Origin: Quiet Service Sunday 17 November 2002
Theme:
Reflection on Moses’ interactions with God
Mood:
Setup:
: Sandtrays + candles
: Paint, paper, pencils…
: Burning bush – steel leaves & pumice soaked in methylated spirits –set up on low altar/table.
: Soak second lot of pumice ready for re -burn
: Communion elements around bush on floor ready to put up on altar
Gear:
Paints. Paper, coloured felt pens, clay.
Running order:
- Prelude: Ambient Tracks on repeat.
- Story: This is a story that describes an incident …… years ago. The young man Moses is about …… years old, and one night he has a very unusual experience
Read Exodus 3/1 – 4/17 (Multiple voices)
- FX – Light bush (use flame thrower — this involves holding a candle or other naked flame in front of an aerosol can of flammable spray eg canola cooking oil and pressing the nozzle down. The sprayed material ignites.)
(pause)
4. Here’s another version of the same story
VID: Prince of Egypt clip (5:28 clip, IN: Moses with sheep OUT: “Baah”)
(pause)
5. Retell Story: reduced version ex Scripture (interactions only) – Moses’ responses
6. Rant: Tonight I want us to look beyond the specific tasks God talked with Moses about,
and to reflect on the interaction between God and Moses.
In those days some particular places were holy because they were places where God interacted with people.
Today God has sent his Holy Spirit, his presence to be in all places. Everywhere we go. there is no place we can go that God is not present.
But we also have holy places and holy times. Places and occasions where God meets us, or has met us, in special ways.
Maybe you have experienced that….(Pause)
Tonight is a holy place and time. A place and time of encounter with God.
If you had the opportunity to talk, face to face with God tonight what would you say?
It doesn’t have to be small talk or pleasant talk, although it might be.
Moses argued with God. Told him how it was or how he saw it, and what he could and couldn’t do. And God entered into that hard talking dialogue. Maybe you have some hard things you’d like to talk to God about tonight.
God is among us. You can have that conversation here…
(If you’d rather write, or draw or paint with God, materials are available…. The results are only for you and God to know.)
After a few minutes I will break bread and pour wine and invite you to eat and drink
7. Activity/Reflection: 10 minutes (re stock Burning Bush with soaked pumice)
Track: Divine Works: Soundtrack to the new millenium, by Divine Works #3, repeat, then flow on…
8. Words of Institution: Break bread + pour wine, place on altar around bush.
LINK: There are candles at the sand trays if you’d like to light one as a symbol of your prayer.
I invite you to take off your shoes as you come to the bread and wine, the body + life blood of Jesus Christ.
This is the end of the formal part of the service, you may leave when you wish or stay as long as you want.
- FX – re-light bush
- Postlude: TRACK: Divine Works continues behind…