From the working party planning  sunday.stuff@knox.

 

Going ahead with this service has been okayed and the first one will be on March 4^th  at 7.30pm in the church.  March 4^th has been planned by the working party.  Below are the notes they worked from.

 

FORMAT OF AN EVENING SERVICE

 

1. gathering                                  2. the word                   3. our response

 

(the latter usually includes a closing act of some sort.)

 

UNDER THESE HEADINGS ONE COULD HAVE VARIOUS WORSHIP ELEMENTS

 

Some examples could be( in no particular order)

 

WE GATHER TOGETHER WITH GOD.

 

- candle lighting                                     - prayer of thanksgiving and confession

- silence                                                           - quietly playing music

- people naming themselves “God, I am Susan, God, I am Nicola etc., etc.

- call to worship                                                - bringing of symbols

- sharing of where we have come from to be here tonight

- setting of a theme                                       - set-up of the room

- song sung                                                       - welcome

- notices ???

- choosing objects from a selection

(like stones, for example) and giving reasons

 

THE WORD IS PROCLAIMED

 

- dramatic reading                                     - role play

- contemporary reading                                     - poetry                       

- scripture reading

            sole reader

            responsive reading

- imaginative reading - visualisation using Scripture

- sermon                                                           - meditation

- reflection                                                       - group discussion        

- video                                                              - movie clip

- music lyrics                                                    - article from newspaper, or other news media

- limited participation story

 

WE RESPOND TO THE WORD

 

- offering thoughts written on a piece of paper and then burned or buried or just offered

- discussion after some ‘sermon’ type statement

- prayers of intercession -by sole prayer, or responsive or using newspaper or requests/ naming

- song/chant                                                     - lighting candles

- washing hands                                                            - floating flowers

- listening to music                                        - silent prayer

- communion                                                      - love feasts/quasi-communion

- art work - drawing, painting, claywork                      - planting seeds

- silence                                                           - offering money

 

ACT OF CLOSING:

- saying the Grace                                       - Blessing

- Benediction                                                    - Dismissal

- Dancing out the door                                               - taking up symbols

- blowing out the candles                               - taking out elements  or bible….

 

 

RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT KNOX:

 

CD player (Susan) plus some suitable CDs      Video with TV monitor

Overhead projector and screen              Worship book with some selected songs

Single copies of Iona songbooks                     Photocopying through Susan

OHP sized copies of Alleluia Aotearoa for making OHPs with - some already existing (Susan)

Janey Parker Huber hymnbook                                 Balloons,

candles,                                                            Sellotape

a sand tray for placing candles in,                    various lengths of coloured cloth,

tea, coffee, sugar, mugs, cups, kitchen,             worship liturgy books (Susan),

crepe paper,                                                     banners for some special Sundays,

access to the lectionary.                                Blu Tak

Scissors                                                           Glue sticks

Card and large sized paper

 

FORMAT - STANDARDISED OR FLUID ?

 

The working party decided we wanted some elements that always happened, so that those coming could build up a sense of security - and they would know what they are letting themselves in for.

 

We decided we would always light a candle or candles at the beginning and follow this with a specially written Canterbury paraphrase of Psalm 139.

 

We would generally follow the lectionary for biblical input.

 

The plan is for members of the working party to join with Susan individually  to plan services for the 11^th, and 18^th of March and the 1^st and 8^th of April.  25^th March the group will attend the multi-media worship service being held in Knox Church as the final act of the Prodigal project seminar.  Members of Knox church will be invited to join  the service from the beginning of April.

 

A group of anyone who wants to will meet to plan Easter Day service and the following Sunday (April 22^nd) will be a shorter service followed by an evaluation of how the planning process and the services are going.