May 8, 2022
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
PRELUDE ‘El Shaddai/Amazing Grace’
CALL TO WORSHIP
Let there be joy in our coming together this morning.
Let there be truth heard in the words we speak
and the songs we sing.
Let there be help and healing for our disharmony and despair.
Let there be silence for the voice within us and beyond us.
Let us be nurtured in the presence of the holy.
SILENCE
PROCESSIONAL HYMN In Every Corner Sing 11 ‘Come Celebrate The Women’
1. Come, celebrate the women
who brought the Church to birth!
the gentle revolution
that shall transform the earth:
whose faith was salt and leaven,
whose hearts and minds were free,
and this was their direction —
to peace and unity.
2. The teachers, saints and mothers
who lived and died unsung
kept safe the gospel story
and taught it to the young;
the Christ child Mary cradled,
the living Word to be,
was crucified for pleading
this peace and unity.
3. Daughters of the disciples,
you weave the story still,
the fabric of the future
with warmth and love and skill,
you make the bread of wholeness,
the wine of harmony —
and all shall share your feasting
in peace and unity!
GATHERING
In our gathering here together, let us:
Open our minds to the challenge of reason,
open our hearts to the healing of love,
open our lives to the comfort of joy.
Astonished by the miracle of life,
grateful for the gift of friends,
confident in the power of living faith,
we are gathered here to be the church.
WELCOME
E te whānau a Te Karaiti
Ngā mihi aroha ki a tatou katoa.
Kia ora tātou.
Talofa lava
Talofa
PRAYER
Across the barriers that divide race from race;
across the barriers that divide the rich from the poor;
across the barriers that divide people of different faiths;
reconcile us, O Christ, by your cross.
(from the World Council of Churches)
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
We light the Rainbow Candle as a symbol of inclusiveness and in
acknowledgment of the special place of children among us.
TIME WITH CHILDREN Rosemary Lawrence
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.
THE WORD IN TEXTS Margaret Rushbrook
Hebrew Bible Psalm 23
New Testament Acts 9:36-43
Contemporary reading ‘Gathered and Scattered’
By Tom Gordon
I always seem to fall short –
not quite good enough,
always second best,
never pleasing the people who matter.
I always seem to come off worst –
failing to make the grade,
missing perfection,
down the ranks from where I should be.
I always seem to be left behind –
last one to be picked,
far from special
never chosen to be up front.
Then someone says I’m a good person –
someone believes in me,
when I don’t believe in myself,
and offers a different voice.
And I ask ‘Can this be true?
Am I a good person after all?
Whose voice is this
that calls me good for the first time?’
Self-belief from such a small beginning?
Maybe not, and maybe not yet …
But a small voice against a lifetime of put-downs
has to be a good place to start …
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
HYMN: HIOS 34 ‘Creator God’
Words: © Jocelyn Marshall. Tune: Regent square
1. God Composer and Conductor
of earth’s matchless symphony,
makes from silence glorious music,
from discordance harmony;
brings forth joy from deepest sorrow,
ecstasy from agony.
2. God the Architect and Artist
of earth’s colours, textures, forms,
gives new wonder to our vision,
light in even darkest storms,
teaches that with understanding,
faith redeems and love reforms.
3. God of science Healer Teacher,
pushes out the boundaries
of capacity and knowledge,
challenges and gently frees
from the limits that restrain us,
offers opportunities.
4. God creative Spirit in us,
inspiration Force sublime,
leading us to new endeavour,
you our living Paradigm,
may we know Your constant Presence
now and to the end of time.
REFLECTION “Samoan women as Covenant makers usurped by Christianity.”
Rev Dr Fei Taule’ale’ausumai
HYMN AA 158 ‘Who is my mother?’
1. Who is my mother?
who is my brother?
All those who gather around Jesus Christ:
spirit blown people
born from the Gospel
sit at the table, round Jesus Christ.
2. Differently abled,
differently labelled
widen the circle round Jesus Christ,
crutches and stigmas,
cultures’ enigmas
all come together round Jesus Christ.
3. Love will relate us
colour or status
can’t segregate us round Jesus Christ:
family failings,
human derailings,
all are accepted, round Jesus Christ.
4. Bound by one vision,
met for one mission
we claim each other, round Jesus Christ.
here is my mother,
here is my brother
Kindred in Spirit, round Jesus Christ.
OFFERTORY MUSIC ‘It is Well’
(arr. Mark Hayes)
OFFERING HYMN ‘Willing Hands’
Tune: Duke Street WOV 24
Willing hands, to lead the blind,
heal the wounded, feed the poor.
Love embracing all our kind,
charity with liberal store.
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, 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 Ellen Murray
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Peru and the Methodist Church of Peru. 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 Hon Marama Davidson and Hon Kris Faafoi list MPs.
Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of
Kilbirnie Presbyterian Church.
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
HYMN WOV 68 ‘Praise with God the world’s creator’
Words: Iona Community Tune: Praise my soul the king of heaven
1. Praise with joy the world’s creator,
God of justice, love and peace,
source and end of human knowledge,
force of goodness without cease.
Celebrate the Maker’s glory,
power to rescue and release.
2. Praise the Son who feeds the hungry,
frees the captive, finds the lost,
heals the sick, upsets religion,
fearless both of fate and cost.
Celebrate Christ’s constant presence –
friend and Stranger, Guest and Host.
3. Praise the Spirit sent among us
liberating truth from pride,
forging bonds where race or gender,
age or nation dare divide.
Celebrate the Spirit’s treasure –
foolishness none dare deride.
4. Praise the Maker, Son and Spirit,
one God in Community,
calling us to leave behind
faith’s ghettos and obscurity.
Thus the world shall yet believe
when shown Christ’s vibrant unity.
BLESSING
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE Fantasy on “Ode to Joy”
arr. Mark Stamper
THANK YOU Mark Stamper
our musician today