Praying with the peoples of the Caribbean

Worship in the Ecumenical Centre
27 July 2009
Praying with the peoples of the Caribbean
We listen to God’s word and share bread and wine at God’s table

Musical rehearsal
Welcome

God in Christ has revealed his glory.
Come let us worship.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
the Lord's name is greatly to be praised.
Give God praise, you servants of the Lord.
O praise the name of the Lord!

Prayer of praise
Creator God,
how could we possibly not thank you
for the earth you have given to us!
With joy we praise you
for the high mountains and their trees,
for the rushing waters of Caribbean rivers
which give the breath of inspiration
and the joy of fruitfulness,
for the forests so luxuriant in foliage,
the glorious tall trees
and the abundance of temperate climes.
Still more, we praise you
for the wisdom for living,
and the commitment which our dignified
and courageous ancestors taught us,
the neighbours in whom we became acquainted with you.

Sing: Thuma Mina 137 Let us talents and tongues employ,
Let us talents and tongues employ
reaching out with a shout of joy:
bread is broken, the wine is poured,
Christ is spoken and seen and heard.
Jesus lives again; earth can breathe again.
Pass the Word around: loaves abound!

Christ is able to make us one,
at his table he set the tone,
teaching people to live to bless,
love in word and in deed express.
Jesus lives again; earth can breathe again.
Pass the Word around: loaves abound!

Jesus calls us in, sends us out
bearing fruit in a world of doubt,
gives us love to tell, bread to share:
God (Immanuel) everywhere!
Jesus lives again; earth can breathe again.
Pass the Word around: loaves abound!

Words by: Fred Kaan, 1975
Music by: Adapt. Doreen Potter, 1975

Psalm 145
I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will bless you,
and praise your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall laud your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendour of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
and I will declare your greatness.
They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.

Please stand for the Gospel and to sing : Alleluia, Alleluia. Alleluia

Gospel Reading John 6 1-21
After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’
When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.

Alleluia, Alleluia. Alleluia

Meditation

Sing: Break the bread of belonging by Brain Wren
Travelling, travelling over the world, people can be out of place,
Dashing for freedom, looking for work, needing a friendly face:

Refrain: Break the bread of belonging; welcome the stranger in the land.
We have each been a stranger, we can try to understand.
Break the bread of belonging, fear of the foreigner still blows strong;
make a space for the strangers, give them the right to belong.

Some have fled by terror by night, hiding from bullets by day, weary and hungry in fear of their life, seeking a safe place to stay:

Some are far from the people they love, driven by family need, tired and exploited, doing their job, thinking of children to feed:

Travelling, travelling over the world, no-one should be out of place.
What would we say then if we were alone, needing a friendly face?

Prayers and Lord’s prayer
To you, O Lord
On bended knees
Our heads we bow in prayer:
That you may hear
Our cry for blood-drenched lands
And their exhausted people,
who have seen too much death
and have been afraid too long
to understand your love,
comprehend your presence,
acknowledge your goodness
and concern for them, a battered people;
yearning for freedom
as they bear your cross…

Silence and time to pray aloud for people and places …

Communion
We take bread
Symbol of labour – exploited degraded,
Symbol of life:
We will break the bread
Because Christ, the source of life,
Was broken for the exploited and downtrodden.

We take wine symbol of blood,
spilt in war and conflict,
Symbol of new life.
We will drink the wine
Because Christ the peace of the world,
was killed by violence.

Now bread and wine are before us,
The memory of our meals,
Our working and talking;
The story which shapes us,
The grieving and the pain,
The oppressor who lies deep in our own soul;
The seeking and the loving.

And we give thanks and praise to God our creator
for all that holds us together in our humanity;
That binds us to all who live and have lived,
Who have cried and are crying,
who hunger and are thirsty,
Who pine for justice, and who hold out for the time that is coming
With all of them and with all the company of heaven we rise to sing hosanna!

Le lo le lo lay lo. Le lo le lo lay lo. Le lo le lo lay lo lo lelole le lai. (2x)
Holy, holy, holy God of power and might (2x)
Heaven and earth are full of your glory(2 x)
Hosana, hosanna, hosana in the highest! Hosana, hosanna, hosana in the highest!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord (2x)
Hosana, hosanna, hosana en los cielos

Our Lord and friend Jesus Christ, on the same night that he was betrayed,
took bread and gave you thanks;
He broke it and gave it to his disciples saying:
“Take eat; this is my body which is given for you.”
In the same way after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks;
He gave it to them saying:
“Drink this all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this as often as you drink of it in remembrance of me.”

This is the death we celebrate.
This is the new life we proclaim.
This is the vision we await.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
(source Eucharist of Liberation from Living Beyond our Means WSCF, 1985, altered.)

Prayer and epiclesis

The Lord’s prayer (said by each in the language of their heart)

Invitation and Communion

Post-communion prayer

Blessing
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

Following the blessing you are invited to share signs of peace with one another, saying “Christ’s peace by with you”.