A service praying for Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela and for the upcoming assembly of the Conference of European Churches

Worship in the Ecumenical Centre, Monday 6 July 2009
Praying for Columbia, Ecuador and Venezuela

Called to one hope in Christ

Welcome

Opening words
The love of God our Father be with you all.
Amen.
The peace of Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Come, Holy Spirit.
Illumine and inspire us.

To be more patient,
give us strength Lord
To become peacemakers,
equip us Lord.
To be right,
give us your light Lord.
To accept our faults,
give us humility Lord.
To be in solidarity with those who suffer,
make us sympathetic Lord.
That our actions be guided by love,
give us your Spirit Lord

Song: You are the Light
You are the Light we see You are the truth we know. You are the life we live.
You are the hope, you are the joy you are the song we sing
Within our hearts your light,
within our minds your truth
Within our lives your love
living your Hope spreading your joy, singing your beautiful song.

Prayer
God we pray for all those
Who, following the example of Jesus, search and work for peace,
proclaiming and building your reign.
Increase their strength and fill them with your grace.
Amen

Isaiah 40. 28-31
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.

Thuma Mina 212
Many are the Light beams verse 1 in German

Ephesians 4.1-6 read in Spanish, French and English
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Thuma Mina 212 Many are the Light beams
Verse 2 in English

Sermon by Angela Schnepel

Many are the lightbeams
Verse 3 in Spanish and English

Intercessory prayers with Nada te turbe as sung response

God of all creation, you help us to see and hear things differently
Open our eyes and ears to the needs of your world and its people
Teach us to pray with all your people across the face the earth.
We are called to one hope in Christ

Nada te turbeNada te espante
Quien a Dios tiene nada le falta
Nada te turbe
Nada te espante
Solo Dios basta

God of all who wander across the face of the earth,
We pray for people whose work takes them away from home
For transient and migrant worker
For people trafficked across continents
Grant them comfort and justice.
We are called to one hope in Christ

Nada te turbe

We pray this week particularly for the people and churches of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, asking that you may be with them in the daily challenges they face.
Strengthen the witness of individual Christians in the towns and villages
Inspire the churches with a spirit of ecumenism that they may work more closely together We are called to one hope in Christ

Nada te turbe

We pray for our work in this place, for relationships with and between our colleagues.
We pray for the general secretaries and officers of the organisations based in the ecumenical centre.
We pray this week for delegates preparing to attend the assembly of the Conference of European Churches in Lyon. Strengthen and bless all colleagues working for the assembly and grant that the assembly may bear witness to us all being called to one hope in Christ.

Nada te turbe

The Lord’s Prayer (said by each in their own language)

Blessing

Final song La Paz del Senor TM 187
Verse 1 and 2 in Spanish
Verse 3 and 4 in English

Meditation on Ephesians 4.1-6

The following short sermon was preached on Monday July 6th in the Ecumenical Centre chapel by Angela Schnepel, Vikarin of the Bremen Landeskirche. Angela has been doing part of her curacy based at the WCC in the Decade to Overcome Violence programme.
The theme of hope which the service as a whole took comes from the CEC assembly in Lyon "Called to One Hope in Christ".

Meditation on Ephesians 4:1-6

In the WCC programme called “public witness” which I have been working with, we have something you could call “Staff Team Values”. At our last programme staff retreat we defined a list of ideas how we understand our work and service and in what way we should interact with one another. The first point states: “We value our role as prophetic witness as found in our biblical tradition…” This is a conviction that could be shared by all of you. While working here at the Ecumenical Centre we are undertaking prophetic witness. This is what the text in Ephesians 4:1-6 is about. Verse 2 speaks of leading “a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called”. Do have a closer look at the text, on your worship-sheets.
The text goes on in verse 3 to telling us how to live in a way that is worthy of this vocation. Living worthy to one’s calling means interacting with our fellow human beings in a particular way: “with all humility and gentleness, with patience and with bearing one another in love”. During the discussion about our staff team values one of the colleagues said: “We do not need to be friends with everybody, but we do need to work together.” That is true. We cannot chose our colleagues. There are some we like better than others. And then there may be conflicts about work, controversial opinions how best to do things….
Here, the Bible text gives us advice how to behave in love, also when our relationships are complicated. Nevertheless we shall bear the other in love. Bearing the other in love does not mean falling in love with them, nor to become their best friend. But it means to see the other as being a beloved child of God, as part of the same and one community and therefore caring about and for them. In this way Christian love is an expression of responsibility towards the other person: it shows “gentleness” and “patience”.
Behaving in this way, we make real “efforts to maintain the unity in the Spirit in the bond of peace”. In the Ecumenical Centre we try to live in unity as Christians of different confessions. This means also trying to live unity in the service we do together in our teams. And not only unity within the team, but also within the programmes and within the whole institution … and unity within the WCC, the CEC, the LWF, the WSCF, and all the other organizations. And then of course networked unity between all of our organizations in the Ecumenical Centre.
Living out unity is not easy. We know this. Within the house there are different opinions and from time to time fiery discussions. Among and between confessions controversies remain. But we must carry on with our efforts for unity, because God calls us to have hope as we read in verse 5. Having hope is not a sensation, neither a sudden feeling, nor a reflection on what is likely or probable. To have hope is not a personal decision but a vocation. God tells us to have hope. So we have no other choice. That is why hope is so important. Hope is like a motor which takes us forward. Hope tells us to carry on, to continue our work in spite of the financial crisis and all other difficulties.
Let us believe in unity as the common goal in all our programmes, projects and activities. This common goal of our work shall also have its reflection in living community with colleagues here in the house.
Our hope of unity has a steady foundation. This is the “one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” Let us set our hope in the Lord. He is the one, who empowers us in all the work we do in his name.

Copyright (c) Angela Schnepel

Red threads and beads for a rare pearl ...

On Friday July 3rd a group of us gathered invited by a friend who will soon leave Geneva. We talked and shared stories and we threaded beads. The threading helped us to focus on our feelings, our hands had something to do and we could more easily listen to one another.
We were sad and emotions were high ...
What follows is a reflection I prepared before the evening.

Red threads and beads for a rare pearl …

In French the phrase une perle rare meaning a precious pearl, a rare jewel or stone, and it’s also a way of referring to a person. Calling someone une perle rare is a way of honouring their uniqueness, their beauty, their contribution – it’s a way too of saying they are brilliant and fabulous! ;-)

So N … this evening we celebrate your brilliance and fabulousness, how precious you have been to us in this place. To do that we have brought beads with us and some red thread.
We are going to thread our rare pearls onto le fil rouge. This phrase le fil rouge makes me smile because there’s a lot of biblical, feminist, mythical and birthing imagery in the red thread. However, it’s also very difficult to translate – “common thread” maybe the best we can do for now.

You’ll maybe remember the story from Greek mythology of Ariadne who helped Theseus escape the minotaur’s underground labyrinth by giving him a thread to follow – perhaps that thread was a red thread, or maybe a golden thread, or perhaps a prehistoric fluorescent thread that could be seen in the dark. The fearful threatening mythical beast in the labyrinth of life can be escaped by following a thread, a golden thread, a red thread, a common thread – given to the hero by a woman …

The Bible also has a red thread, Rahab, a woman said to be of dubious morals, supposedly hung a red thread at her window for Joshua and the Hebrew people to be able to enter Jericho. The subsequent story as it is told in the Bible is of a bloody battle, noisy shofar calls and walls falling down. But stories are not always history, today no archaeological traces of a battle can be found around Jericho. I like to think perhaps Rahab’s saving, liberating red thread was actually the work of convincing the leading men who visited her bed from both inside and outside the walls that they could live together in constructive and just peace. And we all know the need for a strong common red thread of peace with justice in that part of the world today.
Rahab the prostitute is one of the few women mentioned in the genealogy of Mary’s child, called Jesus.

The red thread is also the umbilical chord, the common thread that transmits DNA but which has to be cut if child and mother are to have a chance to live.

Today we are going to string pearls onto a red thread for you, some of our pearls may not really be beads but each comes with prayers, hopes and good wishes. As each person puts something onto your fil rouge they may want to say something, dance something or sing something. In the end we hope that this thread will be a bit like a rosary or prayers beads, fragile vulnerable pearls of remembrance, meaning, laughter and tears. Something for you to take with you if there is still room in your shipment home.

But then we thought that you might like to thread something onto a common thread for each of the people you have invited today. A way of affirming that each of us is a rare and precious pearl.
All of this threading, praying, remembering and celebrating, is also a way of saying that even when we think that we have lost the plot completely or cannot sense the common thread, there really is a way through the crazy, sometimes dangerous labyrinth of life and there are many pearls to be found on the way, if only we take time to notice.

So thanks N … to you for giving us this time to notice how beautiful you are, how beautiful each of us is, for honouring us with this invitation and for encouraging us to pick up the common thread of life.

Praying for Bolivia, Chile and Peru

Monday Morning Worship, Chapel of the Ecumenical Centre, June 29, 2009
Worship leaders were Martin Junge and Maria Chavez as we prayed for Bolivia, Chile and Peru.

Music: El Condor pasa

Welcome

Song: Tatanaka Mamanaka (TM 173, in Aymara language)

Call to Worship
We come together connecting to ancient dreams:
The world at peace. The world made whole.
We join this morning to be nurtured by your vision:
The world at peace. The world made whole.
We come together to listen, to worship you and to pray:
The world at peace. The world made whole.
We come together to be inspired and strengthened as witnesses:
The world at peace. The world made whole

Psalm (from Psalm 145)
I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.

Song: Gloria a Dios (TM 56, in Spanish)

Reading of the Gospel: Luke 18:36-43 (in Aymara)
35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
38He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
39Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
40Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41"What do you want me to do for you?"
"Lord, I want to see," he replied.
42Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." 43Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Reflection

Moment of silence

Prayers of intercession
God, we come before you with our deafness and blindness. Heal us with your power, so that we can listen and hear. Heal us with your power, so that we can see:

Response: A ti Señor te pedimos (TM 29, in English)

God, we come before you with our longing for peace and wholeness. Nurture us, so that our longing translates into attitudes and actions in our daily life.
Response: A ti Señor te pedimos (TM 29, in English)

God we pray this morning for the people and the churches in Bolivia, Chile and Peru. Give people and the churches, as well as societies in general and governments your dream of peace with justice, so that discrimination, racism and segregation are challenged, and social and economic inequalities are not taken as normal anymore.

Response: A ti Señor te pedimos (TM 29, in English)

God, we specially pray this morning for the indigenous people in these countries. Centuries of marginalization and oppression have not been able to erase their dignity and aspiration of being subjects of their lives and in their societies. We thank you for that witness. We pray particularly for the indigenous people in the Amazon region of Peru, defending their right to participate in the decisions regarding the use of their own land and their resources.

Response: A ti Señor te pedimos (TM 29, in English)

The Lords Prayer (each in his or her own language)

Song: Danos un corazón TM 228, in Spanish

Blessing and Sending
May God bless us with wisdom
to care for creation.
May God bless us with love
to share what is given to us.
May God bless us with hope,
to live inspired lives.
Go in peace and be witnesses of hope.
Amen

Liturgy for Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay

Morning prayers, Ecumenical Centre, Geneva,Monday, June 22, 2009
Praying through the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle for Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay

This order for morning prayer was written by Guillermo Kerber.
The preacher was Julio de Santa Ana

Welcome
Song: Tenemos esperanza (Bishop Federico Pagura, Homero Perera) Agape 72

Prayer
(Bishop Aldo Etchegoyen, Argentina)

O God, Lord of the wind and the sea,
of the mountains and the valleys,
of the world and of the church:
In the midst of fear and insecurity
give us trust and hope in you

We live in a world where the gales of power
blow strong enough to shake life itself,
where from the arrogant and the interests of the powerful
roll the waves of injustice and violence.

We pray for those suffering
because of their poverty, their ignorance, their limitations,
because of their colour or status, social or sexual.
We think of your church sailing on a sea
where the waves of racism, militarism, sexism
and economic marginalization hurt human life.

Take care of your church and put in it
a sincere love for those who suffer,
a clear vision of your will,
healing pastoral words for the needy
and a valiant, prophetic proclamation
against those who create violence and pain.

O God, Lord of the wind and the sea,
may your strong mercy calm the whole earth
in the name of Jesus Christ
Amen

Sung: Kyrie eleison - Ore Poriahu (Trad. Paraguay) Agape 69

Readings
From the Letter to Hebrews 12, 1-4 ( read in Spanish)
English version (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Song Hallelujah

From the Gospel according to John 6, 16-21 (read in Spanish)
English version (NIV)
When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

From Matthew's Gospel
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified saying, “It is a ghost!”” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water”. He said, “Come”. So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But, when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Meditation – Prof. Dr. Julio de Santa Ana (Uruguay)

Silence

Prayers of intercession

This week, according to the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, we are invited to pray for the people and the churches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Let’s pray for them.
(Silence)

Gracious God, have mercy with the people in those countries, especially with the poor and most vulnerable, in their uncertainty, fear and distrust as they face their future. Give wisdom to their governments democratically elected, so that they may discern what needs to be done in the name of justice, peace and care for creation. Sustain and strengthen the churches in those countries, so that they remain a prophetic voice unbound by political and economic alliances and with all people there. Accompany the “Living letters” delegation that will visit Uruguay and Bolivia next month. Grant peace to these countries and their citizens, O Lord.

Sung response: Nada te turbe (Taizé)

Let us pray for ourselves, for our families, organizations and churches
(silence)

Merciful God you have called us to labour in your vineyard and without you we can do nothing. Grant us your gracious presence in our forthcoming meetings and work, that what we do will build up your Church. We pray especially for the meeting of the Joint Consultative Commission between Christian World Communions and the World Council of Churches. Let your Holy Spirit govern and direct us so that we may work together for your Kingdom.
Sung response: Nada te turbe (Taizé)

Let us pray for our homelands and for all the nations of the world
(silence)

Heavenly Father, behold and visit, we pray, the nations of the earth. Enable us to eliminate poverty, prejudice, injustice and oppression, that peace may prevail with righteousness and justice with fairness, and that men and women from different cultures and with different talents may find with one another the fulfilment of their humanity through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Sung response: Nada te turbe (Taizé)
The Lord’s Prayer (in your own language) (stand)

Blessing
The Lord bless our eyes that we may see clearly
The Lord bless our mouth that we may speak the truth
The Lord bless our ears that we may hear those who speak to us
The Lord bless our hearts that we may be open to the poor;
The Lord bless our feet that we may walk with humility and courage,
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Our Brother and Lord.
Amen

Final song Aqui estoy Señor

Sermon on faith and fear by Julio de Santa Ana

Sermon preached by Prof. Dr. Julio de Santa Ana in the chapel of the Ecumenical Centre, Geneva, 22 June 2009

Texts: Hebrews 12, 1-4; John 6, 16-21; Matthew 14: 22-33

There is a trend among Christian believers that makes us think about faith without recognizing most of the time the relationship that exists between faith and some aspects of reality. These aspects are different from what makes us believe. However, we need to be be aware that they are somewhat close to faith.
Generally we think about faith as a theological virtue, as the driving force of our Christian existence. We think of faith as God-given reality, necessary for the existence of Christian communities. Therefore, faith is a fundamental component of what makes us believers. However, generally we do not consider some aspects which are in tension with faith, and which may weaken it in many cases.
I must say that during the last years I have become aware of the tense relationships that I am talking about. Some situations experienced by Christian communities in Latin America brought me to read the Bible while trying to be attentive to ways which help clarify why their faith, in different circumstances, was endangered, threatened, challenged. I want to share now, with this community at the Ecumenical Centre, some of the lessons learned by groups of Christians and few reflections that have grown up in my mind. I need to say that, although the motivation was something which happened in Latin America, it is something that may also take place in other contexts.
One of the aspects that strikes me is the relationship that appears between faith and fear in some narratives of the New Testament. We often say that faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God. We claim that faith is the rock where Christian life is anchored. Therefore, there are frequent cases of Christian communities repeating these words. It is a traditional affirmation. Nevertheless, it happens that there are many Christian groups who, at the same time as they repeat these words are actually giving up their faith. For example, it is happening to many Christians who, while saying loudly that they want to be followers of Jesus are not ready to give account of their faith.
Unfortunately, what frightens them, what makes them to be fearful, has more power than their faith. I do not want to make a negative observation. Rather, it makes me consider some narratives of the Gospels where stories are told of Jesus walking on the waters of Lake Gennesaret. In the text of the Gospel of Matthew that I read, it says that, when the disciples saw him walking over the sea, “they were terrified”. Jesus told them: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid”. After the answer, Peter questioned Jesus: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come on the water”. Jesus did so; Peter got out of the boat and started to walk on the sea. But, after a moment, Peter was frightened again and began to sink; he cried: “Lord, save me!” Jesus helped him and said: “You of little faith; why did you doubt?”

This narrative reminds me that often we are like Peter and the other disciples: we say that we have faith. But facing the challenges that we experience, we are afraid. Our faith becomes smaller, irrelevant: we are like the disciples, persons of “little faith”.
This is a narrative of the Gospels (it can be read in the story told by Matthew, Mark and John) that helps to understand the situation of many communities of faith in our own time. Faith is linked with fear. The tension between both cannot be denied nor neglected. Trying to understand these texts, we can say that the opposite of faith is fear, rather than agnosticism. Faith is something that transcends knowledge; it looks to be an existential bet, a wager where we apply all of ourselves. Juan Luis Segundo, who was a theologian from Uruguay (like me), used to say that faith is the gate which opens the way to hope. I share the distinction that he used to make between theological faith and anthropological faith; they are different indeed, but both types of faith require the overcoming of fear.

It seems that it should be easy, natural, to do it. But it is not so. Like Peter, when he was walking over the sea, we are very often more attentive to the signs of the storm around us than to the words of Jesus. In cases of this kind we can be called “people of little faith”.
In the Epistle to the Hebrews we find the text of chapter 11, where there is a long list of men and women who were firm in their behaviour, keeping their faith: even before Abraham such persons bore witness to their faith. They persevered and were stubborn, steadfast in their attitude of faith.

After remembering some of those who preserve their faith, we are challenged to be like these people. We are called to run with perseverance the race which is before us. The most important condition is that we have to do it looking to Jesus: he has been, continues to be and will be the one who has manifested that kind of faith that overcomes fear and death. Such affirmation is made in chapter 13 of the Epistle to the Hebrews: “The Messiah Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever” (13:8).
We are called to give witness to our faith in situations that are not favourable. Sometimes our faith is at stake because the storms of life threaten our existence and the winds that rock the boat seem to turn our small ship; other times we may have the impression that powerful institutions want to impose their logic and their traditions, and that we cannot face them. There may be moments also where we become aware of how small and petty we are as we consider the power of those who want to bend us. In situations like these we may be tempted to leave aside our faith becoming afraid. Then, we may be called: “You, of little faith”.
How to be faithful to Jesus, the “pioneer and perfecter of faith” (as the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews called him)? The text of the Epistle of Hebrews give us a clear orientation to fulfil this objective, which I think is coherent with the one that we find in the narratives of the gospels, where the disciples are called to keep faith and do not give up.

Let us pray;

Beloved God and Father of all:
We thank you for the gift of faith. Help us to live it with courage, facing the difficulties that are unavoidable to the situations we have to experience. We ask you, our God, that the balsam of your grace be especially with those who feel that their faith is threatened. Give them that spiritual force that confirms their faith.

In the name of Jesus,

AMEN.

Copyright (c) Julio de Santa Ana

Prayers and reflections from and for Brazil

These prayers were written by Elaine Neuenfeldt, Simei Monteiro and Rudelmar Bueno de Faria for worship in the Ecumenical Centre Geneva on Monday 11 June.

Reflecting and Interceding
(Following each reflection there is a prayer after which a sung response is sung)

Reflection - The challenge of living in cultural diversity
Our country is known for its cultural diversity. And this diversity is our richness. And in this diversity we experience pain and suffering. Our identity assembles in our bodies a mix of oppression and sovereignty. We carry this simultaneity in our daily life, and we struggle with this. Because of this JUSTICE is fundamental in our reality. We can only experience reconciliation in the diversity, if we experience justice. And the process of living together, in an inclusive and divers community is learning from each other how share and heal this memory of colonization, but full of resistance and conflict. This is a process of healing memories.

We pray for ...
learning from each other, in dialogue and sharing,
Merciful God, hear our prayer ...
Sung response

Reflection - Land and food
Brasil has an immensity territory. But the productive land is in the hand of few farmers. New technologies are presented as the solution for poverty. The sugar-alcohol sector is deeply rooted in the exploitation relations of the work and environment and the use of slave work. As a sign of resistance against transgenic products we can see the campaign in defense of the native seeds, and agro ecology as sustainable and viable response, supported by the practices of the peasant’s community’s challenge the monopolizing advances of the biotechnology companies. The women of the Via Campesina are working with the concept of food sovereignty and justice. Through their testimonies all the society faces the reality of the paper and cellulose monopolies and its artificial forest or green desert.

We pray for
Indigenous peoples who have lived on the land for thousands of years, but whose ways of life have been threatened or ended in the name of development and greed.
Landless peasants who struggle to make a life for themselves and their children.
God of Justice, hear our prayer...
Sung response

Reflection: Violence
Violence and police corruption are a serious problem in Brazilian cities. There are 50,000 homicides each year in Brazil, which is one of the highest rates in the world. A large number are concentrated in the favelas. However, residents do not just suffer at the hands of criminals; violence often arises from the police themselves. Such killings are registered as "acts of resistance". Also, human rights defenders, particularly those working on issues of police violence and land conflicts, suffer intimidation and violence. Domestic violence is also a daily reality in many homes. As signs of resistance we can share: the national domestic violence law signed in Brazil in 2006, Maria da Penha, which shares the perspective that domestic violence is a violation of the human rights of women and stipulates a national, integrated set of public policies to eradicate this grave problem; and some initiatives for platforms and participatory processes for citizenship in public policies.

We pray for:
The hundreds of thousands of children who are forced to live and work on the streets; that they may know your gentle touch and love; An end to political violence, torture and brutality by police and others who are charged with the well-being and safety of the people;
Respect for human rights, so that no one can deny others their basic liberty with impunity.
God of Peace, hear our prayer.
Sung response

An order of morning prayer for Brazil

Ecumenical Centre Morning PrayerMonday, 15 June 2009
Praying for Brazil through the ecumenical prayer cycle
this order of prayers was put together by Simei Monteiro and Elaine Neuenfeld

Prelude
Call to worship

Let there be the Word of God,
in every heart impearled.
The living Word
is told and heard for the healing of the world.

Let there be the Love of God
In Jesus Christ unfurled.
The Cross of death
gave life its breath
for the healing of the world.

Let there be the Wind of God.
Through all times it has whirled.
The Spirit moves,
reviews, renews
for the healing of the world.

Let there be the Church of God,
committed, true and bold.
The bread we share
in deed and prayer
for the healing of the world.

Song Agape # 54

Thanksgiving
God, we give you thanks and praise for:
The strength of the church in Brazil, the work of the National Council of Christian Churches, the witness of Pentecostal and Evangelical Christians, the work and commitment of ecumenical groups with the popular and contextual reading of the Bible and those who work to spread the Gospel on the streets and in the favelas.
Those who work for the liberation of the people, and for social, political and economic justice.
The beauty and biological diversity of the Amazonian rainforest – for parrots and the golden-headed lion tamarin, for the medicinal plants and the wisdom of the people who live at the margin of the Amazon (ribeirinhos); for the social movement in defense of the forest, rivers and indigenous land.
Feijoada, strong coffee, rice and beans - for daily bread, bread of justice, bread for all.
Carnival, popular fiesta, spread in all our regions, giving the diversity of colors, songs and when rich and poor dance together.

Old Testament Reading Isaiah 58:1-12
Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God.
"Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?" Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.

Aleluia by Simei Monteiro

Gospel Reading Matthew 11:1-6
Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities. When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."

Reflecting and Interceding
(After each intercession and “God, hear our prayer” we will sing Kyrie)

Affirmation of Faith

L: Let us affirm our faith

I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE GOD of the magistrates
nor in the god of the generals or of patriotic oratory.

I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE GOD of gloomy hymns
nor in the god of courtrooms
or of preambles or constitutions
and epilogues to eloquent speeches.

I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE GOD of good fortune of the rich
nor in the god of fear of the wealthy
nor in the god of happiness of those who rob the people.

I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE GOD of false peace
nor in the god of justice which is not of the people
nor in the god of venerable national traditions.

I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE GOD of vacuous sermons
nor in the god of formal greetings
or of loveless marriages.

I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE GOD made
in the image and likeness of the powerful
nor in the god invented as a sedative
for the misery and suffering of the poor.

I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE GOD who sleeps within church walls
or lies hidden in church safes.

I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE GOD of the commercialized Christmas
nor in the god of slick advertising.


I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE GOD made out of lies
as fragile as clay pots
nor in the god of the established order
which rests on disorder
and acquiesces in it.

THE GOD I BELIEVE IN was born in a cave.
He was a poor.
He was hounded by a foreign king
and wandered through Palestine.
He made the people his companions
and gave bread to the hungry,
light to those in darkness,
freedom to those who lay in bondage
and peace to those who prayed for justice.

THE GOD I BELIEVE IN
put human beings before law
and love in place of old traditions.
He had no stone on which to lay his head
and mixed with the poor.

His only dealings with learned people
were when they questioned his word.
He appeared before judges
who tried to find him guilty.
He was seen with the police
as a prisoner.
He entered the governor’s palace
to be flogged.

THE GOD I BELIEVE IN
wore a crown of thorns.
His tunic was woven entirely of blood.
He had escorts to clear his way before him to Calvary,
where he died, between thieves,
on the cross.

THE GOD I BELIEVE IN
is no other than
the son of Mary,
Jesus of Nazareth.

Every day he dies
crucified by our selfish acts.
Every day he rises from death
by the power of our love.

Song Momento Novo

Blessing

L. Let us ask for God's blessing

All: May God the Father grant us the grace that changes us.
May God the Son grant us the grace that saves us.
May the Spirit of life grant us the grace that makes us free.
And as we go on our way may we celebrate peace.

An order of worship praying for Kenya and Tanzia

Worship in the Ecumenical Centre Monday 11 May 2009
Praying for Kenya and Tanzania in the ecumenical prayer cycle

Musical preparation
We listen to a recording of Baba Yetu
Words of Welcome

Celebrant : Christos anesti!
All: Alithos anesti! (Greek)

Celebrant: Christ is risen!
All: Christ is risen indeed! (English)

Celebrant: Christ est ressuscité!
All : Christ est vraiment ressuscité! (French)

Celebrant: Christus ist auferstanden!
All: Christus ist wahrhaftig auferstanden! (German)

Celebrant : Cristo ha resucitado!
All: En verdad ha resucitado! (Spanish)

Celebrant :Yesu Amefufuka !
All: Amefufuka hakika! (Swahili)

Celebrant: Al-Masih qam!
All: Haqqan qam! (Arabic)

Song ~ Agape 98 ~ Utukufu in kiSwahili, English and then again in kiSwahili

Psalm 98
O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things.
His right hand and his holy arm have gained him victory.
The Lord has made known his victory;
he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Song ~ Agape 10 ~ Bwana awabariki in Swahili, English, German

Prayer
God of Love, God of compassion, in the midst of death and evil you mercifully look after us: protecting, providing and smiling, constantly reassuring us of your care. Grant that we may know that your love is life. Teach us to number our days aright that we may acquire a heart of wisdom, through Jesus Christ whose life has become our light.
Amen

Please stand for the gospel reading and to sing:
Hale, Hale Hale lu-ja Hale, Hale Hale lu-ja Hale, Hale Hale lu-ja, Haleluja Haleluja!

John 15.9-17
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

Sing Hale, Hale Hale lu-ja Hale, Hale Hale lu-ja Hale, Hale Hale lu-ja, Haleluja Haleluja!

Meditation by Rogate Mshana

Prayers - our prayers of intercession today are based on the Lord's prayer.
We remember especially the people and churches in Kenya and Tanzania this week, praying for all who work for the good of civil society and peace with justice in these countries.

Our Father who art in heaven,
Beloved God, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all the peoples of the earth,
bring peace and righteousness to all the peoples. In your grace, may equity grow. Turn our hearts to you in healing and transformation.

hallowed be thy name.
Be present to all peoples,
that we may open our eyes and recognize you
in our history, in our cultures, in our struggles.
Deliver us from enchantment by the false goods of money, markets and status. Help us to praise you in our faith and actions,
that, seeing our loving service in your name,
others, too, may bless that name

Thy kingdom come;
Where people resist injustice,
live in solidarity,
and seek a more human social order,
help us to recognize the ferment of your kingdom already at work. Bless those who are poor, those who suffer for the sake of justice,
Those who promote and defend human rights.
Bless the children of our countries,
and protect them from terror and oppression.

Thy will be done,
Yes! That your wisdom would be our wisdom!
Deliver us from adjusting to unjust systems,
Move our hearts, and the hearts of women and men everywhere to act in love,
that we may resist the seductions of power and greed and may live in right relationship with all.

on earth as it is in heaven.
God, present in every movement of creation,
let us be responsible stewards of your garden of life.
striving for sustainability.
And as the firmament in all its mystery and glory
displays your cosmic will,
so may our lives display the mystery and glory of love,
your will for life on earth.

Give us this day our daily bread,
That no one may be threatened by hunger, malnutrition, scarcity, give bread to those who have none,
and hunger for justice to those who have bread.
Teach us what is enough for today,
and to share with those who have less than enough, for in this, it is Jesus whom we serve.

and forgive us our debts
Don't let us lose our lives,
as persons and as peoples,
because of our debts.
Let not the poorest pay for the benefit of the richest,
in unfair demands, punitive interest rates and excessive charges. But forgive us, and let justice prevail.

as we forgive our debtors.
As we live by your grace and sharing of your very self,
deliver us from systems of aggressive and divisive individualism.
Break our chains of selfishness, open our hearts to those who need our solidarity,
and deliver us from illusion,
that we might practise what we preach.

And lead us not into temptation,
Deliver us from being bewitched by power,
and keep us faithful to you;
for you are our help, where else can we appeal.
Money will not save us, nor the market, nor our powerful friends. Strengthen us to resist the false attraction of easy answers, magic fixes,
abuses of power,
and the delusion that there is any way apart from justice in which God's justice can be done.

but deliver us from evil.
From every evil that objectifies the earth, all living beings, and our neighbours; from every evil that degrades creation and destroys societies
from every evil that encourages us to think that we are God.
So may we learn from you to refrain from judgment,
to accord respect to all God's creation, and so be privileged to hear the witness of those the world treats with indignity.

Because yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.

The Lord's Prayer sung in French

Blessing