August 9, 2020

WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE

Today’s service is led by Rev. Reg Weeks

 

GATHERING
Let us breathe deeply
of this moment
this light, this miracle of now.
Beneath the din and fury
of harsh news
and urgent crises
may we be attentive still
to good news
to small occasions
and the grace of what is possible
that we may miss neither
our neighbour’s gift
nor our enemy’s need.

PROCESSIONAL HYMN HIOS 7 ‘As the wind song through the trees’
Words © 2005 Shirley Erena Murray
Music by Swee Hong Lim © 2005 Hope Publishing Company

As the wind song through the trees,
as the stirring of the breeze,
so it is with the Spirit of God,
as the heart made strangely warm,
as the voice within the storm,
so it is with the Spirit of God.

Never seen, ever known
where this wind has blown
bringing life, bringing power to the world,
as the dancing tongues of fire,
as the soul's most deep desire,
so it is with the Spirit of God.

As the rainbow after rain,
as the hope that's born again,
so it is with the Spirit of God,
as the green in the spring,
as a kite on a string,
so it is with the Spirit of God,
making worlds that are new,
making peace come true,
bringing gifts, bringing love
to the world,
as the rising of the yeast,
as the wine at the feast,
so it is with the Spirit of God.
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 ROOM 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 is here we ask that you pass the peace without shaking hands.
THE WORD IN TEXTS Jim Cunningham
Hebrew Bible Isaiah 55: 3-13
Contemporary reading “The three De Beers”
by the Rev Diane Gilliam-Weeks
Gospel Matthew 13: 1-3a, 10-15
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
REFLECTION “Those who have ears . . . .” Rev. Reg Weeks

HYMN CH4 265 Pray for a world
Words: © 1996 Ruth C Duck,
Tune: Warrington, WOV 136, 4 verses
Reprinted with permission under One License A-623996. All rights reserved

Pray for a world where every child
finds welcome in a sheltered place,
where love is tender undefiled,
and firmness intertwines with grace.

Pray for a world where passions fire
burns not in force or careless lust,
where God’s good gift of deep desire
is safe in arms of faith and trust.

Pray for a nation just and fair
that seeks the welfare of us all,
where leaders guide with prudent care
and nurture life for great and small.

Pray for a world where all have voice
and none will batter, rape, abuse.
till then may all have rightful choice
and pray for wisdom as they choose.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

As members of St Andrew’s
we affirm our commitment to life together
as a local expression of Christ’s body--

We affirm that this church
is the body of believers
with whom we will live our faith most closely
at this time in our lives

We will express our oneness with Christ
and with God’s people worldwide,
by learning to love these fellow-Christians.

I will allow these people
to care for my spiritual growth,
as I care for theirs.

I will seek to discover and work out how
I can be an agent of Christ’s work in the world,
among these people and with their help.

I affirm this, trusting that God’s Spirit
is at work within us.
OFFERING PRAYER (said together)
We bring these gifts of food for those
who need it.
We bring these gifts of money so that
this church may continue to make
the Way of Jesus a practical reality
We offer ourselves as pilgrim people
seeking to walk the way of truth,
light, and love.
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 Lynne Dovey
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Benin and the Protestant Methodist Church of Benin. 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 Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Eugenie Sage list MPs. Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of St John's Presbyterian Church, Hastings and from the worldwide church for the Church of Lippe.
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,
and the desire for beauty 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 Buried in My Being
Words: © 2001 Bill Wallace, Selah Publishing Co., Inc.
Tune: Cranham, Music: Gustave Theodore Holst, 4 verses

Buried in my being many voices dwell
sharing all the stories past and present tell
deeper than these voices silence weaves as one
all the threads that form life’s tapestries of sun

Deeper than my thinking lies my wisdom spring –
ancient dream-time river songs creation sings.
Yet beyond this wisdom dwells unknowing’s cloud
holding all together in the mystery God

Hidden in the journey questing spirits make
lie the diverse pathways pilgrim travellers take;
but beyond the many quests of humankind
dwells the wondrous mystery birthing heart and mind

You, O God, are being wisdom’s fountain head,
Spirit’s goal and journey, pilgrim wine and bread,
fire that keeps me travelling, nurture for my heart,
oneness of the mystery glimpsed in life and art

BLESSING HIOS 35 (i) ‘Go gently, go lightly’4 verses
Words: © 2001 Shirley Erena Murray
Go gently, go lightly,
go safe in the Spirit,
live simply, don't carry
much more than you need:
go trusting God's goodness,
go spreading God's kindness,
stay centred on Jesus
and where he will lead
Go singing, go bringing
the gifts of the Spirit,
go hopefully searching
for things that are true:
in living, in loving
whatever befalls you,
God keep you, God bless you
in all that you do.