September 12, 2021
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
PRELUDE
CALL TO WORSHIP
Tēnā koutou katoa and welcome to this Zoom Service. Tony and I will be leading this service – the second in our Season of Creation.
Kia ora tātou.
Kia ora.
Season of Creation Hymn – introduction
Fiona McDougal
HYMN ‘God in such love for us’
Words: © 1973 Frederick Pratt Green, Admin. Stainer & Bell Ltd, Tune: Epiphany Public domain CH4 240
- God in such love for us lent us this planet,
gave it a purpose in time and in space:
small as a spark from the fire of creation,
cradle of life and the home of our race.
- Thanks be to God for its bounty and beauty,
life that sustains us in body and mind:
plenty for all, if we learn how to share it,
riches undreamed of to fathom and find.
PRAYER
Wairua tapu
We are overawed by the wonder of our planet. A home for all forms of life and a place of staggering beauty. Each part of our world is interwoven within the whole such that on even the smallest piece can rest the survival of the mightiest.
Humanity has transcended its place in this complex mosaic and so for the first time one part has begun to change these interwoven dependencies and now to threaten it all. Our obsessive focus on making our world a slave to our own needs, both real and imagined, can bring the whole delicate infrastructure of nature’s interdependencies to the edge of destruction, and perhaps beyond. For too long we have been stoked by our own sense of power, setting off chain reactions of carnage.
Help us to harness these abilities to rebuild rather than tear down, abilities that humans have to create rather than destroy, and to pursue a vision where we enhance what has already worked so well for billions of years.
Help us to find in ourselves the humanity to see our flaws and our mistakes and the maturity to recognise that we really have no choice but to put things right.
JESUS’ PRAYER Jim Cotter paraphrase
Eternal Spirit
Life-Giver, Pain-Bearer, Love-Maker,
source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
loving God, in whom is heaven:
the hallowing of your name
echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed
by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done
by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test,
strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory
of the power that is love, now and for ever.
Amen.
LIGHTING THE RAINBOW CANDLE
TIME WITH CHILDREN Graham Howell
BLESSING THE CHILDREN
We are indeed blessed to have children in our midst. Our wish is for you to feel loved and connected in this community.
We bless you. Amen.
THE WORD IN TEXTS John Harper
Hebrew Bible Psalm 8
Gospel Mark 10:41-45
Contemporary reading
‘A Song of Creation’
By Joy Cowley, From Psalms Down Under 2009
(Text on page 3)
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
REFLECTION
‘Humanity – to serve the earth and all within it’
MUSIC FOR REFLECTION
HYMN
‘For Everyone Born a Place at the Table’
Words: © 1998 Shirley Erena Murray
Music: © 1998 Colin Gibson (Hope Publishing) FFS 17
1. For ev’ryone born a place at the table,
for ev’ryone born, clean water and bread ,
a shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,
for ev’ryone born, a star overhead,
Chorus
and God will delight when we are creators
of justice and joy, compassion and peace:
yes, God will delight when we are creators
of justice, justice and joy!
3. For young and for old, a place at the table,
a voice to be heard, a part in the song,
the hands of a child in hands that are wrinkled,
for young and for old, the right to belong
Chorus
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Pat Booth
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Italy, Malta and San Marino and the Roman Catholic Church throughout the world. We hold all refugees in our hearts. We pray in particular for those detained for many years in Papua New Guinea & Nauru. We give thanks for the recent progress and pray that their calls for justice might continue to find a compassionate response. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Hon Peeni Henare (Tāmaki Makaurau), Dr Emily Henderson, list MPs. Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of the Co-operating Church, Waverley-Waitotara.
PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S
Renew your people, God,
And renew our life in this place.
Give us a new spirit of unity
with all who follow the Way of Jesus
and new bonds of love
with people of other faiths.
Bless the city in which we live
that it may be a place
where honest dealing,
good government,
the desire for beauty,
and the care for others flourish.
Bless this church
that what we know of your will
may become what we do,
and what we believe
the strong impulse
of our worship and work.
Amen
BLESSING
May the Wellington gales fill us with energy and help you to be the force to do great things
May the ruggedness of our terrain lead us to resilience and positivity
May the regular deluge from our skies remind us that when things seem overwhelming they will pass.
May the beauty of our land, sea and skies fill us with joy and gratitude.
Go in peace
POSTLUDE
THANK YOU
THANK YOU Bruce Corkill
our musician today