WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
Write your welcome here
.GATHERING
The cosmos can be very, very large
and can be very, very small
From supernovae and giant nebula in the universe’s skies
To quarks and gluons at the atomic level
Its realities baffle and defeat scientific minds
Its beauty defies the skill of artists and poets
Its scale amazes the human mind
Who are we that any divinity in the world
might be mindful of us or visit us?
Yet we are loved, welcomed and accepted into this world
This world which stretches from visible stars and planets,
to invisible particles and electrons
Amen.
PROCESSIONAL HYMN WOV 628 ‘O Lord my God’
A song of praise from the year 1885
Words: ©1934 v 1 Eluned Harrison - alt based on Calr Gustaf Boberg 1856-1940
Vss 2 & # Susan Jones 2019
Music: How Great Thou Art Swedish Folk Melody harm Pihilp Begbie Waton (1936)
O Lord my God, I stand and gaze in wonder
On the vast heavens thy wisdom hath ordained
Sun, moon and stars continue at thy pleasure
From nothing called and by thy power sustained
O mighty God, my heart cries out to thee
How great thou art, How great thou art!
Thy praise shall sound through all eternity
How great thou art, how great thou art!
Great solar power beams forth upon our planet
Maintaining life, an energetic base.
The planets orbit on their different axes
and stars adorn the inky black of space
O mighty world, my heart cries out to thee
How great thou art, How great thou art!
Our praise shall sound through all eternity
How great thou art, how great thou art!
And deep inside where human eye can’t follow
are gluons, quarks, so small we can’t see.
Black holes create mysterious deep dark hollows,
We’re held by matter dark, invisibly. O mighty world!
So each is valued, big and microscopic
All play a part in one dramatic act
So each of us, unknown or mildly famous
Are welcome, each of universe a part. O mighty world!
WELCOME
Kia ora tatou.
Kia ora.
PRAYER
LORD’S PRAYER Midrash by Mark Hathaway
O Source of the Radiance,
dancing in and about all-that-is,
Shine forth into the depths of our beings,
and enkindle there the flame of thy essence.
Grant that it may blaze forth
and fill us with its searing creativity,
Until, fully united with thy fiery desire,
light pours out from us, taking form.
May we be revitalised each day
with nourishment for body and spirit,
And be liberated from all that oppresses us,
as we struggle to mend the fabric of our world.
Let us not be enmeshed in the nets of illusion,
but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment.
For from thee shine forth
the precepts, the sustenance, and the generative fire,
from centring to centring. Ameyn.
This is not an exact translation “…but rather something between a poetic translation and "midrash" based on the ancient roots of the Aramaic words of the prayer.” Used with permission by the author, Mark Hathaway. The work of Mark Hathaway and Neil Douglas-Klotz can be found at www.taoofliberation.com and www.abwoon.com .
LIGHTING THE RAINBOW ROOM CANDLE
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN Susan Jones
BLESSING THE CHILDREN (All stand)
We send you to have fun creating stars.
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 Trish McBride
Hebrew Bible Psalm 8
Gospel Matthew 2: 1-10
Contemporary reading Quote from Niels Bohr, in 1952,
quoted in Heisenberg, Werner (1971). Physics and Beyond. New York: Harper and Row. pp. 206.
For those who are not shocked when they first come across quantum theory cannot possibly have understood it.
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
REFLECTION ‘All cosmos great and small’ Susan Jones
HYMN ‘In our world we find delight’
Words © 2016-18 Susan Jones. Music © 2016 Vivien Chiu Used by permission
In our world we find delight
For creation, day and night
Brings us solace, joy;
Spirit grows, refreshes, gleams
as the earth fuels richer dreams
just by being here;
May this beauty never end
May this solace always be here
May the human race take notice
And show divine compassion.
Looking into starry skies
Galaxies defeat our eyes
Distant stardust glows;
Spinning planets circle suns
Stars are born, supernovae stun
Cosmos is our ‘hood;
May this beauty never end
May this universe remain here
May the human race take notice
And show divine compassion
Planet Earth spins like a jewel
Let us care and not be cruel
To this treasured gem
This blue teardrop hanging there;
Childrens’ children need a share
We owe this to them
May this planet always flourish
May its children still inherit
May we help this star to shine bright;
Show Earth divine compassion
Let’s endorse humanity
Part of Earth’s full family
All made welcome here
Many genders, races, tribes
Personalities that jibe
All are welcome here
May all people feel accepted
Nations show true understanding
May all humans love each other;
And show divine compassion
OFFERING PRAYER (said together)
Besides the wealth of the broadness of space
Besides the wealth of this planet earth
Beside the wonder of the worlds within the atom
Anything we give must seem small and insignificant
But we give out of love and gratitude so others may eat
and that still others may hear
that their search for the spiritual journey is not in vain
So may it be
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 Wendy Matthews
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Slovakia and the Reformed Christian Church in Slovakia. We remember the detainees on Manus and Nauru Islands , yearning that their cases be resolved. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Michael Woodhouse and Jian Yang, list MPs. Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of St Matthew's Co-operating Parish, Brooklyn.
PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S on card
TIME WITH THE ADULTS
HYMN ‘The year is ever turning’
Words: © 2014 Susan Jones. Music: Ewing WOV 346 Public domain
The year is ever turning
Spring welcomes back the light
The heat of summer fades, then
In autumn birds take flight.
In winter, darkness closes.
And temp'ratures grow chill,
Yet warmth will always be ours,
For Love is primary still.
Among New Zealand's foothills
Our hearts are overcome,
The stars and planets tell us
creating's never done;
Aurora (the australis)
Streaks through the evening sky;
At this, like Spirit's myst'ry,
We question "How?" and "Why"?
In bright sunlight we wander
On hill and track and road;
Walking with one another
We carry each one's load;
The tussocks brush our ankles
The gradient tests our heart
The journey takes us onward;
of cosmos, we are part.
These days, we now can gather
In café, candled halls,
Churches not yet familiar
Or where we first were called;
Together now, we stumble
T’wards love below, above,
beside us and behind us
Surrounding, all is Love.
BLESSING
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE Prelude and Fugue BWV 560
by J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750)
THANK YOU Peter Franklin
our musician today
Unless otherwise specified all our music is 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 such 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.
http://www.standrews.org.nz/category/sunday-gathering