February 27, 2022

WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE

PRELUDE

GATHERING

We come to re-weave the fabric of community,

to re-connect once more with the larger human family.

To find once more that place of calm.

To remind ourselves that we belong

and to remember what it is we belong to.

Let us celebrate life in the presence we name God.

 

SILENCE
HYMN WOV 525 ‘O Love that wilt not let me go’
Words: G. Matheson. Music: A. Pearce
1. O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee:
I give thee back the life I owe,
that in thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fuller be.

2. O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
my heart restores its borrowed ray,
that in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
may brighter, fairer be.

3. O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain,
that morn shall tearless be.

4. O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
and from the ground there blossoms red
life that shall endless be.
WELCOME
E te whānau a Te Karaiti
ngā mihi aroha ki a tātou katoa.
Kia ora tātou.

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PRAYER
TE KARAKIA O TE ATUA – THE JESUS PRAYER

E tō mātou Matua i te rangi, kia tapu tōu ingoa.
Kia tae mai tōu rangatiratanga.
Kia meatia tāu e pai ai ki runga ki te whenua, kia rite anō ki to te rangi.
Homai ki a mātou āianei he taro mā mātou mō tēnei rā.
Murua o mātou hara, me mātou hoki e muru nei i o te hunga e hara ana ki a mātou.
Aua hoki mātou e kawea kia whakawaia; engari whakaorangia mātou i te kino
Nou hoki te rangatiratanga, te kaha, me te kōroria,
Ake, ake, ake,
Amine.
LIGHTING THE RAINBOW CANDLE
BLESSING THE CHILDREN (All stand)
We send you to the Rainbow Room to hear stories, ask questions
and have fun together.
We bless you. Amen.
PASSING THE PEACE
Traditionally we shake hands to pass the peace and say “peace be with you.” Now that COVID-19 is here we ask that you pass the peace without shaking hands.

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THE WORD IN TEXTS John Morgan
Hebrew Bible Exodus 34:29-35
Epistle 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Gospel Luke 9:28-36
Contemporary reading ‘Dazzling’
By Jan Richardson
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
REFLECTION Fionnaigh McKenzie & Ellen Murray
MUSIC FOR REFLECTION
HYMN AA 114 ‘Out of such sun and air’
Words and Music: © 1988 Colin Gibson 3 verses
1. Out of such sun and air
what Christ may come,
shining with new and lovely light
on our dim and shrouded lives;
stirring our sleepiness with dreams,
visions of life beyond compare.
Out of such sun and air
come, Christ, however you will come.

2. Out of such cloud and mist
what Christ may come,
blurring the clear and simple lines
of our settled scheme of things;
calling on faith and hope and trust,
daring to danger, trial and risk.
Out of this cloud and mist
come, Christ, however you will come.

3. Out of such sudden storm
what Christ may come,
sweeping across the startled sky
of our calm and peaceful ways;
driving with tempest winds of change,
testing with tumult and reform.
Out of this sudden storm
come, Christ, however you will come.

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OFFERING HYMN AA 127 ‘Take my gifts’ verse 3
Words © 1992 Shirley Erena Murray, (Admin. by Hope Publishing Company)
Music: ©1992 Colin Gibson Hope Publishing Co.
Take whatever I can offer –
gifts that I have yet to find,
skills that I am slow to sharpen,
talents of the heart and mind,
things made beautiful for others
in the place where I must be:
take my gifts and let me love you,
God who first of all loved me.
OFFERING PRAYER
Compassionate God, who calls all people to be one family,
teach us to share our gifts with each other,
strengthen us to make peace by working together,
and challenge us with a vision of the feast
where all are welcome. 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 Sandra Kirby
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Nepal and the Hindu people in Nepal and 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 progress that has been made and pray that their calls for justice might yet find a compassionate response. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name David Seymour (Epsom) and Dr Gaurav Sharma (Hamilton West). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of St Columba's Presbyterian Church, Havelock North.
 
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

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TIME WITH THE ADULTS
HYMN AA 155 ‘Where Mountains Rise’
Words © 1971, Shirley Erena Murray
Music by Vernon Griffiths © 1971 Faber Music Ltd. 5 verses

1. Where mountains rise to open skies
your name, O God, is echoed far,
from island beach to kauri’s reach,
in water’s light, in lake and star.

2. Your people’s heart, your people’s part
be in our caring for this land,
for faith to flower, for aroha
to let each other’s mana stand.

3. From broken word, from conflict stirred,
from lack of vision, set us free
to see the line of your design,
to feel creation’s energy.

4. Your love be known, compassion shown,
that every child have equal scope:
in justice done, in trust begun
shall be our heritage and hope.

5. Where mountains rise to open skies
your way of peace distil the air,
your spirit bind all humankind,
one covenant of life to share!
BLESSING
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE