Wednesday, May 03, 2006

god's flock: 5.4.06 worship gathering

RevSteph said...
(This comes from Andy ...)

“Every time The Crossing comes as a Surprise”-Meg Hutchinson

Service flow 5/4/06
Draft 1 – 5/1: for comment / critique
Prepared Andy & Steph (written up by Andy)

GATHERING
song /Rosanne
welcome/Stephanie
prayer
intro of scripture and theme: GOD'S FLOCK
song

CENTERING
activity /Andy
- sit facing partner; silence with eyes closed. then open and look into eyes, while listening to excerpt from poem by Annie Giddings

I’m trying to tell you something about my life / about how I struggle from day to day / to simply live / about how I wish, hope, pray / about how I yearn to rid myself of the pain…I’m trying to tell you something about my soul. / about who I really am. / about the way I search / for belonging, / for acceptance, / for where I belong, / For my place in this world. / About how I / long to feel warm, / and safe, / and know who I am, / And know there is someone who knows me, / and loves me, / and will always love me. / Someone who will hold me in their arms when I cry, / and calm my fears, / and complete my soul, / my longing, / my belonging.

I’m trying to tell you something about love. / about how I long to look into someone’s eyes / and see myself reflected back. / to see myself through the eyes of love, / someone else’s love for me, / Unconditional / Unwavering. / About how I sometimes wonder if this exists, / if there is really someone out there / who will look into my eyes / and see all the way to my soul. / and bring out of me all that is beautiful / and hidden / deep within me. / about how I want to know that I’m complete / loved, / happy, / and that I make someone else feel the same way.

I’m trying to tell you something about who I really am / about my true being / my core / my center. / about how I am just energy / just light, / pure and white and simple. / about how I radiate and shine. / about how few can really see me / few really know me. / Few have seen my light. / about how it is protected, / deep within me. / About how I’m afraid that if I let it shine free / it will be lost forever. / About how I long to let it shine free, / to let everyone see how beautiful it can be, / how beautiful I can be, / how free, / how real, / how pure and good….-

- silence: eyes closed or open; feel inside.
- close: “Peace beyond understanding, remain always with and in you.”
- invite: share peace with partner, others: hug, handshake, eye contact, say your name if you don't know someone

GOOD NEWS: Reading: from John 10 (perhaps abbreviated)

Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away -- and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."

REFLECTION: Andy
-what did looking in eyes open for you?
-jesus shepherds us through others / others through us
-who is in your flock?
-can a stranger become part of your flock?
-what do you miss when you look away from others’ eyes?

NEWSPAPERS + CONSTRUCTION PAPER + SCISSORS + PENS/PAINTS: Andy
--introduce activity: “who is in my flock?”
-use materials to create / remember/ / represent your flock.
-open space: bring flock with you (“tend”) , get tea, quiet time, move freely
-gather in 10 minutes in circle under cross[background MUSIC through open space]

PRAYERS: Steph
gather circle of people under crossprayers
-intro: under Jesus, 1 flock
-invite: offer flock under Jesus if comfortable through prayers of people
-prayers of people: (Concentric circles… naming and praying for your flock, our flock, god's flock)

THE MEAL: Steph
assistants? we all do this
[music? –background, soft]

SEND
- song, celebratory: Rosanne
- send forth: Andy

OTHER NOTES (A/V, etc):
-- suggest strategizing some collective words (song lyrics?) on overhead slide (for balance between printed/projected)