Worship Discipleship Mission Resources 17th May 2020

"Stand in Line"

Anyone should be able to view and download the Resource Handout from Google Docs without need to log in here

Centring Video “Portrait of Lotte Birth to 20” Frans Hofmeester.
Time to just be and reflect on life... Hofmeester has been making these since the original Birth to 6, which came out just when Youth Workers were sharing lots of visuals on newly affordable data projectors. Lotte is now just over 20…

Video Clip from, “St Vincent” Oliver arrives for his first day at a new town and new Catholic School and is asked to lead morning Prayer… the clip is more about the conversation and the observations that ensue, from the Teacher, about changing send of religious identity and the growing number of “I don’t know”…

Hymn “Love Divine All Loves Excelling” Wesley from Songs of Praise
(for my late friend Max Farr)

Blessing Video“Deep Stillness” Denise Savage,
inspired by the song from Julie Perrin and Robin Mann

“You just got to stand in line” is a song lyric
It’s a song about the beaten down poor or the average person where the rich or powerful always seem to rise at their expense or at least the thought is “everything’s set, everything’s fine” or it’s just how it is, how the world works. Although at the moment it’s true we need everyone to be supported for our economic slumber not to turn into coma, we need people supported through to the other side of restrictions and ‘physical distancing.’ In the mean time, it’s safer to ‘stand in line’ and keep a healthy space. Just don’t let it prevent a greeting or a smile, a gesture to try to bridge the gap without jeopardising healthy e.g. neighbourhood chat, over the fence fun, end of driveway music, zoom video drinks/coffee and chat, grocery shopping for those in need and more…

Again a reminder this week, worship ‘at home’ is different and offers different possibilities BUT also can be ‘consumer church’ dipping in and out of various online offerings, when worship at it’s best celebrates our weekly engagement in God’s mission in the world, God’s hoped for reconciliation and renewal of the whole of creation…”the good news” always has an address, a context, yet that’s difficult at a time of isolation.

Prayer “Making a List”
In your own thoughts or on paper, make a list of those people you miss, those you value,
those you are thankful to have in your life and spend a few moments praying for them.
Pray for a world in conflict not easily solved, for those who are unwell or have died from this virus
Pray for our frontline workers and carers, for teachers returning to schools
Pray for whoever comes to mind…

Read Acts 17:22-31 and John 14:15-21

Reflection Questions
God’s Spirit is described as “This is the Spirit of truth” being like wind or breath, how do you see it?
Paul in Athens uses all the contextual clues to try and help people ‘name’ God in their lives, how can we do that in today’s society?
What will you appreciate most when our current restrictions are lifted?

Hopefully you get to see our Sending Out Clip today
“Dancing” Matt Harding (the polished original)

Video Resource 17th May 2020

Worship Discipleship Mission Resources 10th May 2020

"Building Blocks"

Anyone should be able to view and download the Resource Handout from Google Docs without need to log in here

Call to Worship
Here and now God waits to break into our lives
This is the time and this is the place God calls us into God’s own story
We are invited into a space of reflection and celebration
Of how we have engaged in God’s mission in the world Let’s worship God

Prayer
God of Creation, Fill our world with hope for a future well lived
In moments of reflection, speak to us in the everyday
Hear our prayers of thanks for health workers, wise leaders, shop staff, cleaners and essential help

Hear also our need to own up and to be forgiven,
Help us live full lives, seeking to serve you in the world
In a moment of silence hear our prayers of owning up
God hear our silent prayers xxx And help us retake our aim, centring ourselves on love

Today in our worship help us find inspiration and celebration
We bring gratefulness for the role of mothering in our lives
For nurture and care, love and presence both given and received
Today remember mothers fondly and give thanks

God help us see our story woven into your story
As we reflect on what questions we would ask
In our worship and our lives God, inspire us. Amen

Read 1 Peter 2:2-10 and John 14:1-14

Reflection Questions
How might your church property be a ‘community hub’ for the common good’ in new ways soon?
What do you hear or see as the hurts and hopes present in your community, beyond COVID-19?
When you get to “Attend to the Ground” on the video, spend time reflecting on your community…

At Hamilton Uniting the 2 storey hall has been redeveloped with four upstairs tenants, space for hot desks and the downstairs audio-visual and gathering equipped. Our Ministers role includes looking for collaborators or users who might make the Hub a community space for meeting hurts and hopes. 
We can pray for the delayed start and hope for resumption of these possibilities soon… and you?

Explore the Video/DVD 


Video Resource for 10th May 2020

Song “We Are Marching in the Light of God” Chicago Children’s Choir + Children of Uganda
Fun Clip (an exploration of community) “100 People of Dance”
Prayer/Reflection Song “Attend to the Ground” Malcolm Gordon

Sending Out
Commit one thing to take away from worship, one action, one thankfulness, one hope
Go with God, follow Jesus example, look for the energy and spark of God’s Spirit drawing you out

“Everything's set, everything's fine, You just got to stand in line” 
Moginie/Rotsey/Hirst/Garrett

Scattered Worship Discipleship Mission 3rd May 2020

"Community"
Welcome/Call to Worship is on the Video

Song “Father, Let Your Kingdom Come (featuring Urban Doxology, Liz Vice, and Latifah Alattas)”
Bonus Track Psalm 23 Reflection

Read Acts 2:42-47 (NRSV) +  John 10: 1-10

Reflection Questions
When are the times/places,/activities,/conversations you’ve felt closest to God?
How can a community of faith engage in mission, good neighbours, inclusion and common good now?
Instead of a 3rd question, how about a few minutes reflection, prayer, a walk, time listening for God?

Final Prayer Video “My Lords Prayer” by Heather Price here https://tinyurl.com/y7p77n4k

Sending Out is simply to invite you to think about how to ‘be good neighbour’ at this time…

Anyone should be able to view and download the Resource Handout from Google Docs without need to log in here


Video for 3rd May 2020

'The Good Chicken Farmer' 

Greg B Janknegt

Scattered Worship Discipleship Mission 26th April 2020

"On the Road"
Worship ‘at home’ for Sunday or to ‘dip into’ at any stage                                      
For this week the invitation is to firstly,
Read the ‘Call to Worship’
Watch the Video/DVD Hymn then Pause and Pray
Read the Bible Story Luke 24:13-35
Then, Watch the Video/DVD                  
Return to the Reflection Questions
Share in the Sending Out

Anyone should be able to view and download the Resource Handout from Google Docs without need to log in here
                         

Video Resource for 26th April 2020

"Recognising the Stranger" Emmanuel Garibay

Call to Worship Cheryl Lawrie
We gather: a community of faith in God’s subversive world.
We gather to celebrate that no darkness can extinguish light,
to remember that love will always be more powerful than death,
and to trust that peace will always be stronger than violence.

We gather, people of faith in the light of God’s world.
Welcome to worship.

Hymn “Touch the Earth Lightly” Shirley Irena Murray

Pause and Pray
Can you write your own eight word prayer? Today write then pray those words 3 times with space in between to reflect on whatever is on your mind today… maybe even repeat it again later in the day, once, outdoors or with a different view… Why eight words? Just enough to make space for God, but not so many you feel you need special knowledge or the ‘right’ ones…

Read the Bible Story Luke 24: 13-35 Two Travellers on the Road to Emmaus

“This is what God's kingdom is like: a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy or good, but because they are hungry, because they said yes. And there's always room for more.” 
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

Reflection Questions
Finding God revealed through the stranger…something evident in Emmanuel Garibay’s art reflecting this story. While the Easter story draws us towards Resurrection, it’s also worthwhile dwelling in the stories from Scripture, before what has happened is evident or even possible in the eyes of those who were eyewitnesses to Jesus arrest and death. Mary believes she is speaking to the Gardener, Peter and John race to see what has happened and here two grief filled travellers make the short journey to Emmaus. Joined on the road, this encounter offers us some clues to our time of personal distancing and shutdown. The traveller is with them, listens, hears their story, allowing them to vent, be surprised, grieve and invited to stay on, they recognise the sacred in ‘breaking bread.’ Where do you see God in these moments of relative isolation?
What stands out for you as you read this story trying to see it through the eyes of the travellers?
If we find God as we share a meal or in the face of others, how can we do that now?
What questions does this story prompt in you?

Prayer “Just Pray UK” video

Song “Wood and Nails” (feat. Audrey Assad & Josh Garrels) Porters Gate Project

Sending Out Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God each day. Amen

Scattered Worship Reflection Discipleship Mission 19th April 2020

"Stand in Line" INTRODUCTION and excerpts from the Resource Handout
   ‘Worship at Home’ during a time of ‘personal distancing’ is different to an experience in ‘gathered community,’ yet there are practices, prayers, music and reflections offering ‘time with God.’ As we move beyond Easter perhaps this can be a space fostering resilience and ‘tools’ to not only survive, but to grow and to emerge from ‘the long now’ in new ways. In your current surroundings, rhythms and the changes impacting your life or indeed in a space where for you it hasn’t been very different… what next?

Anyone should be able to view and download the Resource Handout from Google Docs without need to log in here

VISUAL RESOURCES Audio-visuals online (or DVD)
Week by week audio-visuals for this material here (scroll for the date)
Or here on Youtube Channel here
Adamstown Uniting Church weekly videos here
Project Reconnect Preaching freely available now into May 2020 here
These and many others across the Uniting Church here

BUT now...
Worship ‘at home’ for Sunday or to ‘dip into’ at any stage                                      
For this week the invitation is to firstly,
Pray in the words below or your own thoughts
Read the Bible Story John 20:19-31
Then, WATCH/LISTEN to the Video or DVD                    
(either pause before the Song + come back to it at the end)
Return to the Reflection Questions 

Share in the Sending Out  

Prayer
God of life,
In these strange days now stretching into weeks – we remember
We remember a summer of heat and fires, drought and insecurity
We remember the seasons and this is a unique one, yet it will turn
We remember the promise of light in the darkness
We remember stories of hope, the promise of abundant life

Help us live in this moment, however uncertain
Help us live in a time we know will come to an end
Where although we are unable to gather, we share faith
We read stories of Easter, of people scattered by events of their day
We pray thinking of those struck by fear and grief or anxiety and we wonder
From where will our hope come, how can we strengthen our ‘following'?
God, assure us of love and of a time in the future we will again gather
We lament this interruption to our efforts to share love and work for justice

In the silence or the clatter, God speak to us
Send your Spirit of calm and comfort
Inspire us to be kind and to offer love to all others
In a time we can scarcely believe,
 We know you are here with us and we are thankful
In silence, hear the prayers of our hearts and the things on our minds (a silence is kept)
God, send us into this time, to shape faithful lives. Amen

Reflection Questions
Whether we identify with Adam after a pretty rough Easter (remembering he offered to lend a wooden cross) weighed down by his efforts to keep a small struggling congregation going OR we see how Thomas has traditionally gotten ‘a hard time’ down the centuries, for his honesty… here are some questions for reflection
What do you read in the story as evidence Thomas gets a hard time in our retelling of this story?
What does Jesus ‘peace’ and sending look like in a time of restricted contact die to COVID-19?
When we ‘have not seen yet come to believe’ how does faith in Jesus help in a time like now?


Video Resource for 19th April 2020

Sending Out
Let us go as those who God has called
to bear witness to God’s love and justice
to seek the Spirit of God for the transforming of the world
Amen

The Week After....

One for Lauren Daigle fans...

Easter Sunday 12th April 2020

Bonus Easter Sunday Hymn

The Worldwide Easter Choir (United Methodist Church)


"Jesus Christ is Risen Today" Charles Wesley (adapted) Kings College Cambridge


"We Walk On" Craig Mitchell Leigh Newton inspired by COVID-19

And set up for "Dust and Hope" at home DVD

Good Friday 10th April 2020

"Presence" David MacGregor instrumental

"Were You There When They Crucified My Lord" Acapella

"I Grieve" Peter Gabriel

"Good Friday Art Installation"

Images of struggle. loss and how we speak of God at easter

"Dust & Hope" the theme of our Reflections

Easter Sacttered is our reality 

The Church hasn't been deployed #stayathome

We do have an opportunity to be reminded church is not the building

Red Paper Folded Crosses for writing and keeping

And as set up for "Dust and Hope" at home DVD

Easter Thursday 9th April 2020

"Carry You" Missy Higgins


"Jesu Jesu Fill Us with Your Love" Ghana folk tune

"Komunyon" Emmauel Garibay

And as set up for "Dust & Hope home DVD

Week Before Easter 2020...

"These are Days" 10,000 Maniacs

OR

"Holy Holy Holy" John Bell acapella at a Conference

And as "Dust and Hope" DVD content for home use