January 21, 2018

WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE

Welcome to St Andrew’s on The Terrace

Wherever you are on your faith’s journey,

wherever you have come from and wherever you are going to,

whatever you believe, whatever you do not believe, you are welcome here.

Please join in the congregational responses printed in bold italics.

Please stand if you are able, for the hymns and the offering prayer.

We usually sing the hymns without announcement.

This week’s Sunday Gathering led by Jim Cunningham

 

GATHERING
We come to be opened by visions
that can enlist us in larger causes
and more caring actions.
We come to hear stories that might take us
into a deeper kind of integrity,
and reconnect us with our better selves.
So may the warmer fullness that we seek
fill our hearts, our minds and our spirits.
Let us worship the One we name God.

PROCESSIONAL HYMN Christian Community
Words © Iris McCoy. Music: Mit Freuden Zart WOV 405

Now be aware, and glory in
this fellowship with others,
that learns to give and take with grace;
where there is life it gathers.
It deepens joy, it eases strain,
it heartens those who live with pain,
each strengthens each, together.

The wordless touch where sorrow is,
the sharing of a vict’ry;
the flash of mind when insight leaps
to truth, provoked by query.
The freedom of our fellowship
accepts us as we are, and this
is God’s own gift of liberty.

Now be aware that hearts and hands
and minds are rich when sharing;
for here within this fellowship
the strength of God is growing.
Now life has reason, love has powers
beyond our own, for into ours
the love of God is flowing.

WELCOME
Kia ora tatou
Kia ora

PRAYER Dorothy McRae-McMahon (adapted)

We are called into community with each other;
to love and work, support and heal.

We are called into community with all people;
to bring justice and hope, freedom and truth.

We are called into community with the whole creation;
to live in harmony, to cherish and renew.

Silence

For our community gathered here,
for the spirit that called us together and drew us to this place:
We give thanks.

For moments we have shared with others;
for times we have reached out across barriers
of distance and fear;
for times when others have reached out to us:
We give thanks.

For our weaving together out of many separate selves
this hour of celebration and reflection;
this community of faith and hope:
We give thanks this day. Amen.

JESUS PRAYER Jim Cotter paraphrase on card

LIGHTING THE RAINBOW ROOM CANDLE

TIME WITH THE CHILDREN Jim Cunningham

BLESSING THE CHILDREN
We welcome you today and now release you to work at the back of the church, read stories, play quietly and have fun together.
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 SONG AND TEXTS Lynette Burrell

Hebrew Scripture (sung) Isaiah 58: 5-9
Paraphrase by John Logan (1748-1788)
Music: WOV 435 Belmont by W. Gardiner (1770-1853)

Attend and mark the solemn fast
which to the Lord is dear;
Disdain the false unhallow’d mask,
which vain dissemblers wear.

Do I delight in sorrow’s dress?
Saith he who reigns above;
The hanging head, the rueful look,
will they attract my love?

Let such as feel oppression’s load
thy tender pity share;
and let the helpless homeless poor,
be thy peculiar care.

Go, bid the hungry orphan be
with thy abundance blest;
Invite the wand’rer to thy gate,
and spread the couch of rest.

Let him who pines with piercing cold
by thee be warm’d and clad;
be thine the blissful task to make
the downcast mourner glad.

Then, bright as morning, shall come forth,
in peace and joy, thy days;
and glory from the Lord above
shall shine on all thy ways. Amen.

New Testament Letter Romans 13: 8-10
Love for One Another
Owe no one anything, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery;
You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet’;
and any other commandment, are summed up
in this word, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
Love does no wrong to a neighbour;
therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Gospel Mark 1:14-20
The calling of the First Disciples

Contemporary Reading: Norman Shanks:
A counter-cultural vision and an eagerness to celebrate

The Church vocation in each and every locality
is to be a worshipping, healing, learning, serving community,
faithfully living by the values of the kingdom,
modelling and embodying a counter-cultural vision,
looking and reaching out beyond itself with a wider vision,
to discover the light and love of God
in engagement with the life of the world,
standing up and speaking out against
all that diminishes and disempowers humanity.

In so doing it will dream and explore;
it will be open, flexible and ready to take risks;
it will be generous, hospitable and ready to celebrate;
it will not be a ghetto but keen to co-operate and engage;
it will be a transforming community – influencing others for good,
and being transformed itself in the process;
it will be resilient and persistent, however hard the way,
and it will be marked by joy and an eagerness to celebrate.

RESPONSE
For the word in Scripture and Story
For the Word among us
For the Word within us
We give thanks.

REFLECTION The Rev Jim Cunningham
“Nothing happens unless first we dream!”
(*Carl Sandburg)

ORGAN The Impossible Dream from Man from La Mancha
by Mitch Leigh

LITANY: IN CELEBRATION OF THOSE WHO DREAM
How beautiful are the feet of those…
Who walk with a sense of purpose and reality,
Who walk unafraid to be challenged and to change,
Who walk with an understanding of people and an open faith,
Who have the courage to tread unknown paths.
How beautiful are the lips of those…
Who speak aloud the message of Justice,
Who question deeply why poverty exists and why there are poor,
Who dare to choose imagination and live creatively
our universal partnership.
How beautiful are the feet of those…
Who have the courage to walk through darkness
asking questions about human rights,
Who are to be compassionate leaders – inclusive
of the poor and understanding of them,
Who are willing to enter into humble partnership.
How beautiful are the lips of those…
Who proclaim aloud that we must never hesitate
to amplify the voice of those who go unheard,
Who recognised the deafness in our land,
the sound of all our people who are dispossessed,
Who celebrate the goodness of the human person
in every race and colour and walk of life.
How beautiful are the feet of those…
Who walk in compassionate love,
Whose way proclaims a spirituality of action,
Who walk a partnership of justice, peace, love, and friendship,
Who know that every step we take is holy,
Who celebrate the goodness of the human person
in every race and colour and walk of life.
- Adapted from Litany for the Journey, edited from Solidarity with the Poor; Sharing the Tradition. Shaping the Future Series, Catholic Campaign for Human Development,
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. C3 Exchange, 2011.

HYMN Past and Present
Words © William L Wallace. Music: Cwm Rhondda WOV 478
Past and present, with our dreaming,
join to make us what we are;
ancient wisdom, ancient follies
shape the way we love and care:
Give us reverence,
Give us wisdom,
From the past for life today.

Make us mindful of each moment –
ev’ry force, each strength, each flaw;
free us from those empty longings
which consume us more and more:
Give us vision,
Give us courage,
For this present age of change.

We must face the future’s challenge
to create a better earth
hand in hand with all who labour
dream and suffer for its birth,
For through sharing
And through caring
We shall build community.

OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER
For the gifts we receive and the gifts we share
we give thanks.
For the abundant universe, with resources enough and to spare
we give thanks.
May our offerings of money and food, compassion and goodwill,
be multiplied to those who receive them
blessing them, as we are blessed to give. 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 Sue McRae

CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of China and the China Christian Council. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Tim Macindoe, National Party, Hamilton West and Mahuta Nanaia, Labour Party Hauraki-Waikato Electorate MPs. Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of Tamatea Community Church.

PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S on card

HYMN Draw the circle wide
Words and music: Gordon Light
© 1994 Common Cup Co. All rights reserved.
Reprinted under One License No. A-623996

Draw the circle wide.
Draw it wider still.
Let this be our song,
no-one stands alone,
standing side by side,
draw the circle wide.

God the still-point of the circle,
‘Round whom all creation turns;
Nothing lost, but held forever,
in God’s gracious arms.
Chorus

Let our hearts touch far horizons,
So encompass great and small;
Let our loving know no borders,
Faithful to God’s call.
Chorus

(Begin to move to end of pew to form circle round walls of church. Keep singing!!)

Let the dreams we dream be larger,
Than we’ve ever dreamed before;
Let the dream of Christ be in us,
Open every door…
Chorus
repeat last verse and chorus

BLESSING

SUNG AMEN

POSTLUDE

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 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.

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