May 19, 2019
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
Write your welcome here
GATHERING
Today we consider wisdom and leadership
shown by Deborah, prophet of Israel.
Likewise we consider wisdom and leadership in our own day
and the expectations all people face.
How do we follow the Way?
How do we follow the Way in our own time and place?
PROCESSIONAL HYMN ‘We praise the Works of Wisdom’
Words © 2009 Jann Aldredge-Clanton (adapted to NZ)
Used by permission. Music: Ch 4 229 Wir Pflugen
We praise the work of Wisdom, how manifold and great;
She fills the earth with wonders more than we can relate.
The flowing streams give nurture to creatures large and small,
While birds and goats find shelter in trees and mountains tall.
Refrain: Wisdom comes to bless us with gifts beyond compare;
We sing for joy and give Her thanks for all Her care.
The works of Wisdom flourish through darkness and through light;
The fantails flit through forests, and eagles soar in flight.
The sporting whales in oceans all come from Wisdom’s hand;
She covers earth with beauty on water and on land. Refrain
We bring our thanks to Wisdom for nourishing our lives;
Her bread and wine increase our strength, our hearts and minds revive.
Rejoice in Wisdom’s glory, Her radiant majesty;
Praise Holy Wisdom’s splendour, her creativity. Refrain
WELCOME
Kia ora tatou.
Kia ora.
PRAYER
JESUS PRAYER Jim Cotter paraphrase on card
LIGHTING THE RAINBOW ROOM CANDLE
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN Frank Cook
BLESSING THE CHILDREN (All stand)
We send you to the Rainbow Room programme to hear stories, ask questions
and have fun together. We bless you. Amen.
PASSING THE PEACE
Feel free to pass the peace with those nearby or move to greet others further away. Passing the peace consists of shaking hands and saying “Peace be with you.” The response is “Peace be with you” or just “And with you.” Or, simply saying “Hello” is a good idea. Also feel free to simply observe if you wish!
THE WORD IN TEXTS Margaret Rushbrook
Hebrew Bible Judges 4
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
REFLECTION ‘Deborah, prophet of Israel’ Susan Jones
HYMN AA 40 ‘For the man and for the woman’
Words Colin Gibson © 1994 Hope Publishing Co.
Music: Lewis Folk Melody Ch 4 510
For the man and for the woman,
for the body and the soul,
for the mind and for the spirit,
for the love that makes them whole;
for the person and the people,
for the many and the few,
for tradition and for custom,
for the fresh and for the new.
For the friendship, for the suffering,
for the pleasure and the grief,
for the learning, for the listening,
for the doubting and belief;
for the sound and for the silence,
for the labour and the prayer,
for the rock and for the flower,
for the earth and for the air.
For the harmony of nations,
for the sounds of many lands,
for the rhythm, for the chanting,
for the language of the hands;
for the richness of the senses,
for the colour and design,
for the weaving of the pattern,
for the circle and the line.
In the dancer and the poet,
in the singer and the song,
in the artist and the actor,
on the flute and on the gong,
we will praise you, great Creator,
light of light and fire of fire;
make us one and make us many
your delight is our desire.
Responsive Contemporary reading (said standing)
‘A Psalm for the Gift of Counsel’
from WomanWisdom by Miriam Therese Winter
All: in dark italics
Left hand side: in italics
Right hand side: in plain font
We celebrate the witness of women
Women who gave good counsel
Women who give good counsel
In public life, institutional life,
in politics, academia
medicine, religion
and corporate industry
We pray for the gift of counsel
To be given to ourselves
We give praise for the witness of women today and throughout the ages.
We sing of Deborah and all other women who gave and give good counsel;
Women judges and women on juries,
Women lawyers and women employers,
Women in parliament, mayors, and all civic leaders today;
Women who are socially responsible,
Women who are corporately responsible;
Women scholars, instructors, coaches,
advisors, and all who are engaged in research;
Women bishops, preachers, priests, teachers,
Ministers, counsellors and caregivers;
Women physicians, musicians, analysts, panellists,
Journalists and media people;
Women executives, administrators,
producers, directors, inspectors and supervisory personnel;
May all in the public sector be blessed with the gift of counsel.
May we too give good counsel in the role of our public lives.
So may it be AMEN
OFFERING and 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 not already in the order of service, 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 Sue McRae
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Norway and the Christian Council of Norway. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Alfred Ngaro, and David Parker, List MPs. Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of St Luke's Co-operating Church, Patea.
PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S on card
HYMN ‘What does it mean to be a woman?’
Words © 2019 Susan Jones. Music: Abbot’s Leigh CH 4 682
What does it mean to be a woman?
Are they meant to be ‘sugar and spice’?
When a female is in charge
Do we think that’s not quite nice?
If a girl becomes the leader
or a woman takes public role,
What do we think of how she should do that?
What expectations do we hold?
How should a man be truly masc’line?
Which the attributes he should show?
When a man is moved to be gentle
do we think that’s not the ‘right’ flow?
If a man likes only to follow
or prefers a nurturing role,
what do we think of how he should do that?
What expectations do we hold?
Deb’rah was a prophet in Israel,
so were Samuel, Elijah and John;
Jael killed in definite fashion,
so did David, Joshua and Saul.
David took in Jonathon’s son,
Jesus called little children to come;
Is it our gender which should define us?
Or the right actions we each have done?
Let us now stop dividing and conq’ring.
Let us help every person to choose
the whole range of human reactions,
skills, accomplishments; nothing to lose.
Women, men, those fluid of gender,
each one choosing afresh each day;
Let all respond with ready obedience
to Life’s true call and to Life’s true Way.
BLESSING
May we be made wise, may we guide and give good counsel;
giving voice to the vision of wisdom and justice
for our lives and the good of our communities
so that more people come to know
Love surrounds them every moment of every day.
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE “Trumpet Tune in D”
by Henry Purcell (1659 - 1695)
THANK YOU Peter Franklin
Our musician today
Unless otherwise specified all our music is used by permission CCLI Licence 341550
Words/music to new hymns and gathering statement, prayers and affirmation are original unless named. If Susan Jones is the worship leader any liturgy will have been written by her. These words can be used in other worship and small group situations without seeking permission. Please acknowledge the source.