Document
The Lord sits enthroned forever,
You, O God, have established your throne for judgment.
May we rejoice in your deliverance!
You judge the world with righteousness;
You judge the peoples with equity.
May we rejoice in your deliverance!
(Psalm 9)
Confession
One: Lord Jesus Christ, we ask for your mercy and your help. We confess we have failed you and have betrayed you – inadvertently as well as deliberately. Our selfishness betrays you. We have turned a blind eye towards the apathies of your people around us and mostly concerned about our own comfort and luxuries.
Many: Lord, forgive us.
We fail to share the pain of your suffering, by ignoring the suffering of billions of poor from different parts of the world, who cannot afford a life with dignity and go without adequate access to food, water, sanitation and other daily needs.
Lord, forgive us.
We fail to share the pain of your suffering, by ignoring the suffering of billions of poor from different parts of the world, who cannot afford a life with dignity and go without adequate access to food, water, sanitation and other daily needs.
Lord, forgive us.
You came to this world, so that all may have life with all its fullness. However, we have not done enough to channelize the ‘fullness of life’ in the lives of the billions who struggle to make their ends meet, every day.
Lord, forgive us.
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May the Lord enrich us with grace, and nourish us with blessing; |
Amen.
Song: Mari beribadah (Let us come and worship)
Psalmody
Responsive Psalm 9: 7-11
The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
May we rejoice in your deliverance!
And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you have not forsaken those who seek you.
May we rejoice in your deliverance!
Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion.
Declare God’s deeds among the peoples.
May we rejoice in your deliverance!
A reading from the prophet Zechariah 1: 12-17
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Reflection:
Bishop Arnold Temple, Chairperson of WCC-EWN and the President of All Africa Conference of Churches
SONG: God of Love, We Take for Granted (text by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette)
Lyrics:
God of love, we take for granted common places that we use: We have bathrooms, we have washrooms, we have restrooms, we have loos. We may smile at what we're singing, but we would not want to be Left without these common places that bring health and dignity. Countless women suffer violence, going outside in the night To avoid humiliation that they feel when it is light. Countless children leave their houses, facing trouble, feeling fear, For their homes still lack the toilets that we take for granted here. There are girls who, as they're growing, put their books and school aside; They can't care for changing bodies, so they stay at home and hide. There are precious little children who will die this very day For there's no good sanitation where they live and learn and play. God, am I my brother's keeper? Is my sister in my care? Does my neighbor's problem matter in this world that's so unfair? May we work to share your blessings in new ways, both great and small, 'Till the things we take for granted are available to all.
Prayers
Intercessory Prayer
One: Eternal God of life, praise be you for your wonderful love and your grace poured out
on our behalf. Today we come before you with complete trust to intercede for the situations that affect all of us and rob so many of the joy of life.
Silence
One: We give you thanks:
- For the peoples and churches of East Timor (Leste Timor), Indonesia, and the Philippines
- For the gift of fresh and clean water, for rain and running streams and deep lakes
- For the gift of human reason and ingenuity that can further work towards justice and equity
- For the wondrous diversity of creation and those who seek to be good stewards.
- For the bold witness on the impact of climate change and the efforts to reverse it.
Silence
One: And we pray:
- For all those who live in unsanitary conditions, without clean, flowing water
- For all countries where flooding or drought or rising sea levels threatens sanitation systems, contaminating drinking water, and spreading diseases
- For governments in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor Leste, that they will eradicate corruption, establish justice and peace, and work effectively for the wellbeing of all their people
- For all the victims of violence, torture, drug and human trafficking, and human rights violations, that those responsible might be held accountable
- For all those affected by earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters, and for the rebuilding of communities afterwards
- For all the efforts to build bridges between diverse ethnicities, cultures, and religious beliefs
- For those suffering physically, mentally, and spiritually in this time of pandemic, bring wholeness and healing.
Silence
Concluding Prayer
Stay with us, Lord, in these uncertain moments.
With your Holy Spirit raise us from our hopelessness,
wipe away our disbelief and strengthen our faith,
so that our hearts will burn to proclaim your resurrection,
the water of life springing forth and bringing hope.
AMEN.
© 2005 Ester Pudjo Widiasih, Jakarta Theological Seminary, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Lord’s Prayer (each in the language of our heart)
Benediction
May the blessings of God the Father, who created us from the soil of the earth,
May the blessings of God the Son, who was born in a manger, in unhygienic conditions,
May the blessings of God the Holy Spirit, who resides within both the rich and poor, ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’, brood over us as mother over her children, now and for evermore.
Amen.
The peace of Christ be with you all!
Let us share the peace with one another!
