Ian doesn't eat meat

Bringing Ashes Home

When Tuvaluan and other Islander Sailors die away from home, 
often their remains are cremated and sent ‘home’. 
Culturally, the rites and rituals associated with burial 
are disrupted and confused without a body and a coffin.
This prayer is for the many family and friends 
longing to welcome their loved one home.

An offering of root vegetables from the earth or dried coconut 
should be brought for burning to make ashes of welcoming.


God is made known to us
in the beach and the ocean.
Alleluia!

God is made known to us
in the birth, the life, the death
and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!

God’s Spirit is made known to us
in the wind and the current,
in the song and the dance,
in the light and the fire.
Alleluia!

Just as God created Adam from the sands,
we return to the sands.
Just as the gentle Spirit gives us breath,
we are embraced in the Spirit’s fire.

God has already welcomed the spirit of our brother/sister home into God’s heart.
Now it is time for us to welcome the ashes
of her/his body, home, to this island.

This is the place where feasts and celebrations were shared.
This is the place where learning and discovery were encouraged.
This was the earthly home for …………..(name).

We share the memories with (his/her) family.
We share our songs and weeping.

Just as these ashes have been returned to this home,
we light a fire from the bounty of this land.
Ashes from this offering will be placed
with the ashes sent home
as a sign of welcome and of faith
 – faith that God will make all things new again.

O God, you know the pain of death.
You also know the glory of resurrection.
Grant your Child, ………… (name), a place with you
and may we honour (her/his) memory
as we place the ashes in the sands of (her/his) home.

Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Under the Mat - Confession Meditation

Based on Matthew 11:28-30
For my Samoan teacher and Matai, Tongia Wilson.

Under the grass,
the oppression of spirit is expressed in our bodies.

We sit.
We wait.
We sorrow.

Under the grass
there is no relationship – only waiting.

Even among others, I am alone.
Even their breathing reminds me of shame.
Even my heartbeat makes me long for restoration.

We sit.
We pray.
We wonder.

Under the grass
there is brokenness
– there is longing.

How did we come to this?
How did we misstep?
How can my life be different?

We sit.
We sweat.
We hunger.

Wait upon the mercy of the Spirit of God.
Wait for forgiveness and restoration.
Wait for the Life-giver to plant a new possibility.

In the waiting, we ask for healing for others.
In the waiting, we ask for healing for ourselves.
In the waiting, we ask for wholeness.

We sit.
We thirst.
We weary.

Come to me,
all you who are carrying weight upon you.
I will give you rest.
Take my carrying pole on your shoulder
and learn my Way,
for my heart is gentle and humble for you
and in it you will find soul-rest.
My carrying pole is easy to share
and my load is not hard to carry.

Come into the light
– Your sins are forgiven!
Thanks be to God!

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Eternity Lovesong

For Friends
A listening reflection (for when you have been given a shell)

This small shell contains a pearl of great price.
Can you hear the treasure?

Place the shell to your ear and listen:
Listen for the Voice that told you of love.
Listen for the whispers and murmurings of delight.
Listen for a heartbeat
or the movement of a wisp of hair.
Listen for your tears or a chuckle from an old friend.
Listen for the last breath or the first cry.

Can you hear the treasure?

Everything I have I give to you,
For the treasure you offer is beyond any worth.
Everything I am I live to you,
For you are the anchor of my life.

I listen for you.
I hear you
In the silence.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

The waters above and below (A Creation Song)

The waters above and below (A Creation song)

From before days were numbered,
the oceans pulsed sets of waves,
sometimes gently, caressing shore,
sometimes crashing with anxiety and anger.

From before woven fronds sheltered the weary,
rain and hail fell upon land and sea alike,
sometimes quenching and soaking the earth,
sometimes washing or beating ripples
into temporary patterns.

Over the chaos of waters, the air hovered,
thick with imagining and promise.
From the nothingness came somethingness,
sung into being by the eternal Artist.

Creation becomes God’s delight.


  (C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Blending in, bringing flavour

Can I ever belong here?
I do not know the words.
I do not know how to act.
I am different.

Where is the warm place in our hearts?
Where is the welcome that expresses
the abundance of the deep love of God?
How must we act to build trust?
What can we do to create friendship?

What manner of people are these?
What has shaped them that they would try
to welcome the stranger?
How can I bring honour to God
in my response to their invitation?

We have so much to learn.
As God calls us into the newness of the holy family,
we keep learning new ways.
We keep embracing new ideas and old stories.

We come together in the banquet of Heaven.
We come to the table of the Lord, laden with
the simplicity of the gifts of the earth and the vine
and all the complexities of culture and habit.

We come together in the banquet of Heaven,
to dance with the Spirit and sing with the angels.
We come to care for one another
and be the heart of God, embracing one another.
We come together in the banquet of Heaven,
delighting in the tastes and aromas of eternal life.

Our eyes behold the table of the Lord.
Here we hear the story of Life.
Here we celebrate and give thanks.
Here we praise the Creator of all wonder.
Here we receive the Spirit of God.

By this Spirit, we recognise Christ
and are bold to proclaim:

Holy, Holy, Holy are You -
Revelation of God, Source of all Life.  
Heaven and Earth about with your glory.
Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!

Blest is the One who comes in God’s name.
Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Out of the depths

In the deep
and dark places
it seems impossible
to imagine the possibility of light.

In the damp and cold
of rejection
it seems impossible
to imagine the warmth of fire.

In the forgetting
and confusion of loss
it seems impossible
to imagine a past or future.

We retell sacred stories
to grasp at identity.

We relive faithful actions
to give meaning to our names.

We revive songs and dances
to remember whose we are.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler


___________________________________________________________________

Caught in the rip

This water feels darker and more mysterious.
What is this place of faith?
We are told, “Fear not”,
yet courage is hard to locate.

As the waves buffet against us, tossing us around,
We look to the horizon, seeking comfort and hope.
We are drawn by waters,
sucking us into a story unknown,
where resistance is futile.
We learn to take indirect routes,
constantly correcting the course,
hoping to find our way to the promised goal.

As the forces around us pull and tug,
we remember what it is
to be mere feathers on the breath of God.
Yet, this breath is both comforting and enlivening.
We respond to its caress,
recognising the source of our lives.

We join our hearts to the rhythm of its breeze
and find a new pattern in the ripples.
Our paddling exposes new lines in the water.
Our casting forward creates a new wake.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

_______________________________________________

Calm in the Storm

In the the tensions and crises of life,
we experience eyes in the storm.
We recognise that in the moments of quiet,
rest is sometimes disturbed
by memories and fears.

In the closest silences,
we long for your voice.
In the heartbeat of anticipation,
faith holds us.

Stir new creation in our lives.

Have mercy on us,
in both the thunder and the quiet.
When the waves are pounding
grant us inner strength and calm.

Bless us with your peace
for the world.

Amen

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Tide Turns

The moon crosses sky
and the waters respond:
It is time to move
to the rhythm of Heaven.

The pull of the depths
call to the shore:
Turn to the longing
deep in your soul.

We look back to former ways
in confession
before turning our hearts
in repentance.

As we set our sails
to the new tide,
we set ourselves toward
the promise of pilgrims.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Tsunami Confession of Hope

Creeping up on us,
slowly, insidiously,
the waters rise.

Forces beyond us
drag us
into the unknown.

The oceans teeming with life
also salt the earth with death.
The beaches and reefs of paradise-welcome
become a graveyard
where salty tears mingle with the receding tide.

A sense of inevitability drives away hope.
Resignation to depression takes hold.

What is this state of sin?
Hopelessness?
The loss of belief in possibility
becomes its own obstacle to experiencing life.

Yet, walking on water
and commanding the waves
invites us to believe
in miracles.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

An Affirmation for Second Peoples

We are formed by our stories.
We are shaped by our heritage.

We dwell in this place
carrying connections from beyond.
We seek the learning and the sacred story
that will attune us to the Spirit revealed in this Land.

We sorrow for the loss of Law and connectedness,
loss that has come
from dispossession and displacement.
We grieve the loss of potential.
We long for restoration and fullness of life.

We affirm the First Peoples as the hosts in this Land.
We look to them and ask
how we can respectfully relate in this place?

We commit ourselves to learning
what it might mean
for us to be Second Peoples in this place,
and to honour God and respect First Peoples
in our learning and practice.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Navigation of Life

For the stars
– we give thanks!
For those who have learnt the swirls and the currents
– we give thanks!
For the gifts of the sea
– we give thanks!
For the cycles of moon and tide
– we give thanks!
For the stories of Fishers and Wonders and Wanderers
– we give thanks!

In all things and at all times
we give thanks to God.



(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Righteousness

Righteousness  

In humility, we plead
for those whose voices have been lost.
Why should this voice be heard
when deafness has pervaded a sometimes cruel context?
The longing is for relief, rather than justice,
Yet, in boldness, we ask for more than relief...

O God of healing,
Bring about restoration,
Bring about renewal,
Bring about resurrection...

How can an Easter People ask
for anything less?

We bring to mind
those who are starving and fearful
In refugee camps across the world.
We bring to mind
those who suffer at the hands of so many -isms...
Racism, Sexism, Classism, Ageism...

Whatever the minimalist readings of legal vilification,
Let us be the people who affirm
humanity's calling to be whole and healthy.

May we grow in our capacities
to defend the weak and faint-hearted
and build up the values of inclusion
and holy hospitality.

May we work toward
this Church and this nation
being and becoming known for Spiritual Sanctuary
expressed in the everyday practices of word and deed.
May our mindfulness breed mindfulness
and openness to the Spirit's leading.

So, we pray for this Church in this nation,
that rites may enable right-eousness to be better known.
May our longing for righteousness
lead us to seek the betterment of communities beyond our communities...
For of such will be the Realm of Heaven.
Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Acts of Courage

"Not my will - but yours!"

What have we become, dear Spirit?
What would you have us become, now?

We have come to this time,
beyond our first steps, proudly taken.
Would you have us dance - to celebrate joy?
Or crawl - to relearn humility?

We embark on homecoming,
not knowing what the household will look like.
So much has already shaped our relationships!
Documents, Affirmations, Rites and Rituals,
Arguments, Promises made - sometimes kept.

We confess we have often failed
to live into the promises.
We regret the times we did not risk the Way
we knew to be true.

How do we take the next steps?
Our diversity is marked and our unity is often regulated.
How do we be the Holy People you call us to be?

Give us courage to let go of past hurts or hopes
and dream and vision with you
of a realm beyond our knowing.
Grant us the glimpses
that inspire and sustain
in the midst of banquets and famines.

Come, Holy Friend,
expand our hearts to find
new spaces for grace,
new acts of restoration,
new traditions of kinship,
new faith,
new hope,
new love.
Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

The Prophetic Voice

God of Justice!
We call on you to guide
all those on this Land
to seek Justice.

Bless and renew our hearts and minds,
so that we may see with your insight,
mindful of the calling
to walk in your way of peace and reconciliation.
Seed in us the desire to be agitators
for holy change.

May the blessings we receive
inspire and nourish us
to bless those around us
with words of comfort
and actions of healing.
Inspire in our mouths
the words of your good news
for the sake of the world you love.

May we grow in the courage of Christ,
becoming and being prepared to take up the cross,
rather than buy in to the pressure
of dehumanizing and demeaning
that places avarice before generosity.
Gift us with the desire to share in joyful community.
Make us into catalysts for relationships.
Form us as people who become nourishment for the world.

May we deepen in our reading of your Scriptures,
that we might see your promises of mercy written in our souls.
May we work, throughout Australia,
and through our international partnerships,
to bring about a foretaste of the state of mercy and blessing
that characterizes Heaven.

Just as we seek mercy,
teach us to recognize the power imbalances
that prevent the full experience of abundant life.
May we learn to repent of those habits
that destroy your beautiful plan.
Rather, let us learn the creativity of your nature,
to better use our gifts for the sake of grace.

God of Justice,
be our Teacher and our Defender!
Correct us, so we can learn how to speak Truth.
And, when we do - protect us from the evils we confront,
For this is your will to be done
And we are honoured by your call.

So, we commit this day,
to be your holy and vocal people.
We commit to stand up for your beloved creation,
especially those who are marginalised
by the cultures of judgement and shame around us.
May we stand with them.
So be it.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

14. Covenant Prayer

Not every couple treats their marriage as a sacred Covenant. Some seek God’s face, expressed in ‘Law’, in their marriage, rather than the comfort of a legal contract. For many, marriage is not simply about the relationship of the couple, but about a the whole community and wider kinship relationships that will be strengthened by entering into the Covenant of marriage.
This prayer is for such a couple… and for all those around them.

For those that shaped the lives
of (N)………  and (N) ………,
we give thanks.
We give thanks that their nurturing and lived examples influenced the values that led to this day.
May (N)………  and (N) ……… continue
to have guides and guardians in their lives –
people who demonstrate love and hospitality to them, that their lives may also demonstrate love and hospitality toward others.

For the hopes and plans
(N)………  and (N) ………,
we ask blessing.
May their dreams and visions
be ever aligned with your ongoing creativity to bring about Heaven, one foretaste at a time.
May (N)………  and (N) ……… live as children of Heaven
and proclaim your love in the world.

For those of us who today bear witness to the Covenant.
May we live our lives in ways
that seek to encourage and strengthen
(N)………  and (N) ……….

May we take time to share in their lives
and invite them to share in ours.
May we defend them and support them
– in good times and when sorrows arrive.

God, who gives life and love,
We pray that we might be bearers of both
to (N)………  and (N) ………
that their Covenant with you
might be a beacon in the world.

We pray for their workplaces (…).
We pray for their neighbours (…).
We pray for their household and sense of home.

Be with (N)………  and (N) ………, O God,
and grant them your Wisdom.
Amen.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

13. Covenant Blessing

While this blessing has been used in the blessing of couples,
it is also suitable for the blessing of blended families
and congregations coming together.
It is particularly appropriate when the preaching makes references
to the Covenants found in scripture, as models for our life aspirations.

Before God gave us a concept of Law,
God gave people a way of offering their lives and actions –
the things most dear to themselves – to God.
What God gave before Law was Covenant.
It is the most ancient of sacred trusts and promises.

In a Covenant, we declare something to be
set apart from the ordinary and to be known as Sacred.
We offer the declaration into God’s care, by faith,
asking that God will make the Covenant holy.
A Covenant is recognised as a gift of God
and a means of experiencing God’s grace.

In Covenantal relationships, we can know the joy of God,
who created us to live for God and one another.
When we recognise God’s love expressed in ‘the other’,
we discover a new reflection of God’s image.

Christ’s New Covenant with us is founded
in the love and generosity Christ showed to his Church,
so it is right that each new Covenantal relationship
should honour the gifts of God
and be celebrated among the people of God.
In recognising your choice to enter into a Covenant today,
this gathering asks God to make your relationships holy.
We ask God’s blessing upon you.

May your life together be faithful.
May you love one another as pilgrims on the way.
May your interactions be filled
with dignity, respect, tenderness and delight.

God fill your hearts and minds
with a growing spirit of deep joy,
that together you may proclaim God’s goodness
in your shared life.

In celebration of this Covenant,
we light this Candle to remember
that Christ’s light will illuminate your path.
Whenever the way seems dark,
light the Candle as a reminder
of God’s presence and gracious love for you.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

12. A Homegroup Covenant

12.  A Homegroup Covenant

God bless this house!
May peace come upon this household
and all who enjoy hospitality here.

In our gathering, may we give and receive
the sacred gifts found in the heart of God.

May we seek in our time together
a space for grace to abound.

May the troubles and disturbances of life
be placed in the respectful care
of a generous spirit,
embodied among us.

May we learn to act justly, love mercy
and walk humbly together.

And may God bless this house
and may all who enter be blessed!


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

11. Learning Community Covenant

May we learn the ancient stories,
from Dreaming and from Law.

May we hold a space for imagining together,
for growing in holiness and wholeness.

May we create opportunities for discovery,
risking the Way of Jesus, in humility and community.

May we honour one another’s contributions
and wait upon the spirit of reflection and insight.

May we love the living Word,
who is God, revealed in Christ.

May we love One Another,
as a community in God’s heart.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

10. Household Covenant

May we who live together
be forever mindful of God.

May we seek God’s face
in each other.

May we reflect that which is good
in our words and actions.

May we work to bless one another
on a daily and nightly basis.

May we pray at all times
for our home and those beyond it.

May we offer the hospitality of God
as a team.

May we respect the need for sacred space
in our common life.

May God hold us to this Covenant
and bless us in its fulfillment.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

9. Trinity Affirmation of Community

God said,
“I am the Lord, your God.
You shall have no other gods but me.”
We will worship God alone.

Jesus said,
“Love one another,
as I have loved you.”
We will love and care
for one another
in the way of Christ.

Jesus breathed on the disciples,
saying,
“Receive my Spirit.”
We call upon the Spirit
to fill us anew,
so the world may be blessed
by this community of God.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

8. Covenant of a Faith Community – II

8. Covenant of a Faith Community – II

Just as God gave promises to Abraham and Noah,
to Sarah and Mary,
to the twelve and the women on Easter morning,
to the Apostles and the Saints,
the  …………………………… Faith Community
seeks God’s promises for us.

We claim God’s promises of healing and wholeness,
of renewal and reconciliation,
of justice and unconditional love.

In the spirit of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ,
we ask for God’s blessing
as we seek to embody God’s community in this place.
Amen.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

7. Covenant of a Faith Community – I

We are the ………………………………… Faith Community.

We commit ourselves to exploring faith together,
in relationship with …………………………………………… (Presbytery/Agency/School).

We seek to journey creatively together,
respecting difference and valuing giftedness.
We ask God to guide us and bless us in this journey.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

6. A Congregational Covenant - confession

We believe in God,
Creator, Redeemer and Comforter.

As followers of Jesus Christ,
we commit ourselves to worship, witness and service,
as the ………………………………….. Congregation.

We affirm we have heard God’s call to us
to shared life in community.

Just as the disciples of the early church
held life in common,
we seek to share our resources,
personal and corporate,
to better serve the world
for which Christ died
and was raised.

We join together to proclaim the good news:

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

5. A Congregational Covenant - invocation

We covenant together,
proclaiming One God
– Father, Son and Spirit,
committing to a shared life
of worship, witness and service.

We will seek to live
the way of Jesus Christ,
respecting and caring
for God’s creation.

We call upon the Holy Spirit
to enliven us and set us to work
for reconciliation and renewal
in the world.

Others will know whose we are
by how we learn to love one another,
so we covenant together
to love
as Christ has loved us.
Amen.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

4. Welcoming New Members

Chairperson of Congregation (or representative of Community):
The …………………………………….. Congregation/Faith Community holds a vision for (Vision Statement)
………………………………………………………………………………

To this end, we respond to God’s calling
to join in the mission of God (Mission Statement)
……………………………………………………………………………….

A Member of the Congregation (preferably one recently affirmed) says:
As members of this Congregation/Faith Community,
We commit to work together as God’s People
in this place. We worship God together.
We read from and study the Old and New Testaments.
We share in the sacraments
of Baptism and Holy Communion.
We serve God and God’s world, as a team,
praying for and encouraging one another.

Secretary of Congregation/Presbytery
We invite the following people to be recognised:
…………………………………..
It is our joy to celebrate that this day, the ………………………………….. Congregation/Faith Community will be grown and strengthened by your commitment to join with them in community, in mission and in ministry.
May you find a spiritual home in this community.

Minister or Leader  
People of God in this place, will you welcome ……………………………………. to share in the responsibilities of God’s community in this place?

People
We will

Minister or Leader 
………………………………………..,
Do you affirm your willingness to share in
the responsibilities of God’s community in this place?

Affirmee/s
I/We do

Minister or Leader  
As the ………………………… Congregation/Faith Community,
together we join our voices to the generations
who have gone before to proclaim the Christian faith:

(The Congregation joins in the Nicene Creed or other statement of faith)

Together we offer ourselves as the Affirmed Members of
the  ……………………………… Congregation/Faith Community.
Amen!


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

3. Affirmation of Situated Community

Covenant for Affirmed Membership in a particular place


We worship on the Land of the …………………………………………….. People.
We will worship God in this place,
mindful of the healing and restoration still to come.

We seek to come close to God in this place.
We will set our minds on Christ
and learn from the Scriptures.

We hope to honour God from this place.
We seek the breath of the Spirit,
that we may serve God
in the community beyond this place.

People of God in the ……………………………………….. Congregation/Faith Community,
God sent Jesus Christ for the world,
including the people of this region.

As followers of Jesus Christ,
will you commit yourselves to work together
to show God’s love for the world in word and deed?
We will.

Will you worship, learn, pray, support
and bless one another,
so that you may serve God
with all your heart and soul and mind?
We will.

Do you Covenant together to encourage one another
to be the People of God in this place?
We do!

Blessing

May God’s Spirit rest upon this whole community,
breathing new life into the relationships here,
so that this people may become a true reflection
of the generous love of God.
Amen!


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

2. Affirmation of Community (Covenant for Affirmed Membership)

Covenant for Affirmed Membership in a community 
with a Common Vision.
This may be said by the whole community 
as an act of Covenanting with one another before God.


We believe in God
and seek to be God’s people.

We believe that God created and continues to create.

We believe we are called by God,
to co-create community,
to be God’s people in this place
and to proclaim good news.

We believe God is revealed
in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
We seek to follow Christ’s way
and seek the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

As Christ’s people,
we will seek God’s blessings
so that we may bless others.
We will carry our shared stories of blessings
in ways that allow others to share in them.
We will seek to be generous and hospitable
in our sharing.

We believe God created the First Peoples of this place
– revealing Sacred story to them through this Land.

We seek to learn with them and share the grace and love
made possible by the Spirit of God in our lives.

We believe God continues to be revealed
in the diversity of God’s creation,
so we seek to live out the Uniting Church’s calling
to be a multicultural church and work for
the renewal and reconciliation of all creation.

As members of the ……………………………..…………
(Congregation/Faith Community) we commit to support one another as pilgrim companions.

We affirm the Vision of this Congregation/Faith Community to: ………………………………………………………………………………

We Covenant together to uphold one another in love,
caring for one another in times of distress
and celebrating with joy the blessings of God.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

_____________________

1. Call to Leaders regarding Refugees

The Uniting Church in Australia responds
to the grace proclaimed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
who himself was a refugee.

We are called to work with all our hearts and minds
to love God, who is revealed in Jesus Christ.
We are called to express love and generosity of spirit
to the world for whom Christ died,
including the most marginalized people.
We seek to love the neighbour who is different
and welcome the stranger in our midst.

We implore civic leaders
to reflect the deep values of Australians,
shaped by different nations and cultures,
who seek to live in a world
characterized by peace and goodwill.

We therefore ask those leaders to embrace
a spirit of compassion
and concern for human dignity
in their considerations with regards
to Refugee and Asylum-seeker policy development.

(Adopted by the South Australian Presbytery and Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia, October 2016)


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

14. Day’s End

This day, O God, has been another masterpiece.

The sun shone, even when I did turn my face to it.
The water flowed, even when I forgot my thirst.
Breath filled my song and love filled my heart.
You provided food for my table
and family for my home.

How is it that I went through this day,
taking so much for granted?
Forgive me, for not having lived into today’s fullness.

This day, O God, has indeed been your masterpiece,
and I have been privileged to enjoy it.
I can only wonder and say thanks… for today.

Grant me rest this night
and, if it be your will that I rise again tomorrow,
make me mindful of the fullness of life
You place before me.
Amen

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

13. Keeping vigil for peace

We light a candle and place it in a window.
We light it with hope, knowing
there are those who are gripped by the darkness surrounding them, unable to voice hope.
It is for them we light this candle.

We light a candle and place it where it can be seen.
We light it with hope, knowing
someone hides under a bed or behind a door,
Praying that violence can be avoided or delayed.
It is for the fearful we light this candle.

We light a candle and watch the flame.
We light it and watch with hope, knowing
our own words and actions
Are not always aligned with those of the Prince of Peace.
It is for ourselves we light this candle…
That weight see God’s vision of peace.

When the light from the candles is present
only in memory, may what has been lit in our souls continue to flame our desire for peace.
Amen

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

12. Sanctuary – offering holy places

O Jesus, first among the rejected and outcast,
how is it that you could become a refugee
within the creation of your own hand?
What was it like for you, as an infant,
to be hidden by your parents, for fear
of the powers and principalities of destruction?

May we find new ways of offering holiness
through the provision of our homes,
our gathering places and our presence.

In times of uncertainty and fear, we pray
to find the ways of demonstrating peace.
Among those whose hope has been shattered, we pray
to find the ways of restoring wholeness and wonder.

We call upon God to receive our willingness
and use it for good.
Bless our offerings to become tools of healing.
Bless our homes and worship places
to become places of safety and hospitality.
Bless our speech
to communicate welcome and love.
Bless us to bless others.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

11. Preparation for Prophetic work

They were braver than I, those prophets of old.
They put their lives on the line to speak Truth to power.
What will you ask of me? Not my life, surely!

They spoke up for those who could not speak,
but I do not yet know if I can speak your words.
What will you ask of me? I have not words of my own!

They told parables and stories to prove their cause,
but I fear I am no forensic journalist,
able to produce the details on cue.
What will you ask of me? I am no researcher!

They were respected and feared by the people,
but the people of God do not agree
on prophecy these days… let alone who might utter it!
What will you ask of me? I speak on behalf of no-one!

And still – I listen to the Spirit
as I read your scriptures and pray for guidance.
I do know some Truth.
I believe you are a God of Justice and Peace.
I believe you would have us act out of Love.
So it is, today, and every day, I will speak up
and name injustice and violence and hatred.
I will speak for the sake of Truth.
For Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

10. Volunteer Prayer

O God, equip me for service.
I want to make a difference
in your world.
I want to live my life well
and pass on the blessings
I have received.

Give me meaningful work
and the capacity to do it.
Give me friends and colleagues,
that I may work within a community
that values each and every contribution.

I summon what energy I have
and ask you to grow it.
I offer my heart and mind,
my hands and feet,
my eyes and ears,
my laughter and tears,
my hopes and fears.

O God, I ask for your blessing,
that my life may be used to love others
in your name.
Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

9. Volunteers

The term volunteer is derived from the French voluntaire (one who offers themselves in military service) and the Latin voluntary (of one’s free will).
This statement is for volunteers to say when being welcomed in service
and for those around them to offer welcome. It is followed by a blessing.

I offer myself in service and will work within the disciplines of the (name of organization)

……………………………………

Together, we will (mission statement of organization)

……………………………………

Whenever I am serving,
I will seek to bring our work into good repute
by the quality and attentiveness of my service.
I will seek to uphold our common values
and support and respect those I work with
and those we work for.
I will rely on my fellow-workers
to guide and encourage me
and I will seek to honour their service.

We greet you and welcome you
into service among us.
May you find encouragement and friendship
and, together, may we work for the common good.

Leader:

O God, of many names,
We ask your blessing upon our volunteers.
Just as we have heard,
“Do to others, as you would have them do to you”

We ask that these volunteers
might serve selflessly, yet,
conscious of the human need around them.

We ask that your Spirit enables them
to see and do good,
to rejoice and be glad in all circumstances,
to be bold in action and gentle of tongue.

We pray for the work of the (name of organization)

……..………………………………………………………………………...

Fill the hearts of the faithful
that good may come of this day
and the heartfelt commitments
we have witnessed.
Amen

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

8. Renewal Celebration

For Wendy Perkins, Stephen Robinson and disaster recovery chaplains
and for those who volunteer to help people get back on their feet.

We give thanks for the sweat and toil of this day.
In our tiredness, we smile
with faces of thanks and praise
for the Spirit of goodness that has sustained us.

We ask for traveling mercies as we return home,
knowing that our blood and tears left on this land
is mingled with the story of those who remain.

We praise God for the hope that is renewed this day.
We pray for the ongoing recovery
of this place and people.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

7. Prayer of Repair (ii)

As we look upon the work to be done,
We ask God’s blessing on our task:

May we be strong of mind and body.
May we be mindful of the years of work gone before.
May we be visionary in our commitment
and may every act of this day
be respectful and honouring
of the stories that have gone before
and those yet to come.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

6. Prayer of Repair (i)

This prayer is for those many people who go out restoring lands, re-vegetating devastated places and fixing fences following disasters.
For Malcolm Wilson and Ross Neville and the army of people who have helped with blaze-aid and other recovery efforts.


Hi-ho, hi-ho! With hopeful hearts we go!
Carpenter Jesus, bless our tools and carry-alls,
Keep us safe and lively.

May we bring smiles and laughter
to those who now despair –
Jesus, who wept, give us the know-how to repair
and comfort those who grieve.

May every place we visit
be strengthened by this time –
Jesus, who gathered friends,
may we who go make mates* anew
and share in fresh new dreaming.

May we work as teams, in tune together -
Jesus, who called disciples together,
Teach us to be encouraging in each moment
and growing in our caring.

Bring us home with hearts full
of goodwill and fresh blessings.

*mates is the Aussie word for friends or buddies.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

5. Seeking refuge – wondering from afar…

From afar, I wonder:
How do you leave your home behind?
How do you choose
something of home to keep with you?
How do you part
with the precious symbols of times past?

From afar, I wonder:
Which direction will you turn?
How will you know if you are ever safe again?
When will you be able to sleep, restfully, once more?

From afar, I wonder:
What do you seek?
Who will take you in?
When will you find peace?

While you steel your heart and set your mind,
While you summon your courage and turn your body,
I weep for you.
I weep for our unsharing world.
I weep for us.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

4. An Affirmation of our Life

Bearing God’s image,
We are people of God.
Born in the waters of baptism,
We are disciples of Christ.
Energised with God’s purpose,
We are Spirited for mission.

The God beyond our knowing
is known to us as the author of life.
As loving Father,
He nurtures and enables us.

As protective Mother,
She is present to our joys and fears.

As Holy Other,
the light of God’s face shines upon us,
reflected in the wonder of created and creating.

We believe that Jesus Christ
is the liver of life,
human and divine:
The One who chooses the path;
The One who walks the path;
The One who calls us to pilgrimage
on that same path.

God is revealed in the lived life
of baby, child, and adult.
God is proclaimed in suffering and death,
and in the One
whose resurrected, renewed and ongoing life
is celebrated when we banquet together,
sharing God’s nourishment
in order to share God’s life and living.

The pulse of the cosmos is sung by the Spirit of God.
It courses through the veins of faithful and seeker,
blossoming in relationships of generosity and grace.
This Spirit sparks and prompts the individual,
brings dynamic energy to groups
and empowers communities into blessing.
Through the Spirit,
divine favour and fulfilment is offered, given and received.

Bearing God’s image,
We are people of God.
Born in the waters of baptism,
We are disciples of Christ.
Energised with God’s purpose,
We are Spirited for mission.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

3. A Meditation of Thanksgiving

Open your inner eyes.
See within - the heart
that pulses God’s Spirit
through your being.

It is the heart of God,
giving you life.
Hear then,
the pulsing of God’s desires in your ears.
See then,
the sparkling of God’s designs on your horizons.

Be warmed by the heat of God’s comfort
in your loneliness.
Be stilled by the balm of God’s anointing
on your wounds.

Experience the story of God,
tingling in the fibres of your being.

Nurture the Spirit-story growing
and finding form in your creative centre.

Be alive – and let your living
be your prayer of thanksgiving.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

2. A Prayer of Confession

(For a time of ending and regret)

This is not an easy day
to sit with friends and wonder
at a heaviness of heart.
It is not an easy time
for experiencing the fullness of life
and the story of your grace…
not with the knowledge of failure
and the regret of work incomplete, not with mistakes made and forgiveness withheld…

So we ask, merciful God,
for your forgiveness, so that we might learn to forgive,
for your blessing, so that we might bless,
for your gifts, that we might become generous.
Heal our wounds,
that we might live wholly and holy for you.

Words of Assurance

God loved us before we knew how to pray.
God loves us even as we pray.
God will love us beyond our prayers and our dreamings.

It is Jesus who says to us,
“Your sins are forgiven!”
Thanks be to God!

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

1. A Spirit Psalm of Confession

So much goodness promised
in the single grain of rice,
or wheat, or barley…

Yet, in times of drought
we are deceived by the potential,
mistaking it for a reality…
The tall stalk pretends to contain life
but may in fact only offer empty husks,
useful only as fibre to clean out our systems,
good only to carry out,
discard and waste.

We feel the betrayal of our own hopes.
We regret taking the time to dream.
The joy of past promises
turns to anger and frustration.
Why did we dare to have faith?
Why did we commit our steps for uncertain miracles?
Yet, O Divine Friend, I yearn for another promise.
I wait upon your next possibility.
I wonder what you will ask of us next.

I ask, even as I fear your answers,
not because I do not trust you,
but because I do.
You ask me to become more than I am.
You call us to be a community beyond ourselves.
You make us and remake us
and stretch us and challenge us.
I recognise the growing pains
and I know there are more to come.

So I ask, for myself, that your Spirit
measures my breath, my heart, my soul.
So we ask, for one another, that your Spirit
rests upon this community
and gentles us into your ways.

And may your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven,
And may we be on earth
as it will be evermore.
Amen.


(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Blessing for Confinement

“Fat-ladies” all over the world…
be proud and stand tall,
despite the aches and swelling feet.
May they know that all life is held within them.
May we all grow in love as they grow love.
May they carry well and deliver safely.
Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Prayer for Widows

This community of memory and grief…
See us and give us breath for whatever life is given to us.
This crazy bunch of knitters and bakers…
Give us fresh creativity to sustain the world.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Prayer for women behind walls

O God – how shall your daughters survive?
Have mercy upon them as they seek ways for their families.
Honour their risk-taking faith.
Give them places of sanctuary
and courage when they offer sanctuary to others.
May they be blest with your inheritance – your promise of Heaven.
Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Dancing Prayer

Take the rhythm tapping from my toes
and make it a song of praise.
Take the extension of my fingers, stretching forth,
to reach the world.
Take the music in limbs’ embrace,
to offer blessing.
Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Prayer for my sister (for JAB)

For my little sister, O God, I pray.
I pray for her safety and comfort when she is low.
I pray for her home – far away from mine.
I pray that she finds peace – when conflict and disruptions arise.
I pray for her beloved – that he may honour and love her well.
I pray for her work – may she encourage and raise up others…
So they feel better about themselves.
I pray for her children – may motherhood rest well on her shoulders…
So they can become the wonderful creatures You imagine into being.
I pray for her past – that it be healed.
I pray for her present – that You are with her now.
I pray for her future – that Heaven may be real for her.
Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Prayer for Dislocation

For women who have no home, we pray.
May their heart create welcome
and may their presence provide hearth.
May they be welcomed on country and honour new life.
Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Prayer for the cast-offs

Remember your heart, O God!
Make your home anew in our lives.
Bring home the wandering daughters.
Restore right relationships among us.
Prepare a table for us together.
Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Prayer for the female line

Creator of life and life-bearers,
Thank you for the women of my line,
For the mistakes and achievements,
For the influence and distractions,
For the connection to now and future,
May their stories continue to bless.
Amen.

(C) 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Prayer for women negotiating households of violence

For women who wake up today,
praying for shalom and longing for sanctuary,
We ask for mercy and signs of hope.

For women whose bodies are not their own.
taken by others for pleasure or power,
We ask for mercy and restoration.

For women who are trapped in relationships with users,
bullied by people and robbed of respect.
We ask for mercy and release.

© 2017, A.Koh-Butler

Prayer for women who nurse

Holy God of comfort and wholeness,
bring peace and a healing hand.
May the tender touch of a woman
bring a moment of human contact.
May women be life and hope bearers,
proclaiming good news through acts of grace.
May long shifts and disturbed sleep
give way to dreams of Heaven’s promise.
May Wise instincts kick in
when training and sense seem distant memory.
May signs of Hope and Gratitude
bring energy for the next day.

© 2017, A.Koh-Butler

A Hymn for a Closure Service

(written for Hamilton-Broadmeadow Uniting Church, Newcastle)
Tune: Nettleton (Come thou font of every blessing)

We have grown despite our difference.
We learnt songs to bring our praise.
We have met to share together
and give thanks for blessed days.
We have served in faith as partners.
We have shared our stories too.
We are shaped by Wisdom’s leading
called to share the Gospel true.

Love the Lord - is our first calling.
Love each other - is the next.
Love creation - restore beauty.
Receive love that we might bless.
Bless the outcast. Bless the lonely.
Feed the hungry. Help the lost.
Do not count what is asked of us
for the Christ has paid the cost.

Glory be to the Creator!
Thanks to the Redeeming Son!
Sanctify us, O Sustainer -
Holy God: the Three-in-One!
You are wonder! You are mystery!
You are hope in times of strife!
We have glimpsed you through our history,
lead us forward into life!

c.2014, Koh-Butler