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
30 September 2007. Pentecost 18C. (Green).
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 worship
The gong is sounded three times
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life in the presentness of God.
Lighting of the community candle
The candle is lit
In the mystery of life about us there is light.
It gives us a place to be,
to grow,
to rejoice together.
It opens the pathways to love.
Let the light we kindle go before us,
Strong in hope,
wide in good will,
Inviting the day to come. (Adapted/ George K. Beach)
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
"God given energy, flaring and fiery" (Tune: ‘Spean’, 11 10 11 10, 310(ii) TiS)
God given energy, flaring and fiery,
stella collisions of fury and pace;
shafts of the light from the cosmic conception
searing to earth from infinity's space.
Stars from eternity, driven by forces
formed at the birthing of matter and time;
mystical sinews restraining the planets,
elegant science and God's hidden rhyme;
These are the visions of wonder and rapture,
signs of significance, pointers to place,
drawing us out from our narrow discernment,
windows to love and God's infinite grace. © Andrew Pratt
Remain standing
Opening sentences
As surely as we belong to the universe we belong together.
All We join here to transcend the isolated self,
to reconnect,
to know ourselves to be at home,
Here on earth, under the stars,
Linked with each other. Margaret A Keip
Prayer of awareness
We pray:
Springtime God,
we give thanks for the opportunity we have
to worship and celebrate this day.
May we be surrounded with a very real sense
of your presentness as we spend this time together.
Amen.
Hymn "The spring has come" 140 AA
The spring has come,
let all the church be part of it!
The world has changed,
and God is at the heart of it!
New light, new day,
new colour after winter grey.
New light, new day,
the spring has come,
let all the church be part of it!
The sun is warm,
let all God's children play in it!
The world expands,
let's spread the gospel way in it!
New leaf, new thrust,
new greening for the love of Christ.
New leaf, new thrust,
the sun is warm,
let all God's children play in it!
The spring has come,
new people are the flowers of it!
Through wind and rain,
new life is in the showers of it!
New bud, new shoot,
new hope will bear the Spirit's fruit.
New bud, new shoot,
the spring has come,
new people are the flowers of it! Shirley Murray
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.
Meditative silence
In the safety of this sacred place
I invite you now into a time of
gratitude, reflection, renewal and hope.
(Silence)
What an unearned blessing
to witness the unfolding of blossom,
to watch the magpie nurture her young
to feel the warmth of a new spring sunrise…
Each moment a gift that offers energy and delight.
Yet, too often they seem unavailable
as the weight of personal troubles press down on us.
The threats to our well being, real or exaggerated,
feel like mosquitoes in the night
looking for a place to land.
(Silence)
Great possibilities do await us.
The grandeur of life, of which we are a part,
fills us with hope… if we seek to choose it.
(Silence)
Music of reflection
EXPLORING
Readings from our religious tradition
Some stories from our broad religious tradition shall be read by (NN).
From the world around us:
“Thoughts while picking raspberries”
By Sara Jonsberg. For all that is our life/10.
City people make assumptions:
that there will be food at the store,
that the air conditioning will come on when wanted,
that the earth will keep spinning,
keep looking blue and green from space,
keep making life.
So that's why I pick raspberries,
celebrate each broccoli crown,
eat fried green tomatoes,
crawl around looking for cucumbers,
bend double over pea vines,
thin carrots,
weed turnips,
collect varieties of squash.
I don't want to assume.
I want to care.
Gospel:
Luke 16:19-31 (Inclusive Text)
Jesus told the following story:
There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen
and feast magnificently every day.
And at the gate there lay a beggar called Lazarus,
covered with sores, who longed to fill himself
with the scraps that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even came and licked his sores.
Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels
to be in the company of Sarah and Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried.'
In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Sarah and Abraham
a long way off and Lazarus resting in their company.
So the rich man cried out,
"Sarah and Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus
to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am in agony in these flames."
"My child," they replied, "remember that during your life
good things came your way,
just as bad things came the way of Lazarus.
“Now Lazarus is being comforted here while you are in agony. But that is not all:
between us and you a great gulf has been fixed,
to stop anyone wanting to, crossing from our side to yours,
and to stop any crossing from your side to ours."
The rich man replied,
"I beg you then to send Lazarus to my family house,
since I have five brothers, to give them warning
so they do not come to this place of torment too."
"They have Moses and the prophets," they replied, "let them listen to them."
"Ah, no, Sarah and Abraham," said the rich man,
"but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent."
Then they answered,
"If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets,
they will not be convinced even if someone
should rise from the dead."
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
A celebration of faith
In response to the word reflected on, let us stand and share a celebration of faith.
The people stand
We are a cloth of diverse colours
made from many gifts and graces.
All We are the people flowing forth from Creator God,
surprising ourselves with the things which can be done.
We are raw material for rewarding reltionships
as our lives interweave,
All contributing one to the other,
holding each other firm
when one is weak or breaking.
We are each worthy of being respected and cared for
All essential to the pattern, skilled in our appointed tasks,
sources of laughter and sharers of tears.
We commit ourselves to work together,
All that one day, this world may be a place
where all people live in justice, freedom and peace. (Adapted/D McRae-McMahon/bst)
The peace
God makes peace within us. Let us claim it.
God makes peace between us. Let us share it.
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
“Maker of mystery” (Tune: By Colin Gibson) 47 FFS
Maker of mystery,
dreamer of what will be,
well-spring and fertile ground of all our growing:
tending the buried seed,
foreseeing every need,
you draw us into life beyond our knowing.
Christ, strong and living vine,
spreading through space and time,
deep rooted in the love of God our mother:
dying, you live and share
your strength with us, to bear
ripe fruit in season for the life of others.
Wild Spirit, springing green,
coiled in the depths unseen,
promise of fruit within the seed maturing:
new life, you grow and swell,
burst from the outgrown shell,
hundredfold yield in every age ensuring.
Living and loving God,
sing in the pulse of our blood,
help us to know you in your own creation,
love you, the life of all,
serve you and hear your call
from our first forming to our full salvation. Marnie Barrell
CELEBRATING
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
We pray:
God, we look for a gentler humanity, a kinder world:
with our money and with our hearts,
with our minds and with every good intention,
let this be our prayer. Francis Macnab
Amen.
The people sit
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.
In all our joys and in all our concerns, may we be ever mindful
of the presentness of God among us,
and to see the new possibilities of the now.
The Care candle is lit
And let us recommit ourselves to the inclusive ways of Jesus.
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 Most compassionate Life-giver,
may we honour and praise you:
may we work with you to establish
your new order of justice, peace and love.
Give us what we need for growth,
and help us, through forgiving others, to accept forgiveness.
Strengthen us in the time of testing,
that we may resist all evil.
For all the tenderness, strength and love are yours,
now and forever. Amen. (Bill Wallace)
SCATTERING
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
"Enemy of apathy” 418 (v1-2) TiS
She sits like a bird, brooding on the waters
Hovering on the chaos of the world's first day;
She sighs and she sings, mothering creation,
Waiting to give birth to all the Word will say.
She wings over earth, resting where she wishes,
Lighting close at hand or soaring through the skies;
She nests in the womb, welcoming each wonder,
Nourishing potential hidden to our eyes.
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
Faith has set us on a journey
past the landmarks that we know,
taking risks with no insurance
All But the Word that tells us 'Go!'
Prophets are our travel agents,
gospel-makers lay this road:
to the place of peace and promise
All Faith will take us into God. Shirley Murray
Blessing words
Go now and walk lightly upon the earth,
for the places in which you
stand, walk, play,
work, love, sleep, are holy.
Live simply.
Protect vulnerable creatures and places.
Resist evil.
Be of good courage.
Care for the earth.
Go now in the strength of God
to be a blessing to the whole universe.
All Amen!
Hymn (Cont) "Enemy of apathy" 418 (v3-4) TiS
She dances in fire, startling her spectators,
Waking tongues of ecstasy where dumbness reigned;
She weans and inspires all whose hearts are open,
Nor can she be captured, silenced or restrained.
For she is the Spirit, one with God in essence,
Gifted by the Saviour in eternal love;
She is the key opening the scriptures,
Enemy of apathy and heavenly dove. John Bell
The people sit after the hymn
'This week' at St James
Notices
Birthdays and anniversaries
Significant events
Journey candles
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.
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.
McRae-McMahon, D. 1996. The glory of blood, sweat and tears. Liturgies for living and dying. VIC: Melbourne. JBCE.
Macnab, F. 1996. Hope: The deeper longings of the mind and heart. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
Pickett, H & E. (ed). 2005. For all that is our life. A meditation anthology. MA: Boston. Skinner House Books.
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.
Web sites:
UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. UUA.
Andrew Pratt Personal email list. UK.