Celebrating the Creative Writing
and Music of Opoho
Call to Worship
Psalm 67
May God be
gracious to us and bless us; may God’s face shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known upon earth, your saving
power among all nations.
Let the peoples
praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you
judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Let the peoples
praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
May God continue to bless us as we come together in
Jesus name.
The God who gathers us
together…
Hymn please stand as the Bible is carried in and
for the first hymn
Words Frank
Nichol, Music Rod Madill.
We believe in God, Creator,
source of every kind of worth,
from whose hand come life and loving,
giver of both heaven and earth.
And we worship Jesus, Saviour,
born of Mary, gift of grace,
coming from the Father’s glory,
coming from the human race.
With his people pleading, serving,
wonders of God’s love he shares;
all our human pride and blindness
on the cross alone he bears.
Now the Father names him victor:
he our Life, our Truth, our Way;
now with him we love, we worship,
with his people learn to pray.
In his spirit thus we journey,
each new day new signals raise,
till all creatures are unfurling
banners of unending praise.
Prayer of Approach and Confession Tui Bevin
The Separateness of our Togetherness
Loving
God, you call us to be a gathered people
we
find many ways of being your people:
some
worship openly, some can’t
some
want church buildings, some don’t
some
have inclusive leadership, some don’t
some
want Holy Communion every day, some never
some
take a Lenten journey, some don’t
some
celebrate Easter, some don’t
some
celebrate Christmas, some don’t
some
hear your voice, some don’t.
Loving
God, you call us to be a gathered people;
we
need your help:
help
us live in community, not isolation
help
us see commonalities, not differences
help
us walk beside others, not ahead or behind
help
us be the Good News, not another damning voice
help
us prioritize the important, not the diversionary
help
us hear your word, not what we want to hear
help
us find cause to include, not exclude
Loving
God, you call us to be a gathered people
you
know everything there is to know about us:
so we pray for your help and guidance
that we may become the people
only you know we can be
to work together
to be the face of Christ in our world
in this time and place.
Thanks
be to God
Assurance of Pardon
…we are forgiven, we are set free.
Thanks be to God
The Peace
Kia tau tonu te rangimarie o te Ariki ki a koutou;
The Peace of Christ be with you all
A ki a koe anō hoki. And also with you
we exchange a sign of peace
with each other
Community Time – welcome, notices, anniversaries
Birthday greetings today.
May God bless you we pray.
Live for Jesus dear [name or friends],
May he guide you always.
May God bless you we pray.
Live for Jesus dear [name or friends],
May he guide you always.
The God who teaches us…
First Reading Luke 10: 38-42 Jesus Visits Martha and Mary
As Jesus
and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain
village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister,
Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was
distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said,
“Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do
all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
But the
Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these
details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has
discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Chat Time
Youth Hymn please
remain standing at the end for the Offertory Prayer .
Words Natalie Yule
Yeoman
Alleluia 1 2 3,
Jesus died for you and me.
On the third day back he came.
Now he’s here, he’s here again.
With a 1 2 3, with a 1 2 3
He lives, he lives, he lives.
I want to live my life for
him,
I want to sing my songs to
him,
I want to thank him all the
day long;
his love for us is mighty
strong.
Ba boom ba boom boom boom
Jesus loves me this I know
for the bible tells me so;
little ones to him belong,
they are weak but he is strong.
With a 1 2 3, with a 1 2 3
He loves, he loves, he loves.
I want to live….
Jesus loves me, he will stay
close beside me all the way
and his arms he’ll open wide;
keep his children by his side.
With a 1 2 3, with a 1 2 3
He loves, he loves, he loves.
I want to live….
Alleluia 1 2 3,
Jesus died for you and me.
On the third day back he came.
Now he’s here, he’s here again.
With a 1 2 3, with a 1 2 3
He lives, he lives, he lives.
Offertory Prayer
The God who Advocates for us….
Second Reading John 14:23-29
Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will
keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make
our home with them.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
"I have said these things to you while I am
still with you.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I
have said to you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I
do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and
do not let them be afraid.
You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I am
coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father,
because the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it occurs, so
that when it does occur, you may believe.
Hymn
Words and Music Abby Smith
Not on a horse with a spear and a crown,
Not in a limousine shining through town,
Not with a glorious sweeping gold gown --
Peace comes walking, slow and still and simple.
Peace comes walking, walking.
Not in a thunderclap, not with a shout,
Not with big glistening angels about,
Not with a recipe ending all doubt --
Joy comes walking, slow and still and simple.
Joy comes walking, walking.
Not with a map that shows just where you are,
Not in a bottle, a tube or a jar,
Not on a scooter or in a race car --
Love comes walking, slow and still and
simple.
Love comes walking, walking.
The God who encourages
Creativity….
Psalm Andrew Smith
Isaiah and the
Psalmist meet Andrew
but is there an ecology of heaven?
When
the lion lies down with the lamb,
who will be the megafauna?
When
a child can put their hand in the hole of an asp,
will the eggs of a serpent’s nest be
safe?
Will
we keep gardens
when cypresses grow up like weeds?
In
the light of eternity, when death is no more,
what will we commit to earth and worms?
Will
there be dirt under our fingernails in the gardens of paradise?
Will
you restore the unity between the angel-host and the angle-worm,
like it was in the beginning?
What
are the great beasts of heaven, the living creatures? What should we fear?
Your
anger, your majesty, your judgment?
Will
the deep waterfall call out to the ocean depths around your throne?
Will
the sun and the day cry out your name in silent voices?
What
will sting us into action, in the gardens of the LORD?
Teach
us,
what it is like to be predator,
and what it is like to be prey,
on the trail-ways of
heaven.
Dear
God, forgive me if I’m being impertinent,
but is there an ecology of heaven?
Hymn
Words: Mary Pearson used with permission
Tune: Cwm Rhondda
(WOV 478)
God of mystery and meaning
Wisdom’s source, creation’s art,
Colouring our lives with richness
Touching minds and souls and hearts,
Drawing us to deeper caring
Helping each to find their part.
God calls each in common purpose
Weaving individual threads,
Forming with our varied colours
Tapestries of life widespread,
Integrating strength and weakness
Picturing God’s love unsaid.
Thus our lives are interwoven,
Friend with stranger, young and old,
Softer colours forming balance
With those strands more strong and bold
Linking threads from all our histories
To a future yet untold.
As each time weaves in its picture
We give thanks for all God’s grace,
Seeing beauty in each pattern
Finding everywhere God’s face.
Thus secured we each move forward
New designs for God to trace.
Psalm Margaret Garland
Creative God
Holy God – you are
a weaver
you who create the intricate relationships of all
creation
of whale with plankton, of people with
you, of land with sea and sun with moon
you create in us
unimagined patterns out of diverse threads
you teach us to
touch each other and to breathe together.
Holy God – you are
an artist
you who colour a canvas that draws us
further into life
showing us visions and dreams of new
life and hope filled landscapes
you allow us to
ponder your truth, to see it in different lights:
the abstract, the
poignant, the stark, the inspirational…... the belonging.
Holy God – you are
a composer
you who brings forth the harmonies of
our created world
playing the notes of joy and pain and
solitude and purpose through your people
you encourage us
to lift our voices, never discordant in praise of you
in the music of
our world we find solace, peace, community, encouragement, sheer delight
Holy God – you are
a gardener
you who create the earth and tend all
that grows on it
the cacti and the rata, the cabbage and
the kauri
you nurture and
water and feed your people with abundant love, unfailing grace
you teach us to be
gardeners too, so that all life might grow and flourish.
Holy God – you are
all this and so much more!
The God who walks with us on
the Way….
Reflection on the Way
Hymn
Words Gregor Macaulay Tune
Camberwell WOV 170(ii)
Here
we face a window, lighting up this space
where
we gather weekly to learn of God’s grace.
Burning
in the centre is the Spirit’s flame,
ever-burning,
as for Moses, still the same.
See,
high in the window, shines a natal star,
guiding
us to Jesus like kings from afar.
Still
the Christmas story tells us of God’s love:
brighter,
broader, vaster than the skies above.
Palm
fronds in the window tell the Easter tale:
Jesus
on a donkey, then he seemed to fail –
greeted
as Messiah, nailed to a cross;
does
the story end in sorrow, death and loss?
No!
the Easter story still is being told:
see
the crown of glory, it’s a crown of gold.
Jesus
still is living , Jesus is our king –
Lord
of life and all the world and everything.
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession Abby
Smith
Martha’ Prayer
There
is so much to do, Lord, the list is long, the time is short, there’s no time to
waste.
But
stopping for a moment to pray is not a waste of time.
We
know that, with your help, Lord, it can all get done, or not get done, and all
will be well.
We
pray for resilience, health, and strength
So
we can do what we need to do.
We
pray for skill, insight, and experience
So
we can do what we do well.
We
pray for wisdom, perspective, and thoughtfulness
So
we can choose what to do carefully.
We
pray for awareness, kindness, and empathy
So
we can stop what we are doing, if need be.
We
know that, with your help, Lord, it can all get done, or not get done, and all
will be well.
We
pray that whatever we do will be helpful and constructive, kind and true.
We
pray that it will be a good and real offering to you, who gave us life.
We
pray that our works are a contribution to this world, which is ours, which is
yours.
We
know that, with your help, Lord, it can all get done, or not get done, and all
will be well.
There
are hungry people to feed, dirty clothes to wash, sick friends to visit, houses
to build, prisons to break open.
There’s
a planet to save, laws to change, political and personal messes to sort out.
We are
moving, selling, packing, cleaning, buying, healing, teaching, baking, marking,
making and doing.
But
stopping for a moment to pray is not a waste of time.
We
know that, with your help, Lord, it can all get done, or not get done, and all
will be well. Amen.
…we sing together
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your
name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on
earth, as in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver
us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory
are yours, now and forever.
Amen, amen. Amen, amen. Amen, amen. Amen,
amen.
WOV 676
Hymn
Words Dana W.
Livesay Music Tapestry by Carol King (adapted D.W. Livesay)
Our God is working quietly
in purpose through the years,
in changing times and changing ways,
the time is drawing near.
And nearer, sooner comes the moment
that must surely be,
when earth comes to the kingdom
like the rivers run to the sea.
Our God has walked among us
by the shores of Galilee,
with parable and purpose,
Jesus came to set us free.
And closer, nearer came God’s people
to community,
in seeking out the kingdom
like the rivers run to sea.
Our God then set the table
in a borrowed upper room,
the parting cup a sign
the river plunged into a tomb.
But earth could not restrain it,
and it rose, so all could see
that nothing stops the river
from its running to the sea.
So welcome to the river,
by whose Spirit, flooding free,
we find that we are gathered here
to celebrate and see:
the cup is overflowing us
as we begin to be
the earth come to the kingdom,
and a river run to the sea.
Commissioning Postscript by
Joy Cowley
This then, is the journey
from the head to the heart;
from the city of learning
to the field wide open to the
sun and rain;
from music dots on paper
to the sound of a Chopin
nocturne;
from the structure of words
to the mystery beyond their
meaning;
from the smallness of a manger
to the Love that holds the
universe in being.
.Let us go in peace.
We go in the name of Christ.
Benediction
And may the grace of
Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us
all now and always. [Sung] Amen
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