March 1, 2020
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
Knowledge and Wisdom
GATHERING
The foolishness of the world
can confuse us to what really matters in life.
There is a wisdom found in sacred writings,
a wisdom shaped over centuries of learning,
a wisdom found in poetry and proverbs,
reflections after wars have ended,
and empires faded and forgotten.
The fires in the forests
are a warning of how inflammable our planet is
and how vulnerable our empires are.
Come seek this wisdom today,
seek and we will find,
knock and the door will open to us.
PROCESSIONAL HYMN WOV 455 ‘God of Forgiveness’
Words: © 2001 Bill Wallace, Selah Publishing Co., Inc.
Music: Slane (Irish Trad.)
Reprinted with permission under One License A-623996. All rights reserved
WELCOME
Kia ora tatou.
Kia ora.
LIGHTING THE RAINBOW CANDLE
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN “Koala and the Coal” John Howell
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.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND CONFESSION
Collect: Together:
Holy God,
Your wisdom compels my love,
and unsettles my arrogance.
Motivate my search for truth,
like the roots of the vine,
deep in the gravel soil.
Feed and renew me,
in your sacred wisdom,
wine of the soul, Amen.
We sing the Lord’s prayer: WOV 676 ‘Our Father’
Richard Gillard and John Smith
Adapted and arr. Guy Jansen 1935-2019
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.
Jim Cotter paraphrase on card
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 Barrie Keenan
New Testament Reading 1 Cor 1: 1-7, 18-31
Contemporary reading: Poem “Courtyard”
I by John Howell
A gap in the courtyard enclosure
led to falling stairs beside the house.
The deck was a flat playgound,
a space outside the front door,
a place to wait for welcome,
an outside dining room
with knives, forks and bouncing balls,
trikes for kids, deck chairs for parents
to soak in sun, respite from the wind,
except for this gaping hole.
II
I constructed a fence with gate
using recycled offcuts, bits and pieces.
Found an old wooden gate in the weeds,
weather beaten, intact, solid.
Some long struts screwed together
concreted in as a post
with manuka matting on the fence cross bars.
Nailed a step between stairs and deck.
A roofless studio to inhabit the sky,
a pasture for kids to safely graze.
III
The gate began to sag.
Its bolt no longer aligned.
The diagonal brace on its vertical planks
was back to front, tilting down.
Access from the garden below denied.
IV
I lifted the gate on its unhinged side,
screwed a discarded metal strap
as its new diagonal brace
making a St Andrews cross.
V
ātea, courtyard, upper room,
to move between, in sun or rain,
inside or outside
voices.
© John Howell
20 Feb 2020
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
REFLECTION Knowledge and Wisdom John Howell
OFFERING PRAYER (said together)
Generous God,
we are surrounded by the natural beauty of your creation.
We are blessed with life and health.
We are nourished with good food.
As we give something out of our abundance,
may it serve your will and purpose, 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, 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 Linda Wilkins
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Paraguay and Uruguay and the Methodist Church in Uruguay. 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 Sarah Dowie (Invercargill electorate) and Ruth Dyson (Port Hills electorate). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of Lindisfarne College and Iona College.
PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S on card
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
(St Andrew’s is an open community and all are invited to Christ’s table.
Wherever you are on your faith journey, wherever you have come from and wherever you are going to, whatever you believe, whatever you do not believe, you are welcome to participate in the communion. This is God’s meal for all people.)
Touch your compassionate vein;
Let it pulse through who you are.
It is the sacred gift of grace
in both shadow and light.
Come, share bread and wine;
Our empty world needs our hands
to hold wisdom and hope.
COMMUNION HYMN ‘Buried in My Being’
Words: ©2001 Bill Wallace, Selah Publishing Co., Inc.
Music: Gustave Theodore Holst
http://www.methodist.org.nz/files/docs/music/03.pdf
COMMUNION LITURGY
Communion is served by intinction. You are invited to come to the front of the church and receive the bread, or a gluten-free cracker, taking a piece large enough to dip into the wine (silver cup) or grape juice (pottery cup). Eat the bread dipped in wine or juice.
Or, remain in your seat to be served if mobility is difficult. If you don't wish to receive communion, please remain in your seat – we’re glad you are here with us.
God be with you
And also with you
Lift up your hearts
We lift them up to God
Let us give thanks to God our Maker
It is right to give thanks and praise
At the beginning…
we say with thanks:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory,
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes
In the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest.
The Bread and Wine are shared
PRAYER
CONCLUDING HYMN WOV 480 ‘Forth in your name, O Lord, I go’
Words: 1982 Charles Wesley
Music: from melody and bass of Orlando Gibbons, Public domain
BENEDICTION
May God give us wisdom to know:
When to speak and when to be silent,
When to offer help and when to hold back,
When to ask for help and when to go it alone,
When to comfort and when to challenge,
When to pray and when to get busy.
Go in peace, Amen.
POSTLUDE Prelude in C Major BWV 553
by J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750)
THANK YOU
THANK YOU Thank you to Peter Franklin
our musician today