The Lord be with you Kia noho a Ihowa ki a koutou The Lord
bless you Ma Ihowa koe e manaaki
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May the God of the weaving threads be with you all this morning
And also with you
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Here we begin another chapter in the life of the Uniting
Congregations of Aotearoa New Zealand, weaving together the fabric
of our individual parish lives and those of our Partner Churches.
In all its different colours and textures In all its changing form
and flow
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Here we mark the work completed since the last forum And hope
in anticipation for the new things to come.
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Here we celebrate each person, each congregation, each Partner
Church as a thread in the weaving. Here we cherish the moments
spent engaging with one another in workshops, in dialogue groups
and in friendship at meal times.
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God, the weaver, making patterns spinning threads throughout
our days joy and sadness interwoven strands of sorrow, strands of
praise, help us to discern your weaving in the multi-coloured
maze.
Slide 9
Teach us Lord to trust your guidance when the pattern is not
clear and to feel your strength and comfort when lifes fabrics torn
by fear Help us sense that in the dark times lightening love is
always near.
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When we see the pattern changing and a new direction starts let
us know your love unbroken wind through life in all its parts by
the threads of love and friendship closely woven in our
hearts.
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Though we never see the picture with your sense of space and
time help us, Lord to take our places in our faiths continuing line
as all lives are interwoven in our final grand design. Majorie
Dobson Majorie Dobson
Slide 12
CONFESSION Let us not pretend that, as we see our life and
ministry as weavings, there are no tears, mends, holes, tangles and
knotted places: silent hurts and angers that make sad gaps in our
relationships with one another and in our relationships with our
parishes and wider denominations: (silent reflection)
Slide 13
Threads of lives moving in opposition to each other, or pulled
so tightly they nearly break, thin patches and frayed edges of
tiredness, tangles that seem impossible to unravel, disappointments
or failed expectations that fade the fabric and discolour its
beauty. (silent reflection)
Slide 14
We are human, O God Give to us your grace Give to us your
loving forgiveness. Amen
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God is present in grace among us woven within our lives like a
strong golden thread of transforming possibilities. We are forgiven
Thanks be to God.
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Come dream the pattern in your mind come spin the joining
thread. Come link the parts to form a tent a tent for sharing
bread
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Our loving takes both warp and weft and weaves their threads as
one to form a web of tenderness as vibrant as the sun.
Slide 27
With God we pitch this sacred tent a canopy of grace. A space
where pilgrim folk can meet to laugh and to embrace Bill
Wallace
Slide 28
AFFIRMATION AND COMMITMENT Here is beauty and variety, many
things can be created from this fabric. We are a cloth of many
diverse colours made from many gifts and graces
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We are the people flowing forth from the Creator surprising
ourselves with those things which can be done. We are raw material
for rewarding relationships as our lives interweave, contributing
one to the other, holding each other firm when one is weak or
breaking.
Slide 30
We are each worthy of being respected and cared for essential
to the pattern, skilled in our various ministries, vehicles for
unexpected wisdom and skills,.....
Slide 31
sources of laughter and sharers of tears, working with each
other that, one day, this world may be a place where all people
live in justice, freedom and peace. This is our hope, this is our
faith, Christ Jesus will be our company and the Spirit gives life
to the weaving.
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Intercessions
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In a world of inequality we pray for the poor: so many denied
the essentials of life food and water, shelter, education and
healthcare. Provide the resources they need to build a better
future, and stir those like us who have plenty not to be content to
make token gestures of support but to promote a fairer and more
loving world. God of all, May your love bring hope, healing and
harmony.
Slide 34
Intercessions In a world of religious tension, where faith so
often polarises rather than unites, inciting hatred, persecution,
violence, war, we pray for dialogue, respect, and reconciliation a
willingness to see beyond differences to shared values and
aspirations. God of all, May your love bring hope, healing and
harmony.
Slide 35
Intercessions In a world of racial inequality we pray for those
who still face discrimination, rejection, hostility, or abuse;
their customs, convictions, or simply the colour of their skin
blinding people to the common humanity we share. Break through the
barriers of bigotry and ignorance, so that each may be accorded
their true worth. God of all, May your love bring hope, healing and
harmony.
Slide 36
Intercessions In a world of political instability we pray for
societies, countries and continents divided from within wrestling
with factional in-fighting, sectarian conflict or civil war.
in-fighting, sectarian conflict or civil war. Grant the ability to
look beyond ideology and to work for the common good in partnership
with those of contrasting convictions. God of all, May your love
bring hope, healing and harmony.
Slide 37
Intercessions In a world of conflict we pray for the Church,
called to embody unity in Christ yet all too often divided itself.
Move through your Spirit to create openness to different
traditions, diverse experiences, diverging emphases, so that
variety might mean strength rather than weakness, openness to new
ideas rather than entrenchment in old. God of all, May your love
bring hope, healing and harmony.
Slide 38
Commissioning of Standing Committee
Slide 39
Standing Committee has the responsibility of doing the work of
Forum. That is to promote and support Cooperative Ventures, local
Ecumenical Projects and Joint Regional Committees.
Slide 40
It presents reports and recommendations on behalf of the Forum
to the national courts of the Partner Churches as well as
encouraging unity through sharing new understandings in worship,
spirituality, theology, mission, inclusiveness and cohesion.
Slide 41
It relates the quest for unity to other developments within the
Church and other related agencies. Standing Committee consists of
equal numbers of elected representatives from Uniting Congregations
and appointed representatives from the five Partner Churches.
Slide 42
Janet Taege: Do you commit yourselves to the responsibility
that goes with this role? Standing Committee Members: In faith and
hope we offer ourselves to God. In joy and wonder we honour our
calling and, surrounded by prayer, we commit ourselves to this
ministry. God is with us and God is within us. Amen
Slide 43
Janet Taege: Will you as members of Uniting Congregations
uphold the Standing Committee in prayer and support the members as
it carries out its duties? Members of Uniting Congregations: We
will with Gods help
Slide 44
The peace of Christ be always with you. And also with you E te
whanau, we are the threads that make up the fabric of the Body of
Christ, the Church By one Spirit were baptised in one body
Slide 45
Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Amen. We are
woven together by the love of Christ (The peace is shared with
those around us)
Slide 46
There is no bread like the bread which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world. Let us bring our offerings to God with
joy and thanksgiving.
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Rejoice for God has called us from darkness into light, from
darkness into light, a people of thanksgiving, a people of delight.
For we are Christs own body, made up of many parts, united in one
Spirit poured into many hearts
Slide 48
The ministry of loving Is given to us all. The call to prayer
and service is every Christians call, and every man and woman
whoever was baptized brings gifts the church has need of to witness
to the Christ.
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So some have gifts of healing, some dream, some plan, some
teach, some make the stranger welcome, some reconcile, some preach.
While all these priestly people must serve God faithfully, some are
ordained to mirror and shape our ministry.
Slide 50
The deacons show us Jesus Who came to wash our feet. They serve
Christ at the edges Where church and world must meet. Among Christs
joyful servants, These are ordained to lead In caring for the
outcasts The sick, and all in need.
Slide 51
The priests are men and women Who shape our common prayer, Who
take the bread and break it, And bless the cup we share. They teach
good news of Jesus, Of peace for all the earth, And tell how God
forgives us And blesses our new birth.
Slide 52
And now we pray: Christ Jesus Give your abundant grace To all
who know they need you, To all who seek your face. Bind up the
wounded, lead us To grow in holiness, And send us, for your names
sake To heal, forgive, and bless.
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We give you glory: Jesus, Our shepherd. Servant, priest, and to
the one who sent you, who calls us to this feast, and glory to the
Spirit who teaches us your ways: One God, true, loving, holy how
good to give you praise. Elizabeth Smith Elizabeth Smith
Slide 54
The work of human hands is respected of God: the bread, risen
in the warmth, the bread, risen in the warmth, the wine, crushed in
its bitter sweetness. All that we offer is received and transformed
into new possibilities Blessed be God forever.
Slide 55
Jesus was always the guest in other peoples homes- upsetting
polite company, befriending isolated people, welcoming the
stranger. He was always the guest. But here, at this table, He is
the host.
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Those who wish to serve Him must first be served by Him, those
who want to follow Him must first be fed by Him those who would
wash His feet must first let him make them clean. For this is the
table, where God intends us to be nourished where God intends us to
be nourished.
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This is the time when Christ can make us new. So come, you who
hunger and thirst for a deeper faith, for a better life, for a
fairer world. Jesus Christ who has sat at our tables now invites us
to be guests at his.
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What we do here, we do in the imitation of what Christ first
did. We take this bread and this wine the ordinary things of the
world which Christ will make special and as he said a prayer before
sharing let us do so too.
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God is with you And also with you Lift up your hearts We lift
them to God Let us give thanks to the God of all creation It is
right to offer thanks and praise.
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It is indeed right................ It is indeed
right................ And so we proclaim your glory, as we say: And
so we proclaim your glory, as we say: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of
power and might God of power and might Heaven and earth are full of
your glory. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the
highest. Hosanna in the highest.
Slide 61
Among friends, gathered round a table, Jesus took bread, broke
it and said, This is my body broken for you.
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And later he took the cup of wine and said This is the new
relationship with God, This is the new relationship with God, made
possible because of my death. made possible because of my death.
Take this, all of you, to remember me. Take this, all of you, to
remember me.
Slide 63
Merciful God, send now in kindness your Holy Spirit to settle
on this bread and wine and fill them with the fullness of Jesus.
And let that same Spirit rest on us, converting us from the
patterns of this passing world until we conform to the shape of him
whose food we now share. Amen
Slide 64
The Bread we now break is a sharing in the body of Christ The
Bread we now break is a sharing in the body of Christ We who are
many are one body, for we all share the one bread The cup of
blessing for which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of
Christ May the blood of Christ keep us in eternal life
Slide 65
Bread and wine; the gifts of God for the people of God May we
who share these gifts be found in Christ and Christ in us. (The
bread and wine are distributed.)
Slide 66
Christ who has nourished us is our peace. Strangers and
friends, male and female, young and old he has broken down the
barriers to bind us to him and to each other.
Slide 67
Having tasted this goodness, let us go with Christ and let us
go with Christ and dedicate the weavings of our lives, our
ministries, our relationships and partnerships to God.
Slide 68
May God breathe into our work energy, truth and courage, that
we may be faithful, humble people who are truly gracious to each
other and truly committed to the vision of life with which God call
us on. Amen
Slide 69
Giver of life, inspired by your creative love May we help
create a new world with you. Bread of life, nourished by your
healing love; May we help create a new world with you. Spirit of
life, filled with your compassionate love; May we help create a new
world with you.
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Longing for light, we wait in darkness Longing for truth, we
turn to you Make us your own, your holy people Light for the world
to see Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts Shine through the
darkness Christ be our light! Shine in your church gathered
today
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Longing for peace, our world is troubled Longing for hope, many
despair. Your word alone has powr to save us. Make us your living
voice. Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts Shine through the
darkness Christ be our light! Shine in your church gathered
today
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Longing for food, many are hungry Longing for water, many still
thirst Make us your bread, broken for others Shared until all are
fed. Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts Shine through the
darkness Christ be our light! Shine in your church gathered
today
Slide 73
Longing for shelter, people are homeless Longing for warmth,
many are cold Make us your building, sheltering others Walls made
of living stone. Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts Shine
through the darkness Christ be our light! Shine in your church
gathered today
Slide 74
Many the gifts, many the people Many the hearts that yearn to
belong Let us be servants to one another Making your kingdom come.
Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts Shine through the darkness
Christ be our light! Shine in your church gathered today
Slide 75
SENDING OUT SENDING OUT Loving Christ, You call us to be your
hands, to do your work in the world You call us to be your feet to
lead others in the ways of justice and peace. You call us to be
your tongue, to tell the story of your love. Grant that we may have
the ears to hear your call the strength and determination to follow
you and the grace to live as your people Amen. Amen.
Slide 76
Go in peace to weave Gods mission and ministry into all that
you are and do. Amen. We go in the name of Christ.