2008-2009

Wounded in all the right places - Grace Sept 08

we're back for a new season of grace.
[thanks to 1giantleap for the inspiration for the title - one of the tracks on their new album]

1. intro/welcome
intro/welcome
nothing is wasted story
song - my heart is restless
1giantleap clip - wounded in all the right places (taken from the dvd what about me)

2. broken table
collect a whole tile
reflection/meditation
broken pieces of tile brought to make table
quotes on brokenness to be projected

3. broken body
hospitality 'it's rare' song as welcome to table.
wounded eucharistic prayer
bread and wine shared using table made from broken pieces

4. prayers
ethos explained (ethos movie here)
candle lighting prayers - ethos words written out in night lights
ethos confession
prayer of commitment god of many names - it's called naming and presentation: a dedication by kathy galloway from the book 'talking to the bones' spck 1996

5. blessing
improvised blessing written during the service (inspired by juli allen)

grace october 2008 - contamination

Throughout history, when humanity is faced with the dazzling light of a holy God, there's this nagging feeling that we don't quite measure up. Some people just hide. Others try and purify themselves in thought and word and deed to make themselves a little more acceptable.

This month's Grace looks at how men and women through the millennia have attempted to keep themselves free from Contamination...

'Contamination' is the first of two services exploring how humanity has attempted to keep itself separated from 'spiritual impurity' and how Jesus turned such concepts on their head.

Saturday 11th October 8pm at St. Mary's.

November 08 - Clean

Outline

1. Welcome and notices (Dean)

2. Opening (Ben)
Start with everyone standing in the middle of the church, and Ben recapping something of the end of the need to be clean enough to access God.
Sheet and piñata lowered from above as Ben tells story of Peter and the Sheet.
Sheet remains in middle of church.

Ben talks through story of Peter and the sheet as sheet descends.
Piñata containing shrimps, streamers, bible verses etc.
(full script of this section below)

3. Dean invites everyone to take a fallen leaf (dry but not too crisp), and write something on it that we do or use, that is always wrong or bad for us. Discuss a couple of leaves, and explores why they are bad. It isn’t that they are unclean in or of themselves; they are bad because the disrupt our relationships with God and other people. Invite people in groups of 4 to take 2 leaves and work through them. Take feedback about 2 or 3 interesting leaves.
Screens; images of fallen leaves, sweeping up, cleaning

4. Confession (Dean)
Text on screen (see script below)

At end, place leaves on sheet.

5. Tube Train sketch.
This section explores the idea that we try to be clean in order to keep up appearances.
Two lines of chairs across front of church, dressed with old copies of metro etc, sounds of tube train. Bits of theatre are enacted. Two monologues (Sarah and Steve) are spoken or played, as if they were the thoughts of people in the carriage. The monologues explore the gap between our inner thoughts and our outward appearances.
Video; tube trains

6. Closing Liturgy (Steve)
Everyone places a leaf on a tree, symbolising reconnecting all our broken things to the source of life, God redeeming all the ways we harm ourselves. See below.

7. Blessing.
by Cheryl Lawrie

Confession

Most of us would prefer to live in a castle than a tent. Castles have stout walls that protect us from the contamination of the outside world. Within your walls you can bring order and control. In your castle you can admit nothing that may be bad. You can banish the unexpected and the unpleasant, and live a life that is secure and protected.
But in a tent, you aren’t in control; you are open to the world. You can’t shut it out; you have to learn to live with it. The green and vital grass outside becomes dirt when you bring it in on your feet. It’s your choice whether you call it muck, or consider it a natural carpet. You learn to see that what you might call dirt, God has made to be exactly what it is. Whether we might use it for good or bad doesn’t change its essential nature. It is what it is.

Help us to be tent-dwellers rather than castle builders, ready to see the hand of God in all creation.
Forgive us when we divide the world into things that are good or bad.
Remind us that good and bad can be found in our actions, not in objects.

Living in a castle, you can create exactly the impression you want to the outside world. People can’t see inside; all they can see is the exterior that you want them to see; the carefully manicured flowers around the walls, the polished paintwork and the trim lawns. No matter if the inside isn’t quite so clean and tidy; no-one sees it anyway. All that matters is the front you put up.

In a tent there’s nowhere to hide, and no appearances to keep up. By day, you never know when a gust of wind will billow the tent flaps, giving passers-by a glimpse of your inner world. By night, your lamp casts shadows on the canvas wall. Your learn to live with your inner and outer worlds in sync.

Help us to be tent dwellers.
Forgive us when our righteousness is skin-deep.
Give us strength to dismantle the walls behind which we hide.
Give us courage, in community, to drop the front,
Come out from behind the mask of respectability,
And greet others with love and acceptance as they do the same.

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent...

Closing Liturgy

[illuminated white tree placed on sheet among leaves from part 3. congregation invited to stand around the sheet looking at the leaves]

here are our harmful actions and desires
lying as dead leaves on the ground
their beauty is brief
and then we are left with the withered remains

how shall these leaves live again?

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

our actions and desires can only live and prosper if they are offered back to god
and if the life of god flows through them

they will only bring fruit and healing if they are part of the tree of life where they truly belong

the tree of life breathes in pollution and breathes out clean air
the tree of life turns dead leaves into healing leaves
the tree of life turns our bad works into good fruit
that we can eat and not die

Lord we offer our freedoms back to you
replant them in your tree of life
and let us bear your fruit and healing

as a sign that we are offering these things to god, let's tie the leaves to the tree

[congregation tie leaves to tree with white cotton]

Section 2; detailed script

VISUALS: Simpsons/grace logo

Every now and then you’ll find a documentary about children so susceptible to illness they have to live inside a plastic bubble.

In real life it must be awful to endure. But if you’re Bart Simpson, there’s always going to be a bright side to a week in a bubble.

VISUALS: My bubble my rules

Told off by Marge for slurping his bowl of soup, he snapped back

“Hey, my bubble, my rules!”

You don’t have to go far in London to see “my bubble, my rules”.

(mobile phone?)

All in all Bart gets pretty used to life in a bubble. In the final scene he’s been released, and the freedom of the outside world is all a bit much...

Hey, this air is a bit fresh... hey, I think I’ll just hide in this air conditioning duct...

It’s very easy to get used to living inside a bubble...

MUSIC: HIGH SPEED EXCERPT/SEGUE WITH ROGER ENO VOICES

9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11
Suddenly it was night time. And he saw the night sky open, and something like a sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
TORCHES SHINE UP TO DESCENDING SKY-SHEET

MUSIC UP FOR DRAMATIC ASCENT
12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds, including one or two rather made up looking ones.
13 Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14 "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
And Peter said to the voice “Well, I get what you’re saying. But I don’t really fancy any of that stuff. And those elephants are cuuute!”

“By ‘eck, you’re fussy for an apostle!” said the voice. “OK, I shall send another consignment. These are really delicious these ones. I shall send a magical beast. And you shall strike it with your staff. But you must not look upon this beast as you strike it, so cover your eyes.”

“Why”, said Peter, “will I die if I gaze upon it?”

“No” said the voice, “it’s just more fun this way”

And the LORD provided a great cloud of witnesses, who created a landing strip for the magical creature

LIGHT SPARKLERS

who descended from the heavens...

MUSIC UP

TORCHES POINT AT SLOWLY DESCENDING PIG

“Now, said the voice, kill and eat.”

“Wait!” said Peter.

“What is it now?” said the voice

“I am about to beat the heavens out of a pig in front of all these witnesses... some of these people might be vegetarians”

“Well spotted!” said the voice. “Now that I am freeing you from all those rules and regulations, these are exactly the sort of things you need to bear in mind... I shall make it clear to them that this merely a metaphor – no matter how sweet it looks. They will tell you where you must place your staff.

MUSIC UP: SPIDER PIG

“Gather around” said the voice. “Take and eat. And you may also gather some of the goodies in a party bag, that you may pass to your offspring. They come in purity silver and regal gold. Sorry, Woollies was out of Hannah Montana. Find something tasty or sparkly that will remind you of the freedom you have. Everything is clean”

While you’re gathering, you will find that three of the creatures have a message attached. If you could wave when you find one...

GET PEOPLE TO READ OUT TAGS

My father used to work for the probation service rehabilitating offenders. Most of them were happy to be given an alternative to prison. But, there were a few old lags for who prison was the lesser of two evils – especially at Christmas. They’d become so institutionalised, the responsibilities of the outside world were too much for them. With freedom comes responsibility.

We don’t know whether Peter celebrated the new purity laws by knocking up a casserole of pork belly. What’s recorded next is that he goes forth to share the Gospel with the gentiles. Now nothing and no one was impure, the great commission of Jesus had suddenly become a much bigger task. With freedom come new responsibilities.

It’s meant that through the centuries, Christians felt free to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. Living among pagan peoples, offering shelter to the outcasts, lepers or prostitutes.

Like the prisoners, a list of rules can feel reassuring – it can keep you inside your comfort zone.

“Do not call anything impure that God has made clean”? ... are there any ways that God is asking you to step out of your bubble into somewhere new, somewhere that He has declared “Clean”?

Christmas in Bethlehem

‘Christmas in Bethlehem’ - Grace Saturday 13th December

The church is initially very dark with some candlelight. We will light candles as a symbol of light entering the world. The separation wall made from banqueting roll will be our large screen (approx 25ft tall) for the evening.

Many of the prayers through the service come from Amos’ Bethlehem Pack 2008. Video clips are taken from Amos' DVD Hidden From View.

Pre-service:

Still wall images + tunes

Introduction:

Christmas in Bethlehem. Always an occupied land. You want to think about the nativity – think about a refugee camp. Not a place where people want to be.

Leaders tell 3-4 short stories of Bethlehem through the ages. The idea being to set a picture of Bethlehem under various external rulers to get away from always having the Jews as the enemy

Visuals – loads of wall graffiti and wall images on Flickr.
1. Christ’s birth - Kitsch images
2. First Crusade (one of the Kings of Jerusalem was crowned in Bethlehem on Christmas Day) - relevant images
3. Late 19th/early 20th century - relevant images
4. Amos stories - Videos: Football team + idf soldier (edit part 1)

Meditation: ‘Not so this Christmas’

Did shepherds once guard sheep
On hills near Bethlehem,
Fearing only wild animals?

Not so this Christmas -
When the danger that lurks in the hills is a camouflaged tank.

And were those shepherds made fearful
By bright lights which turned out to be angels
And a loud noise which became
A heavenly song to the glory of God?

Not so this Christmas -
When the sound of the sky is the roar of helicopter gunships,
The light, the bursting rocket.

Did shepherds once walk freely
From those hills down to the town
Where folk slept soundly - apart from that group in the stable?

Not so this Christmas -
When the route is blocked by checkpoints
And a towering concrete wall,
And citizens, walled in, fear for themselves and for their children.

Is that family still there - poor, vulnerable?
Mother, father and the child
Who will know the suffering and sorrow and death,
Yet through it all, bring hope.

People of God, go afresh to Bethlehem
In the light of reality.
Occupied them - occupied now
Innocents slaughtered then - and now.

Go and see the child who will grow
To be the man who cries for justice,
who dies to bring new life.

He invites us to follow him.

© Wendy Ross-Barker
November 2003

Song: O come, O come Emanuel Belle and Sebastian over wall images

Stations:
Introduce the stations + graffiti (people invited to write/draw their own wall graffiti as the service proceeds)
Four stations, each culminating in an advent prayer from the Bethlehem pack

A mass of candles at each station for people to light a candle as they say each advent prayer. Video/still images rolling throughout.

1. Exploring the idea of it being always winter and never christmas. Link to Narnia (turkish delight) but also the fact that Bethlehem has never been right itself - always waiting

A prayer for Bethlehem

In this time of Advent may we remember the people of Bethlehem, especially our Christian
sisters and brothers.

From this little town the Prince of Peace came,
but today they know no peace.

Imprisoned by a wall, with land taken,
being economically strangled, many have fled.

Yet the church longs to continue its witness here as it has done through the centuries.
As we light our Advent candle today and we start preparing for our journey towards Christmas
May we not forget Bethlehem - and also continue to pray for all the suffering communities of the Holy Land.
Garth Hewitt

2. York/Clifford's Tower

A prayer for justice and peace in the land of the Holy One

Living Lord, ignite in us a passion for justice
And a yearning to right all wrong.

Strengthen us to work for peace
In the land we call Holy:

For peace among Jew, Christian and Muslim
For reconciliation between communities
For harmony between faiths.

Inspire us to act with the urgency of your quickening fire,
For blessed are the peacemakers
They shall be called the children of God.
Ramani Leathard, Christian Aid and Amos trustee

3. A response (Amnesty) - Photographer needed

A prayer about the wall of separation in a land once called Holy

Living God, in Jesus you broke down the wall of division.
We see other walls that divide in our world,
Like the separation wall that cuts into the heart of Palestine,
Imprisoning a whole community –
Cutting them off from one another, from their work, from hospitals,
From education and from places of worship.

God of liberation strengthen them in their struggle,
May hope be born again from the Prince of Peaceʼs birthplace in Bethlehem
And throughout this land once called holy.

May Palestinians find justice at last,
So Palestine and Israel can both live in peace -
Both live securely - both live in freedom
Without walls, without checkpoints, closures and curfews.
May we realise the great message of hope that all are chosen or none,
Weʼre all in this together -
One God, one community, one hope, one future.
Garth Hewitt from ʼMaking Holy Dreams come Trueʼ (SPCK)

4. Signs of hope. Mandela, Berlin Wall etc

A thought from a Bethlehem Christian for hope and light in the Holy Land

Despite the difficulties in our lives, we will rejoice at the birth of Christ at Christmas. Taking
our inspiration from the story in the Bible of Herod's massacre and the flight to Egypt of the
Holy Family.

The inspiration comes from knowing that despite being born into those dark days, amid the
harsh Roman occupation, and despite the fear that must have gone with the family as they
escaped to another country, Jesus did return and was able to spread his ministry of peace
and love.

We are living in a similar situation over 2000 years later, behind the apartheid Wall and under
the harsh occupation by the Israelis, and many Palestinians are escaping to other countries.
But we are persevering and will celebrate Christmas with the message of hope and deliverance that Christ has planted in our hearts.

We pray that through the miraculous birth of Christ we will see the Wall go and change into a
bridge of understanding between the two peoples living here.

Our prayer is that through mutuality, inclusivity, and reciprocity, the road to reconciliation will
conquer all kinds of fears, paranoia, and injustices and the Holy Land will once again be the source of hope and light.
Zoughbi Zoughbi,
Director of Wi'am Conflict Resolution Centre, Bethlehem

Bring everyone back together

Video clips:
Embarassment of the Christians
Idf soldier (second clip)

Response:

Grafitti prayers. Images from the wall together with our own graffitti

Video clip of Garth Hewitt speaking

A blessing

Blessed are the peacemakers -
the community builders,
the activists who practice non violence,
the educators who teach another way,
the reconcilers who seek to heal a wounded community,
the artists who imbue a community with dignity,
the academics who unearth buried truth,
the theologians who remind us of a God of liberation
and all those who seek to build a future by removing walls of division

they shall be called the children of God.

Peace on each one who comes in need
Peace on each one who comes in joy
Peace on each one who offers prayers
Peace on each one who longs for peace
Peace on each one who works for justice
Peace on each one whose life shows mercy
Peace on each one who walks humbly with God
Peace on each one who journeys to wholeness
Peace of the Maker, Peace of the Liberator
Peace of the Life Giver, the Holy One

May peace not conflict arise from our hearts wherever we go.
Help us to be active peacemakers - to bring peace into the world by whatever means we are able.
Help us never to stand back and watch people suffer,
but to look for solutions in the smallest and the largest situations.
May our peace be a sign of strength and not of weakness, that others may follow peace with peace.

Journeying - a New Year Labyrinth

We used the cloth from the st pauls labyrinth. The narrative for the journey was threefold:
1. the journey to the centre gave space to reflect on the year gone by
2. the centre was a holy space to be with God
3. the journey out gave speace to reflect on the year ahead.

During the labyrinth we projected the film finisterre which is a wonderful hour's footage of London.

The nine stations on the labyrinth were as follows (text that was printed at each is in italics)

1. stillness -
beanbags and mp3 players
listen, breathe be still
take one of the mp3 players. press play and listen (the track was breathe for jenny baker's contemplative prayer EP on proost)

2. reflect -
an icon of christ
where have you met christ this year?

3. thankfulness -
trays of ferrero rocher with words wrapped around and the text
what did god unwrap for you in 2008?
what are you thankful for?
take and eat a sweet
do what it says on the sweet paper

4. sorrow -
poem
what have you lost this year?
sometimes we only notice something when it's about to disappear.
read the poem
consider what you are laving behind

5. holy space
bread and wine and a candle
take time
be with god
feed on christ

6. gift
some origami gift boxes to make - click on thumbnail of template to see larger image.
what gifts from the past year can you carry into the next?
a person youʼve met or known for a long time
an experience - good or bad
a new skill or talent you developed
take a gift template. write the 3 gifts on the back of each of
the strips. make the gift and carry it with you.
to make the gift crease along each of the solid lines
and open them out. then, holding the corner square,
ʻplaitʼ the strips so the blank squares are hidden and
the stripes form a gift ribbon on the outside.

7. hope
an icon of christ on card with glue and paper to add to it
what are your hopes for the coming year?
we'll make an icon of christ together to symbolise the
things we hope for. for each of your hopes tear some
coloured paper or a section from a magazine page and stick
it in an appropriate place on the icon, tearing it to fit if
necessary.

8. fear
a pile of stones and a bucket of water
what are your fears and worries for the year ahead?
take a stone from the pile
imagine your fears and worries are held in the stone
in your own time drop the stone in the water
give your fears and worries to God who cares for you
leave them behind
let go

9. presence
am image with a hidden tiger in it

we had a group of visitors from calvin college who recorded a movie of the labyrinth and added it to youtube...

February 2009 - The Gift

Setup of space:

Usual central space with beanbags
Big gift boxes for part 3 in centre of this

Cats cradle of strings across columns towards chancel - tangled in these are small gifts [rubik cubes, kinder eggs, sweets] on one end of a string with a brown envelope on the other end.

Altar near chancel arch, with old-fashioned 'balance'-type scales on

Main projector screen only in chancel arch - showing Babette's Feast with sound off throughout service. Since the film is 102 minutes long it started before the service.

1. intro:

introduced theme of this and the next service

2. stories:

the planning group found themselves swapping stories about gifts they had given and received - so it seemed a good idea to get the congregation into small groups to share their gift stories:

worst/best gifts
worst/best reactions
failures/bribes etc

and then share some of these with all of us.

3. our good intentions

There is a pile of wrapped gift boxes in centre of beanbags. Around these are gift tags and pens. People are invited to add, and keep adding gift tags of the real messages they want to convey by gift giving. There are some sample ones already added to give an idea e.g.
'' I don't really know you or understand you, but you always buy me something, so I thought I better get you something, and I'm trying to give it generously''
''I've searched everywhere to find the present which best says how much you mean to me, but I couldn't find it and now I've had to buy this in a hurry, and you'll never know...''
'I'd much rather hang out with you for a day, but as we don't seem to be able to make that happen, have this gift instead"

Introduction to this section:

"As we've heard in some of the stories, giving gifts can create a range of good and bad emotions. Delight. Surprise. Love. Confusion. Disappointment. Anxiety. Gift giving can be a complex experience.

The real meaning of the gift can often be different from the obvious meaning…

Have you had the experience of searching high and low trying to find the perfect gift for someone, running out of time and then having to buy something unsuitable in a rush? The recipient never knowing the time and concern you put into the search or how much you value them.

Or trying to be generous as you give a beautiful gift to someone you barely know, simply to reciprocate their gift and keep up appearances?

Or wishing that you could simply spend time with the recipient of the gift, enjoying their company and friendship but find yourself buying and giving a gift instead?

We were wondering what it would feel like to be able to give a gift where the meaning of the gift is explicit rather than 'wrapped up' with the gift.
 
Take a gift tag or two, remember some of the thoughts you've had as you've looked for, made, bought or given gifts, and experiment with writing an honest message to your imaginary recipient.
 
When you're ready add your messages to the parcels.
 
There are some there already to start you off."

4. gifts with strings

gifts sometimes have 'strings attached' - because gifts create relationship, they can be used to trap or coerce people into obligations or unwelcome situations. some gifts have to be refused, because the relationship they create is dangerous or inappropriate.

Cats cradle of strings across columns towards chancel - tangled in these are small gifts [rubik cubes, kinder eggs, sweets] on one end of a string with a brown envelope on the other end. In the envelope is the hidden message of the gift which is less pleasant:

now collect the rest of the series or your kids will be unhappy

now promise you love me

I expect you to turn a blind eye

just sign right here

Thankyou for accepting our offer. Unless you cancel in writing within 14 days, the annual fee of £72.30 will be charged to your card

We're sure you will tell everyone how generous we are

We're too busy to spend much time with you

Terms and conditions apply

Now stop bothering me

REPENT! For the hour of judgment is at hand!

now give me that contract

Now sleep with me

I expect you to put me first

Now phone our premium-rate number to find out if you've won a prize

If you leave me I'll never forgive you

Welcome to our friendly church community! We always need volunteers for the coffee rota and church cleaning!

Welcome to our church! We expect members to give regularly through the stewardship scheme.

Now give me something expensive in return

Leave your partner and marry me

You scratch my back I'll scratch yours

Give me the job

Buy everything from us

Don't expect me to do the washing up

Terms and conditions apply

We have the right to use your name and photo in our advertising

I will expect you to return the favour when I ask

Please don't sue

The congregation climb into the cats cradle web to get the gifts - they follow the strings from the gifts to the envelopes, and open the envelopes to read the message. Now that the gifts are untied from the strings, they give the gifts to each other.

5. how does god give?

Read some verses around gift (life, generosity, forgiveness, Jesus...). As each is read pour rice onto scales. After each one word association prayers with the response:
for the gifts you give thank you

How do we give to God?
Read psalm 50
Read Grace remix of Psalm 50

if gifts are about relationships, what do God's gifts say about our relationship with God?
ie gift of eternal life - because god wants us to be with her always
God gives to us in the hope that we give ourselves in return - it's not about what [things] we give [which are small] but our gift of relationship back to God
God wants us to gift ourselves
not sacrifices but hearts
Our gifts should be tokens of relationship not payments of obligation

response:
Come up to table one by one
we pour rice over person's hands as a sign of generosity of God
they put a grain or two back into the empty side of the scale as a token of relationship.

6. receiving gifts from god to give to others

after the formal end of the service, we asked the congegation if they wanted to take away some of the rice for cooking - plastic bags were available for this.

Gift part 2 - it's better to receive than to give March 2009

Easter Vigil; April 2009

The Easter Vigil was a joint service run in collaboration with St. Mary's Church. The evening began at 9:15pm on Easter Saturday with a cafe serving coffee, soft drinks and nibbles. at 10:15 we went outside to gather around a bonfire, light the Paschal Candle, and process around the church in candlelight. The procession entered the church for a sequence of readings and meditations and a renewal of baptismal promises. At midnight we celebrated the first communion of Easter and went outside for fireworks, the ringing of the church bells and a glass of sparkling wine.


Service of the Light

(Small, unlit candles are distributed to members of
the congregation in the café shortly before the service begins. These will be
lit from the Paschal Candle during the Service of Light outside.The service begins
outside the church, where we will gather around a brazier.

 

Listen all of you

What is happening? Tonight there is a great silence over
the earth, a great silence, and stillness. There is a deep longing where hope
has vanished, and all that is left is the dull aching throb of loss and
longing.

Where is hope?

Where is light?

Where is God?

 

Holy Saturday is about emptiness.

‘The cross is empty now, and still.’

Where is the Lord? They are saying he is dead. The
Christ, the God, the source, the creator, the everlasting light of the world
…is dead. The heavens and the earth cry out with longing for the sinless one
who is not to be found. We wait, like mourners beside a grave, unsettled, ill
at ease, almost not knowing what to do with ourselves.

 

But he lives in light, bathed in beauty, ever creating,
ever living – he could never come back… to here.

But we are gathered, as Christians have gathered from the
earliest times, through the night of Easter, to recall the story of God’s
saving work, from creation through to the death and resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ.

 

The Paschal Candle is lit from the fire

 

May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all
darkness from our hearts and minds.

 

The candles held by the congregation are lit from the
Paschal Candle.

 

For every person the following is said:

 

The light of Christ.

Thanks be to God.

 

Jen introduces the walk around the church and what we
might like to consider/discuss.

 

We walk around the church three times following the
Paschal candle held by Mike. Once the laps have been completed, Mike enters the
building, followed by the congregation, and they pause just inside the
entrance.

The Candle is lifted up and Mike says:

 

The light of Christ.

Thanks be to God.

 

The procession continues to the centre of the building
and stops once more. The Paschal Candle is placed on the central  table,
with all the small candles around. People stand in the central space

 

The Exsultet

 

The Exsultet is led by Mike standing by the Candle.
The words are presented on the screens. There is a track playing.

 

Choirs of angels, stars and planets:

all God’s people sing and dance.

 

All creation, Church of God:

all God’s people sing and dance.

 

We praise you Lord of life and death:

we glorify your name:

all God’s people sing and dance.

 

This is the night you set us free,

bringing us home in love;

holy night, when you led your people

through the fearsome sea:

all God’s people sing and dance.

 

This is the night you brought your Son

through the doors of death;

O holy night, when death takes flight

and hope is born again:

all God’s people sing and dance.

 

This is the night our tears of sadness

turn to shouts of joy;

holy night, when the choirs of earth

sing the songs of heaven:

all God’s people sing and dance.

 

This is the night when Christ our Light

makes the darkness bright:

all God’s people sing and dance.

 

 

Christ is the life that knows no end.

Christ is the love that burns within.

Christ is the peace that floods the world.

Christ is the Lord who reigns on high.

All God’s people sing and dance.

Amen.

The Vigil

Alleluia. Christ is risen.

He is risen indeed. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

 

Glory to God in the highest,

and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,

almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks,

we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world:

have mercy on us;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father:

receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

 

Collect Prayer

God of glory,

by the raising of your Son

you have broken the chains of death and hell:

fill your Church with faith and hope;

for a new day has dawned

and the way to life stands open

in our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

 

People take a seat.

 

Readings

·         Genesis
1:1-2:4a  - The creation – Jen

·         Exodus
14:10-15:1a: The Red Sea – Jonny Cash ‘Hurt’ video (Mike to provide)

·         Ruth
1:15-18, 2:1-13, 4:13-17 The faithfulness of Ruth - Sue

·         Ezekiel
36 verses 24-28, Ezekiel 37 verses 1-14 A new heart and a new spirit, Resurrection
of the bones – Gill

·         Romans
6:3-11 Song ‘And Death Shall Have No Dominion’

All stand. Lights come up
during acclamations.

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

Alleluia.

He has defeated the powers of death.

 Alleluia.

Jesus turns our sorrow into dancing.

Alleluia.

He has the words of eternal life.

 Alleluia.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according
to N.

Glory to you, O Lord.

 

·        
Gospel; Mark 16:1-8. Read by Justin

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 Praise to you, O Christ.

Initiation Liturgy

Justin invites everyone to gather around the font.

Praise God who made heaven and earth,

who keeps his promise for ever.

 

Let us lift our voices, giving thanks to God.

We give thanks to God, who is here among us.

 

Loving Father, your Son Jesus

was baptized in the river Jordan,

we thank you, that through such a simple thing as water,

you wash our hearts and minds, cleansing and reviving us.

 

We thank you that through the waters of the Red Sea

you led your people Israel out of slavery

to freedom in the Promised Land.

 

We thank you that through the deep waters of death

you brought your Son,

and raised him to life in triumph.

 

Touch this water by your Spirit that we who are washed in it

may be made one with Jesus in his death and in his resurrection,

to be cleansed and delivered from all sin.

 

Touch us, by your Spirit;

birth in us to new life in the Body of Christ,

and raise us with Jesus to full and everlasting life;

for all strength, supremacy, authority and power are yours,

now and for ever.

Amen.

We remind ourselves of our commitment to the Kingdom

and renew our faith, our hope and our trust

in the one who has

and will fully restore the Kingdom

in us and in the whole world.

 

Do you believe and trust in God the Father?

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

 

Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

 

Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.

Amen.

(People are moistened with the baptismal water and return to
seats)

We who are baptized are called to live out the kingdom of God in the
world.

 

Will you continue in the message of Jesus and in community with each
other,

in the breaking of bread, and in prayer for each other?

I will be the body of Jesus to all in the household of faith.

 

Will you fight injustice?

Will you fight evil, institutional or personal,

and, whenever you sin, repent and return to the Lord?

I will let the mind of Jesus reign in me.

 

Will you manifest the gospel of the kingdom

in all you do and say?

I will be the voice of Jesus in the world.

 

Will you seek and serve Christ in all people,

loving your neighbour as yourself?

I will be the hands of Jesus in the world.

 

Will you pray for the world and its leaders,

defend the weak,

feed the hungry,

shelter the homeless,

and seek peace and justice for all peoples;

so that Jesus’ true power and authority is displayed?

I will be the body of Jesus in the world.

 

May Christ dwell in our hearts through faith,

that we may be rooted and grounded in love

and bring forth the fruit of the Spirit.

Amen.

Congregation are invited to pass through the water and
return to their seats.

 Communion

The risen Christ came and stood among his disciples
and said,

‘Peace be with you.’

They were glad when they saw the Lord.

 

The peace of the risen Christ be always with you

And also with you. Alleluia.

All are invited to place their hand print on the
communion table, and gather around it.

lift up your hearts

we lift them up to god

lift up your heads

we lift them up to god

lift up your voices

we lift them up to god

lift up your hearts

we lift them up to god

It is our duty and our joy to give you thanks,

almighty and eternal Father,

and on this night of our redemption

to celebrate with joyful hearts

the memory of your wonderful works.



Your son Jesus took what was broken and transformed it through his death and
love

what once was hurt

what once was friction

what left a mark

no longer stings

because grace makes beauty

out of ugly things

 

For by the mystery of his passion

Jesus Christ has conquered the powers of death and
hell

and restored in us the image of your glory.

He has placed us once more in paradise

and opened to us the gate of life eternal.



so we join with the angels saying

holy, holy, holy Lord,    

God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

hosanna in the highest.

blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

hosanna in the highest.



at the last meal you shared with your friends

before your betrayal

you took the bread and gave thanks

you broke it and shared it, saying “take, eat; this is my
body, broken for you.

do this in remembrance of me”



you took the cup of wine, gave thanks and shared it

saying “drink this, my blood, shed for you.

do this, as often as you drink it,

in remembrance of me”

 

Great is the mystery of faith:

Christ has died

Christ has risen

Christ will come again

 

send your holy spirit on us

heal our brokenness

show us our place in your community of faith

gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one
bread and one cup,

so that we, in the company of all the saints,

may praise and worship you for ever,

through Jesus Christ our Lord;

 

by whom, and with whom, and in whom,    

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,    

all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father,    

for ever and ever.

Amen.

 

Rejoicing in God’s new creation,

as our Saviour taught us, so we pray

 

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily
bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who
sin against us.

Lead us not into
temptation

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the
power, and the glory are yours

now and for ever. Amen.

 

Jesus says, I am the bread of life,

whoever eats this bread will live for ever.

Lord, our hearts hunger for you;

give us this bread always.



so gather at this table

not because you are whole

but because you recognise your need for healing

not because you think you are good enough

but because you recognise these gifts of the god who died
for you

 

distribution of communion

God of Life,

You took on the death that was destined for us,

but death could not hold you,

and you broke its power over us.

Help us each day to die to sin

And live in your risen life.

Amen.

 

Alleluia. Christ is risen.

He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

 

Dean to improvise blessing

 

With the risen life of Christ within you,

go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia.

Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Greater Silence - May 2009

the flier for the service

the greater silence is service inspired by and shamelessly ripped off from beth and laurence keith but used with permission (thanks!). beth and laurence go to a fransiscan community from time to time. at the end of the day there is a service of compline in a quiet atmosphere. at the end people are free to stay in the space for as long as they like in just candlelight - this is called the greater silence and the community keeps silence.

before worship begins
Movies of water, and whales in the deep ocean (thanks Alistair) - these were stunning.
Quotes on silence (audio)

Intro
Discussion around our experience of silence and some practical gudies for how to use it.
Picture of angels folding wings...

Body prayer

Compline part 1
God almighty grant us a
quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen

Our help is in the name of the Lord
Who made heaven and earth

Holy God
Holy and mighty
Holy and immortal
Have mercy on us

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now and shall be forever.

In the evening Jesus came and stood among the disciples and said to them:
‘Peace be with you’

The light and peace of Jesus Christ
Be with you all

And also with you

O God, I call to you;
come to me quickly;
hear my voice when I cry to you
Set a watch before my mouth,
and guard the door of my lips.

Let my prayer rise
before you as incense,
the lifting up of my hands
as the evening sacrifice.

let not my heart incline
to any evil thing;
let me not be occupied
in wickedness.

But my eyes are turned to you,
in you I take refuge;
do not leave me defenceless

Let my prayer rise
before you as incense,
the lifting up of my hands
as the evening sacrifice.

As our evening prayer rises
before you, O God
so may your mercy
come down to us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free

Lectio Divina
John 21:15-19 - this is a way of meditating on a passage of scripture that involves, reading, meditating, prayer and contemplation. the passage was read 4 times with space for each of these stages - probably allowed 10-15 minutes for it. lectio photo . this was the movie we played during the lectio and the greater silence.

Compline part 2
Into your hands
I commend my spirit

Into your hands
I commend my spirit

For you have redeemed me,
God of truth.
I commend my spirit

Keep me as the apple of your eye.
Hide me under the shadow
of your wings

Lighten our darkness, Lord we pray;
And in your mercy defend us
From all perils and dangers
of this night;
For the love of your only son,
Our Saviour Jesus Christ.

The Greater Silence
A period of 20 minutes of silence. We lowered the lights so that just a candle was burning.

Compline part 3
In peace, we will lie down and sleep;
For you alone,
make us dwell in safety.

Abide with us Jesus,
For the night is at hand
and the day is now past.

As the night-watch looks for the morning
So do we look for you, O Christ.

The Lord bless us and watch over us;
The Lord make his face shine upon us
And be gracious to us;
The Lord look kindly on us
And give us peace.
Amen

[At the end we left a candle burning and asked people to leave the space in silence and go through to the cafe. Several people stayed in the space quite a long time]

Labyrinth: June 2009

a set of photos

All the pieces matter - bbq and communion - July 09

The long now - Greenbelt 2009

Grace took part along with several other groups in a day long worship drop in marked by several liturgies - the long now