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
29 July 2007. Pentecost 9C. (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 community candle
The community candle is lit
May this flame remind us of the light of wisdom.
May the warmth of its glow
remind us of the warmth of God's everlasting love. (Adapted/Vernon Marshall)
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
"Sing to celebrate the city! 122 AA
Sing to celebrate the city!
Sing the lives of people there,
sing the work of skill and beauty,
all who serve and all who care.
In the dictates of the dollar,
in the systems where we live,
find the currency of kindness,
eyes to smile and hearts to give.
We who are the city's traffic,
driving, driven, keeping pace,
name the God who makes us neighbours,
give our faith a human face;
in the workplace of God's people,
in the highrise and the home
our agenda is for justice -
changing lives for good to come.
Celebrate the art of living!
every colour, every sport,
every culture's dance and music,
every truth that love has taught -
be for God within the city,
life and loving are not priced:
light and lights of joyful worship,
set the table for the Christ!
Sing to celebrate the city!
Sing the lives of people there,
sing the work of skill and beauty,
all who serve and all who care. Shirley Murray
Remain standing
Opening sentences
Through this celebration and worship,
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:
Abiding God, grant us the joy of feeling ourselves
a part of your vast magnificence,
your all-encompassing love.
Amen
Hymn "Dear Mother God" (Tune: ‘Intercessor’ 11 10 11 10, 587 TiS)
Dear Mother God, your wings are warm around us,
We are enfolded in your love and care,
Safe in the dark, your heartbeat's pulse surround us,
You call to us, for you are always there.
You call to us, for we are in your image.
We wait on you, the nest is cold and bare -
High overhead your wingbeats call us onward,
Filled with your power, we ride the empty air.
Let not our freedom scorn the needs of others -
We climb the clouds until our strong heart sings -
May we enfold our sisters and our brothers,
Till all are strong, till all have eagles' wings. (Janet Wootton/cw)
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.
Silence
Let us take a moment to settle into the silence.
Hear and feel your quiet breathing.
Hear and feel the quiet of this place
and this community of people.
May we be ready to extend ourselves to those in need,
and with trust to receive the hand that is offered.
In this time of celebration,
may our minds be open to new truth,
and our hearts be receptive to love,
as we give thanks for this life we are blessed to share. Emmy Lou Belcher
Silence
Music of reflection
EXPLORING
Readings from our religious tradition
Some stories from our broad religious tradition
will be told by (NN).
The world around us:
“Out of the depths”
By Kathy Galloway. Celebrating women/15-16.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O God,
Hear my voice, O God, listen to my pleading.
My voice is weak, O God, my God,
Although it speaks for many.
It is the voice of Sarah, shamed before her servant,
Barren, and given no worth.
It is the voice of Hagar, abused by her mistress,
Driven out into the desert with her child.
It is the voice of Rachel, weeping for her children,
Weeping, for they are all dead.
It is the voice of Mary, robbed of her humanity,
Woman, yet not woman.
It is the voice of Martha, taught to be a servant,
Challenged to choose for herself.
It is the voice of a nameless woman, bought and sold,
Then given back to herself.
It is the voice of women, groaning in labour,
Sweating in toil, abandoned in hardship,
Weeping in mourning, awakened in worry,
Enslaved in dependency, afraid of their weakness.
Do you hear my voice, O God, my God?
Can you answer me?
The words I hear all speak to me of men.
You said I am also in your image,
You are my father, are you also mother,
Comfort-bringing like the loving arms?
Do you hear my voice, O God, my God?
Can you answer me?
I can sing your song of praise no longer,
I am not at home in this world any more.
My heart is full of tears for my sisters,
They choke my words of joy.
Do you hear my voice, O God, my God?
Can you answer me?
You sent your son, a man, to love me,
But him they killed also.
What is the new life that you promise me?
I do not want more of the same.
Silence
Gospel:
Luke 11:1-13 (Inclusive Text)
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying,
and when Jesus had finished, one of the disciples said,
'Teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.'
Jesus said to them,
'Say this when you pray:
Father, may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come;
give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive
each one who is in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test.
Jesus also said to them,
'Suppose one of you has a friend and goes in the middle of the night to say:
My friend, lend me three loaves because a friend of mine,
a traveller, has just arrived at my house
and I have nothing to offer.
‘And suppose the householder answers from inside the house:
Do not bother me. The door is bolted now,
and my children and I are in bed;
I cannot get up to give it to you!
‘I tell you, if this friend does not get up and give it to you for friendship sake,
persistence will be enough to make that friend get up
and give you all you want.
‘So I say to you:
Ask, and it will be given to you;
search, and you will find;
knock, and the door will be opened to you.
‘For the one who asks always receives;
the one who searches always finds;
the one who knocks will always have the door opened.
‘What parent among you would hand a child a stone
when he or she asked for bread?
Or hand them a snake instead of a fish?
Or hand them a scorpion if they asked for an egg?
‘If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children
what is good, how much more will your loving God in heaven
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask!’
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
A celebration of faith
In response to the word reflected on, let us stand
and share together a celebration of faith.
The people stand
The people of God have a human face.
All We laugh, we weep, we wait in hope.
We lift our eyes
All and stub our toes,
we love,
All and struggle,
we fail,
All we stand, and always we stand on trembling ground.
But God is God
and Jesus is the Christ
and the Spirit will lift up our feet.
All God is in the centre,
God is at our endings.
Nothing lies beyond the love of God in Christ. (Pitt St. Uniting Church)
The peace
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
“Buried in my being” (Tune: ‘Cranham’, 65 65D) 3 TMT
Buried in my being many voices dwell,
sharing all the stories past and present tell;
deeper than these voices silence weaves as one
all the threads that form life's tapestries of sun.
Deeper than my thinking lies my wisdom spring-
ancient dream-time river - songs creation sings.
Yet beyond this wisdom dwells unknowing's cloud
holding all together in the mystery - God.
Hidden in the journey questing spirits make
lie the diverse pathways pilgrim travellers take;
but beyond the many quests of human kind
dwells the wondrous mystery birthing heart and mind.
You, O God, are being - wisdom's fountain head,
Spirit's goal and journey, pilgrim wine and bread,
fire that keeps me travelling, nurture for my heart,
oneness of the mystery glimpsed in life and art. W L Wallace
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:
In this money we express our affirmation
of this congregation and our hope this congregation
will be a continuing and valuable part of our lives.
May we be surrounded each day
with a spirit of generosity and strength,
so we may respond to life
with generosity and strength.
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 Abba/Father, may your name be holy.
May your rule take place.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Pardon our debts, for we ourselves pardon
everyone in debt to us.
And do not bring us to trial into a trying situation. (B Mack/adapted)
SCATTERING
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
"God of our every day" (Tune: Jansen) 52 AA
God of our every day,
friend who will walk our way,
light who can change the
focus of our seeing:
capture our heart and mind,
be in the work we find,
till all we do becomes
your mode of being.
Speak to the spirit's void,
hands that are unemployed,
lives that are lived without
a true direction:
gifts that are hid, unearth,
lift us to know our worth
that in ourselves we see
your own reflection.
Remain standing
Words of mission
Let us embrace the wonder of this week with expectation and imagination...
The community candle is extinguished
As we depart one from another,
let our hearts be secure
through every human season.
All Let our hearts be secure
in seasons of anguish as in seasons of joy,
in seasons of failure as in seasons of success,
in seasons of uncertainty as in seasons of security. (J A. Hobart/adapted)
Blessing words
Bless us God.
All of us God.
Every one of us.
Every part of us.
Bless us God.
This day.
And ever more.
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont) "God of our every day" (Tune: Jansen) 52 AA
Shine through our winter's grey,
break through depression's day,
live in the little deaths
we die in growing:
meaning for whom we grope,
home of our strongest hope,
power and peace, through all
creation flowing. Shirley Murray
The people sit after the hymn
'This week' at St James
Notices
Birthdays and anniversaries
Significant events
Journey candles
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.
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.
Mack, B. L. 1993. The lost gospel. The book of Q and christian origins. NY: New York. HarperSanFrancisco.
Macnab, F. 1996. Hope: The deeper longings of the mind and heart. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
Wallace, W. L. 2001. The mystery telling. Hymns and songs for the new millennium. NY: Kingston. Selah Publishing.
Ward, H.; J. Wild, J Morley. (ed). 1995. Celebrating women. New edition. Gt. Britain: London. SPCK.
Web sites:
UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. UUA.