July 22, 2018
WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE
Today in the fourth of the series on the Bible for July, we consider the letters written in the first century to the small Christian communities around the Mediterranean. They were the social media of their day.
GATHERING
We move from the Hebrew Scriptures to the 2nd Testament
The earliest 2nd Testament books are letters written to the churches
We look at what was trending on the social media of the day
What messages from then inform our trending conversations today?
PROCESSIONAL HYMN ‘Letters written to the churches’
Words: © 2018 Susan Jones
Music: Blaenwern WOV 165 (ii)
Letters written to the churches
give our earliest glimpses how
Jesus seemed to his generation,
who he was, both then and now;
They debated his role and stature
seeking how they should react;
How to meet and how to worship,
sorting anecdotes from the facts.
Paul with others travelled the circuit,
calming, urging, making things plain;
Nurt’ring those who followed Jesus
linking all groups into the main;
Creed and doctrine so developed,
rites and rituals grew to be,
customs, practice, all were fashioned
through words penned by such as he.
Writers then used ink and parchment,
texting now is short and sharp;
Twitter in the heat of the moment
limits thought, can exclude heart;
How will we in our generation,
let our wisdom have good space,
put our time to thinking through issues,
deal with others in love and grace?
Thanks be giv’n to those before us
who wrote words both living and true,
spent hard time in prison and travel
to ensure good news got through;
Thanks to those who carried those letters
for the danger and risks they took
all combining to remind us
Love shines forth from this sacred book.
WELCOME
Kia ora tatou.
Kia ora.
PRAYER
JESUS PRAYER Jim Cotter paraphrase on card
LIGHTING THE RAINBOW ROOM CANDLE
TIME WITH CHILDREN Dawn Cowdry
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 Lynette Burrell
Epistle Philippians 1: 1-14
Contemporary reading The Search for the Historical Paul:
What letters did he really write?
John Dominic Crossan
John Dominic Crossan writes about the authenticity of letters apparently written by the apostle Paul
There is also a strong (but not massive) consensus among much of modern scholarship that a further three of those 10 letters were not written by Paul. In other words, we have seven letters certainly from the historical Paul (Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon), three others probably not from him (Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians) and a final three certainly not from him (1-2 Timothy, Titus). Those are ... historical conclusions and not dogmatic presumptions. Well and good, but, even if correct, so what? And why should anyone care?
It is not just that we have factual and fictional letters of “Paul” or that those 13 letters are mixed between a Paul and a Pseudo-Paul. It is not just that, after Paul’s death, followers imagined him in new situations and had him respond to new problems — as if in a seamless if fictional continuity from past into present and future.
The problem is that those post-Pauline or Pseudo-Pauline letters are primarily counter-Pauline and anti-Pauline. What happens across those three sets of letters is that the radical Paul of the authentic seven letters (Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon) is slowly but steadily morphed into the conservative Paul of the probably inauthentic threesome (Ephesians Colossians, 2 Thessalonians) and finally into the reactionary Paul of those certainly inauthentic ones (1-2 Timothy, Titus).
In other words, the radical Paul is being deradicalized, sanitized and Romanized. His radical views on, for example, slavery and patriarchy, are being retrofitted into Roman cultural expectations and Roman social presuppositions.
… What is at stake in that sad progression from Paul to anti-Paul? Why is it of importance that — at least with regard to slavery — radical Christian liberty is being changed back into normal Roman slavery. It means this: Jewish Christianity is becoming Roman Christianity. And this: Constantine here we come!
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-dominic-crossan/apostle-paul-letters_b_890387.html
RESPONSE
For the Word in scripture, for the Word among us, for the Word within us,
we give thanks
REFLECTION ‘First Century Social Media’ Susan Jones
HYMN FFS 67 ‘We are many, we are one’
Words and Music © 1998 Colin Gibson
We are many, we are one, and the work of Christ is done
when we learn to live in true community,
as the stars that fill the night, as a flock of birds in flight,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine;
as the branches of a tree, as the waves upon the sea,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine.
All division is made whole when we honour every soul,
find the life of God in every you and me,
as the fingers of a hand, as the grains that form the sand,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine;
as the threads upon the loom, as a field of flowers in bloom,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine.
We will join creation's song, make a world where all belong,
build as one in peace and loving harmony,
as the voices of a choir, as the flames within a fire,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine;
as the snowflakes in the snow, as the colours of a bow,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine.
AFFIRMATION with acknowledgement to Liturgies for the Journey of Life
by Dorothy McRae McMahon
We believe in this world which has been created,
is being created and will continue to emerge;
We believe this world and its people are loveable
and are privileged to have the sacred come among us.
We believe we have been appointed
to be a light, to serve as a beacon of hope
to open blinded eyes and to release those imprisoned in different ways.
We, together, with people of goodwill around the world
and together with other churches here
are named as those who are enough to do the task
here and now
In faith we rise above fear and weakness
and announce again in line with all who have gone before us
that achieving justice,
showing compassion,
working for peace
and protecting liberty
are all divine and sacred work.
OFFERING and OFFERING PRAYER
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, 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 Sonia Groes-Petrie
CIRCLE OF PRAYER
We think today of the people of Guatemala and Belize and the indigenous communities working towards self-determination. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Louise Upston (Taupō electorate) and Tim van de Molen (Waikato electorate). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of St David's Multicultural Parish in Petone.
PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S on card
HYMN ‘Guide me now to climb the mountain’
Words© 2018 Susan Jones Tune: Cwm Rhondda WOV 478
1.
Guide me now to climb the mountain
led by ancient sages old;
Matriarchs and prophets tell us
how to journey, to be bold;
Ancient writers, led by Spirit
found their way and showed us ours
found their way and showed us ours.
2.
Though their times were then not now
human issues are the same;
Missionaries, writers all found
life was more than Empire’s fame;
They stood strong with inner courage,
they proclaimed a journey true,
they proclaimed a journey true.
3. Scripture’s texts, obscure and puzzling
to our eyes, yet show the way;
Law and hist’ry, prophets, authors
tell the truth found in their day;
Sacred was their constant calling,
we need follow them today,
we need follow them today.
BLESSING
SUNG AMEN
POSTLUDE “Tuba Tune in D Major, Op. 15”
by C.S. Lang (1891 – 1971)
THANK YOU Peter Franklin
Our Musician today
Unless otherwise stated all hymns are 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.