Praying with the people of the Pacific

Ecumenical Centre Morning Worship, Monday August 17, 2009
This service was prepared by Faautu Talapusi who works at the Pacific desk of the World Council of Churches and with ACT Development.

Welcome

Call to Worship
God who walks on the water of our fears,
Stretching out a hand to hold us firm,
And telling us not to be afraid:
We come to worship you in faith

God who speaks to us in story and word,
In each other, and in life itself:
We come to worship you in faith,
For you are our God and we are your people
Amene

Song – Pasifika (first 3 verses and chorus)
Let all the islands rise and sing
And to our God their praises bring
On strings and drum His might proclaim
To shout the glory of His name

Chorus
Pasifika, Pasifika
With throbbing reef and coral shore
For fish and shell and mighty whale
For all God’s gifts our thanks we pour

And when we see the stars at night
The many worlds which cross the sky
The sun and moon which give us light
We lift our hearts to God on high

The children playing on the shore
The sounds of laughter which we hear
Their love increasing more and more
Remind us that our God is near

Scripture Reading: Psalm 27 – read responsively
1The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh— my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall.
3Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
4One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
5For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
8“Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, Lord, do I seek.
9Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!
10If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.
11Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.
13I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Halle Halle Halle

Scripture Reading: Romans 8, 31-39

31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Halle Halle Halle

Reflection - by Faautu Talapusi

Song: The Lord is my Light

Prayers of Intercession
God of love - who is with us, around us and in us, we give you praise and thanks. For the Good News that was brought to us by your son Jesus Christ, Our Light and Salvation.
Oh Lord hear my prayer

God of mercy – we pray for the people and churches of Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Kanaky and Tahiti. We pray that they continue to bring witness to your Word as they struggle against political instability, economic uncertainty and the consequences of climate change.
Oh Lord hear my prayer

God of healing – we pray in particular for the people of Tonga, mourning the loss of beloved ones who perished in last week’s boating accident. We also pray for the leaders of the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma, whose faith is being hindered and tested. May your love and mercy be with them all through these difficult times.
Oh Lord hear my prayer

God of life – we pray for each and everyone in this chapel today, for our family and friends, for our colleagues in the Ecumenical Center and for our work. May your Word continue to inspire and motivate us as we face our own struggles and uncertainties and remind us not to be afraid.
Oh Lord hear my prayer

God of all creation – we put before you our Earth and all its inhabitants – from the smallest insect to the biggest animal. We pray that we always keep in mind, that through whatever struggle and obstacle we face, your unconditional love will always accompany us.
Oh Lord hear my prayer

Lord’s Prayer (in language of choice)

Song – Pasifika (last 2 verses and repeat chorus)
The palms which bend towards the sky
The clouds which hurry to and fro
the birds which fly both low and high
Give joy to men on earth below

Pasifika, Pasifika
With throbbing reef and coral shore
For fish and shell and mighty whale
For all His gifts our thanks we pour

To God the Father, God the Son
And God the Spirit, praise be done
May Christ the Lord upon us pour
The Spirit's gift for ever more


Benediction
Lord God, you open wide your love for all.
We open our lives to one another and to you.
In your Spirit we go to do our daily work.
May our worship become our living and our living become our worship.
Amene.