Voice 1
I will light a light
In the name of the maker of light
Who lit the world with stars, sun and moon
And breathed the breath of life
Into all things
Voice 2
I will light a light
In the name of the revealer of light
Who brought light into the darkness
And stretched out his hands for us
Giving his love to the whole world
Voice 3
I will light a light
In the name of the inspirer of light
Who lit the world from within
And fills my life with wonder
In the search for learning and wisdom
Voice 4
We hold these lights
All
For the Trinity of light and love
God’s presence everywhere
God’s salvation for everyone
God’s inspiration of all things.
Voice 3
We hold these lights
All
For ourselves and each other
For our families, friends and enemies
For our work, hopes and struggles,
Voice 5
We hold these lights
All
For those in need and those who teach us,
For the people, governments and churches of Europe
For the future peace and justice of Europe.
Voice 5
We hold these lights
All
For the whole world
For all things created, visible and invisible
For individuals and communities in need.
Voice 5
We hold these lights to give thanks
All
For water, air and soil
For plants, trees and animals
For minerals and fossils,
Voice 5
We hold these lights to give thanks
All
For knowledge, skills and ideas,
For inventions and discoveries
For science and the arts
Voice 1
O lord you have searched me and known me
All
You know when I sit down and when I rise up
You discern my thought from afar
Yous earch out my path and my lying down
And are acquantied with all my ways
Voice 2
Even before a word is on my tongue
All
O Lord you know it completely
You hem me in behind and before
And lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me
It is so high that I cannot attain it.
Voice 3
Where can I go from your spirit
Or where can I flee from your presence
All
If I ascend to heaven you are there.
If I make my bed in sheol you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
And settle at the farthest limits of the sea
Even there your hand shall lead me,
And your right hand shall hold me.
Voice 4
If I say surely the darkness shall cover me and
The light around me become night
All
Even the darkness is not dark to you
The night is as bright as the day
For darkness is as light to you.
SILENCE
CONFESSION
Voice 4
Your love made it possible for the first particles of matter to dance with energy, linking each other in space and time.
Voice 5
Carbon creatures came into being and learnt to walk tall, placing their feet firmly on the ground of your garden, breathing the mystery of your breath, enjoying your inspiration and reaching up to the skies.
Voice 4
As you look at us now, your carbon creatures, what can you see through our carbon emissions. Do they scratch your eyese and marr your looking.
Voice 2
Out of your energy of love, came heat and light for our warmth and growth
All
Out of our energy production and use, comes both progress and harm.
Voice 3
Out of your energy, came sacrifice and self giving love
All
Out of our energy use, comes greed and self interest.
Voice 2
Out of your energy, came creativity freedom and inspiration
All
Out of your energy we compromise these gifts with complacency violence and stupidity.
All
Lord, eyes we have, but see not.
Lord ears we, have but hear not
Lord minds we have, but will not
Lord hearts we have, but care not
Lord, life we have, but live not.
Lord teach us to look with your seeing
To hear with your hearing
To commit with your willing
To feel with your feeling
To care with your heart
To live in your love.
Voice 1
Spirit of vision and insight, help us to borrow your eyes and see the world with new perception, to look deeper and wider into its goodness, beauty and potential
Voice 2
Spirit of hearing, help us to borrow your ears and listen to the many voices of your world in different people organisations and communities.
Voice 6
Spirit of engagement and patience, help us to borrow your will to learn from the past and walk in new directions, with openness and determination.
Voice 1
Spirit of knowledge and learning, help us to reach for your wisdom, beyond our prejudice and pettiness, to learn how to live and enjoy life’s gifts without destroying its abundance.
Voice 2
Life giving spirit of energy and transformation, help us to use the energy which fulfils without destroying, which fuels without consuming, which satisfies without cloying.
Voice 3
As we connect all things back to you as their source and purpose, help us to live our freedom responsibly in the present: help us to transform our frustration into fulfilment, our ptential into possibilities. Help us to live creatively within the limits of nature’s bounty and beauty.
All
AMEN, AMEN, AMEN.
OFFERING
We bring some object from life or work. Reflect now on its beauty or lack of beauty, its purpose and useage; its place in the world or in your life.
- Who made it? How? Where? Who financed it, designed it, anaged the processes of production?
- How much energy of time and cost, resources and materials were used in its making and selling?
- Who distributed it, sold it and bought it?
- How is it being used?
SILENCE
People bring these objects and place them next to the candle.
Some Celtic readings and prayers
For each new task and project at work, remembering how respectful and gentle we need to be with the world's resources.
Voice 5
All that I dig with the spade I do it with my Father’s aid,
Voice 6
All that I dig with the spade
I do it with my Saviour's aid,
Voice 7
All that I dig with the spade,
I do it with the Spirit's aid.
Voice 8
All that I dig with the spade
I do it in God the Three's aid.
All
Each turning of the soil I make
I do it for the Three in One's sake.
A prayer for the work of all
Voice 5
The sacred Three be over me
Voice 6
With my working hands this day
With the people on my way
With the labour and the toil
With the land and with the soil
With the tools that I take
Voice 7
With the things that I make
With the thoughts of my mind
With the sharing of my time
With the love of my heart
With each one who plays a part
All
The sacred Three be over me
The blessing of the Trinity.
All
Circle me Lord
Voice 5
Keep protection near
And danger afar
All
Circle me Lord
Voice 6
Keep hope within
Keep doubt without
All
Circle me Lord
Voice 7
Keep light near
And darkness afar
All
Circle me Lord
Keep peace within
Keep evil out
Evening Prayer on the Resurrection
Voice 5
The Lord of the empty tomb
The conqueror of gloom
All
Come to us
Voice 6
The Lord in the garden walking
The Lord to Mary talking
All
Come to us.
Voice 5
The Lord in the Upper Room
Dispelling fear and doom
All
Come to us.
Voice 6
The Lord on the road to Emmaus
The Lord giving hope to Thomas
All
Come to us.
Voice 5
The appearing on the shore,
Giving us life for ever more
All
Come to us.
A Litany of Blessing
Voice 1
Deep peace of the powerful wave to you
Deep peace of the moving air to you
Deep peace of the running water to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Voice 2
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the Creator of peace to you
Deep peace of the Redeemer of Peace to you
Deep peace of the Spirit of Peace to you.
All
Thou art the peace of all things calm
Thou art the place to hide from harm
Thou art the light that shines in dark
Thou art the heart’s eternal spark
Thou art the door that’s open wide
Thou art the guest who waits inside
Thou are the stranger at the door
Thou are the calling of the poor
Thou art my Lord and with me still
Thou art my love, keep me from ill,
Thou art the light, the truth, the way,
Thou art my Saviour this very day.
Voice 3
The Father on you his blessing bestow
The son his love towards you flow
The Spirit his presence to you show
On you and all the people you know
On you and all who seek to grow
The threefold blessing wherever you go.
SUGGESTIONS
Voices – the number of voices can be increased or decreased. The intention is to create participation.
Lighting - The chapel or church used should be lit mostly by candles.
Music – Taize or similar songs could be added if there is time. A flute or other instrument could be used to create a background atmosphere before and throughout the Liturgy.
Movement - Appropriate movements and choreography should be used for the parts taken by different voices and groups of voices. Some voices should come from the community/congregation and move in and out from a central liturgical focal point or installation –central candle, cross, icons, natural objects and vegitation, water, symbols etc. If possible chairs should be facing inwards towards this central instalation.
A Rehearsal is essential so that the voices work well together and know the choreography, pace and style of the Liturgy.
Robin Morrison Sept 2006. Freely available for use