interwoven
in your final grand design. © Marjorie Dobson. 1996 Stainer & Bell Ltd
Muslim:
“Examples of the Prophet Muhammad’s sayings”
From A brief guide to understanding Islam/50.
A man walking along a path felt very thirsty.
Reaching a well, he descended into it,
drank his fill, and came up.
Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out,
trying to lick up mud to quench its thirst.
The man said: ‘This dog is feeling the same thirst that I felt.’
So he went down into the well again,
filled his shoe with water,
and gave the dog a drink.
So, God thanked him and forgave his sins.
The Prophet was asked:
‘Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?"
He said:
‘There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human.’
Christian scriptures:
Luke 6: 20-21, 24-25 (Inclusive Text)
A large crowd had gathered to hear Jesus.
[Concerned at his rising popularity], Jesus said to the disciples:
'How happy are you who are poor; yours is the kingdom of God.
Happy you who are hungry now; you shall be satisfied.
Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh…’
'But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.
Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry.
Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.
Alas for you when the world speaks well of you…’
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
An affirmation of peace and justice
In response to the word reflected on, let us stand and share
an affirmation of peace and justice in our world.
The people stand
v1 Let us dare to believe in the future:
Le: a future when people shall have learned to live by freedom and not by compulsion, by love and not by fear,
by adventure and not by jealously guarded security.
Ri: They shall live in peace and shared respect
and ‘none shall make them afraid.’
v2 They shall be continuously hungry for knowledge,
and none shall say it is forbidden them.
Le: They shall live in trust, and none shall do them hurt.
Ri: They shall explore without fear of what they may find,
and the difficulties they meet shall be stepping-stones upward.
v1 Though this be slow in coming,
Le: though it appears that all this may never be universally shared,
Ri: it will be open to all on the condition
that each chooses individually.
v2 None shall create barriers between a person
and the fulfillment of the human spirit
which the person may not alone overthrow.
Le: It is the barrier we build against others which holds us, ourselves, back;
Ri: The defenses we painstakingly establish become our own fetters.
v1 This could be the future of humanity if we dare:
All the people seek to master themselves instead of others,
and rejoice in the fruits of disciplines
they choose for themselves. (Robert T Wesson)
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
“Come and find the quiet centre” (Tune: ‘Sanctum/Jullian Bray) 10 FFS
Come and find the quiet centre
in the crowded life we lead,
find the room for hope to enter,
find the frame where we are freed:
clear the chaos and the clutter,
clear our eyes, that we can see
all the things that really matter,
be at peace, and simply be.
Silence is a friend who claims us,
cools the heat and slows the pace,
God it is who speaks and names us,
knows our being, touches base,
making space within our thinking,
lifting shades to show the sun,
raising courage when we're shrinking,
finding scope for faith begun.
In the Spirit let us travel,
open to each other's pain,
let our lives and fears unravel,
celebrate the space we gain:
there's a place for deepest dreaming,
there's a time for heart to care,
in the Spirit's lively scheming
there is always room to spare! Shirley Murray
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)
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 O God, you love us like a good parent,
and are present in every aspect of our existence.
May your nature become known and respected by all.
May your joy, peace, wholeness and justice
be the reality for everyone
as we live by the Jesus Way.
Give us all that we really need to live every day for you.
And forgive us our failures as we forgive others for their failures.
Keep us from doing those things which are not of you,
and cause us always to be centred on your love
For you are the true reality in this our now,
and in all our future.
In the Jesus Way we pray. Amen. David Sorrill
SCATTERING
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
“Great prophet” (Tune: St Denio’, 11 11 11 11, 143 TiS) 83 RP
Great prophet of pity, subversive in love,
unsettle our comfort, divert and reprove;
that, moved from self-interest, and shielded from pride,
we might yet embody the gifts of your bride.
Oh raise up your people and fit them to care,
for all who are lonely or lost in despair.
The reed that is bending, the wick that burns low,
through grace and persistence, God, help them to grow.
Remain standing
A Pentecost litany
All We are one
v1 Yet we are many.
All We speak a single language
v2 Yet in different tongues.
All We are joined together
v3 Yet we live in separate lands.
All We are one.
v4 Yet we are many.
v1 How can I see my sister’s tears?
v3 When I do not know her pain?
v2 How can I carry my brother’s load?
v3 How can I recognise a hungry journey?
v4 When I do not know his child?
v1 When my belly’s full?
v4 How can I celebrate a stranger’s joy?
v2 When I do not know the dance?
v3 We are one
All Yet we are many.
v1 Teach me Spirit that I might know
v4 Show me Spirit that I might see
v2 Touch me Spirit that I might feel
v3 Though we are many
All Yet we are one.
Blessing words
May God’s breath stream within you.
May God’s breath renew you.
May God’s breath invigorate you.
Walk with confidence into this day. (Traditional Jewish blessing/wb)
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont.) “Great prophet” (Tune: St Denio’, 11 11 11 11, 143 TiS) 83 RP
From each generation, race, colour or creed,
Christ, gather together, united by need,
the ones that you value, and God, may we find,
in spite of ourselves that your welcome is kind. Andrew Pratt
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:
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). 2000. A world of blessing. Benedictions from every continent and many cultures. Gt. Britain: Norwich. The Canterbury 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.
Pickett, H & E. (ed). 2005. For all that is our life. A meditation anthology. MA: Boston. Skinner House Books.
Pratt, A. 2006. Reclaiming praise. Hymns from a spiritual journey. GtB: London. Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Pratt, A. 2002. Whatever name or creed. Hymns and songs. GtB: London. Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Prewer, B. D. 2000. Australian psalms. Revised and expanded. SA: Adelaide. OpenBook Publishers.
Roberts, E; E. Amidon. 1996. Life prayers from around the world. 365 prayers, blessings, and affirmations to celebrate the human journey. NY: New York. HarperCollins.
Singing the living tradition. 1993. MA: Boston. UUA.
Web sites:
UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. UUA.
Stainer & Bell Ltd. Web site: hymns.uk.com