Vocations Sunday 22nd April WOW Liturgy

Gathering Song: Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me. One verse and refrain

We gather today, sisters and brothers, children of the living god, to acknowledge the gifts of women and men in our midst and to call for women to be accepted into full ministry in the church of Christ.

We will each proclaim our name and where we are from.

We now remember any of our foremothers whom we wish to name and what their influence has been. After each name is said, we all say ‘Presente’.

All: Through and with our foremothers, we call for profound change in our church.

Reading: Wisdom 7.27 The work of Sophia (wisdom).

…She can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things:

In every generation she passes into holy souls

And makes them friends of God and prophets.

Litany - facing change.

A.    We are your pilgrim people, Lord, yet we fear to leave the trodden path.

All: Come, Spirit, embolden us to embrace change.

B.    Help us, O Creator God, to abandon outworn ways of thinking and reinvisage the meaning of life.

All: Come Spirit of truth, give us the power of discernment of the way ahead.

A.    Loving Christ, we are called to walk in your footsteps, yet we falter on the way.

All: Send your spirit to infuse us with your generosity and courage.

B Let us rejoice in all that God has done for us

All: Come Spirit of renewal, inspire us to work for change

Let us face the future with anticipation, not fear.

May we be prepared to sow seeds but not be anxious about the reaping.

May we be thankful for our families, communities and networks but also use our gifts for

those beyond.

Anointing

Jesus anointed women, and had no fear of women’s gifts. We go round the circle, anointing each other’s hands with oil, saying (name) your gifts are precious in the eyes of God.

Intercessions

We remember the needs of our world.

All say:

Those who work for change suffer resistance

SO MAKE US STRONG.

Those who do new things sometimes feel afraid,

SO MAKE US BRAVE.

Those who change the world as it is, arouse anger,

SO GRANT US PEACE.

Those who live joyfully are envied,

SO MAKE US GENEROUS.

Those who try to live in love, encounter hate,

SO MAKE US STEADFAST IN YOU.

Blessing:

May the God who dances in creation,

Who embraces with human love

Who shakes our lives with thunder,

BLESS US AND DRIVE US OUT WITH POWER.

All sing ‘Shalom’ and give each o0ther the kiss of peace.

OPTIONAL

A . I dream of a church

That joins in with God’s laughing

As she rocks in her rapture.

Enjoying her art:

She’s glad of her world,

In its risking and growing:

‘tis the child she has borne

And holds close to her heart.

B.I dream of a church

That joins in with God’s weeping

As she crouches, weighed down

By the sorrow she sees:

She cries for the hostile, the cold and no-hoping,

For she bears in herself

Our despair and dis-ease.

A. I dream of a church that

Joins in with God’s loving

As she bends to embrace

The unlovely and lost.

B A church that can free,

By its sharing and daring, the imprisoned and poor,

And then shoulder the cost.

ALL: God make us a church which joins in with your living as you cherish and challenge, rein in and release- a church that is winsome, impassioned, inspiring:

 LIONESS OF YOUR JUSTICE AND LAMB OF YOUR PEACE.      (By Kate Compston)