Suggestion: ’Refresh’ each page before reading to make sure to get my latest edition
‘The Other Lectionary’ isa suggested ‘southern hemisphere’ Lectionary (with a few Resources added) offered in parallel to,
or even replacement of, the RCL which is in standard use by many.
A GATHERING LITURGY FOR THE
CELEBRATION OF LIFE
“...in the end the universe can only be explained in terms of celebration.
It is all an exuberant expression of existence itself”
9 March 2025. Lent 1. (Purple).
Celebrating Community in the Tradition of the Meal
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2025
8 March
Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality.
Collectively for #IWD2025 we can all
#AccelerateAction.
International Women's Day (IWD) has been around for over a hundred years,
as have many of the issues that still impact women's advancement.
Since 1911, IWD belongs to all who care about women's equality.
Celebrate women's achievement. Raise awareness about discrimination.
Take action to forge gender parity. All IWD activity is valid,
that's what makes IWD so inclusive.
Acknowledgement of Country/First Peoples
(An act towards reconciliation)
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 (NN) People of the (N) Nation, past, present, emerging,
and their stewardship of this land throughout the ages.
First Peoples Statement to the Nation 2017 is called “Uluru Statement from the Heart”
A Response from Common Dreams5 Conference of Religious Progressives,
Australia/South Pacific 2019
Both available in Affirmations/Manifestoes
And we recognise and give thanks that we humans
are creatures of the Earth living in the ecosystem
—flowers, trees and insects; land, waters and mountain range—
that is unique to (NN).
May we honour one another and honour life itself.
(NN) is a safe place for all people to worship regardless of
race, creed, age, cultural background or sexual orientation
GATHERING
Refreshment Station/Water Basins
Pottery basins are set on stands near the entrance to the Gathering space.
Attendees are invited to dip their hands in the cool water in the basins as they arrive.
Or to rinse each other’s hands.
That we may relax, be refreshed, and prepare for this time together.
(Note: A small sign is placed above the basin explaining that as they dip their hands in the water, they are invited to relax and try to mindfully set aside or release for a time anything that might be preventing them from being fully present—each traveller rinsing the “dust from the road”).
OR
(A suggestion of other words)
We come together from our separate lives,
each of us bringing our concerns, our preoccupations,
our hopes, and our dreams.
We are not yet fully present.
The traffic, the last-minute cooking, the final details still cling to us.
Our bodies hold the rush of the past few hours.
It is now time to let go of these pressures
and really arrive…
When you are ready, repeat silently to yourself: ‘Hineini’ or ‘Here I am’.
Hineini is used in the Torah to signify being present
in body, mind, and spirit.
It means settling into where we are and simply being “here”. (Adapted/Nan Fink Gene)
Rich and Striking Visuals
“The function of beauty… is to make us aware of a reality which is richer and deeper
and more marvellous than anything we can dream or conceive.” (Henry N. Wieman)
Artwork OR Floral/Symbols display (cloths, candles, stones, wood, leaves, flowers, earth, water) OR projection of Film/Video
Gathering Music
Entry into the Celebration
The gong is sounded three times
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning is a new arrival. (Rumi/lp).
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life.
Lighting of the Community Candle
A Community Candle is lit
We light our candle to illuminate the world we seek.
In the search for truth, may we be just.
In the search for justice, may we be loving.
And, in loving, may we find peace. EMcMaster
Note: Check out 'Special Liturgies’ (this site) for the following:
(i) A suggested process for introducing new hymns is called Hymn of the Month
(ii) Additional Special Purpose Hymns cover major international events or themes. They include these categories: 1. Bush (Brush) Fire, 2. Tsunami, Storms/Cyclones, 3. Earthquakes, 4. War/Remembrance, 5. Caregiving, 6. God as Mother, 7. Human Trafficking, 8. Disabled, 9. Migration/Refugees, 10. Terrorist Attacks, 11. Science/Cosmology
(iii) Specific resources on Terrorism
(iv) On Wonder, Awe, and Nature
Hymn/Song The people stand as they are able, to sing
"We're Standing Here on Holy Ground" (Tune: 'Ellacombe(2)', 86.86D)
We're standing here on holy ground,
on land your hand has made;
Your art displayed in timeless rocks,
in purple haze and space;
Its mighty gums and feathery ferns
your beauty magnify.
Tread softly then, in awe reflect,
and listen to the land.
We're standing here on holy ground,
on land which ancients trod.
They wrote your law in hills and streams
in rocks and caves and trees;
A law to tell us who we are,
to guide and make us strong.
Tread gently then, respect the earth,
remember whence we've come.
We're standing here on holy ground,
on land that toil has shaped.
It's fertile plains will feed us all,
when tilled with care and love.
But mindless greed and drought and flood
wreak havoc in the land.
Then let us tread with love the earth,
that's fed us faithfully.
We're standing here on holy ground,
on land we long to share,
Where each has space and equity,
and neither want nor fear
But demons fierce are dancing here
of race and greed and hate.
Engrave upon our wills, we pray,
your ancient covenant law.
We're standing here on holy ground,
we seek your rule on earth;
Your will be done in politics,
in law court, market, church;
Your gentleness among us reign,
and each one dwell secure;
May generations yet unborn,
live here in harmony. © John Brown. (Adapted - Verses 1-2, 4-6)
Remain standing
Opening Sentences
In hope, in longing
All We're glad to come together.
In trust, in community
All We're glad to come together.
In many moods, in many shapes and sizes
All We're glad to come together in this Lenten season. (Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer/wsj)
Words of Awareness
The earth turning…
Exploding orb of helium and hydrogen,
firing our lives into existence.
We are here.
We mindfully take our places in life again.
OR
We pray:
Remind us, O Spirit, that life is worth living.
Remind us, O Creator, that the struggle for justice is worth undertaking.
Remind us, O Mercy, that love and action are one.
May it be so. (Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer/wsj)
Hymn/Song "Love Will be our Lenten Calling" (Tune: 'Picardy', 87.87.87) 684 TiS
Love will be our Lenten calling,
love to shake and shatter sin,
waking every closed, cold spirit,
stirring new life deep within,
till the quickened heart remembers
what our Easter birth can mean.
Peace will be our Lenten living
as we turn for home again,
longing for the words of pardon,
stripping off old grief and pain,
till we stand, restored and joyful,
with the Church on Easter day.
Truth will be our Lenten learning:
hear the Crucified One call!
Shadowed by the Saviour's passion,
images and idols fall,
and, in Easter's holy splendour,
God alone is all in all. (Elizabeth Smith)
People sit after the hymn
OR
“Creative Love” (Tune: 'Truth from Above’, LM) 289 SLT
Creative love, our thanks we give
that this our world, is incomplete,
that struggle greets our will to live,
that work awaits our hands and feet.
That we are not yet fully wise,
that we are in the making still -
as friends who share one enterprise
and strive to blend with nature's will.
What though the future long delay,
and still with faults we daily cope?
It gives us that for which we pray,
a field for toil and faith and hope.
Since what we choose is what we are,
and what we love we yet shall be,
the goal may ever shine afar -
the will to reach it makes us free. (Wde W Hyde)
People sit
Welcome
Or in your own words
A warm welcome is extended to all.
Especially those who are gathering at (NN) 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 the Gathering
Those visiting, please sign our Visitors book.
CENTERING
Presentation of Water Basins
Words which acknowledge that the dust of many roads and many life experiences has been rinsed into the basins, and calls for the contents of the basins and the gathering to be transformed, renewed, and more fully alive
The dust of many roads and may life experiences
has been washed in this refreshing water.
For this place is a sacred place.
May we
greet one another with open hearts and minds;
inspire each other to consider new questions
and seek deeper meaning;
and cultivate both wisdom and compassion.
And may this time together empower us to take some new steps
so all our living is transforming and the
yearning of our hearts become reality.
The bowls of water are removed from the Gathering space and placed on an outside garden
Centering Silence
Centering silence has its roots in the earliest of monastic traditions of the ‘desert Fathers (abbas)/Mothers (ammas)’
and the Christian mystic tradition… Relaxing into ‘quietness’ creates the space for deep listening and draws you into yourself
Let us take a moment to settle into the silence.
(The charka is sounded)
Silence
Sung response: “Bless the Lord my Soul” (2) 706 TiS
Bless the Lord, my soul,
and bless God's holy name.
Bless the Lord,
my soul, who leads me into life.
(The charka is sounded)
Silence
In these brief moments of silence and meditation
may we find strength.
May our lives be rich in affection,
deep in understanding and
sympathy for each other.
Sung response: “Bless the Lord my Soul” (7)
May the blessings of life be known to all. (Bob Holmes/adapted)
(The charka is sounded)
Silence
EXPLORING
Wisdom from the World/Religious Traditions
“Wisdom is not just special knowledge about something. Wisdom is a way of being, a way of inhabiting the world.
The beauty of wisdom is harmony, belonging and illumination of thought, action, heart and mind.” (John O’Donohue)
Reader: Even as we seek understanding, our minds,
too often, shelter us from the realities we might uncover.
All May we have the courage to hear and hold truths
found within these words. (Gretta Vosper/ab)
• “At the Margin”
By Stephen M Shick. Consider the Lilies
At the margin of a newly cut field,
where every blade still stands secure,
where every bud is fearless now,
a lily
turns to the dawn
and opens.
Here, in the kingdom of the living,
danger has passed,
and clustered buds,
moist and swollen,
choose their day.
We too grow at the margins,
where our fear of cutting is faced,
where we accept our lowly place,
where we explode in the dawn,
with the brilliance
of a flower.
OR
• “For Waiting in the Wilderness”
By Keri Wehlander. A World of Blessing/142
This is the wilderness time,
when every path is obscure
and thorns have grown around the words of hope.
Be the wings of our strength, O God,
in this time of wilderness waiting.
This is the time of stone, not bread,
when even the sunrise feels uncertain
and everything tastes of bitterness.
Be the Wings of our strength, O God,
in this time of wilderness waiting.
This is the time of ashes and dust,
when darkness clothes our dreams
and no star shines a guiding light.
Be the wings of our strength, O God,
in this time of wilderness waiting.
This is the time of treading life,
waiting for the swells to subside
and for the chaos to clear.
Be the wings of our strength, O God,
in this time of wilderness waiting.
• Luke 4: 1-13 (Inclusive Text)
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness,
being tempted there by the devil for 40 days.
During that time Jesus ate nothing and at the end was famished.
Then the devil said,
'If you are the One born of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.'
But Jesus replied,
'Scripture says: No one lives on bread alone.’
Then leading Jesus to a height,
the devil showed him in a moment of time all the nations of the world and said,
'I will give you all this power and the glory of these for it has been committed to me,
and I give it to anyone I choose.
'Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.'
But Jesus answered,
'Scripture says: you must worship your God, whom alone you must serve.'
Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple.
'If you are the One born of God', the devil said,
'throw yourself down from here, for Scripture says,
"God will put angels in charge of you to guard you,"
and again,
"On their hands they will bear you up in case
you will hurt your foot against a stone".
But Jesus answered the devil,
'It has been said, "You must not put your God to the test".
Having exhausted all these ways of tempting Jesus,
the devil left to return at a more opportune time.
Contemporary Exploration
Silence for Personal Reflection
AFFIRMING
If celebrating International Women’s Day...
Wm 2 Half of the sky,
held up by hands that are
creased with care,
smoothed with elegance,
lined with the effort of their labours,
closed in defiance,
open in generosity,
clasped in anticipation,
waving with joy,
bloodied by hatreds,
softened by love.
On this day,
as we celebrate and honour women,
may we remember the depths of their struggles,
and the breadth of their vision.
As those inspired by their persistent hope,
we reach toward that endless sky. (Gretta Vosper/wab)
Wm2 Let jus now praise noble women
and our mothers who lived before us,
Through whom God’s glory as been shown,
in each successive generation.
Some ruled nations with authority
and were renowned as queens;
others gave counsel by their wisdom
and spoke with prophetic power;
a few were leaders of the people
because of their deep understanding;
their custody of tradition.
Some composed musical tunes
and set forth verses in writing;
others were rich and respected
peacefully keeping their homes.
All these were honoured in their lifetime
and were a glory of their day.
Such women have left a name which is remembered
so that their praises are still sung.
But others have left no memory,
have vanished as though they had never lived.
These are the nameless women of the ages;
the work of their hands is not remembered.
These women planted, picked,
preserved, baked, boiled and brewed;
they washed, cooked, cleaned,
fed, clothed and nursed the world.
A few were barren but most bore
children, children and more children
To carry on the father's name
so his posterity continues forever.
All these were different in their lives,
different and yet the same;
and they died in different ways,
in childbirth, sickness,
fever, madness, ripe old age;
all died.
They are now as though they had never been
and so too are their daughters who followed them.
There are numerous men whose good works have not
been forgotten
whose descendants remember their names
and recall their forefathers with pride,
rejoicing in their heritage.
Their bodies were buried with honour
and their names live on
so that their glory lasts for ever.
Few of our foremothers are so remembered;
most lie forgotten in their graves
until their daughters shall claim their inheritance,
recollecting them with joy and pride.
Now their glory is not blotted out
as we declare their wisdom and proclaim their
praise;
Noble women and nameless ones,
our mothers who lived before us.
(From “Let us now Praise Noble Women” By Janet Crawford. Celebrating Women/64-66)
OR
Litany for Lent (Optional)
In response to the word reflected on
let us share together a litany celebrating Lent.
The people stand as they are able
O Sustainer and giver of life,
free your people from the temptations of power,
from the urge to control rather than enable.
All Come, Spirit, liberate us from the forces of domination.
O Loving Empowerer,
help us to challenge abuse of authority wherever it is to be found,
including in ourselves.
All Come, Spirit, give us strength not to walk by on the other side.
O Still Small Voice,
help the People of God to learn to listen to each other,
and those in authority to understand the strength
that comes from true consultation.
All Come, Spirit of Understanding, deepen our insights.
O Loving Creativity,
help us to affirm ourselves and others,
understanding that we are all uniquely created
and have a voice that needs to be heard.
All Come, Creator of Diversity, and help us see the value of difference.
O God who made both women and men in your image,
may your church not to deface its image
by treating women as inferior beings.
Help us to recognise and challenge discrimination
based on gender, race, sexual orientation,
clericalism and other excuses for exclusion.
All Come, Spirit of Equality, and imbue us with the values
of interconnectedness with all created nature,
human and non-human. (Adapt.D McEwan/ml)
OR
“In the Beginning… We are Stardust”
By Michael Dowd and Conni Barlow.
v1 In the beginning, the energy of silence
rested over an infinite horizon of pure nothingness.
v2 The silence lasted for billions of years, stretching across aeons
that the human mind cannot even remotely comprehend.
v3 Out of the silence arose the first ripples of sound,
vibrations of pure energy that ruptured the tranquil stillness
as a single point of raw potential,
bearing all matter, all dimension, all energy,
and all time: exploding like a massive fireball.
All It was the greatest explosion of all time!
v2 An irruption of infinite energy danced into being.
It had a wild and joyful freedom about it,
and like a dance it was richly endowed with
coherence, elegance, and creativity.
v3 The universe continued to expand and cool
until the first atoms came into being.
The force of gravity joined the cosmic dance;
atoms clustered into primordial galaxies.
v1 Giant clouds of hydrogen and helium gases
gathered into condensed masses,
giving birth to stars!
v2 Generations of stars were born and died, born and died,
and then our own star system, the solar system,
was formed from a huge cloud of interstellar dust,
enriched by the gifts of all those ancestral stars.
All Planet Earth condensed out of a cloud
that was rich in a diversity of elements.
v3 Each atom of carbon, oxygen, silicon, calcium, and sodium
had been given during the explosive death of ancient stars.
These elements, this stuff of stars,
included all the chemical elements necessary
for the evolution of carbon-based life.
v1 With the appearance of the first bacteria, the cosmic dance
reached a more complex level of integration.
v2 Molecules clustered together to form living cells!
v3 Later came the algae, and then fishes began to inhabit the waters!
v1 Thence the journey of life on land and in the sky.
Insects, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals:
all flourished and diversified and elaborated the themes of life.
All And now it is our time, too.
This is our story.
v2 The story of our beginning, our cosmology.
v3 Humans were invited to care for the earth…
All But often we tried to conquer and subdue it.
Wn We have poisoned our life-support systems of
soil, water, and air with toxic waste.
Mn We have damaged our forests through clear-cutting and acid rain.
Wn Our oceans, lakes, and streams are littered with
plastic and laced with sewage.
Mn We are annihilating our companion creatures at a rapid rate.
v3 In a universal sense, this is our Calvary experience.
v1 The onus is not on some divine, external agent
who can reverse the destruction we humans have caused.
All The burden is ours to own and bear.
v2 The future is now.
v1 And so we begin our Lenten Journey…take the daily things of life and see them as sacred.
v2 May we perform simple acts of love and prayer,
and real works of reform and renewal.
v3 May we love deeply the earth which gives us air to breathe,
water to drink, and food to sustain us.
v2 May we remember that life is begotten from stardust,
radiant in light and heat.
v3 We are all one - all of creation,
all that now live,
all that have ever lived.
v1 Remember we are stardust, and to stardust we return.
v2 Remember we are connected and to connection we return.
v3 Remember we are part of the great mystery.
All Remember we are stardust and to stardust we return.
Sharing 'The Peace'
Let us take a moment to celebrate each other.
May a heart of peace rest with you. (David Galston/q).
All And also with you.
You are invited to share the peace with your neighbours
OR
Namaste
Facing the person with right hand on your heart and a slight bow of the head…
The Divine in me honours the Divine in you.
OR
The Light in me recognises the Light in you.
OR
The spirit within me sees the spirit within you.
CELEBRATING
Hymn/Song The people stand as they are able, to sing
“When There Is No Star…” (Tune: ‘Ode to Joy’, 87.87D) 134 BL
When there is not star to guide you
and you cannot wait for day
and your ancient maps provide you
only hints to find the way,
keep within each other’s calling,
mark each time you make a turn,
shout for help if you are falling,
tell each other all you learn.
Be alert to shifts in weather;
if it turns to cold and frost
huddle closely all together,
check if any have been lost.
Listen for a river flowing,
feel for damper moving air,
trace from where the wind is blowing,
move on bravely but with care.
If you think you have discovered
with your lantern in the dark
some clear path the dark has covered
let the others bring their light.
Test your single lone perception
in their gathered shining beams,
what you saw may be projection
fed by shadows, fears and dreams.
You may sometimes trip and stumble
on a hidden root or stone
but remember as you grumble
that you do not fall alone.
And in risking dark expanses
never marked on map or chart
you will find that faith advances
through the landscape of your heart. (© Thomas Troeger)
OR
“May the Mystery of God Enfold Us” (Tune: ‘Marlborough Sounds’) 95 AA
May the mystery of God enfold us,
may the wisdom of God uphold us,
may the fragrance of God be around us,
may the brightness of God surround us,
may the wonder of God renew us,
may the loving of God flow through us,
may the peace of God deeply move us,
may the moving of God bring us peace. Joy Cowley
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? (Binkley & McKeel/jke)
In Solidarity
Care Candle:
We are people of all ages who enter this space
bringing our joys and concerns.
Joys and Celebrations; Griefs and Concerns shared
Focused Thoughts:
Listening Response:
As one heart is lifted
All May we share its celebration
As one heart is burdened
All May we share the pain it knows. (Gretta Vosper/wwg)
And so we take this flame and light our special care candle...
The Care Candle is lit
v2 When we are grieving or sad,
When we are challenged,
When we need help,
All This flame guides us out of the darkness.
v2 When we are cheerful,
When we celebrate,
When we accomplish a great task,
When we return to a place that makes us happy,
All This flame reminds us to share our happiness with others. (Adapt/APalmer)
The 'Abba' Prayer: (Optional)
You are invited to pray in the spirit of the Abba/Lord's Prayer, and in your original language, as appropriate
All Eternal Spirit
Source of all that is and ever shall be,
Loving Parent in whom we discern heaven,
May knowledge of your holiness inspire all peoples.
And may your commonwealth of peace and freedom
flourish on earth, until all of humankind
heed your call to justice and compassion.
May we find the bread that we need for today.
And for the hurts we cause one another
may we be forgiven in the same measure
that we forgive.
In times of trial and temptation,
help us to be strong;
When life seems overwhelming,
Help us to endure;
And thus from the yoke of sin deliver us.
May you reign in the power of human love,
Now and forever. (Tom Hall)
Amen.
CELEBRATING COMMUNITY IN THE TRADITION OF THE MEAL
The Offering
The Presentation
By our smallest actions,
we become part of a bigger world.
The smallest giving can be an expression
of the good spirit of generosity and caring.
May we carry through the doorway of each new day
this good spirit of generosity and caring. (Adapt.Francis Macnab)
Introduction
Members of the Jesus movements regularly ate a meal together
when they met as a community.
It was a characteristic that they had in common
with virtually every other social group in their world.
It was considered primary to the early developments
in the movements’ meal liturgy.
These meal traditions were not about personal salvation or payment for sin.
Instead, they were about actions and offering hospitality, social identity,
and being in solidarity with those around us.
The liturgical movements centred on celebration, presence, and joy.
I invite you into the spirit of those meals…
Invitation
In faith and love, gathered in this place,
we celebrate the brightness of community
and the season of late summer called 'Kooyang' (Season of Eels)
by the Djab Wurrung and Jardwidjarli People.
Thanksgiving
v3 In the early spring, pale green blades of wheat
broke through the earth's surface.
v4 This hand of mine began to take shape millions of years ago
as the first leaves stretched out for nourishment and light.
v5 Eons ago the earth itself was glowing with heat
as it separated itself from the sun.
All (singing) You send your breath.
And they come to life.
You give the earth
the bloom of youth.
v3 By mid-summer the wheat stems sway heavily
in the breeze for acres and acres
of green and golden earth.
v4 The early species of kangaroo,
able to move quickly and nimbly in a way
we can only imitate, learned which plants
were best for them to eat and sought them out.
v5 The ground we stand on carries in it
the remnants of volcanos and oceans
which once dominated the landscape.
All (singing) You send your breath.
And they come to life.
You give the earth
the bloom of youth.
v3 This morning we gather around the bread,
which comes from the wheat in the paddocks.
v4 This morning we celebrate our oneness
with the plants and the animals,
which precede and surround us.
v5 This morning we remember we are earth people,
united with each other and to all on this globe
by the ground under us.
v3,4,5 One body, one history, one home for us all.
All (singing) You send your breath.
And they come to life.
You give the earth
the bloom of youth.
v3,4,5 One body, one history, one home for us all.
All (singing) You send your breath.
And they come to life.
You give the earth
the bloom of youth.
Silence
v3,4,5 One body, one history, one home for us all.
All (singing) You send your breath.
And they come to life.
You give the earth
the bloom of youth. (Dennis Smith & Hal Taussig/mt).
The Tradition
v1 We give thanks for the life of Jesus
and the memory of his loving kindness.
On the night of his handing over, so the story is told,
Jesus again shared a meal with his friends.
He took the bread, offered his traditional Jewish thanks...
All Blessed is the Holy One of Israel,
sovereign of all that is
who brings forth the bread of the ground
broke it, and gave it to them, inviting them to eat.
And when he poured out and blessed a cup of wine,
he again offered his traditional Jewish thanks...
All Blessed is the Holy One of Israel,
sovereign of all that is
who brings forth the grape of the vine
and gave it to them, inviting them to drink.
Now we remember…
v3 Life grows from the earth.
The kernel of wheat lives in the soil before it breaks ground.
As it stretches itself skyward, it also reaches deeper into the earth.
v4 Water and nourishment blend with sunlight as the stalk
begins to produce kernels of its own.
v5 This bread holds those kernels, that sunshine, that soil and water.
As we take it into ourselves, we affirm our own roots in the earth.
This is the ground we stand upon,
the earth yearning to be inside us.
It is the life we have taken in order to live ourselves.
v3 Life flows toward us from the Source beyond us.
It is a stream that creates us anew each day.
v4 It is a stream that wants to make its way through us.
A stream that flows through the city and country.
v5 A stream that readies a harvest in every season.
This is the life we have received from the earth
and from our pioneers.
This is the pulsing energy that has made a home in us
and that we give on.
Communion
The Bread and the White Wine will be served 'coming forward' around the Table
Bread, that was once scattered as grain in a paddock
and gathered together
and baked into a loaf.
Bread broken
Wine, that was once grapes grown on a hillside
and gathered together
and pressed into juice.
White Wine poured out
Bread and White Wine…
Let us eat and drink.
Let no one be forgotten or denied.
PARTING
Hymn/Song The people stand as they are able, to sing
“Creativity – The Canberra Affirmation” (Tune: ‘Austria’, 87.87D) 26(v1-3) SNS2
When beliefs and rigid doctrines,
Like stone statues cold as death,
Discipline us into silence,
Rob us of life-giving breath;
We can voice our great discomfort
As we recognize the truth
That our life and all our living
Give us insight from our youth.
We would celebrate evolving;
In the webs of life we bond
To the cosmos and our family,
Humans here and those beyond;
Thus we're called to live together
With respect for all that is,
For the cosmos and our planet
With respect for all that lives.
'Creativity' is present
Ever since before the start;
Brings to birth such great abundance;
Gives birth to a loving heart.
With this birthing of the novel
'Creativity' transforms;
Energy and life emerges;
Beauty seen in all its forms.
OR
“What is the Spirit” (Tune: ‘What is the Spirit’, 9.10.9.9) 26(v1-2) SC
I asked the Earth, “What is the Spirit?”
Here’s what she said to me in hallowed tones:
Here is the Spirit in grandeur deep,
In Nature’s swift flow of sea and stone.
I asked the Sky, “What is the Spirit?”
And she did say to me and all I know:
Here is the Spirit in flying on,
In sailing over all human woe.
Parting Words
Let us embrace the wonder of this week
with expectation and imagination...
The Community Candle is extinguished
Now may our wisdom show itself in deeds of compassion
and in acts of understanding.
All May the fruits of the spirit
be apparent in our lives (Adapt.PR Giles)
Words of Blessing
May the love that gives to life its beauty,
the reverence that gives to life its sacredness,
and the purposes that give to life its deep significance
be strong within each of us
and lead us into ever deepening relationships
with all of life. GGBrooks
All May it be so.
Hymn/Song (Cont.) “Creativity – The Canberra Affirmation” (Tune: ‘Austria’, 87.87D) 26(v4) SNS2
So we celebrate the myst'ry;
Stand in silence; look with awe;
Countless years in billions ended
Since the opening of the store
Of variety and brilliance,
Of the life-force and of grace;
It's amazing and so wondrous
We can claim to have a place. (George Stuart)
The people sit
OR
“What is the Spirit” (Tune: ‘What is the Spirit’, 9.10.9.9) 26(v3) SC
I asked the Stars, “What is the Spirit?”
And they did welcome me so knowingly:
Just come up here, see for yourself;
The Spirit shines so, in all we see. (Daniel Ryan)
The people sit
'This Week' at (NN)
Notices
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Significant Events
Journey Candles
Recessional Music
Fellowship
Morning tea is now served
You are invited to share in this time 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.
Please include any reproduction of hymns/songs for local church use
on your Music Licence returns, as appropriate
Some of the Resources used in Shaping this Liturgy:
(AA) Alleluia Aotearoa. Hymns and Songs for all Churches. Raumati: New Zealand Hymnbook Trust, 1993.
Binkley, C. G. & J. M. McKeel. Jesus and his Kingdom of Equals. An International Curriculum on the Life and Teaching of Jesus. Santa Rosa: Polebridge Press, 2001.
Duncan, G. (ed). Let Justice Roll Down. A Worship Resource for Lent, Holy Week & Easter. Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2003.
Duncan, G. (ed). A World of Blessing. Benedictions From Every Continent and Many Cultures. Norwich. The Canterbury Press, 2000.
(FFS) Faith Forever Singing. Songs for a New Day. Raumati: New Zealand Hymnbook Trust, 2000.
Holmes, R. H. The Bob Holmes Worship Materials. Vol. 1. Little Falls: Self published, 1972.
Inclusive Readings. Year C. Brisbane: Inclusive Language Project. In private circulation, 2006.
Macnab, F. Hope: The Deeper Longings of the Mind and Heart. Richmond: Spectrum Publications, 1996.
McEwan, D. et al. (ed). Making Liturgy. Creating Rituals for Worship and Life. Norwich: The Canterbury Press, 2001.
Nelson-Pallmeyer, J. & B. Hesle. Worship in the Spirit of Jesus. Theology, Liturgy, and Songs Without Violence. Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2005.
Roberts, E. & E. Amidon. Life Prayers from Around the World. 365 Prayers, Blessings, and Affirmations to Celebrate the Human Journey. New York. HarperCollins, 1996.
Shick, S. M. Consider The Lilies. Meditations. Boston. Skinner House Books, 2004.
Seaburg, C. (ed). The Communion Book. Boston: UUMA, 1993.
(SLT) Singing The Living Tradition. Boston: UUA, 1993.
Smith, D. E. & Hal E. Taussig. Many Tables. The Eucharist in the New Testament and Liturgy Today. Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 1990.
(SNS2) Stuart, G. Singing a New Song. Traditional Hymn Tunes with New Century Lyrics. Volume 2. Toronto: G Stuart, 2009.
(TiS) Together in Song. Australian Hymn Book 2. Sydney: HarperCollins Religious, 1999.
(BL) Troeger, T. Borrowed Light. Hymn Texts, Prayers, and Poems. New York. Oxford University Press, 1994.
(SC) Usher, A. (ed) A Southern Chalice. An Anthology of Readings and Songs. Wellington. ANZUUA, 2013
Vosper, G. With or Without God. Why the Way we Live is More Important than What we Believe. Toronto: HarperCollins, 2008.
Vosper, G. Another Breath. Prayers for Celebration and Reflection. Brisbane. The Centre for Progressive Religious Thought Brisbane, 2009/2010.
Web sites/Other:
McMaster, Palmer, Giles, Brooks. UUA Worship Web. Boston. http://uua.org/spirituallife/worshipweb/index.php
"We're Standing on Holy Ground. John Brown. (Canberra). Direct from the author.
David Galston. Quest Learning Centre for Religious Literacy. <http://www.questcentre.ca/>
Dowd & Barlow. http://evolutionarychristianity.com/blog/ 2013
Refreshment Station. Words by Nan Fink Gefen, taken from an Evolutionary Passover Haggadah by Tree Bressen.