And Ash Wednesday order of morning prayer

This simple order of morning prayer was prepared by Theodore Gill of the World Council of Churches

MORNING PRAYER – Ash Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Mark 1:9-13
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the
wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the
angels waited on him.

Prayer
Lord, we depend upon you alone.
Lord, hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you.
Lord our God: you led your people out of the house of slavery,
when slavery seemed inevitable.
You offer your people hope, when all seems hopeless.
Reveal to us again that, with you, all things are possible.
Teach us to doubt the “inevitability” of any human plan.
Prove to us the power of repentance,
and the triumph inherent in the things that make for peace.
Lord, we depend upon you alone.
Lord, hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you.
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil that distracts us from your saving purpose.
Deliver us from the curse of war, and the human sin and pride that lie behind it. Deliver us from national vanity and political greed
that pose as patriotism or principle;
from blind boasting and self-worship that admit neither guilt nor shame.
Deliver us from leaders who lust for power and possessions,
but also from leaders deceived by their own self-righteousness.
Deliver us from human power and wisdom
that divert our eyes from Jesus, our ruler who reigns from the cross.
Lord, we depend upon you alone.
Lord, hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you.
Deliver us from seeking first the kingdoms of this world,
from trusting in weapons, and from mistrusting the councils of peace.
We pray for your guidance among leaders of the nations,
and among citizens who may have an impact on them.
We pray for the United Nations, for all international agencies
and other instruments of caring, that they may contribute to justice and reconciliation. Deliver your creation, Lord,
from everything that prevents the fulfillment of your promise of peace.
Lord, we depend upon you alone.
Lord, hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you.
Almighty God: we pray for manifestations of your kingdom on earth
to people of every nation, race and class. And we pray for your church in the world: This week, we pray especially for Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain –
and for people and churches of all nations caught up in war and terror –
and for the life and ministry of our own congregations.
We pray for those who suffer, who mourn, who seek some sign of hope.
We pray for those whom we once remembered regularly in our prayers,
but have since forgotten. Hold them in your heart, Lord, for you alone are faithful.
And with Christians throughout the ages, we pray –
each in our own language – the prayer that Jesus taught us, saying…
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Blessing and Benediction
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find.
Knock, and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and whoever seeks, finds.
And for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us, and grant us your peace.
Go out from this place in peace, to love and serve the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised!
And may the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be upon us now, and remain with us always. Amen.

A water liturgy for the time of Lent

This service was put together for worship in the Ecumenical Centre on Monday 2 March 2009. Many of the prayers come from the WCC assembly worship book "Em Tua Graça" and the motivation for doing a service on water comes from the Ecumenical Water Network's Seven Weeks for Water.

Learn how to make your own rain stick from recycled material. We were lucky enough to have one amongst our amazing variety of instruments.

Longing for Water and for Justice

~ Water Stick ~ Welcome ~ Water Stick ~

Prayer
Holy Spirit, Life-giver, who moved over the waters in creation, who led your people through the waters of the Red Sea to liberation, and who comforted your exiled people by the waters of Babylon, draw us together as we gather in your name.

Tears
Sing: By the Rivers of Babylon
By the rivers of Babylon, where we sat down
And there we wept when we remembered Zion (twice)

Carried us away to captivity, required of us a song
How can we sing Jehovah's song in a strange land (twice)

By the rivers of Babylon, where we sat down
And there we wept when we remembered Zion (twice)

Longing and searching
Psalm 42
As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
the face of God?
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me continually,
‘Where is your God?’

We sing two verses of Psalm 42 (sung lightly, as a dance)
Comme un cerf assoiffé brame,
Recherchant le frais des eaux
O Seigneur, ainsi mon âme
Soupire après tes ruisseaux !
Elle a soif du Dieu vivant
Et s'écrie, en le suivant :
O mon Dieu, quand donc sera-ce
Que mes yeux verront ta face ?

Mon seul pain, ce sont mes larmes
Et nuit et jour, en tout lieu.
Au milieu du bruit des armes,
On me dit : Que fait ton Dieu ?
Je repense à ta maison,
Où j'allais en procession,
Chantant avec les fidèles
Tes louanges immortelles.

Palm 63
O God, you are my God, I seek you,
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

Sing verse three of Psalm 42
Quel chagrin donc te dévore ?
Toi mon coeur, rassure-toi !
Espère en Dieu, car encore
Tu pourras louer ton Roi !
D'un regard, assurément,
Il guérira ton tourment :
Mon Dieu, je sais que mon âme
Près de toi reprend son calme !

Litany of commitment (read in Spanish)
By the rivers in Fortaleza, we sat down and cried for the cholera victims
In those who lived there we saw sadness and didn't know what to say.
People who lived there did not have songs on their lips
They wanted joy but with neither water nor health, there was no way to be joyful

How could we sing praise to the Lord in the midst of such suffering?
If we forget you, may we go thirsty.
May our lips be dry if we forget you, if we don't bring back water, health and joy.

Judge, Lord, our elites, for their neglect and greed have long mistreated us.
But remember Fortaleza, your children in Ceara, Harare, Bangladesh ... who suffer from thirst and cholera;
don't let the earth go dry

Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream.
Amen (copyright Napoleao Marcos Mendes In Esperança Viva, CLAI, 1995)

We keep silence, listen to the sound of the rain stick and then rise to sing a different setting of Psalm 42 in Agape 92 verses 1-3

Isaiah 41:17-18 (read in French)
When the poor and needy seek water,
and there is none,
and their tongue is parched with thirst,
I the Lord will answer them,
I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
I will open rivers on the bare heights,
and fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water.

John 7: 37-38 (read in French)
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” ’

Meditation

Prayers of intercession (read in French and German)
Spirit of creation, you hovered over the formless void and separated waters from waters:
we ask your guidance in our stewardship of water, that it may enhance the goodness of your world.
We pray for all the people of the earth, that we may realize our place within nature
and live in harmony with all the elements and organisms that are your abiding gift.

Sung response

Spirit of encouragement, you offered signs of hope despite the flood,
providing creatures the safety of an ark and extending an olive branch for the dove to carry home:
we pray for those who have suffered through the rising tide
of tsunamis, typhoons, hurricanes and floodwaters of every kind.
We pray for those who mourn, that they may be comforted in the knowledge of your eternal care.

Sung response

We pray for the poor and for all who work together to rebuild societies in hope of a better world.
We pray for a generation that has failed to confront global warming and rapid climate change;
save us Lord from the harsh storms of nature, but most of all save us from ourselves

Sung response

We pray for spiritual resources to aid us in reaching out to others, meeting them where they are,
so that we may offer a cup of fresh water to the thirsty, and the word of life to all.
Pray in our prayers, loving Spirit, that our own spirits may be revitalized
Just as gentle healing water brings new growth to a parched and barren land.
In the name of the triune God we pray.
Amen (copyright WCC in Em Tua Graça)

The Lord's Prayer in our different languages

Blessing
May God the Father grant us the grace that changes us
May God the Spirit 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

(copyright Antônio Carlos Soares de Santos, Brazil)

Sing Agape 64 ~ O healing River

A short Maundy Thursday sermon on John 13.1-15 for World Water Day

A short Maundy Thursday sermon on John 13.1-15 for World Water Day

Water Passion and Betrayal...
Water Passion and commitment…
Bread, water and wine

Judas does it with a kiss
Pilate does it by publicly washing his hands
Hoping that such ritual political cleanliness will prove it wasn’t his fault
The Chief Priests and the authorities plot and scheme, set traps, try to buy off his friends and incite the crowd to call for blood
And the crowd do it by shrieking in glee and passion “crucify him!”
(Of all these we only ever hear of Judas feeling unbearable guilt...)

Betrayal…

In the end they come with spears and swords in the night

Truth and integrity won’t stand much of a chance

The bowl and the towel are symbols of that truth, integrity and resistance

Jesus takes responsibility
The great leader becomes a foot-washing humble slave
The teacher does not run away or hide
He takes responsibility in a very personal and intimate way for his disciples
and their future

Passion…

There is beautiful intimacy and caring in the way Jesus washes and cares for their feet.
There’s some obstinacy and focus too in the way he says “no, this is the way I must do it”
Kneeling there to wash his friends' feet, this is his priority,
his passion and cross are not far away,
yet he takes time to do this unessential, essential, caring thing.

Commitment…

The flogging and mocking and the crown of thorns and the cross will break his human body and spirit.
The friends will be alone, their feet will tread the path without him, but not one step will be taken without a deep memory of this intimate final washing by the master.

From that time forwards every time they wash one another's feet, every time they serve others sacrificially in the world they will remember him cleansing and cooling their aching feet and pains with water, their master kneeling before them in humility.

In remembrance of that profound act of caring and service we also seek to follow Christ today as we care, heal and serve.

Jesus' first miracle in John's gospel is to turn water into wine.
Dead on the cross, water and blood pour from his side when it is pierced by the soldier's spear. That water is a sign of the body's agony and breakdown in death and speaks deeply of Christ's humanity and life offered up.

Later risen from the dead he will call his disciples to conquer the deep and make a miraculous catch of fish from the waters.

As we meditate Christ's passion,
As we meditate these signs of sacrament before us
As we meditate his deeply personal service of others,

We reflect on our own service of others.

We also seek to understand and enter into the suffering of so many in our world whose right to be human is being undermined by their daily struggle for access to clean water.

So are we going to follow Christ source of living waters
and take up the cloth and the bowl
or will we follow Pilate and wash our hands?

Copyright: WCC/Jane Stranz

Water passion and Betrayal - Midday communion for Maunday Thursday

This order of service was prepared for Maunday Thursday with World Water Day in mind in the background. A large bowl of water and a towel will be set amongst the people and will be the source of blessing and exchanging peace at the end of the service, though this is not obligatory for those who don't like the touchy-feely business!
We want to try and use this event to gently publicise the work of the Ecumenical Water Network - we've been doing a Seven Weeks for Water blog from which the idea for this service grew. The meditation will be based on this week's meditation.

We never know how many people will turn up - anything from 5 to 40 is possible in a space that houses over 250. And as ever our main theological constraint is time. This really musn't take more than 30 minutes otherwise we'll never get anyone to chapel again - communion or not, people want lunch!
And finally I have tried to scrupulously note the sources for all of the prayers, apologies if I've missed something. This service will take place in English and French, I'll celebrate together with my colleague Ian Alexander from the Church of Scotland.

Water, Passion and Betrayal
Water, Passion and Commitment
An order of Communion for Maunday Thursday
Scripture sentences
Jesus ... laid aside his garments and girded himself with a towel.
Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet...
John 13.4-5

When Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing... he took water and washed his hands before the crowd saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood, see to it yourselves."
Matt 27.24

But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear,
and at once there came out blood and water.
John 19.34

We meet in the name of the God
Who promised that seedtime and harvest would never cease
We meet in the name of Jesus
Who is source of living water
We meet in the name of the Spirit
Who creatively brooded over the waters of chaos

We pour water, we listen and we confess our sin

Merciful God
we meet each other today at this cross
as inhabitants of one world…

As those who inflict wounds on each other:
Be merciful to us
As those who deny justice to others
Be merciful to us
As those who seize wealth
Be merciful to us
As those who are greedy
Be merciful to us
As those who put others on trial
Be merciful to us
As those who refuse to receive
Be merciful to us
As those afraid of the world’s torment
Be merciful to us.
Giver of life,
We wait with you
To bear your hope to earth’s darkest places.

Where love is denied
Let love break through
Where justice is destroyed
let righteousness rule
Where hope is crucified
Let faith persist
Where peace is no more
Let passion live on
Where truth is denied
Let the struggle continue

Reach into the silent darkness
With your love
Deepen the terror of this moment
Into new hope
Relieve the hideous cries
With your quiet voice of peace;
That hear we may know your salvation,
Your glory
Your future
In Jesus Christ, the crucified Lord.
Amen
(Source: Robin Green Litany for Good Friday in Bread of Tomorrow ed Janet Morley, Christian Aid 1992)

Sing: Jesu, Jesu verses 1 and 2

Scripture reading ~ John 13.1-15
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

Meditation

Sing: Jesu, Jesu verses 3 and 4

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…
in Tibet, in Kenya, in Zimbabwe, in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos
(source: Lesley G. Anderson, Panama/UK 1989 in Bread of Tomorrow ed Janet Morley SPCK/Christian Aid 1998)

Silence and time to pray aloud for people and places



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 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

And in this we are bound to Jesus,
Who in 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. Much of this prayer has also been translated into French.)

Prayer and epiclesis
The Lord’s prayer (said by each in their own language)
Invitation and Communion
(during communion we will sing the verses of Agape will be sung by a soloist and you are invited to join in the refrain)

Post-communion prayer

Commitment
Come to the waters
All you who are thirsty
Children who need water free from diseases
Women who need respite
From labour and searching,
Plants that need moisture
Rooted near the bedrock,
Find there a living spring.
O God, may we thirst
For your waters of justice,
And learn to deny no one the water of life.
(Source Dear Life Janet, Morley, Hannah Ward, Jennifer Wild Christian Aid 1998 copyright)

Blessing

Following the blessing you are invited to share signs of peace with one another, saying “Christ’s peace by with you”. You are also invited to come forwards dip your hands into the water and make the sign of the cross on the palm or forehead of your neighbour if you wish

An order of worship for Lent ~ 1 Samuel 16:1-13

The following order of worship was prepared by Revd. Theodore A. Gill who works in the communications department of the World Council of Churches.

Morning Prayer ~ Ecumenical Centre, Geneva ~ Monday 3 March 2008

The ecumenical prayer cycle bids us pray this week for the people and churches of Andorra, Austria, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Switzerland.

Welcome
We welcome all who join in prayer, and today we greet the plenary planning
group of the Joint Commission on Faith and Order.


Call to Worship

We will extol you, our God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forevermore.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; God’s greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall laud your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.

Prayer
Eternal God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you have spoken to us.
In your Son, you have revealed yourself as the Word:
You have made yourself perceptible and accessible to us
in the flesh, in this world. We are not alone.
The revelation of your name does not lack illumination.
You have taken a human face, which you show to us.
By means of a human voice, we can hear what you say to us.
We do not live in a world without God.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.

[Adapted from Karl Barth, Prayer. 50th anniversary
edition (Westminster/John Knox Press, 2002), p. 32]

Hymn: Réveille-toi, peuple fidèle – all 3 verses, in French
Genevan Psalter, Psalm 33. Melody by Louis Bourgeois, Geneva 1544.
Taken from Cantate Domino

Scripture lesson: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 ( read in French)

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint, for me the one whom I name to you.”

Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they came, Samuel looked on and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord!” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look upon his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”
Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel,and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. And the Lord said,“Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and
anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Hymn: God Moves in a Mysterious Way

Meditation: Bright Designs, and Our Disorder

Ascription of praise

The Lord is faithful in every word,
and gracious in each deed.
The Lord upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand,
satisfying the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is just in every way,
and kind in every action.
The Lord is near to all who call on God,
to all who call upon the Lord in truth.
God fulfills the desire of all who are faithful;
the Lord hears their cry, and saves them. Amen.

Hymn: It Is Good to Sing Thy Praises

Prayers of intercession

Lord of all creation, we pray for this world, for its environment, for the universe that surrounds us. This week we pray especially for the nations of this earth, for the United Nations and for the particular lands of Andorra, Austria, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Switzerland.

Sung response: O viens, Esprit Créateur, et renouvelle la face
(tune: next page) de la terre. Viens, Saint Esprit !

Lord of the Exodus: you led your people out of the house of slavery, when slavery seemed inevitable. After the tragedy of the crucifixion, you revealed your purpose for all humanity in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Sung response: Komm, du Schöpfer Geist, erneuere das
Angesicht der Erde. Komm, Schöpfer Geist!

You offer your people hope, when all seems hopeless. Remind us again that, with you, all things are possible. Teach us to doubt the inevitability of any human plan. Prove to us the power of repentance, and the triumph inherent in all those things that make for peace.

O viens, Esprit Créateur, et renouvelle la face
de la terre. Viens, Saint Esprit !

Almighty God: We pray for your church, and for all whom we are called to serve.
We pray for those who suffer, for those who mourn, for those who are consumed by confusion, for the widow, the orphan, the immigrant and the asylum-seeker. We pray for members of other faith communities, and for those who seek spiritual direction. We pray for those whom we once remembered regularly in our prayers, but have since neglected. Hold them all in your heart, Lord; for you alone are faithful.

Komm, du Schöpfer Geist, erneuere das
Angesicht der Erde. Komm, Schöpfer Geist !

Hear our prayers, O Lord, have mercy upon us, and grant us your peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer (each prays aloud in his or her own language)

Blessing

Sending hymn: Nita mwimbiya Bwana
kwa kuwa Yeye Ameniona

Lenten sermon on Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Christians and Pagans

Lenten Morning Prayer Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, 25 February 2008

Reflection on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “Christians and Pagans”[1]

Epistle Reading: Romans 5:1-11; Gospel Reading: John 4:5-15

The following reflection was prepared and given by two young women pastors, Simone Sinn and Rolita Machila, both currently work in the Lutheran World Federation in the Department for Theology and Studies.

Lent – a time to concentrate on what is essential in our faith and for our lives

Lent is a time when we try to refocus our attention on what is important in life and try to concentrate on what really matters. The gospel story for this week is a prime example of concentrating on what is essential: The central element is water. The meeting point is a well in a desert place. The scene concentrates on two people, Jesus and the Samaritan woman. They interaction is focuses on the issue of water, real water and water as symbol for what essentially sustains life.

For many Christians, Lent is related to the practice of fasting, traditionally understood as abstaining from food, or from certain types of food. There are also creative other forms of fasting. The principle behind this Lenten practice is to do something externally that helps concentrate body and mind on what is essential.

Sometimes we loose sight of what is important, because our lives are filled up with so many things: various job-related, family-related and community-related activities, material goods of different kinds, responsibilities, worries, needs, questions and concerns.

Lent is a time to concentrate on what is important in our lives and in our faith.

Reading of a poem, written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in July 1944:
People turn to God when they're in need,
plead for help, contentment, and for bread,
for rescue from their sickness, guilt, and death.
They all do so, both Christian and pagan.

People turn to God in God's own need,
and find God poor, degraded, without roof or bread,
see God devoured by sin, weakness, and death.
Christians stand with God to share God's pain.

God turns to all people in their need,
nourishes body and soul with God's own bread,
takes up the cross for Christians and pagans, both,
and in forgiving both, is slain.

Three fundamental questions in “Christians and Pagans”
In a succinct way, this poem sheds light on three fundamental questions: In the first part: What does it mean to be human? In the second: What does it mean to be Christian? And finally: Who is God? Three different encounters between people and God, interrelated and yet distinct.
The poem is entitled “Christians and Pagans”. One translator, however, rightly remarked that the poem should in fact be called “Christians and Others”, as the contrast for Bonhoeffer is really between the true Christian disciple and those others of "normal" religiosity, who still maintained their traditional expectations of how God should act to assuage their pains and griefs.
People in need
The first encounter with God is provoked by human need: „People turn to God when they're in need“. We know this situation well when we, individually or as a community turn to God, ask for help and plead for change. In just a few words, Bonhoeffer describes the human condition, the urgent need of people to turn to someone who can change their desperate situation. These moments of prayer, these situations of addressing one’s cry to God are very existential moments. We want God to react and intervene.

People, both Christians and others, go to God when they are in need. They expect a lot from God, but they also hold on to doubt.

There is a delightful story that I like. A solitary traveller fell over a cliff in the night. Luckily he managed to grab hold a bush near the top, and hung there for dear life in darkness shouting: “Is anybody down there?” After a while, a voice said: “Yes, I am down here. Let yourself go. Trust me. I will catch you. I am God.”

There was a long pause as the traveller thought, then he shouted: “Is anybody else down there?” God asked: “Where is your faith, why do you doubt?”

God in need
There are situations in life where it is difficult to trust in God. We want to see God in power and might, but, as says the second part of the poem, we find God poor, degraded, without roof or bread, see God devoured by sin, weakness, and death. The story goes as follows: There was a young man who quit his job, left home, and opted for not having a well-ordered life any more. He wanders around and is constantly on the move, surrounded by strange friends and dubious people. He has no money. He spends his days with talking, discussing, eating and drinking. This man does not become very old. He provokes enmity, endures hardship and ends at the cross.

God is not a hero. God is in need. The idea of the almighty God is dismantled. We are forced to rethink how we talk about God’s power and might.

This section concludes with “Christians stand with God to share God's pain”. This is a rather unusual definition of what it means to be Christian. As a Lutheran I have often heard the sentence “Here I stand, I can do no other”. This attitude of standing against, being a true protestant is familiar to me. – But now, Bonhoeffer talks about “standing with”, of being in solidarity. It is very clear that this is not just a social attitude, a certain political stance, or a sudden feeling of pity with someone, but it is a deeply spiritual attitude. “Christians stand with God to share God's pain”.

Where does this happen? How do we experience that? We might be drawn into God’s story by listening to the biblical accounts of Jesus’ life, passion and death during the time of Lent, by breaking the bread at the Lord’s table on Sundays, by standing with the least who are hungry, thirsty, who are foreign or naked on all days of our lives. “Christians stand with God to share God's pain.” – A big sentence that still needs further meditation and spiritual exploration, but sometimes also the simple self-critical question: Do we Christians actually do that? Where is our attention actually geared towards?

The poem does not get stuck in the question of Christian identity but draws our attention to who God is and how God acts. In the movement of this poem it becomes evident that God is not just the antidote to our sinfulness and suffering, but God involves Godself in our suffering. In protestant theology we often find this polarized image of the sinful human being on the one side and the merciful and gracious God on the other. This poem shows that there is a much more intimate dynamic: God existentially shares our existence, God’s incarnation involves Godself in our suffering and in return also calls us to participate in God’s suffering. The bible and the cross are in the midst of the community.

God turns to all people in their need

The theocentric focus of the third part widens the horizon and sheds a new light on the relationship between Christians, pagans and God. “God turns to all people in their need”. As Paul says in his theological argumentation in Romans 5: God takes the initiative and responds to the human need in a way that reconciles all human beings with God and one another.

“God turns to all people in their need.” Jesus went up to the Samaritan woman and draws her in a conversation about her life. The woman actively engages in that reflection about what really matters in life. She gives her heart to Jesus and recognizes who Jesus is. In him, she realizes that God nourishes body and soul. God’s own bread is the source of life. This experience creates a sparkling faith in the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. Amen.


[1] As translated in "A Testament to Freedom: The Essential Writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer," ed. Geffrey B. Kelly & F. Burton Nelson (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1990), p. 549.

Liturgy for third week in Lent

The following liturgy was put together by Rev. Simone Sinn and Rev. Rolita Machila from Zambia. Both are currently working in the Lutheran World Federation's department of theology and studies.

Third week of Lent ~ Morning Prayer in the Ecumenical Centre on 25 February 2008
“Encountering God”

With the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle we pray for France and Germany
Bible Readings according to the Revised Common Lectionary

Welcome

Opening Responses
In the beginning when it was very dark, God said: Let there be light.
And there was light. (Gen 1:3) (The Candles are lit)

In the beginning when it was very quiet, the Word was with God.
And the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2) (The Bible on the Altar is lifted and opened)

When the time was right, God sent his Son.
Born of a woman, he came among us. He shared our human existence.
(Gal 4:4) (The Cross on the altar is lifted)
(As the congregation begin to sing the Bible and cross are carried into the congregation and placed amongst the people)

Hymn Praise to the Lord, the Almighty the King of Creation

Prayer
Our Father, who has set a restlessness in our hearts
and made us all seekers after that which we can never fully find,
forbid us to be satisfied with what we make of life.
Draw us from base content and set our eyes on far-off goals.
Keep us at tasks too hard for us that we may be driven to Thee for strength.
Deliver us from fretfulness and self-pitying;
make us sure of the good we cannot see and of the hidden good in the world.
Open our eyes to simple beauty all around us
and our hearts to the loveliness people hide from us
because we do not try to understand them.
Save us from ourselves and show us a vision of a world made new. Amen.
(Eleanor Roosevelt)

Epistle Reading: Romans 5:1-11
1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Taizé Chant: El Senyor es la meva Forca / Meine Hoffnung (first Portuguese, then German)

Gospel Reading: John 4:5-15 (please stand)
5 So Jesus came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. 7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, "Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?" 13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water."

Taizé chant: El Senyor
In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful, in the Lord I will rejoice! Look to God, do not be
afraid, lift up your voices, the Lord is near; lift up your voices, the Lord is near

O ma joie et mon espérance, le Seigneur est mont chant. C’est de lui que vient le
Pardon. En lui j’espère, je ne crains rien. En lui j’espère, je ne crains rien.

Reflection

Christen und Heiden ~ Christians and Pagans ~ Poem by Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1944

Christen und Heiden Menschen gehen zu Gott in ihrer Not,
flehen um Hilfe, bitten um Glück und Brot,
um Errettung aus Krankheit, Schuld und Tod.
So tun sie alle, alle, Christen und Heiden.

Menschen gehen zu Gott in Seiner Not,
finden ihn arm, geschmäht, ohne Obdach und Brot,
sehn ihn verschlungen von Sünde, Schwachheit und Tod.
Christen stehen bei Gott in Seinem Leiden.

Gott geht zu allen Menschen in ihrer Not,
sättigt den Leib und die Seele mit Seinem Brot,
stirbt für Christen und Heiden den Kreuzestod,
und vergibt ihnen beiden.

Christians and Pagans[1]
People turn to God when they're in need,
plead for help, contentment, and for bread,
for rescue from their sickness, guilt, and death.
They all do so, both Christian and pagan.

People turn to God in God's own need,
and find God poor, degraded, without roof or bread,
see God devoured by sin, weakness, and death.
Christians stand with God to share God's pain.

God turns to all people in their need,
nourishes body and soul with God's own bread,
takes up the cross for Christians and pagans, both,
and in forgiving both, is slain.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, July 1944

Intercessions

at the phrase "We turn to you, O God” we will sing the Taizé chant Oculi nostri.

Gracious God, we come before you in our human need.
We pray for those women, men and children who lack basic material goods like bread, clean water, clothing and shelter.
We pray for those who are ill and whose body suffers.
We pray for those who feel left alone in their suffering.
We pray for those who lack basic social relations, those who miss father and mother, those who miss their children, those who miss close friends.
We pray for those who lack basic spiritual nourishment, whose soul cries out to you from the desert.
We pray for those who suffer from the burden of their guilt.
We turn to you, O God. -

Oculi nostri

We pray for those who have lost orientation in their lives and who have no sense of what really matters.
We pray for those who have lost hope and who need new encounters that spark new visions and renewed courage.
We pray for those who have lost the ability to share in the suffering and pain of others.
We pray for those who are overwhelmed by their workload and who are burnt out.
We turn to you, O God. -

Oculi nostri

We pray for pastors, teachers and all Christians who preach and teach your liberating and empowering Gospel message.
We pray for the ecumenical movement and the ecumenical organisations locally and internationally. We pray for the programs and projects planned in this house and for us as staff.
With the ecumenical prayer cycle we pray for the countries and churches of France and Germany.
We pray for the migrants in these countries,
we pray for the political and economic leaders,
we pray for the people engaged in social, political and environmental movements,
we pray for the churches and people of other faiths.
We turn to you, O God. -

Oculi nostri

We are drawn into your Gospel story, a story of healing and of suffering, a story of wholeness and of brokenness, a story of fullness and of need.
God, help us share your pain in this world, help us share your bread and your grace.
We turn to you, O God. -

Oculi nostri

Lord’s Prayer said by each in their own language

Hymn
Bless now, O God, the Journey
by Sylvia G. Dunstone
326 in the new ELCA book of worship With one Voice

Sending Forth

Let go of what you have.
Say goodbye and turn your face to what lies ahead.
You have a long way before you.
God says, “I will be with you.”
Let us encourage one another on our way together.

Let us go in the strength which God gives us.
We will go gently into the land that you, O God, will show us.
We will go together, looking out for signs of your presence.
Christ has gone before us.
Christ is waiting for us, there where we are.
(Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, In God's Hands p. 96)

Hymn:
1. Nita mwimbiya Bwana, kwa ku wa yeh yeh amenionah (3 times then repeat “amenionah” 8 times)
2. Nita mwimbiya Bwana, kwa ku wa yeh yeh ana ni penda (3 times then repeat “ana ni panda” 8 times)3. Nita mwimbiya Bwana, kwa ku wa yeh yeh ana ni juwa (3 times then repeat “ana ni juwa”

[1] As translated in "A Testament to Freedom: The Essential Writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer," ed. Geffrey B. Kelly & F. Burton Nelson (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1990), p. 549.

An Anglican order for Imposition of Ashes

Ash Wednesday 6 February 2008 ~ Chapel of the Ecumenical Centre 17.00

Ash Wednesday is a solemn day of prayer and penitence that begins the forty-day season of Lent. During Lent we prepare for the celebration of the Three Days of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Lent is also a time when we journey with those in our community and around the world preparing for baptism at Easter.
On Ash Wednesday we confess our sin in a litany of penitence. During Lent’s forty days we are invited to observe the traditional Lenten disciplines of fasting, prayer, and works of love.
We receive the sign of ashes as an external mark of penitence. Ashes are an ancient symbol of repentance and mourning, reminding us of our mortality. We recall God’s words to Adam and Eve following their disobedience: You are dust, and to dust you shall return. The use of ashes also calls to mind the words of the funeral liturgy, “ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” By honestly facing our need for forgiveness and healing, we turn to the springtime of God’s mercy and grace.
With the cross on our brow, we journey through Lent, longing for the baptismal waters of Easter, our spiritual rebirth.

Gathering
Greeting
L The Lord be with you. C And also with you.

Prayer of the Day
L Almighty and ever-living God, you hate nothing you have made, and you forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new and honest hearts, so that, truly repenting of our sins, we may receive from you, the God of all mercy, full pardon and forgiveness, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever Amen

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near— a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come.
Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain-offering and a drink-offering for the Lord, your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy.
Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep. Let them say, ‘Spare your people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, “Where is their God?” ’
L The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 51
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
‘Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
L The gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to you, O Christ.

Silence is kept

Agape 83 ~ Seigneur Rassemble-nous dans la paix de ton Amour, strophes 1-5 en français

Invitation to the Lenten Discipline
L Friends in Christ, every year at the time of our Lord Jesus Christ’s Passover from death to life, with the church throughout the world we celebrate our redemption from sin, death, and the devil. Lent is a time to renew our life in the paschal mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection, in which we participate through the sacramental life of the church. It is also a time to prepare candidates for baptism.
We begin this holy season by acknowledging our need for repentance and for the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We show our resolve to amend our lives with the sign of ashes, which speak of our mortality and symbolize our repentance.
I invite you, therefore, to observe a holy Lent, committing yourselves to self-examination and penitence, prayer and fasting, almsgiving and works of love; and to attend to the word of God and receive the sacraments of Christ as we journey through these forty days to the great Three Days of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Confession of Sin
L Let us stand before God, our creator and redeemer, and confess our sin.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ We have been proud and overbearing. We have asserted our own importance and been jealous of others. We have despised the weak and slandered those we envy and dislike. Lord, have mercy.
C Christ, have mercy.
L Our Lord Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.’ We have been angry in our hearts and in our words. We have returned evil for evil. We have done violence ourselves and condoned the violence of others. Lord, have mercy.
C Christ, aie pitié.
L Our Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘ Blessed are those who weep, for they shall be consoled.’ We have not borne our own sorrow and suffering with the patience which comes from faith. We have failed to show compassion and care for others who suffer. Lord, have mercy.
C Christ, erbarme dich.
L Our Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be satisfied.’ We have cared little for the injustice, inequality, and poverty around us. We have hungered and thirsted for our own comfort and safety, and turned away from the injustice done to others. Lord, have mercy.
C Christ, have mercy.
L Our Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.’ We have looked on our neighbor’s faults and weaknesses with a hard and intolerant eye. We have failed to show understanding and sympathy, but judged harshly and too soon. Lord, have mercy.
C Christ, aie pitié.
L Our Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ We have been suspicious, distrustful, and insincere in the thoughts of our hearts. We have spoiled the joy and beauty of our senses and our love through lust and self-indulgence. Lord, have mercy.
C Christ, erbarme dich.
L Our Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.’ We have broken the loving peace of friends and families with quarrelling and selfishness. We have disturbed the peace of our land with violence and civil strife. We have filled the world with wars and the fear of fear. Lord, have mercy.
C Christ, have mercy.
L Our Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ We have neglected in our prayers and in our charity those who are persecuted for their faith, their beliefs, or their race. We have encouraged or left unrebuked those who, in word or deed, deny the equality of the children of God. Lord, have mercy.
C Christ, have mercy.

A period of silence is kept.

L Most holy and merciful God,
C we confess to you and to one another,
and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth,
that we have sinned by our fault,
by our own fault,
by our own most grievous fault,
in thought, word, and deed
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
L Restore us, O God, and let your anger depart from us.
C Favorably hear us, O God, for your mercy is great.

Imposition of Ashes
L Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth. Bless these ashes and those who receive them. May this sign of our mortality and penitence remind us that only by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ are we given eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
C Amen.

People may come forward to receive the ashes. Ministers mark the forehead of each person with ashes, using the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

During the imposition of ashes we sing Agape 46 ~ La ténèbre n’est point ténèbre devant toi

L Accomplish in us, O God, the work of your salvation,
C That we may show forth your glory in the world.
L By the cross and passion of your Son, our Savior,
C Bring us with all your saints to the joy of Christ’s resurrection.
L Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life.
C Amen.

Lord’s Prayer
L Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us, each in our own language…
Peace
L The peace of the Lord be always with you.
C And also with you.

Sending
Agape 70 Ososo ~ verse 1 in Korean, verse 2 English, verse 3 German, verse 4 French

Blessing
L Go forth into the world to serve God with gladness; be of good courage; hold fast to that which is good; render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honour all people; love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
L Go in peace. Remember the poor
C Thanks be to God.

Morning prayer for Ash Wednesday

The following is a short form of morning prayer for Ash Wednesday
You may wish to change the "wash me whiter than snow" part of Psalm 51 to "polish me to be shine brighter than diamonds".

ASH WEDNESDAY
The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit:
a broken and contrite heart you will not despise. Psalm 51.17

KYRIE ELEISON
In the wilderness we find your grace;you love us with an everlasting love.
Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.

There is none but you to uphold our cause;our sin cries out and our guilt is great.
Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.

Heal us, O Lord, and we shall be healed;restore us and we shall know your joy.Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.

PSALM 51 responsorial
1 Have mercy on me, O God, in your great goodness;
according to the abundance of your compassion blot out my offences.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
5 So that you are justified in your sentence and righteous in your judgement.
6 I have been wicked even from my birth, a sinner when my mother conceived me.
7 Behold, you desire truth deep within me
and shall make me understand wisdom in the depths of my heart.
8 Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean;
wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
9 Make me hear of joy and gladness, that the bones you have broken may rejoice.
10 Turn your face from my sins and blot out all my misdeeds.
11 Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
12 Cast me not away from your presence and take not your holy spirit from me.
13 Give me again the joy of your salvation and sustain me with your gracious spirit;
14 Then shall I teach your ways to the wicked and sinners shall return to you.
15 Deliver me from my guilt, O God, the God of my salvation,
and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness.
16 O Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
17 For you desire no sacrifice, else I would give it;
you take no delight in burnt offerings.
18 The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 58 v 1 – 12
Gospel Reading: John 8.1–11

Glorious God,
your thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are your ways our ways.
You look at the ugliest soul and see, still unstirred, the wings of an angel.
All: We scan the finest of our neighbours anxious to find the flaw.

You view time in the context of eternity, and so find a place for waiting,
for yearning, even for suffering, even for dying.
All: We demand instant results;
and look for tomorrow before savouring today.

You know that only one who suffers can ultimately save,
that is why you walk the way of the cross.
All: We fear that vulnerability which defies our power;
that is why we allow for crucifixion.

Your thoughts are not our thoughts
All: Neither are your ways our ways.

And yet we know that your way is the ladder to heaven,
while, left to our own devices, our ways slope downwards to hell.
But we are here, not to have our worst confirmed, but to have our best liberated.
So we pray

All: Forgive in us what has gone wrong,
Repair in us what is wasted,
Reveal in us what is good.

And nourish us with better food than we could ever purchase:
your word, your love, your inspiration, your daily bread for our life’s journey,
in the company of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
All: Amen.

Make our hearts clean, O God;
All: and renew a right spirit within us.

Lord of all life, help us to work together for that daywhen your kingdom comes and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth.
Look with favour on your people, gather us in your loving armsand bring us with all the saints to feast at your table in heaven.
Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,all honour and glory are yours, O loving Father, for ever and ever.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (spoken quietly in our own language)

BLESSING
Christ give you grace to grow in holiness, to deny yourselves, take up your cross, and follow him;and the blessing of God almighty,the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.