September 9, 2018
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
GATHERING
Planet earth is our home
And home to other creatures with us
We live and breathe and sleep and work
here on this blue teardrop hanging in space
We all need to breathe freely, live bravely and love deeply
We and all who share this home with us
So may it be
Amen
PROCESSIONAL HYMN ‘And did those feet in former times’
Words: © 2000 Susan Jones & 2014 and 2018 Tune: CH 4 #106 Jerusalem
And did those feet in former times
walk upon scree and tussock brown
and did the man, Jesus the Christ
cross mountains high and rolling downs?
and did he know the morning mist?
and did he know the harbour’s sheen?
and did he love this cityscape
its terraced streets, the urban scene?
And does he still walk this our land,
talking and laughing with us yet?
And does he know that stab of need
when neighbours snub, and worse, neglect?
And is he there when wine is poured?
And is he there when bread’s prepared?
And does he smile when Treaty’s done?
And does he weep when it is not?
Be with us Christ, as we step out.
Come with us on our lifelong quest.
Be our true guide, on our right hand,
be with us, walking and at rest.
So we will know life to the full,
be there to see us through the night.
For we would be your followers
pursue your Way with all our might.
WELCOME
Kia ora tatou.
Kia ora.
PRAYER & JESUS PRAYER Jim Cotter paraphrase on card
LIGHTING THE RAINBOW ROOM CANDLE
TIME WITH CHILDREN Graham Howell
BLESSING THE CHILDREN (All stand)
We send you to the Rainbow Room programme to hear stories, ask questions
and have fun together. We bless you. Amen.
PASSING THE PEACE
Feel free to pass the peace with those nearby or move to greet others further away. Passing the peace consists of shaking hands and saying “Peace be with you.” The response is “Peace be with you” or just “And with you.” Or, simply saying “Hello” is a good idea. Also feel free to simply observe if you wish!
THE WORD IN TEXTS Jim Cunningham
Hebrew Bible Genesis 1: 1-25
Ancient writers pieced together the beginning of the world as it seemed to them it might have happened
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, with darkness over the surface of the deep
and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,”
and there was light.
God saw that the light was good, and separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness “night.”
And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it.
And it was so.
God called the vault “sky.”
And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.”
And it was so.
God called the dry ground “land,” and named the gathered waters “seas.”
And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.”
And it was so.
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.
And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years …
And it was so.
God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night and also the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness.
And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems … and every winged bird….
And God saw that it was good.
God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number…”
And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock… and the wild animals…”
And it was so.
God made the wild animals according to their kinds…
And God saw that it was good.
Contemporary reading Interview with Prince Philip
http://www.arcworld.org/news.asp?pageID=1
HRH The Prince Philip was the inspiration behind the original World Wildlife Fund network of religions and conservation in 1986. In 1995 he founded the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC) and he has continued to support the charity ever since. ARC writer Victoria Finlay interviewed him…
“Can you talk about the origins of ARC?
WWF was founded in 1961, so 1986 was its 25th anniversary. There was much discussion about where to have the anniversary international
conference, and in the end Assisi was chosen, for fairly obvious reasons.
The plan was for the "secular" conference to take place in the town, but I
thought that it would be a good idea to take advantage of Assisi to try to get
the major religions to take an interest in the conservation of nature.
What first gave you the idea of bringing conservationists and religious leaders together?
In the 1980s WWF International was trying to do three things around the world: raise money, develop conservation projects and educate the public. The first two things were fine, but the last one had real difficulties. I argued that the kind of education we were doing through articles and lectures and books and films and things of that sort only reached the educated and probably only the middle classes in the various countries.
The people that we needed to get to were the ones who lived in the areas of greatest risk, and the areas where the potential for biological diversity was highest. It occurred to me that the people who could most easily communicate with them were their religious leaders. They are in touch with their local population more than anyone else. And if we could get the local leaders to appreciate their responsibility for the environment then they would be able to explain that responsibility to the people of their faith.
It didn't seem a particularly bright idea at the time - it was pretty obvious. If your religion tells you (as it does in Christianity anyway) that the Creation of the world was an act of God, then it follows naturally that if you belong to the church of God then you ought to look after His Creation. It may not be sacred itself but the One who created it is sacred - so it seems logical that humans ought to have a certain responsibility for it.
I was not quite sure what the other religions believed about the creation of the world but I guessed that they had similar traditions. I therefore suggested that WWF should invite leaders from the major religions to meet together to discuss what - if any - responsibility they felt they had for the natural environment as a "sacred" entity.
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture, for the Word among us,
for the Word within us, we give thanks
REFLECTION ‘Heaven right here on planet earth’ Susan Jones
HYMN ‘In our world we find delight’
Words © 2016 Susan Jones, Music © 2016 Vivien Chiu
[1]
In our world we find delight
for creation, day and night
Brings us solace, joy;
Spirit grows, refreshes, gleams
as the earth fuels richer dreams
just by being here;
May this beauty never end,
may this solace always be here;
may the human race take notice
and show divine compassion.
[2]
Water trickles, rushes, spouts,
deep, calm lake drains to river mouth
Power’s wrested from snow;
Humans, animals and plants
need hydration, need the chance
to refresh and grow;
May this beauty never end,
may this water last for everyone;
may the human race take notice
and show divine compassion.
[3]
Planet Earth spins like a jewel,
let us care and not be cruel
to this treasured gem.
This blue teardrop hanging here;
childrens’ children need a share,
we owe this to them
May this planet always flourish,
may its children still inherit;
May we help this star to shine bright;
show Earth divine compassion.
[4]
It’s a mystery who made this
- evolution, hand-made care -
multiple ideas.
But it’s not a mystery who
needs to care for green and blue -
we have all been charged
To make sure this never ends
that this beauty does remain here
that the human race takes notice
and shows divine compassion.
OFFERING PRAYER
For all who live on planet earth
For all who feel defeated and worn, hungry and homeless
For all who need to hear good news with fresh meaning
We ask justice, compassion and peace
as we dedicate these gifts to alleviate want in this world.
So may it be
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 Bronwyn White
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of India and Christian World Service partners in India bringing Dalit and tribal communities together to improve lives and opportunities, working with other caste communities to realise the more equal society promised with independence. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Virginia Anderson and Kanwaljit Sing Bakshi, list MPs. Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of St Timothy's Presbyterian Church, Titahi Bay.
PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S on card
HYMN ‘Work for the night is here’
Words © 2016 Susan Jones Music: WOV 163 Diademata
Work for the night is here, extinction hovers close,
in Ao-tea-roa’s sphere birds are at risk. The most…
…our rivers’ Small Black Stilt, and Kakapo’s bright green,
the Taiko, Heron, (white), and Fairy Tern are little seen.
Work for the shades close in on species large and small;
some hide, or swim seas out and in, some elegant, some tall:
The Greater Short Tailed bat, our Sea Lions are quite few,
the South’rn Elephant Seal and Maui’s dolphin, Bryde’s whale, too.
These are in desperate need, and more need safety too,
from predator’s greed and human need; what would God choose to do?
We co-create this world by how we treat all life,
the web of our relationships deserves we care and strive.
Delicate, fragile, frayed, the web of life shows wear.
Some links still hold, be not afraid, instead, become aware;
There is no magic wand, which waved, can make all right,
unless we humans, you and I, turn species’ night to light.
BLESSING
We hold the line
Our planet’s future hangs by a slender thread
We hold the line
Our brothers the birds, our sisters the animals, need our help
We hold the line
Because it makes a difference how we live in this home of ours
We go out now, knowing that
Together we must be enough to love this world well enough
We go out now, knowing that
Love surrounds us all every moment of every day
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE “The Old Hundredth Psalm Tune”
by R. Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958)
Composed for the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953
THANK YOU Peter Franklin
Our musician today
Unless otherwise specified all our music is used by permission CCLI Licence 341550
Words/music to new hymns and gathering statement, prayers and affirmation are original unless acknowledged. If Susan Jones is the worship leader any liturgy will have been written by her. These words can be used in other worship and small group situations without seeking permission. Please acknowledge the source.