September 30, 2018
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
GATHERING
All wild animals deserve care and attention
That includes the wild spirit within all of us.
Like the wolf befriended by St Francis,
our own inner, wild spirit needs befriending
So we can grow in self-awareness, loving ourselves more
completely
Then we can be more aware of others and love them as we love ourselves
May we have the courage to fully befriend ourselves and others
PROCESSIONAL HYMN WOV 91 ‘Morning has broken’
Words by Eleanor Farjeon
Words from The Children’s Bells (OUP),
by permission of David Higham Associates Ltd
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world.
Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight, Mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise ev'ry morning
God's recreation of the new day.
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world.
WELCOME
Kia ora tatou.
Kia ora.
PRAYER ATTRIBUTED TO ST FRANCIS
Make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy.
O divine One, grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
and it's in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen
JESUS PRAYER
LIGHTING THE RAINBOW ROOM CANDLE
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN Sonia Groes-Petrie
BLESSING THE CHILDREN (All stand)
At the back of the church are activity bags for you to enjoy, and lots of books and toys to have fun with. We bless you. Amen.
PASSING THE PEACE
Feel free to pass the peace with those nearby or move to greet others further away. Passing the peace consists of shaking hands and saying “Peace be with you.” The response is “Peace be with you” or just “And with you.” Or, simply saying “Hello” is a good idea. Also feel free to simply observe if you wish!
THE WORD IN TEXTS Tony Kirby
Hebrew Bible Isaiah 11: 1-6
Gospel Matthew 8: 18-22
Contemporary reading from Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and
Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype
by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
The doors to the world of the wild Self are few but precious. If you have a deep scar, that is a door, if you have an old, old story, that is a door. If you love the sky and the water so much you almost cannot bear it, that is a door. If you yearn for a deeper life, a full life, a sane life, that is a door.
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks
REFLECTION in words and images ‘Befriending the wild wolf within us’
HYMN ‘Let us reach down deep inside us’
Words © 2016 Susan Jones
Music: FFS 10(i) Gaelic Trad Melody arr John Bell
Let us reach down deep inside us to the place where quiet reigns;
Find the Self who lives inside us knows our joy and knows our pains:
Let our ego stand aside there, shadow sharing space with light.
Let our inner selves rejoice at how Love shines in darkest night.
(Silence)
Sacred calm means minds can settle, hearts grow quiet, souls grow still;
Busy thinking slows its rhythm, gives compassion chance to fill.
Even long-forgotten scars heal as new balm brings a new way;
Every space and every crevice warms as Love arrives to stay.
(Silence)
OFFERING
We recognise and bless the gifts brought to the table, and those which wing
their way electronically from our banks to the church’s account.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH said as the offering prayer
We affirm the value of the wild
in people and animals and plants;
We affirm the importance of all having opportunity
to roam and grow and travel,
unhindered and unbound,
to feel wind rushing and water flowing
to feel the rising heartbeat
as difficult summits are scaled
and risky journeys undertaken.
We affirm the need of the wildness within us
to have its freedom;
that we do not censor the creative impulse
or quash sudden intuition
or divert unusual thought
only to be mannerly and polite.
We affirm the risk inherent in following Jesus
on those wild journeys where he calls us onward;
where we may not find a place to lay our head
nor private nest or den for a hiding place.
We affirm the need to befriend our inner wildness
so we can live and work and play with others
in harmony, not monologue,
in dialogue not monotone,
adding zest to our communal life,
each sparking life from the other.
We affirm a person’s right to be individual, eccentric or unusual,
and pursue their own path in life.
We bring these offerings of food and money to assist those
for whom living their own way in this world
brings shortages of different sorts
and to spread the good news
that everyone is loved and accepted just as they are.
LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY OF ST ANDREW’S
People share notices and visitors are welcomed. If you have a notice, please move to the front row, ready to speak briefly from the lectern.
For the benefit of newcomers, please introduce yourself before you begin.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Jenn Keenan
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of Iraq and all those working towards peace in Iraq. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Andrew Bayly (Hunua electorate) and David Bennett (Hamilton East electorate). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for Lindisfarne College and Iona College.
PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S on card
HYMN FFS 63 ‘These hills’
Words and Music by Colin Gibson
Words and Music © 1998 Hope Publishing Co.
These hills where the hawk flies lonely,
beaches where the long surf rolls,
mountain where the snows meet heaven,
these are our care.
Pastures where the sheep graze calmly,
orchards where the apples grow,
gardens where the roses cluster,
these are our prayer.
Forests where the tree ferns tower,
rivers running strong and clear,
oceans where the great whales wander,
these are our care,
Race meeting race equals,
justice for age-old wrong,
worth for ev'ry man and woman,
these are our prayer.
Cities where young roam restless,
lives brought to deep despair,
homeless and powerless people,
these are our care,
Places where the Word is spoken,
hands held in serving love,
faiths of our many cultures,
these are our prayer.
All that the old world gave us,
all that the new world brings,
language, ideas and customs,
these are our care,
Life finding joy and value,
faith seeking truth and light,
God heard and seen in all things,
this be our prayer.
BLESSING
May we have learned
never to tame the wild impulse of Love
demonstrated to us in Jesus’ life, work and death.
As we go from here let us encourage the organic, flowing wildness of Love
as we see it flowing forth into the world from this community
and from the community of all the Wild Ones on this planet
So may it be
SUNG AMEN
Bruce Cash
THANK YOU Our Musician today
Unless otherwise stated all hymns are used by permission CCLI Licence 341550
Words/music to new hymns and gathering statement, prayers and affirmation are original unless acknowledged. If Susan Jones is the worship leader any liturgy will have been written by her. These words can be used in other worship and small group situations without seeking permission. Please acknowledge the source.
AUDIO REFLECTIONS
Sunday reflections are usually available on our website.
https://www.standrews.org.nz/category/sunday-gathering
THANK YOU
Write the Thank You here