August 7, 2022
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
Today’s service is led by Rev. Dr Fei Taule’ale’ausumai
PRELUDE (Luke 2:14)
He korōria ki te Atua.
Salute to God.
He maungarongo ki te whenua.
Peacefulness to the land.
He whakaaro pai ki te tangata.
Goodwill to the people.
PROCESSIONAL HYMN AA 113 ‘Our life has its seasons’
Words: © Shirley Murray. Music: © Colin Gibson
Our life has its seasons, and God has the reasons
why spring follows winter, and new leaves grow;
for there’s a connection with our resurrection
that flowers will bud after frost and snow.
So there’s never a time to stop believing,
there’s never a time for hope to die,
there’s never a time to stop loving,
these three things go on.
There’s a time to be planting, a time to be plucking,
a time to be laughing, a time to weep,
a time to be building, a time to be breaking,
a time to be waking, a time to sleep.
So there’s never…
There’s a time to be hurting, a time to be healing,
a time to be saving, a time to spend,
a time to be grieving, a time to be dancing,
a time for beginning, a time to end.
So there’s never…
WELCOME
E te whānau a Te Karaiti
ngā mihi aroha ki a tātou katoa.
Kia ora tātou.
Talofa lava,
Talofa
GATHERING
We are called as a community of faith,
a supportive community, in which we love into being
new possibilities for one another,
calling out of each other the best we have to offer.
In so doing we follow the pattern of Jesus
who constantly accepted people as they were,
while drawing them on to realise what they could be.
In worship we build and nurture a community
where such fostering of new possibilities can take birth and grow.
We celebrate life, past, present and future
in the presence we name God.
JESUS’ PRAYER
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 ROOM CANDLE
The rainbow candle represents the inclusive nature of our church where all are welcome and also celebrates our children.
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN Frank Cook
BLESSING THE CHILDREN
We send you to the Rainbow Room programme
to hear stories, ask questions and have fun together.
God bless you. Amen.
PASSING THE PEACE
THE WORD IN TEXTS Ken Irwin
Hebrew Bible 1 Samuel 18:1-4
Gospel John 15:11-17
Contemporary reading A friend in need by Joy Cowley
Lord, I am hurting.
I feel like a tree
with its roots laid bare.
Suddenly there seems to be no support
and I don’t know what to do about it.
I know that adversity builds character,
but that’s tomorrow’s story
and it has no meaning for now.
What I need, Lord, is a friend.
Choose my friend carefully.
Please, no one who’s going to tell me
how to put my life straight,
no amateur analyst or teacher,
no preacher, no well-meaning person
who is going to “should” all over me.
I want someone to come in the door
with a smile and a big warm hug
to let me know I’m valuable
just as I am.
There’ll be no advice,
no expectation of change.
My friend will already know
that pain is important in journey
and must be travelled through.
My friend will stay beside me
and hold my hand
while I make my own discoveries.
And then, when all this is over,
Lord help me to remember two things:
To say “Thank you,”
and to be a friend
with a big warm hug
to someone else in pain.
RESPONSE
For the Spirit of God in word,
for the Spirit of God among us,
for the Spirit of God within us,
We give thanks.
HYMN AA85 ‘Let justice roll down like a river’
Words & Music: Colin Gibson
© 1994 Hope Publishing company
Refrain:
Let justice roll down like a river,
let justice flow down to the sea;
let justice roll down like a river,
let justice begin through me.
Justice for all who go hungry,
crying to God to be fed,
left in a world of abundance
to beg for a morsel of bread.
Refrain
Justice for those who are homeless,
victims of war or of need,
trapped on the borders of nowhere,
lost in the canyons of greed.
Refrain
Justice for all who are powerless,
yearning for freedom in vain,
plundered and robbed of their birth-right,
silently bearing their pain.
Refrain
Reflection: “Treaty of friendship between Samoa and NZ, 60th Anniversary”
Rev. Dr. Fei Taule’ale’ausumai
OFFERING
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
For the gifts we receive and the gifts we share
we give thanks.
For the abundant universe, with resources enough and to spare
we give thanks.
May our offerings of money and food, compassion and goodwill,
be multiplied to those who receive them
blessing them, as we are blessed to give. Amen
We recognise and bless the gifts brought to the table and those given
to support the mission of the church through automatic payment.
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 Jenn Keenan
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Solomon Islands and the Christian World Service funded women’s programme of the Lauru Land Conference of Tribal Communities, which seeks to improve women’s role in decision-making and sustainable living. 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 Barbara Kuriger (Taranaki – King Country) and Priyanca Radhakrishnan (Maugakiekie). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of Knox Fitzroy Presbyterian Church, New Plymouth.
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 CH4:528 ‘Make me a channel of your peace’
Music: Sebastian Temple (1928-1997); arr. Betty Jane Pulkingham (b.1928)
Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow love;
where there is injury, your pardon, Lord;
and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved, as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of you peace.
Where’s there’s despair in life let me bring hope;
where there is darkness, only light;
and where there’s sadness, ever joy.
Master, grant that I may never seek…
Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving of ourselves that we receive;
and in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Master, grant that I may never seek…
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.
THANKSGIVING PRAYER
O Eternal Spirit, we give thanks,
because with fire and wind you came among us.
You burst forth
and our lives have never been the same.
You continue to reveal yourself to women and men
many times, in different places, in a myriad of ways
offering us a new way of living
a new energy empowering us for the journey.
Therefore with the energy and powerful love
which we can now find deep within us,
with the creative ones
who delight, and transform darkness and despair,
with those with artistic skill
who dare to visualise for us another way,
with the damaged ones
who bring to life’s stage new drama,
with those who are rich in enthusiasm
who inspire others to do good and do well,
we give thanks, saying:
Holy, holy, holy, loving Spirit God
heaven and earth are full of your glory
the glory of the power that is love.
Hosanna in the highest;
blessed are they who come in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest
Blessed is our brother Jesus
who walks with us in the spirit of life,
now always with us wherever we are,
who, after a meal with his friends,
people much like us, took bread, gave thanks, broke it and said:
‘This is my body which is for you
Do this to remember me’
In the same also the cup, after supper saying words like
‘This cup is the new covenant,
Do this whenever you drink it, to remember me.’
Come now disturbing Spirit
brood over and breathe on these earthly things
and make us one body in Christ.
Open our eyes, unlock our hearts, name us here;
touch and heal all that has been buried in us,
transforming ugliness into beauty,
transforming despair into hope,
that we may go out with power
to release new life in the world.
Adapted from All Desires Known by Janet Morley
The original of this prayer was first used on Easter Day 1987 in the St Hilda Community
DISTRIBUTION
You will be served communion in your seats. The light liquid is wine and the dark liquid is grape juice. The bread is gluten free.
CLOSING PRAYERS
We do not rise from this table without remembering
other members of this worldwide family:
for those who are suffering from poverty
we pray relief;
for those who fear war
we pray peace;
for those who experience prejudice
we pray acceptance;
for those treated with hate
we pray love;
for those who doubt their former beliefs
we pray trust and faith;
for all who seek a spiritual path
we pray they will find it.
So may it be
AMEN
HYMN FFS 57 – ‘Song of faith that sings forever’
Words: © Shirley Erena Murray. Music © Colin Gibson
Song of faith that sings forever
through God’s people, ages long,
Word that holds the world together
when our hearts take up the song,
always, always, somewhere sounding,
though the source we do not see,
counterpoint to all despairing,
it is hope that sets the key.
Song of faith in exaltation,
rising through the vaults of prayer,
tune of simple celebration
offered up in open air,
song in chapel and cathedral,
descant to our daily tone,
song from sickbed or in prison,
faith must often sing alone.
And when life would overwhelm us,
when there seems no song to sing,
hear the constant voice of courage
out of fear and suffering:
all who’ve loved and trusted Jesus,
all who lift us to be strong,
endless, endless are the voices
of the faith that makes the song.
BLESSING:
Kia tau kia tātou katoa, te atawhai o tō tātou Ariki a Ihu Karaiti, me te aroha o te Atua, me te whiwhinga tahitanga ki te wairua tapu. Ake, ake, ake. Amine.
SUNG BLESSING FFS 49 ‘May the God of new beginnings’
Words © 2000 John Murray, Music © 2000 Colin Gibson
Reprinted under One License A-623996. All rights reserved
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
Thank you Bruce Corkill
our musician today