December 4, 2022
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
Today’s service is led by Rev Dr Fei Taule’ale’ausumai
PRELUDE
CALL TO WORSHIP
God of all worlds, let this be our peace:
the ceaseless wash of a quiet sea on an untroubled shore – not the surge of warships.
God of all worlds, let this be our peace:
people free to be free, to speak, to laugh, to dance, and sing of your glory and your grace – not the concrete walls of difference or the self-sacrifice of bomb-clad bodies.
God of all worlds, let respect and love from our inner being to all your world become the currency of our peace.
SILENCE
PROCESSIONAL HYMN COC40(ii) ‘Star child, earth-Child’
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2. Street child, beat child no place left to go, hurt child, used child, no one wants to know:
3. Grown child, old child, mem’ry full of years, sad child, lost child, story told in tears: |
- Star-child, earth-child
go-between of God,
love child, Christ child,
heaven’s lightning rod:
This year, this year,
let the day arrive,
when Christmas comes
for everyone,
everyone alive!
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5. Hope-for-peace child, God’s stupendous sign, down-to-earth child, star of stars that shine: |
- Spared child, spoiled child,
having, wanting more,
wise child, faith child
knowing joy in store:
WELCOME
E te whānau a te Karaiti,
ngā mihi aroha ki a tātou katoa.
Kia ora tātou.
Talofa lava.
Talofa.
GATHERING
CHRISTIAN WORLD SERVICE PARTNERS:
Omar worries about having enough water for her family and animals. The Israeli authorities only allow her community to take limited water from their wells on the West Bank, in the Occupied Palestine Territories. Like other Palestinian communities they have to purchase water because these authorities will not let them dig new wells, install rainwater tanks, repair leaky pipes or extend water infrastructure to other homes.
The Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees has had some success in negotiating water improvements with funds donated from overseas partners including CWS. In Gaza the water poverty is much worse. In this climate crisis, we stand with people in need of water justice. Together we join with others to make peace.
LIGHT THE ADVENT CANDLE OF PEACE
When light is passed around we see that all is not diminished. When justice and righteousness are shared, all are enriched. For those who work to reconcile and heal we light this Advent candle, a sign of the peace we long to share.
Come, O God of all the earth,
come to save your people.
SING: Tune: Away in a manger alternate tune.
A candle is burning a flame warm and bright
a candle which brings PEACE and offers delight.
While we await our expectations are high
our hearts rejoice gladly for Jesus is nigh.
PRAYER
We pray for Peace not just as in the absence of war, but peace which enables us to sleep at night without worrying about disruption, crime, violence, hunger and poverty. Give us a peace which does not discriminate, a peace that gives women a voice to stand for what is just, a peace where justice prevails and will not sleep, a peace that stands for what is right and empowering. Amen.
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 for inclusiveness and for our children.
FAMILY TIME Dawn Cowdry
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 John Harper Roster name
Hebrew Bible Isaiah 11:1-10
Gospel Matthew 3:1-12
Contemporary reading: PEACE From “Drawn to the Wonder”
by John Johansen-berg
Peace is in the heart of God
but how shall we find peace between people?
There can be no flower of peace
from the seeds of discourse;
there can be no fruit of peace
from the root of injustice;
there can be no reaping of peace
from the sowing of oppression.
But when in our thoughts
we honour God and our neighbours,
when in our words
we encourage those who are lonely or depressed,
when in our actions
we seek justice and freedom for all,
then peace breaks out wth happiness
in all the places where people meet
and women and men, young and old,
join in the tongues of all the nations
to praise the Prince of Peace
Jesus, Emmanuel, God alongside us.
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
HYMN: ‘Now the star of Christmas’, (HIOS 105)
tune Noel Nouvelet CH417,
Now the star of Christmas shines into our day,
points a new direction: change is on the way –
there’s another landscape to be travelled through,
there’s a new-born spirit broadening our view.
When the Christ of Christmas speaks to hearts and minds,
clears the clouded vision hurting humankind,
kindred spirits gather, drawn towards the light,
sharing revelation, joyful at the sight.
If we choose to follow, we may yet be wise.
Where the three kings travel, three great faiths arise:
Jesus Christ for Christians, Jesus, Judah’s son,
Prophet for the Muslim, wisdom in each one.
Where the star enlightens, light is shared around.
God has drawn no borders, faith sees common ground:
peace the hopeful journey, justice without bar,
God’s illumination from the Christmas star.
REFLECTION ‘”Are we preparing the way? ’ Rev Dr Fei Taule’ale’ausumai
OFFERING HYMN 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
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.
We recognise and bless the gifts brought to the table, and those which wingtheir 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 Wendy Matthews
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Tuvalu and the Congregational Christian Church of Tuvalu. We hold all refugees in our hearts.We pray in particular for the 111 refuges still detained in 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 Dr Shane Reti (List) and Angela Roberts (List). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of Stratford – St Andrew’s 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
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.
COMMUNION HYMN COC 8 ‘Child of Christmas story’ Words: © 1992 Shirley Erena Murray, Hope Publishing Company
Music © 1992 Richard Madden
1.Child of Christmas story,
stable straw and star,
small and sweet and gentle,
tell us who you are.
2.Child whose baby finger
round our own is curled,
come to melt our hearts,
and come to change the world.
3.Child of Jew and gentile,
child of white and black,
teach us how to love you,
teach us what we lack.
4.Child of Mary’s courage,
birthed in human pain,
tell us what your name is,
be our hope again.
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S SUPPER:
Into our ordinary world you came to dwell, and in the small things, Jesus Christ lived righteously healing, teaching, preaching, gathering a community to live together challenging injustice through acceptance and affirmation. Your Spirit has blown across our globe, creating worldwide transformation that your love may be shown in word, deed, and intent so that no one will be in need, and all humanity may be united as Children of God.
We gather at this table set with ordinary things
common bread,
a common cup,
symbols of our ordinary lives,
to celebrate the extraordinary covenant you have given us
that makes us your people:
a people with different skin colours,
different languages,
different lifestyles,
different life experiences,
different abilities and limitations,
different ways to respond to your love in our lives.
While this bread and this cup
may be small because they are familiar,
they are also exceptional
because of your love.
Guide us, we pray,
so that the ways we live our everyday lives
in all the small things we do and say
may be transformed to be exceptional ways
that your love and grace may be known
in all the places of the world.
Under your reign,
may there be peace upon the earth
within and throughout all creation.
THE INSTITUTION:
On the night that Jesus was betrayed he took bread, broke it and said, “This is my body which is broken for you. Eat this in memory of me.” In the same manner also after they had eaten, Jesus took the cup and lifted it and said, “This is the new covenant sealed by my blood, drink this all of you in memory of me.”
PRAYER
O God, by your Word and Spirit
sanctify these gifts of grain and vine;
that they may be for us
the communion of the body and blood
of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus Christ:
Your death we show forth
Your resurrection we proclaim
Your coming we await:
Amen, come Lord Jesus.
DISTRIBUTION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Gracious Host,
Thank you for showing us again
that we are invited to live and work in your reign
as honoured guests. Bless us and those who will continue to serve others in our community who are unwell and frail. Strengthen them and may our faith grow to bear the full measure of your grace, bringing a lightness to our labours, and a wonder to our work. Amen.
HYMN COC29 ‘Light of lights beholden’
Indigo II—Words & music by Jenny McLeod ©1983
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2. Darkness all around us, light has always found us, light will come where the dark is deepest, greater light will keep us safe from harm. Troubled times will always find a voice of trouble doom, |
- 1. Light of lights beholden
we from days of olden
sang this song
for to understand
that peace upon this planet
was pledged to come.
Each to other, sister, brother,
born for life and song,
(Chorus) Look towards the light and carry on:
let the simple heart and hope among us
keep our family strong,
let the simple heart and hope among us
keep our family strong.
BLESSING
Go forth to straighten the pathways of life for the child who is to come, even Jesus the Christ – that the healing power of God’s love may rush without impediment into every wounded heart.
All: May we be nothing other than channels of God’s truth and grace.
Sing: 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 through you and me
May the God of safe homecomings, welcome you and me.
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BENEDICTION:
Go out into the world with Peace.
We go knowing that the God of peace goes with us this day and in the days to come. Amen
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE
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THANK YOU
THANK YOU Judy Dumbleton
our musician today