U2charist

U2charist

(A communion celebrated using original readings and the lyrics of U2 songs)

Song: I still haven’t found what I’m looking for

Reading: Matthew 9,10 (The Message)

35-38Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. "What a huge harvest!" he said to his disciples. "How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!"

1-4 The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives.

 5-8Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge:

   "Don't begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don't try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.

Reading: We think we know

We think we know about mission.

We are the church.

That’s our speciality.

So we will look for those obvious needs

and those glaring wants

and go and pitch in.

when we have the time

when the setting is right.

We have lots to offer.

Maybe not much time.

Maybe not too many folk

But we are the church

And that has to count for something.

So we will go where we can be seen

We will go where we can be safe

We will go wherever we see a need.

And, if folk are less than enthusiastic

If they don’t seem to want our help

That’s their problem, not ours.

We are called to serve

We are called to mission

So we will serve and we will miss.

Miss God.

Because God is actually somewhere else.

Working in the places we don’t see

Or never thought of.

God is down all those blind alleys

that we would never venture.

Dismantling barriers

Engrossed with real mission.

Too absorbed to notice our feeble attempts

in the wrong places

but if we asked.

If we sought God out before we plunged in

If we tracked God down

We would discover that there’s plenty

for us to be involved in

just not in the places we thought.

Maybe not even in the ways we imagined.

It IS mission.

But not as we know it.

And maybe next time we assume

That we know where and when and how

Instead we will keek round the corners

And down those bind alleyways

And listen for God’s laughter

Listen for God’s great sobs

As wounds are bound

And hurts are tended

And broken and bruised lives

Are loved back to health.

And barriers are smashed

Then we might know

That mission belongs to God.

And then we might be grateful

That God shows us where and when and how

And invites us to join in

To take part in the work of God

breaking down barriers

in our world.

Song: One

Thanksgiving prayer: Song: Gloria

Sharing communion:   Song: Grace

Reading: Grief behind locked doors

After Jesus set up his memorial in the Last Supper, he was betrayed and crucified. 

The disciples were bereft, with no hope of anything else and went and hid behind locked doors.

When sorrow is too deep for tears

When its more of an ache deep inside

When its something that catches in the windpipe and refuses to go any further, 

allowing neither release nor relief

When there's a burning behind the eyes, 

that makes the cheekbones hurt and temples throb

That's grief.

Grief promulgated by disappointment and the searing pain of hurt - 

the kind one only experiences in the betrayal of friends, in the dissolution of trust.

Its a grief that cannot be integrated as other griefs might, 

accepted as a part of the cost of life and of love. 

Its edges are far too jagged to be buffed down and held close. 

Its not natural as loss is natural.

The element of betrayal just doesn't allow a coming to terms.

The disciples knew this grief.

The grief of losing something that held such promise and brought such pain.

This searing grief seemed insurmountable.

No way through.

A brick wall behind which they cowered in despair.

How quickly that wall came crashing down – when the risen Lord appeared beside them 

and breathed into their grief.

Showed them a way forward - out of their locked room, 

over their brick wall into a whole new enterprise.

Death  - another barrier smashed.

Praying for just a whiff of that same Spirit in the grief that is ours.

Song: In the name of love

Reading: He saw me

He saw me

he looked into my eyes and saw me

Not the things I’d done

Not all that others said about me

He saw me

His eyes

looked deep into my soul

saw the need

saw the beauty

and loved me

Song: Walk on

Blessing