On Sunday, 3rd July at 3pm we’re gathering at Five Ways and on Facebook Live for music, spirituality and connection with God and one another, followed by a community meal (Pizza is on us). If you are joining us on Facebook Live or just like to know what to expect, you can follow the running order below.

Pat will be leading us in a special worship gathering including Iona Abbey prayers of healing and music. It will be a very accessible, pressure-free and encouraging time. As always at IGB, you are invited to take part in what is life-giving to you.

Welcome

Song – All Who are Thirsty (Brenton Brown; Glenn Robertson 1998)

Verse 1
All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of His mercy
As deep cries out to deep
(We sing)

Chorus 1
Come Lord Jesus come
Come Lord Jesus come
(REPEAT)

Chorus 2
Holy Spirit come
Holy Spirit come
(REPEAT)

Interlude
As deep cries out to deep
As deep cries out to deep
As deep cries out to deep we sing

Question for sharing (Pete)-  Can you think of a time you’ve felt most really rested or at peace with yourself?

Story (Joel) – Hildegard of Bingen

Introduction – Pat

Song – Take this Moment (Graham Maule; John L. Bell 1989, 2000)

Verse 1
Take this moment sign and space
Take my friends around
Here among us make the place
Where Your love is found

Verse 2
Take the time to call my name
Take the time to mend
Who I am and what I’ve been
All I’ve failed to tend

Verse 3
Take the tiredness of my days
Take my past regret
Letting Your forgiveness touch
All I can’t forget

Verse 4
Take the little child in me
Scared of growing old
Help him/her here to find his/her worth
Made in Christ’s own mould

Verse 5
Take my talents take my skills
Take what’s yet to be
Let my life be Yours and yet
Let it still be me

Opening Prayers

All; Our faith is in God, our Maker, Known in creation, Revealed in scripture, Experienced within, Our trust is in Jesus, Known through his life, Revealed in scripture, Experienced within, Our life is in the Spirit, Known through creation, Revealed in scripture, Experienced within, your goodness is at the core of our lives, reaching out, creating wholeness.

Jesus said,
“Come to me all you who are troubled and I will give you rest.”
So come, you who are burdened by regrets and anxieties, you who are broken in body or in spirit, you who feel deeply within yourselves the divisions and injustices and the pain of our world.
Come, for Jesus invites us to come as we are.

Reading: Mark 8v24-25

²² And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought a man who was blind to Jesus and begged Him to touch him.²³ Taking the man who was blind by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting in his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ And he looked up and said, “I see people, for I see them like trees, walking around.” ²⁵ Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. ²⁶ And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

All: For the word of God among us, For the word of God within us, Thanks be to God

Reflection on healing-Pat

Song – A Touching Place (Graham Maule; John L. Bell, 1989)

Christ’s is the world in which we move
Christ’s are the folk we’re summoned to love
Christ’s is the voice which calls us to care
And Christ is the one who calls us here

Chorus
To the lost Christ shows His face
To the unloved He gives His embrace
To those who cry in pain or disgrace
Christ makes with His friends a touching place

Feel for the people we most avoid

Strange or bereaved or never employed

Feel for the people suffering in pain

Who fear that their living is all in vain.

Feel for the lives by life confused
Riddled with doubt in loving abused
Feel for the lonely heart conscious of sin
Which longs to be pure but fears to begin

Prayers for healing

We gather prayers for places, people and situations.

As we remember the compassion that Jesus had for the blind man we pray for these people and situations.

We remember those who are victimised, because of their race, background or history, because of their gender or sexuality, because they are simply different,

SILENCE

Loving Jesus we lift our earth and its people to you.
Amen

And we pray for one another. Our prayer for one another is;

Spirit of the living God present with us now, enfold us, body, mind and spirit,
and heal us of all that harms us, in Jesus’ name. Amen

Communion introduction – Danielle

Song – Breathe (Marie Barnett)

Communion-Danielle

Jesus said: I am the bread of life. All who come to me shall not hunger, and all who believe in me shall not thirst.

With Christians around the world and throughout the centuries,

we gather around these symbols of bread and wine—simple elements

that speak of nourishment and transformation.

Let us pray.

Loving God, we thank you that you are as close to us as breath, that your love is constant and unfailing.

We thank you for all that sustains life, and especially for Jesus Christ,

who teaches us how to live out an ethic of justice and peace,

and for the promise of transformation made manifest in his life, death and resurrection.

We ask you to bless this bread and this cup.

Through this meal, make us the body of Christ,

that we may join with you in promoting the well-being of all creation. Amen.

We remember on the night when Jesus and the disciples had their last meal together,

Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, and gave it to the disciples,

saying “This is my body, which is given for you.

Take and eat it, and as often as you do, remember me.”

[Breaking of the bread/ Distribution or taking wafer from packet.]

In the symbol of the broken bread, we participate in the life of Christ

and dedicate ourselves to being his disciples.

In the same way he took the cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to the disciples, saying:

“Drink this, all of you.

This cup is the new covenant, poured out for you and for many

Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

[Pouring of the wine/ Distribution or opening of cup.]

In the symbol of the cup, we participate in the new life Christ brings.

Let us pray. We give thanks, loving God, that you have refreshed us at your table.

Strengthen our faith; increase our love for one another.

As we have been fed by the seed that became grain, and then became bread, may we go out into the world to plant seeds of justice, transformation, and hope. Amen.

Closing prayer-All
Bless to us, this night.
the lowing of cattle and the rumble of traffic. Bless us in our journey, Jesus, till this day ends and a new day dawns.

Pause

We have laid our burdens down in the presence of the living God. We have taken bread and wine. And we are nourished for our journey. Bless our meeting and our departing. Amen

Closing Song: She sits like a bird (Enemy of Apathy)

Verse 1
She sits like a bird brooding on the waters
Hovering on the chaos of the world’s first day
She sighs and she sings mothering creation
Waiting to give birth to all the Word will say

Verse 2
She wings over earth resting where she wishes
Lighting close at hand or soaring through the skies
She nests in the womb welcoming each wonder
Nourishing potential hidden to our eyes

Verse 3
She dances in fire startling her spectators
Waking tongues of ecstasy where dumbness reigned
She weans and inspires all whose hearts are open
Nor can she be captured silenced or restrained

Verse 4
For she is the Spirit one with God in essence
Gifted by the Saviour in eternal love
She is the key opening the scriptures
Enemy of apathy and heavenly dove

What’s Coming Up – (Danielle)

Blessing – “May we live fully, love wastefully and have the courage to be all that God has created us to be.”

Adapted from the Iona Healing Liturgy; Songs used by permission CCLI #568546