Prayer Service for the People of Christchurch

Transcription

1 Uniting Church in Australia Prayer Service for the People of Christchurch February 2011 February 27, 2011 Prepared by Rev Ji Zhang, St Andrews, Gardiner Uniting Church Prayer Service for the People of Christchurch THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE Lighting of Christ Candle Call to Worship There is no place where you cannot reach, God who made the heavens and the earth. There is no journey which you have not travelled God who is with us, Jesus the Christ. There are no people beyond your care, God who is the Spirit, the Comforter. Stay with us with your love and kindness and lighten our darkness with your consolation and blessing; when tragedy and disaster and distress touches our lives, it is to you that we turn with our questions and our need for reassurance and comfort. Hear our prayers this morning for we pray in the name of Jesus whose arms were outstretched on the cross to embrace all people. Amen. (Adapted from Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Prayers for Life's Particular Moments, p.99) Greeting The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. 1

2 Hymn: 154 Great is thy faithfulness PRAYER FOR CHRISTCHURCH Images and Music 1 st Scripture Reading: Lamentations 3:17-26, My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, Gone is my glory, and all that I had hoped for from the Lord. The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall! My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him. The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. For the Lord will not reject for ever. Although he causes grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone. News from the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand Prayer of Lamentation On this day, our prayer is one of remembrance: We remember that those who perished in the earthquake in Christchurch. More than numbers, more than statistics, more valuable than sparrows; each was a person of sacred worth created in the image of God. 2

3 Uniting Church in Australia Prayer Service for the People of Christchurch February 2011 In the aftermath, we pause to remember the victims, and those untold missing this week. Lord, have mercy upon this earth and all who mourn on this day. On this day we lift our prayer for all who survived, those who lost loved ones and face the terrible responsibility to keep on living in the midst of death, to keep on loving in the midst of loss, to search for the bodies that may never be recovered. We pray for children without parents, parents without children, people with partners missing, and families torn apart. Today, we pray for ourselves and all those with power to help those individuals, churches, cities and nations entrusted with the resources needed to relieve suffering, sustain life and rebuild the communities. We pray for eyes that are open to see what Jesus sees, ears that are open to truly hear, hearts that are open to love as Christ loved, and lives that respond to our neighbour s crying. O God the creator of heaven and earth, We come to you to seek understanding of this life in which death is a ghostly shadow. Enlighten us, O God, with your light that overcomes darkness. Amen. (Rewritten based on the prayer by the United Church of Christ, America) Lighting of Candles Jesus said: (Matthew 11: 28-29) Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (People are invited to come and light a candle.) 3

4 Music for Reflection 2 nd Scripture Reading: Romans 8:18, 28, 31b-35, I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hymn: 547 Be thou my vision A PRAYER OF HEALING Almighty God, we come to you with our hearts full of thoughts that cannot be put into words. But you are our refuge and strength, the light in the darkness, and so with confidence we offer our prayers to you. 4

5 Uniting Church in Australia Prayer Service for the People of Christchurch February 2011 At a time like this we stand in awe of the power of nature with its terrible forces beneath and above the earth. and we are reminded of our vulnerability as human creatures. We bring to you our humility, our questions, and our trust in this hour of need. We pray for those who grieve the loss of family, friends and neighbours, for those who are injured, separated, and traumatized, we ask for your healing presence in their lives and we commend to your love all those who have died. We give to your care all those who have been involved in rescue operation, medical personals in the field and the injured in hospitals. Be with religious organizations and government forces as they minister to their people. Sustain them through this time of tremendous loss and stress. We commend to your care those are searching life in debris. We pray for those who are burdened by the unimaginable loss of life, and for those who have found themselves like refugees in their own locality. We ask that the generous aid and the emotional and spiritual support already offered by local communities and from around the world will encourage and lift their spirits. 5

6 We pray for the homeless in Christchurch, and the people of New Zealand. May these two disasters bring together people around the world to rebuild lives and communities. May you, O God, bring them peace and healing from all evil. We pray for New Zealanders in this country who feel far away from loved ones and their land of birth at this time; and for those still trying to get in contact with family. Comfort families across the distance. We give thanks to God for the blessing in our lives, especially the gifts we so often take for granted until they are in danger of being taken away from us, the gift of family, friends, a home, our possessions. Most of all we praise you, O God for the gift of life itself. God of light over darkness, order over chaos, life beyond suffering, come into our hearts now! Come to transform our sorrow over the dead into blessings for the living. Come to reassure us your eternal truth in the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Life is always, and always, stronger than death. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 6

7 Uniting Church in Australia Prayer Service for the People of Christchurch February 2011 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen. (Rewritten based on the prayer of 2008 China Earthquake Wesley Church, Melbourne, and 2004 Asian Tsunami by Homebush Uniting Church) Hymn: 155 O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder 3 rd Scripture Reading: Matthew 5: 1-12 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Offering for Christchurch THE SENDING FORTH OF THE PEOPLE The Peace The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you. 7

8 Hymn: 153 God is love let heaven adore him Benediction 8