BCUIM Liturgies

BCUIM Liturgies
Church, Change and the Economy

This liturgy may be downloaded as a .pdf file formatted for printing
A5 size on two A4 sheets.

(44Kb)

Church, Change and the Economy
An Act of Worship

HYMN

1.		God, inspire your people in this world to build something of your kingdom! and to do your will. Lead us to discover partnership in love; bless our ways of sharing, and our pride reprove.		3.		God of desk and altar, bind our lives in one, that in work and worship Love may set the tone. Give us grace to listen, clarity of speech; make us truly thankful for the gifts of each.
2.		Holy is the setting of each room and yard, lecture hall and kitchen, office, shop and ward. Holy is the rhythm of our working hours; hallow then our purpose, energy and powers.		4.		Strengthen, God for service, hand and heart and brain; help us good relations daily to maintain. Let the living presence of the servant-Christ heighten our devotion, make our life a feast.

Fred Khan
Tunes: Evelyns or Au Clair de la Lune
or Camberwell.

PRAYER
Powerful God, in our worship we acknowledge you as the source
of all that is and all we are.
Living Christ, in our gathering we acknowledge your leadership
and your gift of salvation.
Holy Spirit, in our ministry and service we seek your wisdom,
strength and inspiration.

PSALM 104
Verse 1 of the Psalm is followed by verse 1 of the reflection,
followed at once by verse 2 of the Psalm and verse 2 of the reflection, and so on.

Psalm 104 (extracts)
Bless the Lord, 0 my soul;
0 Lord God, how excellent is your greatness!
A reflection upon Psalm 104
Bless the Lord, 0 my soul;
what have we done with your creation?
You wrap yourself with light as
with a cloak.
And spread out the heavens like a curtain.
Clothed in old newspapers your children
sleep in boxes in shop doorways.
The trees of the Lord are full of sap,
The cedars of Lebanon which he
planted
We have stretched out the
motorways
and centres of consumerism,
You lay the beams of your
chambers in the waters;
and built high-rise dwellings
upon your meadows.
The clouds are your chariot;
you Ride upon the wind.
We make the motor car our
Chariot and exhaust fumes
ride upon the wind.
You make the wind your
messengers,
And flames of fire your servant.
We make fax and e-mail our
Messengers,
and the TV and video is our minister.
You have set the earth upon its
foundations,
So that it shall never move at any
time.
You have set the earth on its
foundations,
we have learned the way to
destroy it.
You covered it with deep as
with a mantle;
The waters stood higher
than the mountains.
Litter covers it as with a with mantle;
butter mountains stand above the
the hills,
At your rebuke they fled:
At the voice of your thunder
they hastened away.
At the voice of our conscience we
pledge our money to Telethons and
send our unwanted clothes to jumble
sales.
They went up into the hills
and down to the valleys
To the places that you
appointed for them.
Our sisters and brothers stay in
their deserts, their hands empty
in the position we have appointed
for them.
You appointed the moon to
mark its seasons,
And the sun knows the time
of its setting.
Yet still, 0 Lord, you create a
sunrise each and every morning.
You water the mountains
from your dwelling on high,
the earth is fully satisfied
by the fruit of your works.
You give us bluebells in shady
woods, and the lakes and the moors.
and put dewdrops on spiders' webs
in the early sunlight.
0 Lord, how manifold are
your works!
In wisdom you have made
them all,
The earth is full of your creatures.
0 Lord of infinite patience,
0 Lord of infinite love and care:
OPEN OUR EYES.
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Amos 8

HYMN
In affairs of economics
prophet Amos spoke the word;
those who gained from corrupt commerce
closed their ears to what they heard;
money ceased to be a servant,
means of meeting human need,
killed the heart of God's own people
ruled by power of human greed.

In affairs of church attendance
prophet Amos spoke the word;
those who offered tainted tribute
closed their ears to what they heard;
worship ceased to be a service
offered gladly from the heart,
lacked the sacrificial living,
its essential other part.

In affairs of daily leisure
prophet Amos spoke the word;
but the constant background music
closed their ears to what they heard:
leisure ceased to be a tonic
recreating soul and mind,
men and women drunk with pleasure
lost the gift of being kind.

To the soul of every nation
prophet Amos speaks the word;
in our leisure, commerce, worship,
hear the counsel of the Lord:
fear the wrath of holy judgement
self-inflicted by our ways,
let the will of God Almighty
be the ruler of our days.
Bernard Braley

GOSPEL
SERMON

HYMN
They who bear a daily workload follow where my feet have trod,
they who work without complaining do the holy will of God;
nevermore thou needest seek me: I am with thee everywhere;
raise the stone, and thou shalt find me; cleave the wood and I
am there.

Where the many toil together, there am I among my own;
where the tired workman sleepeth, there I am with him alone.
I, the Peace that passeth knowledge, dwell amid the daily strife;
I, the Bread of heaven, am broken in the sacrament of life.

Every task, however simple, sets the soul that does it free;
every deed of love and mercy done to Man, is done to me.
nevermore thou needest seek me; I am with thee everywhere,
raise the stone, and thou shalt find me; cleave the wood and I
am there.
Henry Van Dyke
Tune: Everton

PRAYERS

Matthew 13: (33, 44 & 45)
Jesus told them still another parable. "The Kingdom of heaven
is like this. A woman takes some yeast and mixes it with forty litres
of flour until the whole batch of dough rises."

"The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man happens to find
a treasure hidden in a field. He covers it up again, and is
so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then
goes back and buys that field."

"Also, the Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man is looking for
fine pearls, and when he finds one that is unusually fine,
he goes and sells everything he has, and buys that pearl.

We confess the times we have denied the power of your love,
and sought our own power through manipulation and domination.
Forgive us and fill us with your love."
We confess the times we have not witnessed for your love and truth,
but followed blindly the powerful of the world, though they have led us
into ways of injustice, fear and conflict. Forgive us and fill us with your love.

We confess the times we have despised the weak and the powerless:
times when we have exploited, or just ignored them.
Forgive us and fill us with your love.

Dear Lord, enable us to know your forgiveness, understand your grace,
and be filled with your love and power. Amen.

Lord, bom in poverty in the village of Bethlehem
your kingdom come
to the children of our communities and country.

Lord, grown to manhood in the town of Nazareth,
who honoured the work of hands
by your toil in the carpenter's shop
your Kingdom come to the people of our
communities who are without the dignity of work.

Lord, who shared his life with neighbours, family and friends,
who travelled about all the villages of Galilee,
feeding the hungry,
healing the sick,
bringing light to those who lived in darkness,
your kingdom come to all who suffer in our
communities
to all who are hungry, sick, or have no place to live;
to all who are sad and lonely.

Lord, who came to preach the gospel to the poor
and proclaim deliverance to the captives and sight to the blind,
drive from our communities the spirit of fear
and let your light shine forth upon them,
0 Lord, sun of righteousness,
Your Kingdom come. Amen.

Lord, you took a risk in creating this world,
Sometimes it looks as though it's all gone wrong.
We want to work with you in making it come right.
May we risk all for your kingdom.

Lord, you took a risk in making people in your image,
Sometimes it looks like we have forgotten who we are.
We want to work with you in finding our real identity.
May we risk all for your kingdom.

Lord, you took a risk in sending your Son.
On the cross it looked as though your love had lost out.
We want to work with you in making resurrection a reality
May we risk all for your kingdom.

Lord, you took a risk in calling the church for mission.
Sometimes it looks as if we are only interested in ourselves
We want to work with you in transforming the whole oflif<
May we risk all for your kingdom.

Our Father in heaven,
remind us that you are parent to all your children,
whoever they are or come from,
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
establishing peace and justice,
hope and life for all peoples,
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread
disturb us into an awareness of the needs of others
Forgive us our sin,
our pride and also our prejudice.
As we forgive those who sin against us,
Lead us not into temptation
especially keep our hearts and minds open to see
the good in others;
Deliver us from evil,
For the kingdom, just and true,
the power, gentle and fair,
and the glory, shot through with the colours of love,
are yours, for ever and ever. Amen

HYMN

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.
I will speak My word to them.
Whom shall I send?

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.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people's pain;
I have wept for love of them
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone;
I will speak My word to them.
Whom shall I send?

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 are satisfied;
I will give My life to them.
Whom shall I send?

If Communion is to follow:-
The Peace
Jesus of Nazareth, carpenter; you shared with us the world
of work and you promised us your peace to share.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.

Psalm 104 (extracts) Bless the Lord, 0 my soul; 0 Lord God, how excellent is your greatness!		A reflection upon Psalm 104 Bless the Lord, 0 my soul; what have we done with your creation?
You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak. And spread out the heavens like a curtain.		Clothed in old newspapers your children sleep in boxes in shop doorways.
The trees of the Lord are full of sap, The cedars of Lebanon which he planted		We have stretched out the motorways and centres of consumerism,
You lay the beams of your chambers in the waters;		and built high-rise dwellings upon your meadows.
The clouds are your chariot; you Ride upon the wind.		We make the motor car our Chariot and exhaust fumes ride upon the wind.
You make the wind your messengers, And flames of fire your servant.		We make fax and e-mail our Messengers, and the TV and video is our minister.
You have set the earth upon its foundations, So that it shall never move at any time.		You have set the earth on its foundations, we have learned the way to destroy it.
You covered it with deep as with a mantle; The waters stood higher than the mountains.		Litter covers it as with a with mantle; butter mountains stand above the the hills,
At your rebuke they fled: At the voice of your thunder they hastened away.		At the voice of our conscience we pledge our money to Telethons and send our unwanted clothes to jumble sales.
They went up into the hills and down to the valleys To the places that you appointed for them.		Our sisters and brothers stay in their deserts, their hands empty in the position we have appointed for them.
You appointed the moon to mark its seasons, And the sun knows the time of its setting.		Yet still, 0 Lord, you create a sunrise each and every morning.
You water the mountains from your dwelling on high, the earth is fully satisfied by the fruit of your works.		You give us bluebells in shady woods, and the lakes and the moors. and put dewdrops on spiders' webs in the early sunlight.
0 Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all, The earth is full of your creatures.		0 Lord of infinite patience, 0 Lord of infinite love and care: OPEN OUR EYES.