Praying for Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary

Worship Ecumenical Centre, Monday 15 September 2008
This week the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle invites us to pray for the countries of Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, and their churches

This order of worship was put together by the Rev. Rudolf Renfer who is director of human resources at the Lutheran World Federation

Welcome – Invocation

The world belongs to God,
The earth and all its people
How good and how lovely it is
To live together in unity.
Love an faith come together,
Justice and peace join hands.
If the Lord’s disciples keep silent
These stones would shout aloud.
Lord, open our lips
And our mouths shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.
Amen.

Hymn: Agape 3, A Palavra do Senhor (all the 5 languages)

Prayer
Oh Lord,
When you deliver us from our faults,
And when our heart continues to feel guilty,
Forgive us.

Agape 28 Gospodi Pomiliu - sung response

Oh Lord,
When you open the door of our prisons,
And we still continue to pull down the walls,
Forgive us

Gospodi Pomiliu

Oh Lord, when you call us to live from your grace,
And we keep turning over our forgiven faults,
Forgive us

Gospodi Pomiliu

Readings
Proverbs 3, 13 – 18 (in Romanian)
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding, for the gain from it is better than gain from silver and its profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy.

1 Cor 1, 20 – 25 (in French)
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Mt 11, 16 – 19
“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places and calling to their playmates,
‘We piped to you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.’
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Message

Hymn Paradiscomnak te szep élö fàja

Prayer of intercession
Because the world is beautiful,
And beauty is a tender thing,
And we want to enjoy life,
But also take up our responsibilities,
We need you, God.

sung response: Sfinte Dumne Zeule

Because human knowledge seems endless,
And we do not know what we do not know,
And what seems to be wisdom for us,
Is seen as folly by those who do not know us,
We need you, God.

Sfinte Dumne Zeule

Because in fact we can live without you,
And are free to go against you,
And are struggling with our convictions of justice,
Trying to stand on the side of the excluded ones,
We need you, God.

Sfinte Dumne Zeule

Because we want to be in solidarity with the countries
Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria and their churches
Witnessing your name and acting in your name,
Resisting to temptations and weaknesses,
We need you, God.

Sfinte Dumne Zeule

Because you came among us
In the man Jesus who was eating and drinking
With impure people and sinners,
And we want to know how to answer to his call,
We need you, God.

Sfinte Dumne Zeule

Blessing
Lord Jesus Christ,
Because you were eating and drinking with the tax collectors and sinners,
You were looked on as ungodly.

Because you broke bread with the joyful,
You were called a glutton and a drunkard.

Because you broke bread in the upstairs room,
You sealed your acceptance of the way of the cross.

Set our blessing on the bread we break and the company we share,
In the name of God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Let us go in peace.
Amen

Hymn: Here I am, Lord

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Refrain:
Here I am, Lord, is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me,
I will hold your people in my heart.

Yo, Señor de lluvia y sol,
Las angustias y el dolor,
De mi pueblo he de sanar sin condición.
Ese duro corazón, con mi amor transformaré.
Quién mi nombre anunciará ?
Quién me seguirá ?

Refrán :
Aquí estoy, Señor, Heme aquí, Señor.
En la noche escuché tu voz.
Guíame, Señor. Yo te seguiré.
En mi corazón a tu pueblo guardaré.

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them,
Whom shall I send?

Refrain

Statement of the World Student Christian Federation on the Announcement of an Agreement to Form an Inclusive Government in Zimbabwe

Statement of the World Student Christian Federation
On the Announcement of an Agreement to Form an Inclusive Government in Zimbabwe


The World Student Christian Federation welcomes the announcement of an agreement to form an inclusive Government in Zimbabwe. While we await the full details our thoughts and prayers are with the students, young people and ordinary families in Zimbabwe at this critical juncture. Having suffered so much from a legacy of violence, food shortages, unemployment, collapsed health, education and other vital services – we hope that the agreement will be implemented in a way that fully addresses the dire needs of ordinary Zimbabweans.

WSCF also fervently hopes that this historic agreement marks Zimbabwe’s return to the rule of law and to effective governance for and by the people. We hope that the political leaders will be guided by the principles of good faith and be faithful to the agreement and work selflessly towards its proper implementation.

We trust that the global ecumenical movement and the international community will fulfill their pledge to support the people of Zimbabwe as they begin a challenging process of national healing, reconciliation, reconstruction and renewal.

Reverend Michael Wallace
General Secretary
World Student Christian Federation


About the WSCF
The World Student Christian Federation is a global movement of students working for dialogue, ecumenism, social justice and peace. Founded in 1895, the Federation brings together more than 2 million students in 105 national student Christian movements.
Website www.wscfglobal.org

Meditation on a positive view of scribes . Matthew 13.52 and Jeremiah 36

Matthew 13:52 and Jeremiah 36
And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."

A meditation by the Rev. Theodore Gill, senior editor, WCC Communication

One verse in the 13th chapter of Matthew contains a complete parable,
a parable with the most positive view of “scribes”
to be found in the gospel according to Saint Matthew.
Elsewhere, in Matthew 23, we encounter the series of denunciations that begin,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”

Yet, it turns out, there is such a thing as a scribe trained for the kingdom of heaven,
and many New Testament scholars believe that this is how the author/editor who stands behind our canon’s first gospel understood the role of gospel-writer or evangelist:
The person who is called to tell the story, and record it, must balance
the impact on the community of contemporary developments and trends – “what is new” – with history, the lessons of scripture and tradition – “what is old”.

In the time of Jesus the position of “scribe”
had evolved to one of scholarship and pedagogy,
centering on interpretation and practical application of Torah, the law of Moses.
Luke uses a different term to describe the office of scribe: “a doctor of the law”.

But the word had other connotations at other times –
following the return from exile in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah,
the scribe was an official of the royal court in Jerusalem.
Earlier still, a scribe – sofer in Hebrew – was simply someone who was literate,
capable of reading and writing, and therefore of copying texts or taking dictation.

In the 36th chapter of Jeremiah, we see that Baruch is something more than that,
more than an office clerk or administrative assistant to the prophet.
In fact, Baruch was Jeremiah’s communication secretary –
not merely writing up the details of the boss’s visions but publishing them abroad,
representing the prophet in public, taking much of the heat for Jeremiah’s positions.
And in Jeremiah 36, Baruch does appear in public repeatedly – until
sympathetic courtiers advise him to go into hiding, if he and Jeremiah have any sense.
One of these courtiers, Elishama, is described as ha-sofer, the king’s scribe.
Baruch and Elishama, two communication secretaries, representing different interests;
one warns the other to lay low, if he wishes to avoid prison or worse.
So there was honour among professional communicators, at least in this case.

Of course, Baruch would have been interested in audience reaction to his release,
although reader surveys were not terribly sophisticated in those days.
He heard a variety of people insisting that his scroll was fit for the king,
and he conveys to us later reports of just how the king received his work.
After each three or four columns of prophesy were read,
the king took a particular type of knife that was one of the scribe’s own tools,
cut off the latest strip from the scroll, and threw it into the fire.

Some officials there in the royal winter apartment dared to object to this sacrilege,
and Baruch preserves their names for posterity.
A loyal audience is worth remembering.

The book of Jeremiah assumes that there was a proper response expected
after the scroll had been produced and presented to the people and to the ruler.
I suppose that all communication secretaries harbour such expectations,
and may even worry that doom awaits all concerned
when the world and its leaders turn deaf ears to the message.

But our focus has been on one particular chapter in Jeremiah,
telling of events that happened well before the dire ending of Jehoiakim’s reign.
The end of this chapter is less apocalyptic, but no less world-transforming:
“Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to his communication secretary,
Baruch son of Neriah, who wrote on it…all the words of the scroll
that the king had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.”

So the scroll of prophecy was not lost;
the task of communication was undertaken once more,
no matter how unwelcome the message or the messengers.
Inevitably, accounts of the latest events, new prophetic visions
“and many similar words” were added to the flow of information:
For every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like
the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.

Let us pray.

Living Word,
give us true vision,
bless us with the skills and talents we require,
grant us persistence,
so that we may serve your church
and the world may seek your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

This meditation was given at the prayers which opened which opened the meeting of the press officers network of Euroepean churches - PONEC. The Meeting began in the Ecumenical Centre chapel and continued in the Cartigny Centre in the Genevan countrside.

copyright (c) Theodore Gill/WCC

Who was Saint Paul's press officer? Sermon on 2 Timothy 1:7-10 and Luke 1:1-4

Sermon preached at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Geneva
For the Press Officers Network of European Churches (PONEC)
7 September 2008
Rev. Jane Stranz

2 Timothy 1:7-10
Luke 1:1-4

Au nom du Père et du Fils et du Saint Esprit, Amen.


(The first rule of communication is to check whether the microphone they’ve put in your pocket is switched on!)

You may be surprised to know that St Luke - the apostle who wrote one of the Gospels and also the Acts of the Apostles - is sometimes described as the journalist of the New Testament.
That idea may sound a bit anachronistic, after all there was no television or radio in first century Judea, probably no daily newspapers, certainly no internet.

But what is it that a journalist actually does? One definition puts it like this - journalists gather and present news, including information about current and historical events, things that have changed in the world and other topics of interest. They take notes and record information. They carry out background research for their reports or articles, and, we hope, check facts carefully. They interview people. They write news articles and background features, written in such a was that their readers, listeners or viewers can understand what has been going on. This means they need to know their audience.

[I should add it was the journalist I live with who put me up to saying this!]

If we look again at the text from Luke we can see that at the beginning of the Gospel
Luke sets out his audience - his friend Theophilus. Luke notes too that he has been closely following all the developments concerning Jesus – or perhaps we should call it the Jesus story - and it seemed that it was time to write an "orderly account", so that Theophilus may know the truth concerning the things of which he had been informed.

The tone of Luke's gospel is rather different to Mark's rather breathless and hasty style, or to Matthew's regal and scholarly tone, or to John's opaque, poetic and very theological approach.

But Luke the journalist also makes great literature out of the orderly account he writes for Theophilus. You only have to consider his versions of the story of Christ’s incarnation, passion and resurrection to see how beautifully constructed his account is.
Unlike the other Gospel writers Luke doesn't end the story he tells with Jesus.
He rightly understands that Jesus' story goes on in others – this is the meaning of resurrection.

The orderly literary account Luke narrates, continues in the Acts of the Apostles, where he recounts the exciting missionary tours of Paul, in Cyprus, and Antioch, Asia Minor, Macedonia, Thessalonica, Athens, Corinth, Galatia, and Ephesus, leading to Paul's imprisonment, trial, his trip to Rome, the shipwreck.

And there was also of course a major conference in Jerusalem to deal with - a controversy which threatened to tear the Christian Communion apart – centring on the question do Christians have to be circumcised according to the law of Moses?

That must have been a tense and difficult time. Sounds familiar?

If we think people today from the same or different churches are rather “muscular” in the negative criticisms and public statements they make about one another, then reading some of what Paul and Peter and their supporters said to one another in Jerusalem may convince us that being in the church has always been about very animated and committed debate and not particularly about being nice and well-behaved!

Today I wonder whether the Jerusalem conference had an assembly preparatory commission, or an 18 month long communications plan … I suspect not.

But as I was wondering where Luke got the information from, the stories, the narratives, the great statements of Paul, I came up with rather a surprising hypothesis.

I think it's clear that Paul must have employed a great press officer, a spin doctor, as we say these days, to make sure that his side of the story got a good telling.

A press officer is someone employed by an organization - or sometimes a person - to provide the news media and journalists with information about the organization or individual.

You may object, and say - but there is no reference to any spin doctors or press officers in the Acts of the Apostles.

But that just shows how well St Paul's press officer was doing his or her job. Alastair Campbell - Tony Blair's spin doctor - once said he would have failed if he, and not Tony Blair, became the story (and in fact he finally resigned when he DID become the story).

But St Paul's press officer was so good, that she - or he - never did become the story.

But just think of the challenges the press officer had to face ...
– this Christian preacher and his companion get greeted and treated like Greek gods in Derbe (try explaining that to the evangelicals).
– can you imagine trying to pick up the pieces in Galatia after Paul's so called “pastoral” letter in which he calls the Galations stupid (try explaining that he’s a nice guy really to anyone after that).
– or explaining Paul's iconoclastic theology saying it's all right to eat the food offered to pagan gods in sacrifice.
– or trying to spin the huge unrest and rioting that seemed to attend Paul's travels (the forces of law and order are really not going to have much time for your explanations).

And of course all the time this person had Paul, their boss, telling them, 'It's not about me, it's about Jesus Christ living, dying and rising again for us, that's what you should be saying to those writers and storytellers'. While the press officer will of course also have been trying to keep the boss 'on message', and with someone like Paul who had such wide and broad knowledge, that really won't have been easy!

As you have heard, for the past two days press and communications officers from churches right across Europe - from Albania to Ireland and from Finland to Italy - have been meeting in Geneva, swapping experiences and insights about how to communicate their churches -
and looking at one particular conference that is soon coming up.

It’s not a conference in Jerusalem like in Acts but the 13th assembly of the Conference of European Churches that will take place in Lyon next year. And I hear that the press officers have come up with bags of ideas about communicating the assembly.

But what is it that makes a good press officer? I sometimes wonder whether the text we heard from Timothy does not provide a good summary of the qualities that are needed: For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

In English we do not have the wonderful word “Besonnenheit” to render the Greek σωφρονισμου (sophronismos) and so we have
Power love and self-control
power love and right mindedness
power love and sound judgement
and my personal favourite which comes surprisingly from the Darby translation
power love and wise discretion

Any press officer, particularly a church press officer, will need power or dynamism to do their job. They will also need love, a sense of passion and purpose in what they are doing; and they will need buckets-full of wise discretion, sound-mindedness, self control, and more besides.

Perhaps those seem like rather high values for press officers, but I'd like to suggest that actually those values apply not only to them and to the rather timid Timothy (you notice that Paul doesn't mince his words even to those closest to him – 'come on Timothy stop being so scared - get on with it!') but to all of us in the churches.

Each of us and all of us are God's press officers, telling the story of Jesus in today's world.

We bear witness through our lives, the way we do business, the way we speak and interact with one another …

Think for a moment of a local church, or a diocese or a church organisation, or a church-run aid organisation.

How does it and can it bear witness to story of Jesus in today’s plural, globalized world?

Perhaps we should take a leaf out of Paul’s book and not feel embarrassed by the debates, discussions, tensions and politicking, but actually dare to tell the story and say how it adds and gives meaning to our lives.

Bearing witness to the essential is not easy – we’d rather say, 'oh you know I go to church out of habit, for the music, to see friends'. We’re frightened about being seen as too religious.

In a book he has written, the French Protestant theologian Laurent Schlumberger says how important it for Christians today to reclaim the language of bearing witness to their faith. His book is called Sur le seuil which means on the threshold, in the doorway - between our faith and other people’s lives, questions, faith, concerns and convictions. Schlumberger says that if our faith talk is to have any resonance with others, we will need to dare to speak of our doubts as well as our convictions, as part of daring to go to the threshold of interaction.

Before I finish I’m afraid you are going to have to allow me one final linguistic aside. There is a wonderful German word Schwellenangst – it means fear of the threshold, fear of knocking on a new door, doing a new thing, being on a new threshold.

But God has not given us a spirit of fear of the thresholds where the witness to our faith takes place, but a spirit of dynamic power, passionate love and wise discretion.

So may God's Spirit truly blow a hurricane of wise discretion, love, and power calling us to live on that threshold where we bear witness to the faith and keeping all of us - 'on message'.

Amen.


Laurent Schlumberger, Sur le Seuil: Les protestants au défi du témoignage, Lyon, Editions Olivétan, 2005.


copyright (c) Jane Stranz

500 word sermon for a wedding - As God turns water into wine, we learn to walk on water

The following sermon was preached in English and in French at the wonderful wedding in Dardagny of Nicolas and Susan - avec mes excuses aux lecteurs/lectrices francophones - la version française n'existe pas par écrit.

As God turns water into wine, we learn to walk on water

There’s an expression in French which I like: “la vie quotidienne” – somehow when you translate it into English it doesn’t have quite the same ring – “everyday life”

- in our everyday life we don’t expect miracles
- in our everyday life people don’t walk on water
- in everyday life water isn’t turned in to wine.

(Though I have to say that when people learn that I’m a pastor I often get remarks like “Oh good does that mean you can turn water into wine for us?”)

The water Jesus turns into wine was water for the everyday purpose of ritual purification. It is ordinary water – in those days it was ordinary to be religious not extraordinary – and it became miraculous, wonderful delicious wine.

Water is essential for life
Jesus takes this everyday essential element
And makes it more essential
As wine it speaks not only of thirst that is quenched
But of joy, of the deeper more profound things in life,
it speaks of covenant, of time, of maturity, of work and pain
and of love overcoming travail.

Nicolas and Susi
Perhaps you too do not expect miracles, even if this is not an everyday kind of day but an extraordinary one.
Yet in many ways a marriage is a miracle
- a miracle of love
- an everyday miracle.
Sometimes marriage really is like walking on water
At other times it may be like wading through muddy, turbulent stormy waters

But you have invited us to a miraculous place for your wedding
The vines in the vineyards all around us are not flowering like in the reading from the Song of Solomon but are already fruiting
All around us God’s good creation, tended by human hand, is turning water into wine.

As you make your covenant today
So God continues in covenant with you and with all of us
Turning the water of our everyday lives
Into the wine of deep commitment

This special, extraordinary day
which celebrates the everyday covenant of your marriage
speaks to us of eternity, of miracles
it helps us to commit ourselves once more to our everyday lives
helping us to walk on water
to swim against the tide
and to reconnect with the wondrous covenant of love and life.

There is a Jewish saying that a happy marriage is an even greater miracle than the parting of the red sea – not exactly walking on water but walking on liberating dry land between water.

Nicolas and Susan we wish you an extraordinary, ordinary life together,
We pray that it may be filled with the love, promise and support of God’s covenant.
All around us in our everyday lives God in Christ is turning water into wine
Encouraging you and all of us to
walk on water
dare to love
and drink that joyous wine which can speak to us of depth and eternity everyday of our lives.
We wish you an extraordinary, everyday life together.

Amen




copyright (c) Jane Stranz

Elements of a liturgy for a wedding - French and English

Marriage of Susan Lee and Nicolas Servas ~ Mariage de Susan Lee et Nicolas Servas
August 30th 2008

Processional ~ Entrée Bible verses ~ versets bibliques Welcome ~ Bienvenue Prayer ~ Prière
Seigneur,
dans l'agitation de la fête, aide nous à faire silence en nous même et dirige nos pensées vers toi.
Nous te cherchons:
tu es notre force et notre espérance.
C'est toi le Seigneur de notre passé, de notre présent et de notre avenir. c'est de toi qui vient toute bénédiction
Par ton Esprit, dispose nos cœurs à vivre ce temps avec toi

Song ~ Chant
Allelu, allelu, allelu alleluia! Praise ye the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord Alleluia! Praise ye the Lord Alleluia! Praise ye the Lord Alleluia!
Praise ye the Lord!

Allélu, allélu, allélu alléluia! Gloire au Seigneur!
Gloire au Seigneur alléluia! Gloire au Seigneur alléluia! Gloire au Seigneur alléluia!
Gloire au Seigneur!

Biblical reading on love ~ Lecture biblique sur l’amour

P: Let love be genuine and live in harmony;
hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good.
Outdo one another in showing honor;
be humble and never conceited.

L’amour doit être sincère.
Détestez le mal, attachez-vous au bien.
Ayez de l’affection les uns pour les autres;
mettez du zèle à vous respecter les uns les autres. (Rom. 12. 9 et 10)

C: Love is stronger than death and jealousy is cruel as the grave. Floods cannot drown love and wealth cannot buy it. C’est que l’amour est aussi fort que la mort L’amour est une flamme ardente; Toute l’eau des océans ne suffirait pas à le noyer Ni la richesse à l’acheter. (Cantique 8.6-7 alt.)

P: Put love above all else;
let Christ's peace rule your hearts.
Always be forgiving,
as Christ has forgiven you.

Par-dessus tout, ayez de l’amour
Que la paix du Christ dirige vos coeurs.
Pardonnez-vous réciproquement,
comme le Seigneur vous a pardonné.(Col. 3.14, 15, 13)

C: Love is not jealous or boastful, arrogant, rude or stubborn, irritable, resentful or possessive. Love is patient and kind.

P: Do not love in word or speech only; love also in deed and truth.
Receive each other in sincerity,
find mercy and grow old together.
Il ne faut pas que notre amour consiste uniquement en discours et belles paroles;
Ce doit être un véritable amour qui se manifeste par des actes. (1 Jean.3.18)
Chercher la miséricorde pour vieillir ensembler. (Tobit 8.6)

C: Love rejoices in the right; it bears, believes, hopes and endures all things, for love is faithful and endless. L’amour se réjouit de la vérité L’amour permet de tout supporter, il nous fait garder en toute circonstance la foi, l’espérance et la patience. L’amour est fidèle et éternel. (1 Cor 13)

P: When the lord builds the house,
the labor is never in vain.
Si le Seigneur bâtit la maison,
Le maçons ne se donnent pas du mal en vain. (Ps. 127.1)

C: Happy are those who take refuge in God; those who serve the Lord are redeemed. Heureux ceux qui trouvent leur refuge dans l’Eternel; Ceux qui servent le Seigneur trouveront le salut.

P: This is my commandment,that you love one another as I have loved you.

Voici mon commandement: aimez vous les uns les autres comme je vous aime. (Jean 15.12)

C: And two shall become one in love, for we are members of Christ's body. Les deux deviendront un seul être dans l’amour, car nous sommes membres dans le corps du Christ.

Song ~ Chant
Allelu, allelu, allelu alleluia! Praise ye the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord Alleluia! Praise ye the Lord Alleluia! Praise ye the Lord Alleluia!
Praise ye the Lord!

Allélu, allélu, allélu alléluia! Gloire au Seigneur!
Gloire au Seigneur alléluia! Gloire au Seigneur alléluia! Gloire au Seigneur alléluia!
Gloire au Seigneur!

Gospel reading ~ Lecture de l’évangile John 2. 1-11 ~ Jean 2. 1-11
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Trois jours après, il y eut des noces à Cana en Galilée. La mère de Jésus était là, et Jésus fut aussi invité aux noces avec ses disciples.
Le vin ayant manqué, la mère de Jésus lui dit: Ils n'ont plus de vin.
Jésus lui répondit: Femme, qu'y a-t-il entre moi et toi? Mon heure n'est pas encore venue.
Sa mère dit aux serviteurs: Faites ce qu'il vous dira.
Or, il y avait là six vases de pierre, destinés aux purifications des Juifs, et contenant chacun deux ou trois mesures.
Jésus leur dit: Remplissez d'eau ces vases. Et ils les remplirent jusqu'au bord.
Puisez maintenant, leur dit-il, et portez-en à l'ordonnateur du repas. Et ils en portèrent. Quand l'ordonnateur du repas eut goûté l'eau changée en vin, -ne sachant d'où venait ce vin, tandis que les serviteurs, qui avaient puisé l'eau, le savaient bien, -il appela l'époux, et lui dit: Tout homme sert d'abord le bon vin, puis le moins bon après qu'on s'est enivré; toi, tu as gardé le bon vin jusqu'à présent. Tel fut, à Cana en Galilée, le premier des miracles que fit Jésus. Il manifesta sa gloire, et ses disciples crurent en lui. Après cela, il descendit à Capernaüm, avec sa mère, ses frères et ses disciples, et ils n'y demeurèrent que peu de jours.

Sermon ~ Prédication

Hymn ~ Cantique Now thank we all our God with hearts and hands and voices ~ Béni soit le Seigneur, le Créateur le Père;
Marriage ~ Mariage
Introduction ~ Préparation
Le mariage est un don et un appel de Dieu
Dieu nous a donné le mariage
pour que l'homme et la femme puisse s'aimer et se respecter
s'encourager et s'enrichir
et se connaître dans la passion et le bonheur

Dieu nous a donné le mariage
pour que l'homme et la femme puisse être
signe de l'unité et de l'engagment dans la société
pour la naissance des enfants, qu'ils puissent grandir dans une ambiance d'amour
Nicolas et Susan ont choisi de vivre ensemble dans le mariage
ils demandent aujourd'hui la bénédiciton de Dieu

Vows ~ Engagements
Nicolas and Susan will exchange their vows in English and in French, afterwards the congregation will be invited to stand and commit to support and pray for Nicolas and Susan in their marriage.
Nicolas et Susan échangeront leurs engagements en anglais et français, ensuite l’assemblée est invitée à se lever et à s’engager à soutenir et à prier pour Nicolas et Susan.

Marriage Blessing ~ Bénédiciton nuptiale
Que le Seigneur
Plein d'amour comme une mère et bon comme un père
vous bénisse
qu'il fasse prospérer votre vie
qu'il fasse fleurir votre espérance
qu'il fasse mûrir vos fruits
que le Seigneur vous garde
qu'il vous embrasse dans votre peur
qu'il se tienne devant vous dans votre besoin
Qu'il vous accorde sa grâce
qu'il souffle sur vous
comme un regard tendre réchauffe ce qui est raide
Qu'il tourne sa face vers vous
Qu'il vous libère et vous laisse respirer
Quand la culpabilité vous accable
Qu'il regarde votre souffrance
qu'il vous offre le réconfort et la guérison
Qu'il vous donne la paix
le bien-être du corps,
le salut de votre âme,
l'avenir de vos enfants

(You may kiss !)

Signing of the register ~ Signature des registres Lighting of the unity candle

Song ~ Chant
Sing Alleluia to the Lord
Sing Alleluia to the Lord
Sing alleluia, sing alleluia
Sing Alleluia to the Lord

Chante alléluia au Seigneur
Chante alléluia au Seigneur
Chante alléluia, chante alléluia
Chante alléluia au Seigneur

Prayers of intercession ~ Prières d’intercession Prayer ~ Prière des mariés
Nous te disons Merci, Père
Pour notre rencontre
Pour l’amour qui nous unit
Merci de nous avoir donnés des parents formidables
qui par leur amour nous ont accompagnés jusqu’à ce jour
Et Merci pour le soutien de nos amis, et l’affection dont ils ont fait preuve
Nous te remercions encore
Pour la joie d’être tous réunis aujourd’hui.
Accompagne-nous Seigneur
Dans tout ce qui fera nos joies et nos peines
Nos réussites et nos échecs
Accompagne-nous Seigneur jusqu’au bout du chemin

Father, we give you thanks
For our meeting
For the love which unites us
Thank you for giving us wonderful parents
Who to this day have accompanied us with their love
And thank you for the support of friends and the affection which they have shown us
We give you thanks again
For the joy of being gathered together today
Be with us Lord
In all that will make for our joys and our sorrows
Our successes and our failures
Be with us Lord right until the end of the road.

Lord’s Prayer – said by each in their own language
Notre Père – chacun(e) le dira dans sa propre langue

Announcements ~ Annonces

Blessing ~ Bénédiction


Un mariage heureux est un plus grand miracle de Dieu que le partage de la mer rouge
Jüdisches Sprcichwort
Phrase de la Sagesse Juive

Aimer quelqu'un s'appel porter sur lui le même regard de Dieu quand il l'a créé
Dostoïevski

Summary of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) report detailing trauma experienced by their members

WOZA counts the cost of their courage in a new report

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) launched a report detailing the
trauma experiences of their members on Wednesday 19 August 2008.
The event was conducted in Johannesburg, South Africa with
attendance by press, diplomats, civic society leaders and members
of WOZA. The report is entitled “Counting the Cost of Courage:
Trauma Experiences of Women Human Rights Defenders in
Zimbabwe”.
In 2007 research was carried out to determine the nature and
extent of violations perpetrated on WOZA members by state actors.
It used a questionnaire administered verbally to more than 2,000
WOZA members. The major results were detailed in a report
released in March 2008 entitled ‘The Effects of Fighting
Repression with Love’. They showed a high level of arrests,
assaults, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment,
primarily by members of various sections of the Zimbabwe Republic
Police.

One section of the questionnaire sought to document traumatic
experiences of WOZA women in order to understand the basis of
possible psychological and emotional disorders arising from their
civic activism - ‘counting the cost of their courage’. The
report launched today outlines these findings.

The research
The research explored two broad categories of trauma: ●
“displacement” experiences - a concept first developed
first in relation to the psychological and emotional plight of
refugees fleeing war zones. It details events such as loss of
home, failing to access food and medical care, being lost, being
caught up in fighting and similar experiences.
● The second source of trauma is “organized violence and
torture” (OVT), including events of torture per se as well as
assaults, cruel inhuman and degrading treatment, and verbal
threats, insults and taunts.

The data relating to trauma was based on the Harvard Trauma
Questionnaire [HTQ]. It was altered slightly from previous uses
in Zimbabwe in order to include an historical element, so that
there might be a long-range understanding of the women’s
experience of trauma throughout their adult lives. Interviewees
were asked to indicate trauma events in two forms: those they
have experienced themselves, and those they witnessed being
experienced by others. They were asked to record these events for
three periods: pre-Independence, 1980-1999, and for each year
since 1999.
Conclusions
The findings of the report indicate that Zimbabwe is a
“complex emergency”: significant violence, severe economic
decline, and the destruction of social capital, which means
resembles a war. As is the case in most complex emergencies,
women and their families are generally the most common victims,
and Zimbabwe is no exception. Many women of all ages have been
brutalized, raped, tortured, and even killed for their political
activities and of those of their male family members. As children
are normally in the presence of their mothers, they been equally
victimised. Most often such victims demonstrate psychological
effects of their experience and witnessing of traumatic events.
Additional findings indicate that: ● Zimbabweans have a
history of mass trauma dating back to colonial experiences. The
members of WOZA have experienced trauma over all the past three
decades, as well as before Independence in 1980.

● The frequency of trauma of all kinds has been steadily
increasing. An average of 2.9 events per respondent for the
pre-Independence period doubled to 5.8 in the two
post-Independence decades, and then tripled to 16.7 in the period
2000 to 2007.
● There are generally more displacement experiences than OVT
however - indicative of the worsening socio-economic situation.

● It was found that 1,051 [53%] women in the sample had scores
indicative of psychological disorder.
● Trauma research suggests that repeated exposure to trauma
has a cumulative effect, making the victim more likely to suffer
from a psychological disorder. Zimbabwean women, with their
history of repeated trauma through recent history are then
candidates for clinical psychological symptoms resulting from
repeated trauma of various types.
● WOZA women have received very little counselling to help
them deal with their trauma. Some group healing sessions with
professional counsellors were organized, but remarkably, the
women seemed more concerned to discuss their ‘displacement’
issues than their experiences of OVT, which they said they
expected in any case and they had recovered from. Of course, this
does not mean that they do not have any trauma-related disorders,
but they themselves do not perceive them, and their observed
behaviour does not indicate them either. It is possible that the
psychological effects of their trauma may well be lessened due to
their understanding of the reason for their suffering and their
preparedness to make a sacrifice for the future of their families
and their nation.
WOZA Recommendations
What is clear is that the Zanu PF government seems to be
oblivious to the destructive impact of widespread use of violence
as a political tool of control and repression. Although it has
appeared to have achieved its immediate goal of stifling dissent
for some years, it has surely had seriously adverse long-term
effects on both the victims and the perpetrators.
It is also clear that any government has a responsibility to
care for the welfare of its people. At what point will a
Zimbabwean government confront the legacy of trauma and look to
begin a healing process? This must be an important consideration
in determining what form of authority emerges from the current
SADC mediation process.

In order to deal with the problem of the prevalence of OVT as a
common feature of our society, we recommend the following:

● Stop the political violence; disband militia camps in all
areas of the country. Any political violence must be reported,
investigated and prosecuted through the courts without any form
of favour or political influence.
● Intensive research should be undertaken into the effects of
OVT on Zimbabweans, both as victims and as perpetrators.
● A centre be established within Zimbabwe to carry out
research, training and treatment related to victims and
perpetrators of violence.
● A needs assessment be conducted regarding what treatment is
needed to heal both victims and perpetrators.
● Research should be conducted and disseminated on the most
effective ways for non-violent protestors to prepare themselves
to lessen the traumatic effects of torture and other forms of
violence.
● All government law enforcement agents be trained
specifically on their international responsibilities regarding
OVT and be required to make specific commitments not to follow
orders which require them to contravene this commitment; an
international rescue programme could be established to assist any
who lose employment as a result of adhering to this commitment.
● All members of the government, defence forces and party
institutions who are identified as perpetrators be required to
appear before a forum where they admit their crimes; the more
senior officers identified as giving orders should be
prosecuted.
● Joint sessions of victims and perpetrators should be held to
aid the healing process on both sides.
● Government should immediately lift the current ban on
organisations providing humanitarian assistance and also allow a
United Nations team to address the humanitarian crisis and
widespread hunger without political interference.
● A transitional authority should form a body to consult and
develop a transitional justice plan of action designed to bring
healing and reconciliation and then deal with justice and
restitution for victims in the new Zimbabwe.

The type of evil that has become an integral part of government
behaviour in Zimbabwe must be eradicated and the mindset of power
hunger and disrespect for other human beings overcome. It can
only happen through the actions of a government with a strong
will to correct wrongs and ensure that the rights of all
Zimbabweans be respected. We therefore believe that the most
appropriate government to replace the current illegitimate
incumbent would be a non-political transitional authority whose
members have as a priority transitional process of healing,
transforming and rebuilding. Such an authority will have the
capacity and neutrality necessary to dismantle the structures of
violence and oppression.
Nonetheless, whatever format the new political dispensation in
Zimbabwe takes, it will need to embark on an official programme
of acknowledgement of injustices. Economic recovery and
democratic reform, whilst imperative, can only go so far in
restoring the dignity of people. We believe that for dignity to
be fully restored a new administration needs to assist individual
survivors to rebuild their broken lives whilst ensuring that
‘liveable peace’ is achieved. It is the only way
Zimbabweans can bury the ghosts of their past and move forward
into a more secure future.

As well as outlining the findings on the research done on WOZA
members, the launch also outlined some statistics of
post-election violence since the 29 March harmonised elections,
giving a brief overview of the horror that many Zimbabweans have
been faced with in the last few months. These statistics added
further poignancy to the call for a lasting peaceful solution in
Zimbabwe and the urgent need for a national programme of
healing.

Ends
19th August 2008

A copy of the full report is available on request by email or
can be downloaded from the website at www.wozazimbabwe.org
<http://www.wozazimbabwe.org>. The statistics on the
post-election violence and individual case histories of survivors
are also available. For more information please contact either
Jenni Williams on +263 912 300 456 or +263 912 898 110, Magodonga
Mahlangu on +263 912 363 668 or Annie Sibanda on +263 912 898
112.

A poetic meditaiton on the "fanua" by Faautu Talapusi

The following poetic reflection was written by Faautu Talapusi and offered as part of morning worship on 11 August 2008. The word "fanua" means placenta and also land in Samoan and in Maori as well. You can find the full order of worship which this meditation was part of here.

Instead of a reflection, I would like to share with you a poem entitled – I am the fanua. I hope it expresses my personal reflections and thoughts on today’s readings.

I am the fanua
The placenta buried in my ancestral land after childbirth
I am the pute
The umbilical cord buried and my link to my fanua

I am the fanua
The land which holds my history, my life, my death
I am the fanua
The land of my people, my ancestors, my descendents

I am the fanua
That which bonds me to the air, the earth, the sea
I am the fanua
That which binds me to the plants, the animals, the fish

I am the fanua
My mother's pain and joy in giving life
I am the fanua
Mother earth's pain and joy in giving life

I am the fanua
God's beautiful and unparalleled creation
I am the fanua
God's undying and steadfast love

I am the fanua
Wailing in despair at my self-destruction
I am the fanua
Dying of a slow suicide

I am the fanua
Expecting God's revelation
I am the fanua
Believing in God's promise

I am the fanua
You are the fanua
We are the fanua.

copyright (c) Faautu Talapusi/WCC

Morning Worship in the Ecumenical Centre, Monday, 11 August 2008
This service was put together by Faautu Talapusi for the week in the ecumenical prayer cycle when we pray for Aotearao New Zealand and Australia.

Welcome and Introduction
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
Amen

Song

Benedicte Aotearoa a version of psalm 148 for New Zealand

O give thanks to our God who is good:
Whose love endures forever.
You sun and moon; you stars of the southern sky:
Give to our God your thanks and praise
Sunrise and sunset, night and day:
Give to our God your thanks and praise
All mountains and valleys, grassland and scree, glacier, avalanche, mist and snow
Give to our God your thanks and praise
You kauri and pine, rata and kowai, mosses and ferns:
Give to our God your thanks and praise
Dolphins and kahawai, sealion and crab, coral, anemone, pipi and shrimp:
Give to our God your thanks and praise
You Maori and Pakeha, women and men, all who inhabit the land of the long white cloud
Give to our God your thanks and praise
All you saints and martyrs of the South Pacific:
Give to our God your thanks and praise

Reading from Genesis
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over, the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters… And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let the dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

Reading from Romans
The creation wails in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies

Reflection: I am the Whanua ~ by Faautu Talapusi
NB. Fanua in most Polynesian languages including Maori (whanua), signifies land or placenta

Song

Intercessions
Generous God, we thank you for the wonder of creation Australia and New Zealand. We thank you for those who already live in harmony with creation. Strengthen us as we commit ourselves to be better stewards of your creation.
God of love, hear our prayer.
Loving God, we pray for the people of Australia and Aotearoa. We pray that everyone may know the fullness of life you intend for them, and that your people may live together in justice and peace.
God of love, hear our prayer.
We pray for peace and reconciliation in our hearts, our families, communities and throughout the world. Help us to realize that you use us to bring about peace each time we ask and give forgiveness to one another.
God of love, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are experiencing despair and hopelessness through loss of identity and separation from family and place of belonging. Help them by your Holy Spirit to be strong and to find love, faith hope peace and happiness in you.
God of love, hear our prayer.
We pray for a better understanding and respect between all peoples of our countries. Help us as we grow to appreciate the diversity of cultures, languages, and backgrounds. Remind us that all people are created in your image, help us to accept and love each person as your creation.
God of love, hear our prayer.

Lord’s prayer (in own languages)

Song

Benediction
The God of love lead you out,
Christ Jesus walk beside you,
And the Spirit be a stream of healing power within and without.
Amen.