Knox Church Youth Group participates in the preparation and leadership of this service.
Welcome
Kia noho a Ihowa ki a koutou. May God be with you:
Ma Ihowa koe e manaaki. May God bless you.
Introit “Deep Peace” (Gaelic Blessing) music by John Rutter
Call to Worship (from Seasons of the Spirit)
Mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, family and friends,
Christ Jesus makes us one.
Young and old, liberal and conservative, gay and straight,
Christ Jesus makes us one.
Soldier and pacifist, secular and religious, sinner and saint,
Christ Jesus makes us one.
Let us worship God who calls us into unity.
Let us worship God.
Hymn
“We are many, we are one”
Words and music © Colin Gibson Faith forever singing 67.
Prayer “Turning Aside to See” from If Darwin Prayed by Bruce Sanguin (2010)
Words of Assurance
E te whanau, we are gathered in all our diversity within the richness of God – each of us is valued, each of us has a place to stand for we are God’s beloved people.
Thanks be to God.
The Peace (In NZ Sign Language and Maori)
Kia tau tonu te rangimarie o te Ariki ki a koutou;
(The Peace of Christ be with you all)
A ki a koe ano hoki (And also with you)
we exchange a sign of peace with each other
The Anthem “Blessed are the men who fear him, they ever walk in the ways of peace.” music by Felix Mendelssohn
With the younger members “The kiss that missed” by David Melling (2002)
Hymn "Let our love shine out through the day and in the darkness"
Words and music © Colin Gibson Hope is our Song 88
Blessing of the younger members
Minister: We send you out to learn and explore together
Congregation: God is with you
Children: And also with you
The Gospel Reading John 6:35, 41-44a
This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
Praise to Christ the Word.
Introduction
Don’t complain amongst yourselves, says Jesus. Easy to say – harder to live out. Disagreements and destructive conflict have always been part of the church – it almost seems a non-negotiable for human community. And yet, coming through all the New Testament writings is this promise that it doesn’t have to be that way. Centring our lives on Jesus will make a difference in our everyday lives. This morning, I invite you to think about how your life is different, because you follow Jesus. In particular how do you deal with different perspectives, different views, different understandings of what it means to be human. Do you live with curiosity and delight within the differences – or do you think that you are always right and other people’s point of view is never quite up to your standard?
The Epistle reading for today – which the youth group will help us hear in various ways – is the second part of a chapter that is organised around ‘before’ and ‘after’ – before you knew Jesus you lived one way – but... after.. it can and will be different. The writer to the church in Ephesus reminds the people – and reminds us today – that Jesus has shown us the way to live in God – a way in which our differences don’t have to be dividers – rather they can enrich our life together.
The issue in Ephesians is about two groups Jews and Gentiles – but the same could be said for people with different theological opinions, people from different cultural backgrounds, people with different perspectives –
The Epistle Reading Ephesians 2:11-22
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church:
Thanks be to God.
Hymn “Gentle God”
Words © Shirley Murray Music © Jillian Bray Alleluia Aotearoa 44
Community Testimony (using material from the Knox Church Youth Group and Seasons of the Spirit for July 22, 2012)
Older Person 1
It would seem not that big a deal, but it was so hurtful to me. After all, I started our soup kitchen, it was my idea and I spent a full year just trying to convince other members of the church that it was something we should do. I know where every donated plate came from and every face who comes to our door for food. And now, just because I can’t get around as well as I used to, they bring someone else in! To run everything, can you believe that? I know that I shouldn’t be so upset, but I worked so hard to build this ministry. I wish I didn’t, but I find myself resenting a church that would so carelessly ask me to step aside in favour of someone else doing this work.
Youth Group Person 1
It was my first day at my new school. I didn’t know anyone, and I think this was the first time I had ever been in that position. It felt pretty lonely walking into the auditorium first thing on Monday morning and feeling like I was the ONLY person who didn’t have someone to hang out with. I didn’t know where to sit, and because I didn’t want to look like I didn’t know what I was doing, I just went over to the closest chair and put my bag on it, trying to look relaxed. I then noticed the group of people sitting beside my chair. They all seemed to go quiet and it felt like everyone was staring at me. I tried to smile and say hi, but one of the girls interrupted me before I could finish, saying, “You can’t sit here, these seats are reserved for US!” And then she shoved my bag off the chair and onto the ground.
They walk to the chapel corner of the church and turn their backs on the congregation
Letter Writer
Christ is our peace – making both Jews and Gentiles into one group. In Christ’s body the barrier of hatred that divided us is broken down.
Older Person 2
I am a soldier. My father was a soldier, my brothers and my sister are both in service, and I hope that my children will someday serve in the military, too. These days, that is not a popular statement. I know that there are people in my church that think the military is evil, that we are all angry and ignorant and that I should have never enlisted. I respect their right to believe that, even if I don’t agree. But what I wish we could talk about is how we can wage peace. I am ready to disagree and talk about it, but how can we hope for peace in other places when we can’t even find peace at our church?
Youth Group Person 2
Friday nights are always the night my older sister and I end up at my mum’s boyfriend’s house. He has three boys and we are expected to hang out with them, even though I don’t like them much and I hate going there. Lately the boys have been daring my sister and me to make random phone-calls to people and then hang up on them. They think it’s really funny, and my sister does too but I always feel really guilty especially when it’s late and we wake someone up. Well, last Friday night I decided I wasn’t going to do it anymore. When it was clear I was serious about it, the boys were really cruel to me and said some pretty awful things. I felt really betrayed when my sister ganged up on me too. But I just couldn’t do what they wanted me to do.
They walk to the main entrance corner of the church and turn their backs on the congregation
Letter Writer
Christ created one new person out of the two groups, making peace. By the cross, Christ reconciled them both - as one body to God, which ended the hostility to God.
Older Person 3
My church cast me out. I thought that the hard part was going to be coming out to my friends and family and letting people know that I am gay, but that was nothing compared to what I heard at my church. How could people of God make such horrible accusations – that I am unfit? That my love is a sin? That God created me for love and then forbids me to live it out? I couldn’t stand to be amidst such hypocrites, so I left the church for good. I hate that I feel closer to God when I am away from the church, but I don’t know how to bring myself back.
Youth Group Person 3
My parents have always encouraged me to try lots of hobbies and sports and stuff like that, and I guess as a result I’m pretty sporty. I really love being outside and have always enjoyed staying fit. I don’t really eat much junk-food either cos it feels pretty disgusting when you are trying to eat right and look after your body. It had never really been an issue until I went to this new school and there’s this group of girls in my class who just won’t leave me alone. They always make comments about what I’m eating for lunch and talk about what I’m wearing as if I’m some kind of freak. Just cos I’m wearing sneakers and trackies and don’t like McDonalds?
They walk to another corner of the church and turn their backs on the congregation
Letter Writer
When Jesus came, he announced the good news of peace to you who were far away from God and to those who were near. We both have access to God through Christ by the one Spirit.
Older Person 4
There is nothing good I can say about the church down the street. The way they interpret scripture, the way they pick and choose what they are going to believe, the way that they judge and cast out and humiliate. That is not the Gospel. That is not what Jesus intended. It’s hard for me to say, but sometimes I am embarrassed to be a Christian alongside those people. They are not members of a Church that I know.
Youth Group Person 4
Our family has always used what some people call “alternative medicine”. I never really thought about it much, since it was just what our family did, until one day I got into an argument with my friend about it. He said that my family was stupid for using alternatives to “real medicine” and there was no scientific proof to say that any of it worked. I said that just because he didn’t believe in it didn’t mean others couldn’t. But he wouldn’t listen to me, or didn’t want to listen to me cos he kept on saying anything that wasn’t prescribed by a doctor – a “real” doctor – was just “witch-doctor herbs” and so maybe we should go back to mumbo-jumbo land, where we came from.
They walk to the final corner of the church and turn their backs on the congregation
Letter writer
But you are all members of God’s family. We are being built together, like a house that has strong and firm foundations; and each person is like a brick, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone that keeps all the other bricks from falling in on each other. Together, we all build the house, we are each important and together we make a beautiful dwelling place for God.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church:
Thanks be to God.
Hymn “Love is your way, love is your nature”
Words Shirley Erena Murray Music Per Harling. Hope is our Song 95
Prayer: Pax Christos by Bruce Sanguin from If Darwin Prayed
Prayers for Others and Ourselves (Using material and ideas from Seasons of the Spirit for 22 July 2012)
Minister and Youth Group leader walk to the middle of the centre aisle
Minister
But now you are no longer strangers and aliens. Rather you are fellow citizens with God’s people, and you belong to God’s household with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.
Minister hands Youth Group leader the ribbon. While keeping hold of one end of the ribbon and following Youth Group Leader down the aisle, Minister moves to the steps of the sanctuary.
Youth Group Leader takes the ribbon to the readers at the first corner who turn to face her. She hands the ribbon – or wraps it around the wrists of the readers as Minister leads the first part of the prayer.
We pray for the conflict in our families, our church and our community and for those who carry hurts which linger below the surface. For the small things that go unnoticed, for the people casually cast aside, and for our own prideful failings.
May we become encouragers working with the Spirit to bring about the new thing God is doing in our midst.
God in your grace, God in your mercy,
turn us to you to transform the world.
Youth Group Leader walks to readers at second corner who turn to face her. She hands them part of the ribbon.
We pray for conflict in our world, where political opinions and social beliefs test our relationships. We seek wisdom to work together with people with whom we disagree; always trying to see the uniqueness of each member of God’s creation as we work for true and lasting peace.
God in your grace, God in your mercy,
turn us to you to transform the world.
Youth Group Leader walks to readers at third corner, who turn to face her. She hands them part of the ribbon.
We pray for the times the church has excluded those who most need it, and for the conflicts that hold us back from embracing those whose needs are different from ours.
May we be wise agents of God’s change.
God in your grace, God in your mercy,
turn us to you to transform the world.
Youth Group Leader walks to readers at fourth corner, who turn to face her. She hands them part of the ribbon.
Holy and wise God, we know you have created all people in your image, even those with whom we disagree. May we address the barriers that keep us from being a community with true and lasting vision, and may we have patience, strength and guidance to live our lives as Jesus taught us. In whose name we pray, Amen
The worship space will now be surrounded by the ribbon and held by each of the representatives, expanding the circle of community.
Still holding the ribbon, Minister invites people to stand
Affirmation of Faith: We are not alone, we live in God’s world
(The United Church of Canada)
Minister places the ribbon on the floor – as do the people who are holding the ribbon. During the singing of the hymn, the people from the perimeter return to their seats in the congregation.
Hymn “Where mountains rise to open skies”
Words © Shirley Murray Tune: Dunedin by Vernon Griffiths Alleluia Aotearoa 155
Offering and Dedication
We bring our gifts in the confident knowledge that we are members of God’s household, built on Christ Jesus. These we now offer for the common good so that all may know they are no longer strangers or aliens but embraced as our sisters and brothers for whom we care. In the name of Christ we pray. Amen
Notices and Commissioning
Let us go as a community united in Christ’s love for each of us – being the dwelling place of God. Go in peace. we go in the name of Christ.
The Benediction The blessing of God: Life-giver, Love-maker and Pain-bearer, be with you all, now and always. Amen.
Sung Blessing "Let us go in your peace"
Words © Shirley Murray Music© Jillian Bray Hope is our Song 89
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