July 17, 2022

WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE

PRELUDE

Ave Maria

Charles Gounod, Johann Sebastian Bach

CALL TO WORSHIP

Creator God, Your story has unfolded through time,
from far-flung stars to intimate relationship.
Help us, as we gather today to know and see You in new ways,
in our song and in our silence,
give us the courage to face our vulnerabilities and sit with You,
confident in Your presence and love for us.
Amen

SILENCE

 

PROCESSIONAL HYMN                                 AA8 ‘Brother, Sister, Let Me Serve You’

Words and Music: Richard Gillard

Tune: Servant Song

1. Brother, sister, let me serve you,

let me be as Christ to you.

Pray that I may have the grace

to let you be my servant too.

 

2. We are pilgrims on a journey,

we are travellers on the road.

We are here to help each other

walk the mile, and bear the load.

 

3. I will hold the Christ-light for you,

in the night-time of your fear.

I will hold my hand out to you,

speak the peace you long to hear.

 

 

4. I will weep when you are weeping;

when you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.

I will share your joy and sorrow,

till we’ve seen this journey through.

 

5. When we sing to God in heaven,

we shall find such harmony,

born of all we’ve known together

of Christ’s love, and agony.

 

6. Sister, brother, let me serve you,

let me be as Christ to you.

Pray that I may have the grace

to let you be my servant too.

GATHERING

WELCOME 

E te whānau a Te Karaiti

ngā mihi aroha ki a tātou katoa.

Kia ora tātou.

 

Talofa lava,

Talofa

PRAYER

We pray for those parts of the world where there is war and unrest.
For those in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Yemen, Palestine,
and so many other places where there is no peace.
Hear the cries of those who are frightened,
strengthen and inspire those who work for peace.
And help us to be people of peace ourselves.

Loving Lord, help us to bring our needs to You.

We pray for justice,
that in our country and across the world leaders will be inspired by the Spirit
to act fairly and wisely for the common good,
and that our institutions would be guided and renewed
by those seeking to hear Your voice.

Loving Lord, help us to bring our needs to You.

We pray for families,
in particular families struggling with rising living costs
and the extra struggles that the school holidays bring.
Help them to know of Your peace and encouragement;
and help us to form communities which nurture and support families of all kinds.

Loving Lord, help us to bring our needs to You.

We pray for our Church, that at times of change and uncertainty
we will be a place of refuge, silence and peace in our communities,
that in a busy and troubled world we will have wisdom and compassion
to support people in their pain;
and guide them to find rest at Jesus’ feet. 

 

(Sally Fraser, Edinburgh City Centre Chaplain for Workplace Chaplaincy Church of Scotland)

 

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
The rainbow candle represents the inclusive nature of our church where all are welcome and also celebrates our children.
TIME WITH CHILDREN Frank Cook
BLESSING THE CHILDREN (All stand)
Children you may return to sit with your family or find some do activities to do from the cupboard at the back of the church.
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 John Harper
Hebrew Bible Amos 8:1-12
Gospel/New Testament Luke 10:38-42
Contemporary reading ‘From the Prayer of the Frog’
by Anthony De Mello’
The great Gensha once invited a court official to tea.
After the customary greetings the official said, “I do not
wish to squander this opportunity of spending some
time in the presence of so great a Master. Tell me,
what does it mean when they say that in spite of our
having it in our daily life we do not see it?”

Gensha offered the man a piece of cake. Then he served
him his tea. After eating and drinking, the official,
thinking that the Master had not heard his first
sentence, repeated the question. “Yes, of course,” said
the Master. “This is what it means: that we do not see
it even though we have it in our daily life.”

Those who know, do not say
those who say, do not know.
The wise are therefore silent.
The clever speak – the stupid argue.
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.

---

REFLECTION “Am I a Mary or a Martha?” Rev. Dr Fei Taule’ale’ausumai
HYMN AA 158 ‘Who is my mother?’
Words © 1992 Shirley Erena Murray
Music © 1993 Ian Render
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
Гімн України
National Anthem of Ukraine

OFFERING HYMN
‘Give thanks for life’
Words © Shirley Murray (AA 45)
Music: SINE NOMINE, Ralph Vaughan Williams (CH4 736&WOV 384)
Give thanks for life,
the measure of our days,
mortal, we pass
through beauty that decays,
yet sing to God
our hope, our love, our praise,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

OFFERING PRAYER
Faithful God, you ask us to be faithful people.
In this community, you ask us to be people of justice.
In this community, you ask us to be people of mercy.
In this community, you ask us to be people of peace.
Be with us as we try to be faithful
in large ways and in small ways
so your eternal community may come in every way.
Amen.
HYMN In Every Corner Sing 11 ‘Come Celebrate The Women’
Words © 1992 Shirley Erena Murray
Music: Ellacombe WOV 277
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!
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 Pat Booth
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Senegal and the Muslim people in Senegal 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 Ginny Andersen (Hutt South) and the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern (Mt Albert). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of North Presbyterian Church (Ahuriri/Putorino), Napier.
 
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 FFS 63 ‘These Hills’
Words and music by Colin Gibson
Words and music © 1998 Hope Publishing Company

1. These hills where the hawk flies lonely,
beaches where the long surf rolls,
mountains where the snows meet heaven,
these are our care.
Pastures where the sheep graze calmly,
orchards where the apples grow,
gardens where the roses cluster,
these are our prayer.

2. Forests where the tree ferns tower,
rivers running strong and clear,
oceans where the great whales wander,
these are our care.
 
Race meeting race as equals,
justice for age-old wrong,
worth for every man and woman,
these are our prayer.

3. Cities where the young roam restless,
lives brought to deep despair,
homeless and powerless people,
these are our care.
Places where the Word is spoken,
hands held in serving love,
faiths of our many cultures,
these are our prayer.

4. All that the old world gave us,
all that the new world brings,
language, ideas, customs,
these are our care.
Life finding joy and value,
faith seeking truth and light,
God heard and seen in all things,
this be our prayer.
SUNG BLESSING
May the God of new beginnings, start with you and me.
May the God of continuing story, speak through you and me.
May the God of infinite wisdom, shine in you and me,
May the God of safe homecomings welcome you and me.
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE
Hornpipe
G.F. Handel 1685 – 1759