November 8, 2020

WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE

Today’s service is led by Rev. Norman Wilkins

GATHERING                                                                                 Attributed to Kalidasa

4thC AD Classical Sanskrit Writer

Look to this day,
for it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course lie all the virtues and realities of your existence;
the bliss of growth
the glory of action
the splendour of beauty.

For yesterday is but a dream
and tomorrow is only a vision,
but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day.

 

PROCESSIONAL HYMN WOV 107 ‘Church of the living Christ’
Words: © 1992 Shirley Murray
Tune: Little Cornard 4 verses
1. Church of the living Christ
people of Easter faith –
speak to the Man who walks
free from the dark of death!
The Christ who burst the tomb apart
Comes questioning the Church’s heart.

2. No use old wineskins now –
new wine is here to stay:
no patching up old schemes –
new patches tear away,
old gear, old concepts have no place
where Christ’s own presence sets the pace.

3. Women and men of God,
come, as one Church to serve,
bring all the skills we have,
sharpen our every nerve:
to save a world in bitter need
the rule of love must come in deed.

4. We are the Body now –
our feet must mark the Way,
our speech declare the Word
and live it day by day,
the resurrection story ours,
disciples gifted with new powers!
WELCOME
Kia ora tatou.
Kia ora.
PRAYER
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
TIME WITH CHILDREN Rosemary Lawrence
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 is here
we ask that you pass the peace without shaking hands.
THE WORD IN TEXTS Margaret Rushbrook
Hebrew Bible Psalm 78:1-7
Christian Scriptures Matthew 25:1-13
Quotes from beyond the Christian tradition
From Iman Al Bukhari quoting the Prophet Muhammad

“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”
Lao Tzu (6th century BCE Chinese Philosopher)
“Be kind, for whenever kindness becomes part of something, it beautifies it. Whenever it is taken from something, it leaves it tarnished.”
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
HYMN FFS 14 ‘Faith has set us on a journey’
Tune: Austria WOV 374(1) Words: © 1992 Shirley Murray 3 verses

1. Faith has set us on a journey
past the landmarks that we know,
taking risks with no insurance
but the Word that tells us "go!"
Friend or job or home or lover
we may need to leave behind,
outworn truths and ways of thinking,
baggage to the past consigned.

2. Some are swags of easy conscience
who with others hitch a ride,
some are tourist-package Christians,
dollar-safe, with Book and guide.
There are others on this journey --
those who long and pray and search,
heave the stones to free the structures,
love the Christ and leave the Church.

3. We are this unlikely people
in the Body knit as one,
company of clowns and cripples -
some are wise and some can run.
Prophets are our travel agents,
gospel-makers lay this road:
to the place of peace and promise
faith will take us into God.
REFLECTION ‘The ‘new’ oil’ Rev. Norman Wilkins
HYMN ‘What does it mean to be a woman?’
Words © 2019 Susan Jones (Used by permission). Tune: Abbot’s Leigh WOV 93

1. 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?

2. 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?

3. 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?

4. 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.
COVENANT Pastor L. Griswold Williams

Love is the doctrine of this church,
the quest of truth is its sacrament,
and service is its prayer,
to dwell together in peace,
to seek knowledge and freedom to serve human need,
to the end that all souls shall grow into harmony with The Divine.
Thus do we covenant with each other and with God.
OFFERING PRAYER (said together)
We are blessed for we can give. In thankfulness we offer money and food
May these gifts and our lives, all we have and are enrich and serve our community.
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 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 Wendy Matthews
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia and Mauritania and the Gambia Christian Council. We remember the detainees of Manus and Nauru Islands, yearning that their cases be resolved. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Adrian Rurawhe (Te Tai Hauauri electorate) and Deborah Russell (New Lynn electorate). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of Levin Uniting 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
HYMN AA 8 Servant Song
Words & Music by Richard Gillard
Words & Music © 1977 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing
(Admin by Crossroad Distributors Ptd Ltd)
1. Brother, sister, let me serve you;
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.

2. We are pilgrims on a journey,
and companions on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.

3. I will hold the Christ-light for you
in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.

4. I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh I'll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow,
till we've seen this journey through.

5. Brother, sister, let me serve you;
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.
BLESSING John Murray (Universalist Minister 1741 – 1815)
Go out into the highways and byways,
give the people something of your new vision,
you may possess a small light but uncover it,
let it shine, use it in order to bring more light and understanding to the hearts and minds of men and women
give them not hell but hope and courage
preach the kindness and everlasting love of God.
SUNG AMEN
CLOSING ORGAN VOLUNTARY Toccata
by Johann Jakob Froberger (1616 - 1667)