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Leader’s notes and hymn suggestion:
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Call to Worship
Divide the congregation in half and indicate which group (their
left or your left) will read each line together.
Opening Prayer
Could be read in unison, by a reader, or the worship leader. Consider
inviting someone who rarely participates in leading the service
or who may experience marginalization in society to read the prayer,
for example: a newcomer, a young person, an older person, or someone
who is a refugee.
Hymn
Numerous justice oriented hymns from 8 different denominational
hymn books are listed on the last page of these Leader’s Notes.
These are suitable for any of the four hymn times. You may want
to supplement these suggestions with others that suit the theme
and/or particular hymns for gathering and sending.
Prayer of Confession and Words of Assurance
This prayer, written by KAIROS staff, includes both confession and
words of assurance.
Sharing the Peace
For many congregations this is a traditional way of expressing the
Peace of Christ in the gathered body of believers. The spoken words
are followed by members of the congregation turning to shake hands
with their neighbours and say, “Peace of Christ” or
“Peace be with you.” Encourage your congregation to
greet one another by name and learn the names of new comers as an
additional way to build a sense of community.
Children’s Time
Consider any one of these ideas, concluding each with the suggested
prayer.
- Highlight the Transfiguration theme: Ask the children to tell
you about the very best day in their life. Tell them about your
best day or ask (in advance) to have 1 or 2 adults tell the children
about the best day in their life. Talk about how those blessings
gave you or others the energy or inspiration to do the difficult
things in life that needed to be done.
- Highlight water justice: “Koluscap and the Water Monster”
from the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet Nations (Atlantic Provinces),
a story about a great drought and how Koluscap saved the village.
Available in the KAIROS 2005-2006 Education and Action Guide,
Water: A Sacred Gift.
- Highlight any one of many justice issues: Invite someone who
has lived or worked in areas where justice concerns are prevalent
to share a bit about that life experience with pictures or mementoes.
For example, have a refugee tell about their home country and
how difficult, but necessary, it was to leave. Or have someone
who has lived or traveled in Palestine talk about children’s
lives there. Or someone who has experienced life on Aboriginal
reserves talk about what it is like to live there.
- Highlight a child’s desire for the good of all: Tell the
story of seven year old Ben, found in (Basic) Trek: venture
into a world of enough (available at http://www.thenovgroup.com/MCC/catalog/)
and his prayer: “God, please help the poor get rich and
the rich get poor so they know what if feels like. And then, God,
let everyone switch back to medium and let everyone have the same
amount of food and money. Amen.”
- Highlight justice in the lives of children and nations: Do a role-play or describe an everyday playground scenario that shows “justice” or fairness. Talk about how the same ideas ought to apply with governments and countries, but they often don’t. Pray for leaders to remember the lessons they learned in kindergarten!
After any story or sharing could be concluded by a simple participatory prayer with the children, such as having them repeat each line after the leader:
Thank you God for ______ (clean water, a safe place to live, good days that brighten our lives).
Help us do what’s fair to others.
Bless us as we work for justice.
Amen.
Hymn (see list of suggestions on final page)
Readings and Reflection
Choose one of the three sets of readings according to the theme
you would like to highlight in your reflection time.
- Transfiguration Sunday (Revised Common Lectionary - February
26, 2006)
Psalm 50:1-6
2 Kings 2:1-12
Mark 9:2-9
2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Theme Development
KAIROS Sunday is an apt theme for the day in our liturgical calendar focused on the Transfiguration. The Transfiguration is a KAIROS moment. Kairos time is a particular moment in history that is full of meaning and ripe for action. The Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain top is precisely such a moment of revelation and preparation for the coming justice struggle and the fulfillment of God’s purposes. It is a turning point in the gospel story, as Jesus begins the journey to Golgatha. The Transfiguration text holds echoes of the exodus and revelation of God on Mt Sinai, as well as Jesus’ baptism, which were also turning points towards greater action for the establishment of God’s purposes on earth.
Peter’s desire to build dwelling places indicates that he thinks the Transfiguration is the destination; Peter, like many people, thinks “we have arrived.” However, there is still much work and struggle to come before God’s purposes will be fulfilled. Peter hears the voice of God when he is tempted to settle on the mountain-top. God calls for Peter and the other disciples to recognize Jesus as the “Beloved” One and “listen” to his message. Do we recognize Jesus for his true identity? Do we listen to his message of peace and justice for the marginalized and impoverished? This is a call for Peter and to us not to settle where we are. As important as those mountain-top experiences of blessing are, we too must come down into the everyday fray and continue on the path to justice.
- Alternate Scripture Suggestions for a Broad Justice Theme
Micah 4:1-4 Freedom from fear; freedom from want
Psalm 147: 1-14 God’s delight is not in physical strength
Ephesians 2: 13-22 Peace to those who are far and near
Luke 6: 20-36 Beatitudes and love of enemies
- Water Focused Scripture Suggestions
* See theme development for these passages and more in the KAIROS 2005-2006 Education and Action Guide, Water: A Sacred Gift, a thirty-page education for action guide with exercises, workshops, worship, Bible study, stories and a play script. To order call toll free: 1-877-403-8933 x221or email orders@kairoscanada.org.
Genesis 21:8-21 Hagar’s Water: Well of Hope
Psalm 104 In praise of God’s creation and God’s care
John 4: 1-15 Jesus and the Samaritan Woman: Living Water
Hebrews 10:18-25 Washed with pure water, let us persevere
Additional Suggestions for the Reflection Time
If you are able to do more than a regular sermon, consider one of the following suggestions in addition to or in place of the sermon. Note that some of these ideas require additional advanced planning.
- Consider inviting a guest speaker from your denominational
justice committees or a local activist from your community.
- Use a multi-media approach to bring home the message in pictures,
words, and music. Create your own or order a resource such as
the KAIROS PowerPoint on Water, approximately 5 minute visual
presentation available on the Water Campaign Supplementary CD.
To order call toll free: 1-877-403-8933 x221or email orders@kairoscanada.org.
You may wish to set it to music of your choice.
- The Transfiguration texts and social justice themes are rich
with imagery. Invite the artistic or dramatic people in your congregation
to create a liturgical dance or dramatic presentation using coloured
cloths to represent the dazzling white of the Transfiguration,
the rising sun and the mighty tempest of the Psalms, the mantle
Elijah used to strike the water, the chariot of fire and the clothes
Elisha tore in two.
- In advance of KAIROS Sunday, invite a youth or adult Sunday school class to take up Social Justice as a unit theme. Have them prepare a drama or video on what Jesus’ pronouncement Matthew 25 would look and sound like today. Present their creation as a reflection piece during the service.
Prayers of the People
This prayer has four main sections based on four of the areas of
concentration in KAIROS work: ecology, poverty, human rights, and
systemic change. Feel free to edit this prayer to make it to more
relevant to your congregation, to your area or to current events.
Or you may want to read the prayer as written and invite additional
spoken prayer requests from the congregation after each paragraph.
Hymn (see list of suggestions on final page)
Offering
Hymn
This is the final hymn. See list of suggestions on final page or
choose a closing or sending hymn from your usual resources.
Closing Prayer and Blessing
The words of Keri Wehlander, from Joy is our Banquet, send the congregation
forth challenged to create change and hopeful that God’s purposes
will be fulfilled.
Hymn Suggestions
These suggestions come from several denominational hymnals. Feel free to substitute, and note that some titles appear in more than one hymn book.
The Book of Praise (Presbyterian)
187 We have come at Christ’s own bidding
202 We lay our broken world
305 God who stretched the spangles heavens 338 Let all things now
living
486 The church of Christ, in every age
592 I, the Lord of sea and sky (Here I am Lord)
624 Blest are they
709 What does the Lord require of you
710 What does the Lord require
712 Arise, your light is come
722 Lord, whose love
736 For the healing of the nations
778 Lord, you give the great commission
802 For the fruit of all creation
Catholic Book of Worship III
302 Arise Your Light Is Come
363 Healer of our Every Ill
376 Where True Love and Charity are Found
503 For the Healing of the Nations
520 Here I am Lord
522 Blest Are They
525 Christ, from Whom All Blessings Flow
529 In Christ There Is No East Or West
532 For the Fruit of All Creation
538 Behold a Broken World, We Pray
534 Let All Things Now Living
Common Praise (Anglican)
171 What Does the Lord Require
434 The Love of Jesus Calls Us
440 For All Your Blessings
575 Let Streams of Living Justice
576 For the Healing of the Nations
584 The Church of Christ in Every Age
585 Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service
613 We Lay Our Broken World
Lutheran Book of Worship
359 In Christ There Is No East or West
416 O God of Every Nation
423 Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service
433 The Church of Christ in Every Age
463 God, Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens
557 Let All Things Now Living
563 For the Fruit of All Creation
1987 Psalter Hymnal (Christian Reformed)
296 We Give You But Your Own
437 Thank You, God, for Water, Soil, and Air
Sing! A New Creation (Christian Reformed)
264 When a Prophet Sings of Justice
267 Will You Come and Follow Me
Voices United (United Church)
79 Arise, Your Light is Come
87 I am the Light of the World
104 We Have Come at Christ’s own Bidding
227 For the Fruit of all Creation
512 Lord, You Give the Great Commission
601 The Church of Christ in Every Age
619 Healer of Our Every Ill
678 For the Healing of the Nations
699 Live into Hope
713 I See a New Heaven
A Worship Book (Mennonite)
90 For the fruit of all creation
142 Brothers and sisters of mine
322 For we are strangers no more
367 For the healing of the nations
374 O young and fearless prophet
409 What does the Lord require
411 I bind my heart this tide
414 God, who stretched
418 Move in our midst
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