January 9, 2022

WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE

PRELUDE

CALL TO WORSHIP

We come from the busyness of life into this place of worship and peace.

We gather here again for fellowship and to acknowledge your presence.

To the wise ones searching the night skies you gave them a star;
to the shepherds on the whispering hills you gave a voice;
to the fishermen working on the shore you gave greater work to be done.

What is your sign for us, O God?
Let us not be blind or deaf or resistant when you come.

PROCESSIONAL HYMN                       WOV 80 ‘Immortal, Invisible, God only wise’

Words: Walter Smith,  Music: St Denio Welsh Melody, Public Domain

 

1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

 

2. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,

nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;

thy justice like mountains high soaring above

thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

 

3. To all life thou givest, to both great and small;

in all life thou livest, the true life of all;

we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,

and wither and perish but naught changeth thee.

 

 

4. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,

thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;

all praise we would render, O help us to see

’tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.

WELCOME 

Kia ora tātou.

Kia ora.

 

PRAYER Dorothy McRae McMahan
O God, you are the gathering one
who calls us into community together
to love and work, support and heal.
You are the gathering one
who calls us into community with all people
to bring justice and hope, freedom and truth.
You are the gathering one
who calls us into community with the whole creation
to live in harmony, to cherish and renew.
We worship you, the God who makes us one.
For our community gathered here
We give thanks.
For moments we have shared with others,
for times we have reached across barriers of distance and fear
We give thanks.
For weaving together out of many separate selves
this hour of celebration and reflection:
this beloved community of faith and hope
We give thanks.
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
BLESSING THE CHILDREN (All stand)
For all those of our community on summer holidays and especially for our children, we pray for fun, relaxation and adventure.
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 pass the peace without shaking hands.

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THE WORD IN TEXTS Rosemary Lawrence
Hebrew Bible Psalm 72: 10 – 15
New Testament Matthew 2: 1-6
Contemporary reading Searching for Identity and Founding the Church Vol 2
James Veitch.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a village to the south of Jerusalem in the area known as Judea. Herod the Great was King. Shortly after the birth, Astrologers from Persia arrived in Jerusalem searching for the child. They said that, according to their observations, the child was destined to eventually become the King of the Jews.
Their attention had been drawn to a star which they said had moved across the night sky and stopped over this part of Israel. They wanted to acknowledge and pay homage to the baby who would be king.
When Herod heard all this, he was very agitated and so was everyone else in the city of Jerusalem.
He asked all the chief priests and the scholars to meet with him and asked
“Where will the representative of God – the Messiah, the Christ – be born”?
He was told: “At Bethlehem in Judea”.
They quoted from Micah, one of the books in the Hebrew Bible
And you Bethlehem in the province of Judea
you are amongst the best in Judah!
From out of your town will come a leader,
who will care deeply for my people of choice
in the nation of Israel (5:1)
Herod called the astrologers to a secret meeting and asked them for details about the star they had seen. He then urged them to search carefully for this child in Bethlehem. He ordered:
“As soon as you find the child, come and tell me because I want to acknowledge him – just as you do”?
The astrologers listened to Herod and then left to continue their search, The star they had followed from Persia stopped over the building where the child was. The astrologers were glad to find the house and overjoyed with their success.
They entered and found the baby with Mary his mother.
They knelt before him and presented the gifts they had brought – gold pieces, sweet smelling incense and fragrant perfumes.
Because they had been warned in a dream not to report back to Herod, they returned to Persia using a different route.
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.

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REFLECTION Epiphany Lois Robertson
COMMUNION HYMN FFS 57 ‘Song of faith that sings forever’ vs 1-3
Words: Shirley Murray © Hope Publishing Co. 1999
Music: Abbeyfield Colin Gibson © Hope Publishing co. 1999
1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

OFFERTORY MUSIC
OFFERING HYMN AA 127 Take my gifts v1
Words © 1992 Shirley Erena Murray, (Admin. by Hope Publishing Company)
Music: ©1992 Colin Gibson Hope Publishing Co.
Take my gifts and let me love you
God who first of all loved me
gave me light and shelter
gave me life and set me free.
Now because your love has touch me
I have love to give away,
now the bread of love is rising
loaves of love to multiply
OFFERING PRAYER
We give these gifts in gratitude for what we have,
grateful that we can share
Amen

We recognise and bless the gifts brought to the table, and those which wing their way electronically om r 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 Pat Booth
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Mali and the Church of the Province of West Africa. 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 Chris Penk (Kaipara ki Mahurangi) and Willow-Jean Prime (Northland). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of Gisborne Presbyterian Parish.
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 FFS 63 ‘These Hills’
Words and music by Colin Gibson
Words and music © 1998 Hope Publishing Company

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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BLESSING
So our worship ends
and we return to the busyness of life.
But our God goes with us;
we will not be overwhelmed by living.
The Lord is truly with us
and the peace of God is freely given.
May we be granted strength
to know when we are weak,
the courage to call for help
and the faith to trust in God
In that, may God’s blessing be with you
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE