January 29, 2023
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
Today’s service is led by Fiona McDougal
GATHERING
Greater than all we have in our human hands:
God of plenty and gifts.
Greater than all the storms and swirling powers which threaten
to destroy us:
God of risen life.
Greater than we are, even in our best moments,
even in our largest loving,
You are our God, the God of all eternity.
and we worship you! Dorothy McRae-McMahon
PROCESSIONAL HYMN
‘Great and deep’ CH4 617
Words© Marnie Barrell
Music: Abbotts Leigh Cyril Vincent Taylor (CH4 615)
Great and deep the Spirit’s purpose,
hidden now in mystery;
nature bursts with joyful promise,
ripe with what is yet to be.
In a wealth of rich invention,
still the work of art unfolds –
barely have we seen, and faintly,
what God’s great salvation holds.
Great and deep the Spirit’s purpose
making Jesus seen and heard.
Every age of God’s creation
grasps new meanings from the Word.
Show us, Holy Spirit, show us
your new work begun today;
eyes and ears and hearts are open,
teach us what to do and say.
Great and deep the Spirit’s purpose;
all God’s children brought to birth,
freed from hunger, fear and evil,
every corner of the earth.
And a million million voices
speak with joy the Saviour’s name;
every face reflects his image,
never any two the same.
Great and deep the Spirit’s purpose
nothing shall be left to chance.
All that lives will be united
in the everlasting dance.
All fulfilled and all perfected,
each uniquely loved and known,
Christ in glory unimagined
once for all receives his own.
WELCOME
Kia ora tatou.
Kia ora.
Talofa lava.
Talofa.
PRAYER
We make time today to come together in this peaceful place.
We settle our anxious hearts and busy minds,
breathing in calm, breathing out fear…….
We seek connection with the One whose
reality we can hardly grasp.
Our questions and longings reach out in hope
as we look for signs of Sacred presence in our lives.
Open our awareness, draw our attention and help us to savour
those moments that bring us closer to you.
The summer holidays come to an end and we return to our more regular lifestyles.
Creative and empowering One,
be with us as we decide what our priorities will be this year.
Guide us as we wonder how to spend our time and energy.
Support and sustain us in the projects and opportunities that come our way.
May we live as those who know just a little of the dynamic power and deep wisdom of God.
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
CANDLEMAS CEREMONY
Introduction.
Candlemas commemorates the ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth of Jesus. It also marks the ritual presentation of the baby Jesus to God in the Temple at Jerusalem. The Gospel of Luke says that Jesus was met by Anna and Simeon. Simeon held Jesus and called him a Light to the World. The festival is called Candlemas because this was the day that all the church’s candles for the year were blessed.
Candles light up many sacred moments in our community throughout the year and at gatherings large and small.
Purple during Advent – a penitential colour – a longing for life to be different.
White during Christmas – the colour that speaks of Love.
Green during Epiphany – the colour of new growth and possibilities
Purple (again) during Lent – the colour for grief, sadness and regret as we follow Jesus to Calvary
White and Gold – for Easter and the triumph of LOVE
Red for Pentecost and the Sundays following – representing the fire of the Spirit warming and encouraging the fledgling Church.
Blue for the Season of Creation – the colour of the Earth when seen from Outer Space.
Green during the time between Creation and Advent. Sometimes referred to as “Ordinary Time” – green is the colour of vegetation and growth.
Our Rainbow Candle celebrates our children and our diversity.
The Blessing
So now we remember all those occasions
and bless these candles for the year ahead.
We give thanks for the warm light they shine within our gatherings
and the moments of illumination that come to us in this place.
May the radiance recognisable in the baby Jesus
shimmer within our lives
and bring light and healing to all those we encounter.
Bless these candles, light up our lives.
PASSING THE PEACE
Traditionally we shake hands to pass the peace and say “peace be with you. Now that Covid is here
we ask that you pass the peace without shaking hands.
THE WORD IN TEXTS
Hebrew Bible: Micah 6:1-8 NLT
The Lord’s Case against Israel
6 Listen to what the Lord is saying:
1 “Stand up and state your case against me.
Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints.
2 And now, O mountains,
listen to the Lord’s complaint!
He has a case against his people.
He will bring charges against Israel.
3 “O my people, what have I done to you?
What have I done to make you tired of me?
Answer me!
4 For I brought you out of Egypt
and redeemed you from slavery.
I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.
5 Don’t you remember, my people,
how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed
and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead?
And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
when I, the Lord, did everything I could
to teach you about my faithfulness.”
6 What can we bring to the Lord?
Should we bring him burnt offerings?
Should we bow before God Most High
with offerings of yearling calves?
7 Should we offer him thousands of rams
and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
to pay for our sins?
8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
Gospel
Matthew 5:1-12 NIV
New Testament
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 The Voice
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
REFLECTION
“Act, love, walk”
Fiona McDougal
HYMN
‘There is a longing’ CH4 720
Words and Music: ©Anne Quigley 1992
Refrain:
There is a longing in our hearts, O God
For you to reveal yourself to us,
There is a longing in our hearts for love
We only find in you, our God.
- For justice, for freedom, for mercy:
hear our prayer.
In sorrow, in grief:
be near, hear our prayer, O God.
Refrain
- For wisdom, for courage, for comfort:
hear our prayer.
In weakness, in fear:
be near, hear our prayer, O God.
Refrain
- For healing, for wholeness, for new life:
hear our prayer.
In sickness, in death:
be near, hear our prayer, O God.
Refrain
OFFERING HYMN
‘Here we bring’ AA 62
Words: ©Shirley Murray Tune:© Colin Gibson
Here we bring, small or great,
gifts to offer on this plate;
what we’ve earned, what we own,
tithe or token, bread or stone.
Jesus said, “Have a care -your hearts will always be
where your riches are, where your riches are”.
Wild flowers grow, birds find seed,
God attends to each one’s need;
as we share all can live,
as we love, we learn to give.
Jesus said, “Have a care -your hearts will always be
where your riches are, where your riches are”.
OFFERING PRAYER
Many gifts we receive,
strong community to weave;
as we share all can live,
as we love, we learn to give.
May these off’rings be blest,
may they prove our best intent.
May we share so all live,
may we love and learn to give.
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
Lynne Dovey
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Venezuela and Roman Catholic people throughout the world. 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 Stuart Smith (Kaikōura) and Lemauga Lydia Sosene (List). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of Waikohu Co-operating Church (Pres-Ang)
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
‘From this holy time’ HIOS 31
Music: Laudate Dominum WOV 83
Words: © Marnie Barrell 3 vs
- From this holy time,
from this sacred space,
we go now to serve,
our own day and place,
committed to follow
the way Jesus trod:
do justice, love mercy,
walk humbly with God.
- He lives in our midst,
though gone from our sight,
baptized in his name
we walk in his light:
we treasure his presence,
example and word:
do justice, love mercy,
walk humbly with God.
- Let this be our life,
till Christ comes again –
to love as he loves
and work for God’s reign,
this song in our hearts
and this sign on our road:
do justice, love mercy,
walk humbly with God.
BLESSING
May God our maker bless us
and wrap us round
in love and tenderness.
May Jesus our brother bless us
and ask us the questions
that lead us to do justice.
May the Holy Spirit bless us
and fill our lives
with her courage and wisdom.
May we live bravely and in love
all our nights and days. Iona Community
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE
“Scherzo”
E. Gigout
THANK YOU
Judy Dumbleton