O God of peace, be with us now.
Stand here beside us; bring hope this day.
Transform this world of greed and strife,
From domination to your new way.
Praise life that makes us change and grow
Praise love that makes compassion flow
Praise peace that ends all strife and fear
Praise hands that work for justice here
Like potter’s clay on spinning wheel,
Grasped by strong hands that push and pull,
Our lives take shape in height and breadth,
In form and grace most wonderful.
In community we gather,
Off’ring blessings on this day.
Friends and fam’ly joined together,
Raising voices now to pray.
A sacred community, if it is to be an authentic representation of the life and teachings of Jesus for today, needs to express its concerned opposition in both words, worship and actions, to injustice, violence and corruption – just as Jesus did. There is truth in the statement that “Jesus confronts more than he comforts.” When sacred communities look to the needs of its members in preference to the needs of non- members something is not quite right. The church is one of those organisations which exists for people who do not belong to it. As Jesus was a man for others, so the church is to be there for others.
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Long years ago the promised Holy Spirit
With wind and flame, in resurrection might
Inspired true love, compassion rich within it,
And now as then rekindles vision’s light.
Aid will never save the world
Without changes in our lives.
Systems which embrace us all
Foster wealth’s destructive drives.
My desire for you, my friend,
Is the same as for myself
To be freed from gross desire
For more things or for more wealth
Through embracing sharing ways
That can nurture inner health.
Our hands, O God, are stained with blood
Which comes from family trees
Or flows from nations and the gods
They seek with fire to please.
Forgiveness is our most precious gift,
The most Christ-like blessing we can share.
When the world reveals a fractured face,
When the parts diverge to form extremes,
Can we build a world by joining hands
To fulfil the Gospel’s many dreams?
Oh, when we think in depth on the reality
Of life emerging everywhere on earth,
We share the restlessness and rich vitality
With creatures in our home of noble birth.
‘Advancing’ in the spirit by which we can be fed;
Our search for truth is central in all that’s done and said;
In openness we search but it’s not for certainty,
For God is not restricted to our theology.
If our beliefs prevent our search
For new and different creeds;
Let us beware of narrow views
Where dogma often breeds;
With new, exciting facts we learn
Much love can come about;
Yes! Those who grow in their beliefs
Can sing in praise of doubt.
We are one with the creatures,
One with the plants,
One with the life of Earth.
In between the Cross and Rising,
In between our grief and light,
Lie the tombs of hibernation,
Times of inner healing’s might.
Love one another as I love you all;
In others’ needs hear my insistent call.
I bid you wear with me love’s seamless dress,
Welcome the outcast from the wilderness.
This Earth is full of beauty
For those with open eyes;
This world is full of wonder
Which makes the pilgrim wise.
