As part of the response for our Seeds 2011 Consecration Service I created this Epiphany motif for Seeds Covenant Households to place on the lintels of their doors during our Seeds Covenant year as a reminder of;
Christ’s Blessing: upon our households and the importance they play in locating our spiritual struggle to ‘Grow Home’ in our neighbourhoods and in our ‘ordinary’ lives. (Christus Mansionem Benedicat = Christ Bless our House)
Hospitality: that God often comes to us as the ‘stranger’ or ‘other ‘who is to be welcomed at our door and often bears unexpected gifts. (C+M+B = Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar; traditional names of the Magi who visited the Christ child.)
Protection: against the ravages of ‘fire and water’ and all that these ‘evils’ or ‘threats’ may mean to our discipleship and our shared life in our context (ala the traditional European Epiphany prayerwhich I adaptedhere)
You may wish to copy and print the image and stick above your own doorway.
The rough notes for my response to Samara’sspeech at our ‘end of an era’ joint farewell at Urban Seed… I don’t think I got all this out and there is so much more that could be said, many others who deserve mention etc… obviously not everyone could be there, but it was a great party and a significant time. Continue reading →
Acknowledgement of Country: We acknowledge that we gather on the land of the Wurundjeri of the Kulin Nation have been custodians from time immemorial. We honour this history and their elders, past and present and commit ourselves to care for the land with them. May our worship and service be work for reconciliation between peoples, God and the land upon which we stand. Amen.
The water jug is passed around for people to touch the water, inviting them to make the sign of the cross upon themselves as a symbol of their own baptism whilst mention is made of the significance of water in the Biblical Story, the life of the community and the land on which we stand (including the scar tree in the Fitzroy Gardens and the dreaming stories of the Birranang, Yarra River).
Baptism
Talitha for you Jesus Christ has come into the world; for you he lived and showed God’s love; for you he endured the agony of Gethsemane and the darkness of the cross; for you he has uttered the cry, ‘It is accomplished!’ For you, he has triumphed over death and risen to newness of life, for you he prays at God’s right hand; all this for you Talitha, before you knew anything of it. And so the word of Scripture is fulfilled; ‘We love because God loved us first.’
Talitha do you reject the powers of sin and death. Do you confess Jesus Christ as Lord and your desire to live in the vision of the faith we have expressed here today.
I do.
Talitha we baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
(marking Talitha with the sign of the cross)
Talitha from this day on the sign of the cross is upon you, marking you as a pilgrim in the journey of the people of God to freedom and justice, wholeness and peace. May you Know, Grow and Go… Slow in this way of Christ. Amen
Responses of Faith:
Seeds Covenant Prayer
God, our holy community of gracious hospitality, in the midst of our homelessness you extend us an invitation to Grow Home. Help us to foster Talitha to know and to grow a rich sense of home. Let us teach her the danger of wealth and the freedom of economic sharing. May the poor always be with her. Teach her the power and beauty of her body; fidelity with your wild creativity and respect for the sacred connections of your Spirit, our bodies and all creation. Teach her how to eat slow so that her eyes may be opened to your presence through the breaking of bread. Extend to her no privilege other than that of Christian equality, teaching her the art of mutual submission. Grant us courage to teach her what laws to break and how to give of ourselves with the same passion with which you lived and died.
Talitha is this your prayer?
Talitha: Lord hear us.
All: Lord hear our prayer
May we Know the Word
May we foster Talitha to know the stories of a God who re-creates a fallen world, not just ancient words on a page but the living Spirit of Christ among us. Teach her how to choose her stories and story her choices; how to spin a life giving yarn and to listen for your voice in silence and Sabbath rest. Teach her to meditate and pray so that she may experience your love and cling to hope in the midst of failure, suffering and adversity. .
Talitha is this your prayer?
Talitha: Lord hear us.
All: Lord hear our prayer
May we Go Engage,
May we foster Talitha with the confidence to engage our troubled world. To speak truth to the powers and to each of us. To name and cast out that which is evil in our world and within, through militant nonviolence. Teach her the arts of hospitality, mercy and forgiveness. Teach her how to negotiate the streets and danger by teaching her every community safety trick you know and having done this, when and how to risk it all for the sake of love. Teach her the good work of love as the only true measure of success. And because each of us will fail her, in the midst of our brokenness, may she know and share your healing power; your gracious hospitality to us.
Talitha is this your prayer?
Talitha: Lord hear us.
All: Lord hear our prayer
Prayers of Blessing:
Whanau Song: Abby
Island Bay Blessing:Toni
Stream Blessing:Poem & Letter read by Andreana
Seeds City Blessing:by Karen from Gin & Jeff
Whanau Taonga & Waiata:Becky, Abby, Gregg and Bron
Purea nei e te hau
Horoia e te ua
Whitiwhitia e te ra
Mahea ake nga poraruraru
Makere ana nga here.
Scattered by the wind
washed by the rain
and transformed by the sun,
all doubts are swept away
and all restraints are cast down.
E rere wairua, e rere
Ki nga ao o te rangi
Whitiwhitia e te ra
Mahea ake nga poraruraru
Makere ana nga here,
Makere ana nga here.
Fly O free spirit, fly
to the clouds in the heavens,
transformed by the sun,
with all doubts swept away
and all restrains cast down.
Yes, all restrains are cast down.
Benediction: Marcus Curnow
Galatians 3:25-29
A Franciscan Blessing
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may wish for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
You are Gods servants, gifted with dreams and visions,
Upon you rests the grace of God like flames of fire.
Love and serve the Lord in the strength of the Spirit.
May the deep peace of Christ be with you, The strong arms of God sustain you,
And the power of the Holy Spirit strengthen you in every way.
Liturgy for Xaviers Dedication at Dancing Dog Cafe in Footscray which kicked off our Sunday Seeds Gatherings in partnership with Footscray baptist. Due acknowledgement to kester for the circles idea and lots of good words.
Glenn Daniels and Edie Wilson…. Great wedding guys, well done! And it all started with sister Di doing work experience with us six years ago! I love it. Given all Glenn’s photography mates in the room on the day I’d love to see some better photos than these, feel free to email!!!
