May 12, 2019
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
GATHERING
Could we call Miriam the mother of the Israelite nation?
With her brothers, she led the people out of bondage
singing and dancing, playing tambourine with the women of Israel.
In such a fashion she was one of the leaders of the event
which subsequently was given credit for birthing
a bunch of Hebrew slaves into a new life as a nation.
We celebrate Miriam today,
as we celebrate all women and all mothers.
PROCESSIONAL HYMN ‘Guide me O thou great Jehovah’
Words: William Williams (1717-1791) tr. Peter Williams
& Williams Williams. Music: Cwm Rhondda WOV 478
Guide me, O thou great Redeemer
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty,
Hold me with thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliv’rer, strong Deliv’rer,
Be still now my Strength and Shield;
Be still now my Strength and Shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s Destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.
WELCOME
Kia ora tatou.
Kia ora.
PRAYER
JESUS PRAYER Jim Cotter paraphrase on card
LIGHTING THE RAINBOW ROOM CANDLE
TIME WITH CHILDREN Sue McRae
BLESSING THE CHILDREN (All stand)
We send you to the Rainbow Room programme to hear stories, ask questions
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 TEXTS Gavin Watson
Hebrew Bible selected verses from Exodus 15
Micah 6:4
Gospel Matthew 23: 37
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
HYMN ‘Midwife Divine now calls us’
From Hymns for Liberating Christians
Words © 2006 Jann Aldredge-Clanton & Larry E Schulz
Music: Es Ist Ein Ros’ CH4 474. Used by permission
Midwife Divine now calls us forth from our safest place,
Beckoning always forward out into unknown space.
She sings a birthing song
To calm our fears and help us
Through days so hard and long.
Midwife Divine inspires us through holy darkness deep,
Moving through realms of mystery to wake all dreams that sleep.
Her loving plan unfolds
As tenderly She guides us
Through pathways new and bold.
O may we join her labour to bring new life to birth,
Crowned in Her ancient splendour, we claim our sacred worth.
Our Midwife shows the way
To worlds of love and beauty,
More than our words can say.
REFLECTION ‘Miriam, leader of the Exodus’ Susan Jones
Responsive Contemporary reading ‘Miriam’s Psalm’
from WomanWisdom by Miriam Therese Winter
All: in dark italics
Left hand side: in italics
Right hand side: in plain font
Sing to Her with joy,
we are Her sisters and Her daughters.
Our liberation is at hand
we are coming through the waters.
We who were once enslaved will not let past pain overtake us.
They brought our courage to its knees, but they could never break us.
We who were so long silent shout the word we are discerning.
We took the long way out and we will never be returning.
Sing to Her with joy,
we are Her sisters and Her daughters.
Our restoration is at hand
we are coming through the waters.
A short while in the wilderness will strengthen and prepare us.
They tell of the heat and aridness, but they will never scare us.
We are intimate with barren wastes, our very lives were aborted.
Our deserts bloom from hidden springs that have yet to be reported.
Dance for Her with joy,
we are Her sisters and Her daughters.
Our transformation is at hand,
we are coming through the waters.
We can see into the promised land, there are giants there to top us.
They may delay our coming in, but they will never stop us.
We managed to make it on our own, but no more isolation.
Together we turn our world around. We are a new creation.
Sing and dance with Her,
we are Her Sisters and Her daughters.
Our celebration is at hand,
we are coming through the waters.
OFFERING HYMN (sung seated as the offering is received) AA 94 (i) ‘Loving Spirit’
Words: © 1989 Shirley Erena Murray. Music © 1990 David Dell
1. Loving Spirit, loving Spirit,
you have chosen me to be,
you have drawn me to your wonder,
you have set your sign on me.
2. Like a mother you enfold me,
hold my life within your own,
feed me with your very body,
form me of your flesh and bone.
3. Like a father you protect me,
teach me the discerning eye,
hoist me up upon your shoulder
let me see the world from high.
4. Friend and lover, in your closeness
I am known and held and blessed:
in your promise is my comfort,
in your presence I may rest.
5. Loving Spirit, loving Spirit, you have chosen me to be,
you have drawn me to your wonder, you have set your sign on me.
OFFERING PRAYER
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 Bronwyn White
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Nigeria and the Christian Council of Nigeria. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Simon O’Connor (Tamaki electorate) and Chris Penk (Helensville electorate). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of St David's Presbyterian Church, St Mark's & St Andrew's Parish Palmerston North and the Korean Development Unit.
PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S on card
HYMN AA 153 ‘When we lift our pack and go’
Words © 1992 Shirley Erena Murray
Music: Ian Render © 1992 Hope Publishing Co.
When we lift our pack and go, when we seek another country,
moving far from all we know, when we long to journey free --
Refrain: God is in the other place,
God is in another's face,
in the faith we travel by,
God is in the other place.
Through the loneliness of night, through the sky's uncharted spaces
not a sparrow falls in flight but a loving God will care -- Refrain
Sons and daughters must depart, friends will go on other journeys,
only constant is the heart that can trust its God to be -- Refrain
In the hands outstretched to greet, through the open doors of strangers
there is love we yet can meet and believe that Christ is there -- Refrain
BLESSING Miriam Therese Winter
We leave our chains behind as You deliver us from bondage
O One who Parts the Waters
Never again will we be slaves to a system or to men.
We are crossing over
into hope
and into a new world order,
Singing, dancing, celebrating
the gift of our liberation
as the daughters
of Shaddai.
SUNG AMEN
THANK YOU Judy Dumbleton
Our musician today