Order of Service – Easter 5 – 15 May 2022

May 15, 2022

WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE

PRELUDE

CALL TO WORSHIP
Let us acknowledge the
awesome mystery embodied in every person.
Through us God comes
to unique and personal expression.
Let us give thanks
for the abundance of life on this earth.
Through it we and all creatures
may be nourished.

SILENCE

PROCESSIONAL 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. 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.

3. 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.
GATHERING
I believe, I believe in the sun,
even when it is not shining.
I believe in love, even when feeling it not.
I believe in God even when God is silent.
Let us celebrate life in the presence we name God
WELCOME
E te whānau a Te Karaiti
ngā mihi aroha ki a tātou katoa.
Kia ora tātou.

Talofa lava
Talofa

 

PRAYER
God who gathers us in and sends us out, welcoming and challenging God…we pray for all who gather in your name today, where worship is offered in different traditions in places far away from here; in small rooms as well as ancient abbeys, in hospital wards, prison chapels, in the here and now – may they find companionship, share bread for the journey.
 
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
The rainbow candle represents the inclusive nature of our church where all are welcome and also celebrates our children.
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-19 is here we ask that you pass the peace without shaking hands.

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THE WORD IN TEXTS John Harper
Hebrew Bible Psalm 148
Gospel/New Testament Acts 11:1-18
Contemporary reading Reflection
by Adrienne Coleman
If my eyes work, may I see the beautiful things in life.
From the ladybirds on the roses to the mighty snow capped mountain peaks.
From a tiny, newborn baby to an old man on his deathbed,
from a snail in the garden to the tiger in the zoo
thank you for my sense of sight.

If my ears work, may I hear the interesting songs of life.
The songs of birds and the children’s laughter.
Wonderful music and conversation,
cries for help and praise for ourselves
thank you for my sense of hearing.

If my legs work, may I enjoy walking, running, skipping and jumping through life.
Move me to the coast to feel the grainy sand and wade through the refreshing water,
to skip through the crunchy autumn leaves, and may I feel the textures of home,
the wooly carpet, cold tiles and tickly grass, cotton socks, cool sheets and leather shoes.
Thank you for my healthy limbs.

If my hands work, help me appreciate the ordinary tasks of life,
the dressing, cleaning, feeding and patting of my pets,
all the crafts I can do and the children I can hold,
the weeds I can dig and the plants I can grow,
the tasks I can do for others in need.
Thank you for my hands that give independence.
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture,
for the Word among us,
for the Word within us,
we give thanks.
 
HYMN: WOV 561 ‘Kneels at the feet of his friends’
Words: Tom Colvin (c. 1965) and people of Ghana; Music: Ghana Folk Melody

1. Kneels at the feet of his friends,
silently washes their feet:
master who acts as a slave to them.
Yesu, Yesu,
fill us with your love,
show us how to serve
the neighbours we have from you.

2. Loving puts us on our knees,
serving as though we were slaves:
this is the way we should live with you
Yesu, Yesu,
fill us with your love,
show us how to serve
the neighbours we have from you.

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REFLECTION “FORBIDDEN FOOD” Rev. Dr Fei Taule’ale’ausumai

HYMN AA 100 ‘Now to your table spread’
Words: Shirley Erena Murray Music: “Love Unknown” John Ireland

1. Now to your table spread we come, each one, in faith
that you alone provide the words of life and death:
in wine and bread, in promised food
we find your loving heart, O God.

2. Hands of the world stretch out, your mystery to touch
in longing to believe a truth beyond our reach,
to sing in joy, to cry in grief,
to know your meaning in our life.

3. Here is our common wealth in sharing what is good,
as though all humankind around one table stood,
this bread to break, this wine to taste –
one people in the name of Christ.

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OFFERTORY MUSIC
OFFERING HYMN ‘Give thanks for life’
Words © Shirley Murray, verse 4 (AA 45)
Music: SINE NOMINE, Ralph Vaughan Williams (CH4 736&WOV 384)

Give thanks for hope,
that like the wheat, the grain
that lies in darkness
does its life retain
in resurrection
to grow green again, Alleluia! Alleluia!
OFFERING PRAYER
Compassionate God,
who calls all people to be one family,
teach us to share your gifts with each other,
strengthen us to make peace by working together,
and challenge us with a vision of the feast where all are welcome.
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.

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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 Ken Irwin
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Philippines and Christian World Service Partners in the Philippines working to improve family health and nutrition, income generation and community participation in vulnerable rural areas. 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 Tim van de Molen (Waikato) and Tangi Utikere (Palmerston North). 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 WOV 658 ‘Let us talents and tongues employ’
Words: Frederik Herman Kaan
Music: Linstead (Jamaican Folk Melody
1. Let us talents and tongues employ,
reaching out with a shout of joy;
bread is broken, the wine is poured,
Christ is spoken and seen and heard.
Jesus lives again,
earth can breathe again,
pass the Word around:
loaves abound.

 
2. Christ is able to make us one;
at his table he sets the tone,
teaching people to live to bless,
love in word and in deed express.
Jesus lives again,
earth can breathe again,
pass the Word around:
loaves abound.

3. Jesus calls us in, sends us out
bearing fruit in a world of doubt,
gives us love to tell, bread to share:
God-Immanuel everywhere.
Jesus lives again,
earth can breathe again,
pass the Word around:
loaves abound.

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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.
AMEN
POSTLUDE