When a member of the congregation leaves – to go overseas, or to another city, or another church, we use a liturgy to send them on their way with our blessing. We like to take the time to reflect on their importance to us, to pray for them and to have a sense of definition and closure to their leaving. This is an important moment for us to be able to say goodbye, without people slipping away as though their presence with us had been insignificant. It also allows us to remind ourselves of God’s role in shaping our congregation, in the meetings and partings that make our community what it is. This has become such a significant part of our ‘tradition’ that people now request it. The liturgy we use has been adapted from Terry Falla’s ‘Go Well, Stay Well’ reading found in ‘Be Our Freedom Lord’ (Openbook Publishers: Adelaide, 1994).
Another set of liturgies that we use/have developed for our church life are Baby Blessing responsive readings. Technically this ritual is known in Baptist circles as ‘A Service for the blessing of Babies and the Dedication of their parents to their Christian Nurture’, or Infant Dedication. We call it Baby Blessing.
We sometimes write liturgy for other special occasions. I am not particularly good with words myself, so I usually draw on the work of other people and modify it to suit. Consequently, a lot of what we use can’t be reproduced here.
1. Revised Lord’s Prayer
God,
Who is in a really nice place that I don’t understand but hope to get to,
you are perfect and difficult to get to know.
May the ideal that you have for our best existence eventuate now rather than later,
may we be the ones who help to implement this just like they do in that really nice place that I don’t understand but hope to get to.
Provide for us.
Don’t have the urge to punish us for those things we know are wrong but do anyway, and also for those wrong things we do that we don’t know about;
we understand how hard that must be for you, because we are suppressing the same urge toward other people.
We trust you with the direction of our lives and hope that you show us where we are heading with certainty, but if we screw up on that, help us to get back on the right path.
We pray this because you have ultimate say over everything, everywhere, no matter what.
So let this prayer be heard.
(Stu McGregor)
2. urban shepherd (Psalm 23)
urban shepherd
you lead us through skyscraper canyons
past carbon monoxide
and mirror glass
and busker
you make us to lie down on park benches
and rest beside sewage settlement ponds
you keep our feet on pavement and escalator
and lift shaft
and guide us through the back alleys
of our city
though we enter the concrete crevasse
we will not fear the chaos
for you are with us
you grant us a site in the sun
at a sidewalk cafe
where we drink cappuccino and are glad
you give us doughnut stalls
and film festivals and neon signs
surely your goodness and poverty
will follow us all the days of our lives
and we will come at last to the holy city
(Mike Riddell)
3. Sabbatical Farewell Liturgy for Mark.
Our God,
We give you thanks for all that Mark is to us,
as individuals, and as a church.
We are grateful for the insight, care, and hard work
he pours into this place.
We gladly release him to this time of travel, study, and rest.
May he find deep refreshment.
May friends and family nourish his soul.
May house and garden be his delight.
May your Spirit guide him into new ideas and dreams.
We pray for Robyn, Raychel, Isaac, Sarah, and Taite,
for the times together and apart.
May this time of renewal for Mark also be a blessing to his family.
We pray for ourselves,
As we remember to care for one another,
And to build up our community while Mark’s away.
Watch over us all, our God who journeys with the traveller
And shelters those who stay behind.
Mark – we bless you in the name of the Maker,
who lit the world
and breathed the breath of life for you…
We love you in the name of the Son,
who saved the world
and stretched out his hand to you…
We release you in the name of the Spirit,
who encompasses the world
and blesses your soul with yearning…
Go from here in the Trinity of Love:
God above you, God beside you, God beneath you:
the beginning, the end, the everlasting one.
Amen.
(Brenda Stone)