March 15, 2020
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
Wisdom and the Beatitudes
GATHERING
Creator God, after You breathed on the waters
You gave form and light
to walk in your image.
Breathe on us today
and walk beside us.
Loving God, lift us from our crippled state
for we are weary
in a world that has lost its way.
O Christ of the hurt and discarded,
O Christ who understands our burdens,
you create form, but we make chaos.
Nourish us with your breath
that we may seek your light.
PROCESSIONAL HYMN WOV 455 ‘Be thou my vision’ 5 verses
Words Irish c. 8th cent. Music: Slane (Public Domain)
WELCOME
Kia ora tatou.
Kia ora.
LIGHTING THE RAINBOW ROOM CANDLE
TIME WITH CHILDREN ‘Koala and the Rain’ John Howell
BLESSING THE CHILDREN (All stand)
We send you to the Rainbow Room to hear stories, ask questions and have fun together.
We bless you. Amen.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Collect: Together:
O God who meets us at the intersections -
a place where paths cross, ways meet;
where going faster may end up slower;
where braking will avoid colliding;
gift me a sense of direction.
At the human divine intersection
worlds collide, constellations emerge,
time is created.
May I risk losing my life,
to find wisdom and understanding,
to follow my sacred guide,
the one who carried his cross, Amen.
We sing the Lord’s prayer WOV 676 Tune: Our Father
Melody: Richard Gillard and John Smith
Adapted and arr. Guy Jansen 1933 - 2019
Our Father in heaven,
holy be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not put us to the test,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory
are yours now and for ever, Amen x8.
PASSING THE PEACE
Traditionally we shake hands to pass the peace and say “peace be with you”. The response is “peace be with you, or “and with you.” You can also simply say hello. Now that COVID-19 has arrived in the country, we are all asked to take precautions again transmission. We invite you all therefore to try different methods of acknowledging and greeting each other. For example, placing both hands together in the prayer position and bending the head towards the other person. This is a greeting practiced in many countries. A hand on the upper chest and bowing slightly to acknowledge the other person is also an option. Feel free to simply observe if you wish.
HYMN WOV 384 ‘For all Christ's friends’ 6 verses
Words: William Wallace ©2011 World Library Publications.
Music: Sine Nomine by R. V. Williams
THE WORD IN TEXTS Maxine Cunningham
Hebrew Bible Proverbs 8: 10-21
Gospel Matthew 5:1-12
Contemporary reading A poem: “Timing”
© John Howell
As I turn at the top of the gorge
orange markers funnel my ride.
My driveway is over the road.
I pause in the stream of traffic.
There are unknowns ahead,
this is no place to dilly-dally.
Some drivers are slow on the brake,
free riders are asleep at the wheel.
If I go against the flow,
it’s all about timing,
like when to pull the loaf from the oven.
or when to avoid a forest fire.
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
REFLECTION ‘Wisdom and the Beatitudes John Howell
HYMN WOV 543 ‘God of grace’ 4 verses
Words: Harry Emerson Fosdick
Melody: William Owens Tune: Regent Square WOV 84
OFFERING PRAYER (said together)
Eternal God,
In our lives we receive the gifts of life.
the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink,
all of these come from You.
Remind us today, as we make our offering,
that we can only give because we have been blessed.
Accept what we give this day, as our commitment,
in Your redeeming Love
through Jesus Christ, AMEN.
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.
LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY OF ST ANDREW’S
People share notices and visitors are welcomed. If you have a notice not already in the order of service, 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 Cameron Smart
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Vanuatu and the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu. We remember the detainees of Manus and Nauru Islands, yearning that their cases be resolved. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Paul Eagle (Rongotai electorate) and Kris Faafoi (Mana electorate). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of Presbyterian Women Aotearoa NZ (PWANZ) (formally APW).
PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S
Renew your people, God,
and renew our life in this place.
Give us a new spirit of unity
with people of all faiths,
and a new spirit of love
towards all people.
Bless the city in which we live
that it may be a place
where honest dealing,
good government,
and the desire for beauty flourish.
Bless this church
that what we know of your will
may become what we do,
and what we believe
the strong impulse
of our worship and work.
Amen
HYMN WOV 465(ii) without v2 ‘All my hope on God is founded 4 verses
Words: Joachim Neander, Public domain
Tune: Michael by Herbert Howells © 1968 Novello & Co., Ltd.
BENEDICTION © Susan Davey
May the shapes and curves of your life
be the cloak
that honours and protects your body.
May the shapes and curves of your life
kindle the fire of your spirit
and make their way to a listening heart.
May the shapes and curves of your life
draw blessing to you.
Like water, may it quench your thirst.
POSTLUDE “Te Deum” Prelude
by M. Charpentier (1643 – 1704)
THANK YOU
THANK YOU Peter Franklin
our musician today