Eastern Hills Community Church

I invite you to take a few deep breaths and relax your body.

Play Itunes track ‘ Morning: Good’ by Paul Motian & Anat Fort.

Isaiah 2:3 says,

Many peoples will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”

I invite you now to rest your left hand, with palm facing upward on your lap.  Point to the tip of your little finger on your left hand, and consider for a moment something that you bring on your heart this morning. Draw a line slowly from the tip of your finger to the palm of your hand.

These things we place in Your hands Lord. Returning to the centre, to your heart – our source of life and strength.

Point to the tip of your ring finger, and reflect for a moment on your home.  The place we leave and return to. Draw a line slowly from the tip of your finger to the palm of your hand.

These things we place in Your hands. Returning to the centre, to your heart – our source of life and strength.

Point to the tip of your middle finger, and reflect for a moment on the happenings of late. The pace, the experiences, the patterns of your life.  Draw a line slowly  from the tip of your finger to the palm of your hand.

These things we place in Your hands, returning to the centre, to your heart – our source of life and strength.

Point to the tip of your pointer finger and reflect for a moment on your hopes at this time. Draw a line slowly from the tip of your finger to the palm of your hand.

These things we place in Your hands. Returning to the centre, to your heart – our source of life and strength.

Point to the tip of your thumb and reflect for a moment on why you are here. Draw a line slowly from the tip of your finger to the palm of your hand.

These things we place in your hands. Returning to the centre, to your heart – our source of life and strength.

Isaiah 49:15-16 says,

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me.

Amen

Opening Morning Prayer – Itunes track ‘Firmament’ by Nitin Sawhney

Living God, present with us.

We bring ourselves to you this morning to honour you – together with all our brothers and sisters around the world.

Fill us with your life and love.

I invite you to spend a moment, relaxing in the Spirits presence.. Consciously offering your whole self to God.

Let your prayer be the loosening of tension in your body. If it helps imagine a slow flow of water, melting your muscles from the top of your head to the tip of your toes.

We bring ourselves before you Lord, ready to worship, serve and receive you.

World in Worship Time Prayer

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”Psalm 90: 1, 2

For your amazing protection over the people in the face of Cyclone Yasi..

All: We turn back in wonder and give praise to your name.

We thank you that by the gift of water you nourish and sustain all living things. Yet now, by this same water, many in our land and overseas are experiencing disaster by repeated flooding.

All: Have mercy, we pray, on all who face devastation, loss and continuing danger.

Continue to give strength to all emergency service workers, wisdom to those who manage the relief operations – like Julian from our own community with red-cross in Queensland, and wise leadership to all in positions of government.

All: Let your blessing rest on the task of rebuilding damaged communities and livelihoods.

And amidst the many troubles of this groaning world, the injustice and instability in Egypt, the outbreak of foot and mouth in South Korea, the bombings in Pakistan, the snow storms in America, the earthquakes in China – which threaten to hide the light of your love..

All: Your kingdom come. “God reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light.” Job 12:22

“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10

Preserve your people from all despair and sin, and turn our hearts to always trust in your redeeming grace.

All: Keep us safe and secure in Jesus Christ your Son, who entered the depths of darkness and death for us, yet lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen. (Adapted from a Prayer by Pastor Linards Jansons, January 2011)

Lanterns of Thanksgiving – Itunes track ‘You can close your eyes’ by Brooke Fraser and ‘See you in the Light’ by Michael Franti.

A few days ago, on Feb 3 our Chinese brothers and sisters celebrated the New Year.

The Chinese people celebrate new year with a festival of lanterns. They walk through the streets with lanterns that they have made themselves. We are going to celebrate our community’s new year, new season and 8^th birthday with our own display of prayer lanterns this morning.

So I invite you to make your own lanterns and decorate them with prayers of blessing for this new season, you may like to incorporate words or pictures of thanks and birthday reflections. Please use the materials (pre-cut coloured paper, pens, feathers, stickytape, paper shapes, stickers, pegs) on the tables and enjoy this special time of reflection and prayer.

We later hung them up together

Closing Blessing

May God,
who comes to us
in the things of this world,
bless your eyes
and be in your seeing.

May Christ,
who looks upon you
with deepest love,
bless your eyes
and widen your gaze.

May the Spirit,
who perceives what is
and what may yet be,
bless your eyes
and sharpen your vision.

May the Sacred Three
bless your eyes
and cause you to see.

[The blessing is from In the Sanctuary of Women © Jan L. Richardson.]

A meditation from our service this week..

We are going to spend some time in quiet communion with God. In this time we will rest in God. A communion which refreshes and restores.

Open your right hand, consider for a moment something that you value about yourself this morning. Maybe this is something you are good at, or a quality you appreciate, something you have achieved.

Open your left hand, consider for a moment something that you don’t like about yourself this morning. This could be an area of weakness, inability or pain, something that makes life challenging for you this week.

Hold out both of your hands as we pray:

Just as we are we come to you Lord and hold out our hands. Our strength and our weakness, our trash and our treasure we release before you – For your will to be done in them. We boast not in ourselves but your presence and power in our lives to work these things into something beautiful. We look to you, the author and perfecter of our faith.

In old times and in other cultures the right hand is a symbol of power and strength. It is raised to take oaths and to show submission.  You may like to trace a print of your hand on one or all three of these ancient prayers, making them your own this morning. (We had large pieces of brown paper across the walls under each prayer. An adaption for meditation at home is to place your right hand over each of these prayers as you open your bible in prayer.)

Three Prayers

Psalm 143:5-7

I remember the days of long ago;

I meditate on all your works

and consider what your hands have done.

I spread out my hands to you;

my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

Psalm 73:23-26

… Yet I still belong to you;

you hold my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

leading me to a glorious destiny.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

I desire you more than anything on earth.

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,

but God remains the strength of my heart;

he is mine forever.

Psalm 16:7-9

I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

I have set the LORD always before me.

Because he is at my right hand,

I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

my body also will rest secure..