WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE

PRELUDE

GATHERING

 

We gather grateful that we can gather,
that we can find companionship of hearts and minds seeking to speak the truth in love.

 

We remember those who cannot gather.

 

We gather grateful for our heritage,
for the women and men before us
whose imagination, dedication and
prophetic words and deeds make possible
our dreams and our insight.

 

And we gather grateful for the gift of life itself,
mindful that to respect life means both to celebrate what life is
and to insist on what it can become.

 

May we always rejoice in life,
and work to cultivate a sense of its giftedness. (Adapt.M S Milnor)

SILENCE

PROCESSIONAL HYMN                                                   AA 72 ‘In this familiar place’

                                                                                                   Words and Music: Colin Gibson

1. In this familiar place

I know the mystery of your grace.

 

Refrain

For the love that I receive, for the truth that I believe,

I praise and thank you for this here and now.

 

2. In halting song and word

the music of your voice is heard.

 

Refrain

 

3. Among these friends of mine

I taste the company divine.

 

Refrain

 

4. Within this narrow sphere

I learn that you are everywhere.

 

Refrain

WELCOME 

Kia ora tātou.

Kia ora.

OPENING SENTENCES

We invite the mountains to worship with us:

Mighty ranges and deep forests,

sliding glaciers and swirling snow.

 

We invite the wild to join us in wonder:

Takahe and Kea,

mysterious moths and silver ferns.

 

We join with the mountain creatures in praising God:

Leaping trout and crawling creatures,

Matagouri and honey bees.

 

We call the depths of the mountains to celebrate:

All  pounamu and sparkling stones,

lava and rich forest soil.

 

We enter the mountain of God today:

And we worship in God’s presence,

a sacred place on our planet.

 

JESUS’ PRAYER in a COVID world 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,

We see your creation as being far greater than just us.

Loving God, in whom is heaven:
the hallowing of your name
echo through the universe!

We are being humbled by one of the smallest of your creatures COVID 19

The way of your justice be followed
by the peoples of the world!

Our response to the pandemic is spawning disruption and disharmony, separation, isolation and death. Enclose us in your loving embrace that we might know your kingdom as it comes to us in these times.

Your heavenly will be done
by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and come on earth.

Your love for the world brought Jesus to us; you spoke your Word to us in him. We have not always listened. Our misuse of your gifts has surely contributed to our present distress. Help us to honour your will in all things.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.

In the face of the Pandemic, and driven by our fear of death, we have isolated ourselves from one another, starving ourselves of company and the means to live in the joy of community. Feed us now with awareness of how necessary our connection is to one another and to all creation. May our care and love become the daily bread that feeds every life.

In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.

We have wasted and spoiled much of your creation. Many throughout history have thought only of themselves and our species, and we are no different. Shake us awake to our indifference. Forgive our selfishness, our neglect, our greed.
It is easy to feel hard done by, to blame others for our own ills. Yet forgiveness is so healing, calming, it brings peace to our soul. Rid us of all resentment which, like we are doing in the face of the pandemic, isolates and destroys. Withholding forgiveness ‘locks down’ mercy.

In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.

A small virus is showing us the negative side of exclusion. The price of discrimination now affects us all. Save us from any temptation to exclude others, or belittle or devalue other parts of creation. This is the trap that is before us. Protect us.

From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

Bring us through this terrible time with our faith and love stronger, with a clearer vision of your precious gift of life, a deeper appreciation of death, and with a fuller understanding of our responsibility to the world.

For you reign in the glory
of the power that is love, now and for ever.
Amen.

(Inspired by James B. Lyons)

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LIGHTING THE RAINBOW CANDLE
TIME WITH CHILDREN Cameron Smart
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 remain standing, where you are, and pass the peace with your eyes.

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THE WORD IN TEXTS Valerie Rhodes
Hebrew Bible Job 38:1-7
Gospel/New Testament Matthew 4:1-10
Contemporary youtube "These are my Mountains"

For fame and for fortune I've wandered the earth,
But now I return to the land of my birth,
I brought back my treasures but only to find
They're less than the pleasures that I left behind.

For these are my mountains, and this is my glen,
These days of my childhood I see them again,
No land ever claimed me though far I did roam
For these are my mountains and I'm going home.

The stream by the road side sings at my going by,
The lark overhead wings a welcoming cry,
The lake where the trout lie, once more I will see
For it's there that my heart lies, it's there I must be.

For these are my mountains, and this is my glen,
These days of my childhood I see them again,
No land ever claimed me though far I did roam
For these are my mountains and I'm going home..

Kind faces will meet me and welcome me in,
And oh how they'll greet me back home again,
This night round the fireside, old songs will be sung
At last I'll be hearing my own mother's tongue.

For these are my mountains, and this is my glen,
The days of my childhood, I see them again,
No land ever claimed me, though far I did roam,
For these are my mountains, I have come home.
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
REFLECTION: The twin messages of the mountains Rev. Ross Scott

Time to reflect on your mountain and what it says to you while I play my flute

HYMN FFS 63 ‘These Hills’
Words and music by Colin Gibson
Words and music © 1998 Hope Publishing Company
Reprinted with permission under One License A-623996. All rights reserved

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.

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OFFERTORY MUSIC
OFFERING HYMN AA 127 ‘Take my gifts’
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 hand 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
All that we are, and all that we have, and all that we may become, comes from this planet, from God
for we are made from its dust.
So we bring these offerings and ourselves
to bring restoration to our relationships.
Male to female,
old to young,
nations to nations,
ethnic group to ethnic group,
and humanity to the rest of creation.
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 Lois Robertson
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Japan and the National Christian Council in Japan. 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 the recent progress and pray that their calls for justice might continue to find a compassionate response. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Hon Chris Hipkins (Remutaka), Barbara Kuriger (Taranaki-King Country). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of St John's in the City Presbyterian Church, Wellington.
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 AA 26 ‘Come to our Land’
Words ©1992 Shirley Murray. Music: Colin Gibson © 1992 Hope Publishing Company

1. Come to our land, come to our hearts
Spirit of peace, Spirit of truth
bring in the spring, the hope and the green,
Spirit of growth and Spirit of youth.

And all our people will sing together:
Wairua Tapu, holy your name,
there’s one great Spirit in all creation,
one great Spirit of God!

2. Come to our land, come to our hearts
Spirit of life, breath of new birth,
teach us to care for water and air,
nourish the seed and cherish the earth. Refrain

3. Come to our land, come to our hearts
Spirit of bush, Spirit of bird,
speak to the soul of Aotearoa
joy in your world, and joy in your Word. Refrain

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BLESSING
May the places where you walk become
sacred spaces as you see the Creativity of God...
The places where you take your stand
be signposts to the love of the Human One...
The places where you rest be filled with
the renewing grace of the Spirit.
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE