Walking tune grainger program notes

The sharing of a meal is the most basic and most central family ritual, around which all other activities in which members of the family engage. The invitation of a guest to share in the family meal is accordingly an important gesture of friendship and communion. It is significant that Jesus chose a meal as the best context for us to the remember him. As the time of his betrayal and crucifixion drew near, Jesus chose, for farewell and remembrance purposes, the sharing of a meal.

There is no better symbol of communion, friendship and fellowship than a meal. It is instructive that Jesus did not leave to chance the question of how he was to be remembered, but sought to give his disciples very concrete clues, guidelines and a very definite context. It is also instructive that Jesus chose a communal rather than an individual meal situation for the context of his remembrance.

But we live in a world where meals - even family meal times - can no longer be taken for granted. In a world where some have more to have and to eat than they can consume, there are millions who go for days without a descent meal. There are families for whom a descent family meal is a luxury that happens all too rarely.

Effectively therefore, in the global meal table, there are millions who are excluded. What excludes them? The stigmatization of HIV-positive people. As long as the global meal table excludes some, the world is unable to witness to and remember Jesus Christ. We must be careful therefore that the Holy Communion does not become just another of the many exclusive and immoral meals in which a few get nourished when many are going hungry. Not only does Holy Communion remind us of a basic human act, but it also inspires us to work for a world in which there is genuine communion among all human beings and between humans and God.

For Paul it is important that this practice be kept just as the Lord had commanded. Here, it is clearly the theological significance of the meal that is highlighted. The central theological message here is that of linking the bread and the wine to the event of salvation. Human made bread and wine become metaphors for the broken body of the Christ and his shed blood. We must not pass too quickly over the fact and reality of the broken body and the spilt blood.

These two theological truths find much resonance in the experience of many in Africa today. Similarly, blood continues to be spilt in a world where the sanctity of life is no longer respected.

The world is broken. So the theological significance and the subsequent theological controversies about Holy Communion should not blind us to its socio-economic and ethical significance of Holy Communion. Paul was very much awake to the latter. After reminding his readers of the words of the Lord, he proceeds to caution against unworthy eating of Holy Communion.

Hence suggests introspection before Holy Communion and advises against gluttony or greed at the communion table. In remembering the broken body of Christ we recognize the broken world in which we live. We recognize the broken body of Christ - a body that is HIV-positive. So we aught to pause and think of the things that break our world up and the things that break the church up.

We should think particularly of things that destroy and pervert genuine human community. In this ritual built around a most basic and community-inspiring human act, namely, the sharing of a meal we are forced confess that in our world, even the sharing of a meal is fast becoming an exclusive preserve of a few as many go hungry. We are therefore challenged to name the policies and practices that break the world up and spill blood. We are challenged to work for a world in which there is real community.

In such a world stigma and discrimination will be eliminated. This is what it means to remember and to witness to Christ. Prayer of Commitment Lord we thank you for allowing us to sit at table with you. Give us strength to continue working for a world that is not broken - a world where blood is wantonly spilt. Help us to have courage to work for a world in which all have something to eat. Give us the vision and courage to build churches, which are home to strangers, the poor and the sick.

We particularly ask you to make the church a home and refuge for HIV positive people. Song: [An appropriate song of community or Holy Communion may be sung]. Convidaste-nos e continuas a convidar-nos no teu banquete, porque queres dividir tudo connosco. Perdoa-nos Senhor. Cherinda 4. At the moment there is famine of a magnitude that has not been experienced in a long while in Southern Africa.

Children and adults are dying of starvation. Others have had to resort to practices like immigration and sex work in order to make ends meet. Parents have to watch helplessly as their children die from malnutrition and related diseases. Many of these are Christians, and they have been told that if they are faithful and pray hard enough things will be okay.

But things have no t been despite their fidelity to the Christian faith. It might be advisable for the preacher to isolate and focus on one particular aspect of the narrative. The narrative is full of irony. Little did they know that in fact and indeed this was the king of kings and the Lord of the Lords! The divine plan was taking effect in the foolish act of human beings poking and mocking God. Here, God, in the person of Jesus, took on the form of a servant and was beaten so that we may be saved.

God took upon God- self-human suffering. We apply the word to ourselves Christians worship a crucified God who is not removed from their experiences. We need to ask ourselves about the image of God that we portray in our theologies and in our pulpits. Leader: Crucified God we come to you with bruised memories and sorrows.

Response: Listen to our prayers for we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Leader: God who was ridiculed, spat on, and, whose body staves and has no access to food Response: We bring your children to our communities, who are orphaned. They live without their mothers and fathers, but we know you look after them.

Leader: We bring before you the pain of those who starve and have no access to food. Response: We trust in you to provide us with our daily bread as you did to our parents and their parents before them. Bring us rain and turn our dusty fields into bountiful blessings of food.

Leader: Christ our liberator rescues us from the forces of death, which surrounds us; such as rape, domestic violence, sex industry and AIDS.

Response: Oh Lord restore us to yourself we pray. All: Crucified God be part of our sorrows. Weep with us and wipe away our tears. May our brokenness find healing in you. And may we take delight in your cross. That was a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine Demands my soul, my life, and my all.

Next to it could be a little candle. Dibeela 5. But once we reach the end of the road; we should embrace inevitable sufferings and death with a sense of hope and victory 1 Cor. They probably also saw the soldiers being deployed on the site to ensure nobody tampered with the burial of Jesus.

Nevertheless they went ahead to according to v. What a faith! We confess faithlessness and hopelessness in face of trails and problems. All are an inspiration to our own faith, hope and struggles. Yet the same God does not become powerless over our ungodly acts of murder or suicide. God sets right what has fallen. God indicates what has been messed up and resurrects what has been denied life through our individual and collective acts of omission and commission.

God suffers with us Heb. God promises to be present with us in our struggle Phil. He is peace He is life He is love He is health He is God He is Joy Anonymous Prayer to be recited by all Dear Lord, your resurrection gives us hope, courage and trust knowing that you transformed death into life.

When the road of life is hard, when it leads to the grave, let us rest in the assurance that beyond the grave, you will be waiting for us in your glory. Suggested Objects : Candles, Stones, pebbles. By Canon Gideon Byamugisha ii.

It should send out a message of hope to millions of disillusioned communities. As communities stagger under weight of pain and death, the resurrection should awaken flagging spirits. The good news that life triumphs over death should resurrect dead convictions. We must resurrect against the invasion of death in our families, villages, nations and continent. We listen to the Word of God The women in the story possessed immense faith and love.

At this point, you can introduce the local requirements associated with post-burial rituals. The women in the story also recognized the enormity of the task before them and deliberated amongst themselves, formulating viable strategies. You should also highlight the fact that after the discovery of the resurrection, a sense of mission followed. We apply the Word of God to the congregation.

While we were yet sinners, You sacrificed your only begotten son Jesus Christ, to atone for our arrogance and disobedience. By your might, you raised him from the dead. You delivered him from the jaws of death, That we may have life, and have it abundantly. Because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow. We are comforted and empowered. May the Holy Spirit minister to us. May the empty tomb generate confidence in us, To recognize that life triumphs over death.

Strengthen us to walk in your holy path, To the glory of your name. By Ezra Chitando 6. Service on Ascension Sermon Text: Luke Instructions: If you are holding a Bible study for a small group such as, Sunday school class, youth, mothers union get your participants to sit in a circle. If it is in the general service, likewise read the passage and open the interpretation to anyone who wishes.

The rest of the listeners can participate in the interpretation by interjecting with a relevant song between the different interpreters. If the participants wish, they can dance to these songs. This liturgy is communal and openly participatory, allowing all the members, who wish, the right to interpret the word. It is also a pure celebration in praise of God with multiple songs and dance.

All: Fill us with your Spirit of power, the Spirit that enables us to speak Enkindle us with your Spirit, the Spirit of fire and power. While blessing them, Jesus withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.

And they worshiped Jesus, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. It fills us with power, the power that heals our bodies and soul.

We thank you for your peace, for it surpasses all understanding. You give us peace in the midst of all that troubles our sight and souls. We thank you for your ascension, your rising above the power of death. We know that no death of body, mind and spirit can keep us down. We live in joy because you rose from death. Help us to dwell in the joy and fire of your Spirit at all times.

Help us to ascend through your resurrection power. This we pray, in Jesus name. Dube 7. Religious institutions in general and churches in particular, have very important roles to play in fighting the spread of the disease from one person to the other; in mobilizing care and treatment for those already infected and in mitigating the effects of the disease on the families, communities and the nations that have been affected. Isaiah 1. We listen to the word of God Read or choose someone to read the Isaiah Diseases, suffering and early deaths was the order of the day for both those who were in exile and those who had escaped complicity.

God wanted to bring this to a stop and this proclamation at tests. God is concerned about the declining life spans.

The high infant, maternal and paternal morbidity and mortality rates from preventable, postponeable and manageable conditions are a concern to God. All the prophecies of the Old Testament and all the sayings of Jesus testify to a God who loves life and is grieved by anything that reduces the quality of life.

Since God is always on the side of life Romans 8 , God will surely support all our efforts in this endeavor. Open our hearts for change and for forgiveness. Provide power to those who will bring change at individual, family, institutional, local community, national and global level.

Enable us to promote positive examples of righteous, safe and healthy living in our cultural, social, sexual, reproductive, political and spiritual lives. Strengthen our families, communities, and nations by removing neglect, conflict and individualism. Life i. Genesis MWD ii. Genesis EC iii. Mark FC 2. Compassion i.

Matthew MWD ii. Hope i. Ezra EC ii. Mark IAP 4. Repentance i. Luke MPPD 5. Forgiveness i. LK ACM 6. Love i. I Corinthians ACM 7. Fear and Desperation i. Judges 9 8. Stigma and Discrimination i. Job ACM ii. John MPPD 9. Sexuality i. Songs of Songs TSM ii. Songs of Songs EC iii. Songs of Songs GB Reconciliation i. Luke Healing i. Let each person read two verses and pass it on until the story is finished.

Then ask each person to comment about what they think of the verses they read. If you are preaching in a larger and more formal service arrange for dancers, ululation, those who will whistle, and drummers. For scripture reading, get different readers to read the creation story either as compiled below or from their Bibles. They should read their verses where they are seated. The idea is that the creation story must be experienced and the creating word of God should come alive in recreating the worshippers.

Call to Worship: Leader: You are the well of living waters. All: Quench our thirst with your waters of life. Leader: You are the bread of life. All: Feed us and fill our hunger for life. Leader: You are the resurrection and life. All: Raise us from the valley of dry bones, breathe life into our hopeless bodies. The quality of life has been severely reduced for both the infected and the affected. It is therefore important to revisit how and why life was created and what it was meant to be.

We note that in Genesis all life was created by God and it was created good. We need to reclaim our right to live a good life. Further, since God gave human beings access to resources Gen. We listen to the Word of God A participatory and poetic reading: Genesis Reader 1: In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth The earth was formless and void Then God said, "Let there be light.

God can be seen as either builder, artist or mother, who brings life to life. Up to verse 5 and for the whole first day of creation, God focused on creating light. Why light? It enables comprehension and nurtures life. In verses , the creation of living things begins. Every part of the creation was created with much care, love and artistic vigor. Nothing was of less value. The quality of life is a must for the whole creation. Why this change?

Who are the subjects addressed by God? The heavens are populated by angels or the heavenly council Job ; 1Kgs ; Jer. The creation of human being is a communal and consultative. What are the implications? This verse allows us to support the human rights of all and to fight all forms of oppression.

Human beings are blessed and given the power to multiply and fill the earth. This is the mandate to reproduce. It authorizes the right to live and have children. However, it must not be used to promote unsafe sex, or to discourage abstinence, where married women are forced to have children with positive men. The quality of life remains important in multiplication.

This is leadership position and role in the earth community. Both men and women, all people of all races, ethnic groups are given this role. No one should be poor. Why are some people poor? It hinders both prevention and provision of quality care. The church must, therefore, fight and condemn poverty.

Animals have rights to the resources of the earth. The right that we all have is the right to life, quality life. Life must be good, for God meant it to be very good! These social evils hinder the quality life for many people.

The story of creation should spur the church to take up its prophetic role in calling for a just world, a good world, where no one is discriminated or lives in poverty. You are beautiful in the trees that swing and in the wind that blows. You are beautiful in the stars that shine and in the sun that rises and sets. You are beautiful in the animals that creep and roar. You are beautiful in the faces of our families, friends--in all people. We see your beauty in all the forms of creation.

The earth and the heavens tell of your beauty, love and goodness. We thank you for the gift of life, for the sacred touch and spark in all life. Help us to celebrate it, to live, to protect it, to maintain it.

Help us to be good custodians of life; to be good stewards of your resources. Help us to fight against all the social injustices that mar the beauty of your creation. Creator God, grant us another day, another season, another year to life, So we can live in praise of your loving touch and creative hand of life. Dube ii. The absence of a known cure, poverty, sexism and stigma have all coagulated to make life lonely and burdensome for the infected and affected. In some African cities, advertising signs indicate the price of affordable coffins and death has become a common occurrence.

Wailing, funeral processions and other practices associated with death are regular experiences in many African communities. The creation story reaffirms life as proceeding from God. Consequently, anything that threatens life is contrary to the will of God. It is God who creates everything and affirms its goodness. However, God also commands humanity to observe a specific code of conduct if this life is to be assured.

In essence, the creation story captures the ideal condition where disease and death do not frustrate and terminate life. In such a God willed world, poverty, diseases, corruption, the oppression of women and children should be countered for they negate life as created by the creator. Conclusion: Word on the Society God wills that humans beings should enjoy full lives. Leaders at the various levels should therefore ensure that life is promoted and the forces of death are repelled.

Your breath sustains life. It banishes disease, death and suffering. Women and men, you created us in your image. Our sustainer and enabler, We praise and adore you. We lift up your holy name. We cry out for forgiveness.

For we have harmed your beautiful creation. Dear God, we beseech you to allow us a new start. As we celebrate the mystery of the created order. Guide us and protect us through Jesus Christ. By Ezra Chitando ii. Isso acontece porque as pessoas deixaram de acreditar na vida. Isso faz com que o procedimento de muitos as seja pouco digno. Devemos ir ter com Jesus e dizer-lhe: Limpa-nos, tira-nos o medo da morte.

Em nome de Jesus oramos. Services on Compassion i. All: We are because I am. Leader: No person is an island. All: Our God is the triune God, the God with us. Fear everywhere. This fear has, in many ways, brewed stigma and discrimination and the isolation of those who are infected and who are already sick.

It has hindered the provision of quality care. It has hindered compassion just when it is needed most. Compassion is defined as the reaching out to those who are suffering, the entering of their places of pain, their brokenness and the active search for ways of changing of their situation. Compassion is transformative.

In Matthew , Jesus makes, perhaps, the most compelling case for the Christian church to be compassionate. Jesus calls upon all his followers to see him in the faces of those who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick, and the imprisoned. He identifies himself with them. Serving these or failing to serve them is tantamount to doing it to Jesus.

We listen to the Word of God Reading Matt. Some get sent to the eternal fire. What is the criterion? The criteria for inheriting the kingdom of God is what one does to the underprivileged or marginalized. You cannot separate Christ from these Luke Our compassion to the marginalized is service to Christ. Compassion, in other words, is transformative.

It must challenge and seek to change the social structures that make some people hungry, thirsty, homeless, sick, imprisoned etc. To fail the needy is to fail Christ. This underlines its centrality. Compassion is a must. Conclusion: Word on the Society The society is laden with social injustice. Even though the creator God gave all people access to earth resources, there are many people who are hungry, thirsty, sick, naked and imprisoned.

While the general society has become so used to live with injustice, the church needs to remind the society that God does not tolerate injustice. Through its concrete acts of compassion the church should serve the marginalized as its service to Christ. It is imperative. Leader: Open our hearts, All: So we can feel the pains of all who suffer as your sorrow and suffering. Leader : Open our ears, All: So that we can hear the cry of the grieving as your cry.

Leader: Open our feet, All: So we can go and be with those who are in home-based care. Commissioning: Go with the God of compassion. Go with Emmanuel, the God With Us. Go with the Comforter to liberate creation from oppression.

Estamos orgulhosos porque sabemos que nos criaste e nos amas. Ajude-nos na nossa caminhada, para nunca nos afastarmos da tua vontade, todos os dias da nossa vida. Essa mulher louva a Deus na Sinagoga. Cherinda 3.

Services on Hope i. Have you not heard? He will not grow tired or weary, And his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary And increases the power of the weak. They will soar on wings like eagles; They will run and not grow weary, They will walk and not be faint. Introduction Depicted in this passage is clearly a situation of utter and complete hopelessness in which the Israelites find themselves.

It is a situation of a long and hopeless exile. Such hopelessness is familiar for many in the so-called Third World. Such situations are however seldom the focus of the world regards. They are too ghastly to attract world attention. This is especially true for the peoples of Africa.

But people prefer mountain tops not valleys. People prefer to look up the mountain rather than down in the valley. The prophet Ezekiel is driven by the spirit to a valley full of lifeless bones - a deliberately exaggerated selected mix of metaphors - is one with which many Africans have found connection and resonance for a long time.

The setting is one in which the prophet Ezekiel is led to the valley of dry bones and engaged in an dueling conversation by God. God wishes to transform the valley of death into a valley of live and hope. The very space of death and hopelessness will and can be transformed. We Listen to the Word of God The passage may either be read or dramatized. If the dramatization route is taken, then a number of people may be asked to lie still on the stage dramatizing the dry bones.

There will be a voice over to personify God and to enable the dialogue between God and Ezekiel. First the bodies of people will move around vigorously, to indicate the coming together of the bones. But they will go dead and quiet again. Until the voice will speak again and the breath of life if breathed into them.

This might mean that such a place was not one he would have ordinarily chosen to go to on his own. Once at the valley, Ezekiel was required not merely to look down or to observe at a distance. First he was made to descend into the valley and then he was led back and forth among the bones. He saw and felt the bones at close range and he remarked that they were very dry. The dialogue between Ezekiel and God is an intriguing one.

Completely non-committal and full of doubt, Ezekiel is led by the hand as it were to do as he was told and there to witness a miracle. Here both those infected and affected are equalized. They all live without hope and without meaning. This is an important pastoral challenge for the church. The prerequisite for taking part in a ministry of hope-creation is to be fearless of valleys - even the valleys full of dry bones.

As orphans, widows and widowers increase, a sense of helplessness has gripped the continent. Suffering, disease and death have bred pessimism and despair. As a result, hope has become a scarce commodity. New prophets and leaders should be stirred up to engage in activities that prevent the spread of HIV and provide quality care to the infected.

Despite the suffering caused by the epidemic, communities of faith need to be empowered to look forward to the future and rejoice in hope.

We listen to the Word of God In interpreting this text, emphasize the centrality of a sense of call and mission in undertaking the project of rebuilding the temple. Also highlight the different social and religious groups that were spurred into action. Although financial resources were crucial to the project, human and spiritual resources were equally vital. There is an urgent need for new visionaries who can become agents of hope and reconstruction.

Indicate that the need to proclaim a vision of renewal is an urgent one in Africa. Conclusion: Word on the Society. Song We shall overcome 3x some day. O deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome some day No. One: Holy Creator, hear our cry. One: Listen now to the message of hope After the darkest night the moon shines the brightest Disease and pain shall be banished Stigma and discrimination shall be overcome All: All praise and honor be yours!

God of hope, love and mercy The Spirit is with us! You can use the story of your own country. Is can be assumed that his statement was said to emphasize the temporary nature of life for everyone. In the West people live longer even when they have HIV because of the availability of drugs at affordable prices.

The drugs make the HIV to lay dormant in the body for a very long time. In Africa, the majority of the people cannot afford such drugs. Hope is one of the major sources of strength for the majority of the people as they survive on a daily basis. We listen to the Word of God Read or dramatize the text of Mark 5: The whole chapter 5 is about Jesus restoring people lives.

Jesus restored a man who was possessed by demons to normal life. Jesus restored the health of a woman, who had an issue of blood for twelve years. He went out to look for Jesus because his daughter was sick. While on the way to his house, Jairus received a message that his daughter was dead. Jesus encouraged him to continue trusting for the healing of his daughter.

The woman who had an issue of blood, had suffered for twelve years. In the processes of looking for treatment, she lost all her money.

Her status made her impure to be in the midst of people. The disease itself made her weak and therefore venerable to other infections. Most likely she could not keep a husband with her condition. Jesus noticed her touch of faith and asked her to own up, which she did. Jesus praised her for her faith. This is particularly true for caregivers of AIDS patients. Young people need to be willing to hear the Word of God.

Healing is not only physical. It can be spiritual, social, mental or even death because as far as God is concerned, there are other ways of being. Conclusion: Word on the society Care giving is an essential ministry and is should be recognized as such. Most women find is difficult to cope by themselves. The story of Jairus challenges the concept that care giving of the sick is for women only and highlights the contribution of fathers.

It demands a societal change to the role of the father in care giving. The idea of sharing the role of care giving should be done out of love for the other, by recognizing that women are over stretched. Hope is what life is all about.

We are surrounded by death as a result of various situations. We have hope for restoration, sometimes experienced in this world and at other times, in the next world. That is the message of Christianity. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

All: God our Wisdom, open our eyes to see your many ways of healing. Leader: God of Compassion, we see you taking time for the least of the society to bring them healing All: God our teacher, give us the courage to follow your foot-steps and bring healing to all people in our society. Leader : We seek your forgiveness where we have failed you. All: We receive your forgiveness as we go out to bring healing to your people through the power of the Holy Spirit.

There is a preacher in Gaborone whose preaching draws so many people to his congregation. He is by no means a modest man, he is always dressed with the latest designer suits and drives around with flashy cars. On this occasion he was preaching on his favorite subject, fornication.

He speaks with gusto and anger declaring how those who have children outside marriage, the homosexuals and people living with AIDS will be condemned to eternal damnation. As he preaches one of the people sitting in the congregation is actually HIV positive. He catalogues his deeds; he gives money regularly to the temple, prays a lot and is obviously an important person in society. He brags about this and in fact uses this to denounce those who, in his opinion, to not match up to his piety.

The other person is very humble, and conscious of his shortcomings. He is remorseful for his sins and begs for mercy from God. We apply the word of God to ourselves and the congregation Who shall we say is represented by these two people in our communities today? It would help to compare the two, identify both the common issues as well as the differences in these two parables.

They have not been allowed space within the church to express their remorse, like the tax collector, and therefore experience some healing. In Catholic churches the ministry of repentance is taken seriously, because space is created for people to come to confession.

It is important for the church to be a place where people are permitted to come to confession. It is important for the church to be a place where people are permitted to come in penitence before God, to pour out their emotions, bruised hearts, and guilt within them for the sins they have committed. In the church we should not just be allowed space to offer penitence, but we are also assured of the love of Christ through absolution.

Such a space, however, cannot exists if the church poses as a community of religious purity than love. Prayer of confession : Dear God, our creator, We come before you asking for your mercy. We have sinned against you and have forgotten your grace towards us. We have failed to be loving and accepting to those we live with. We often wrong the little ones among us through our arrogance. Forgive us our sins and restore us to fellowship with each other and with you.

Service on Forgiveness Sermon Text: Luke: Introduction One community building activity that is universal is having a meal together. It might be an ordinary meal, or at a wedding celebration, a funeral, communal work, birthday party or any other party. Stories are heard that those who are HIV positive are being isolated from the fellowship table and made to eat by themselves for fear of being infected.

Jesus was invited to one of those dinners by a Pharisee. Let us take note that the main players in this episode are Simon, the host who is a Pharisee; Jesus, one of the guests; a nameless sinful woman who invites herself to the dinner; and other guests. She brings with her an alabaster jar of perfume, stand at he feet of Jesus weeping, her tears wets his feet and she wipes them dry with her hair and pours perfume on them.

Ask the congregation the following questions: Is this acceptable behavior? What was she communicating through these actions? Simon disapproves of the action and thinks it does not reflect well on the reputation of Jesus. Simon removes Jesus from being thought a prophet for allowing himself to be touched by a sinful woman. Jesus risked being also contaminated by her sinfulness. Simon did not verbalize his disapproval, but something about his body language communicated and Jesus noticed it.

Jesus tells a story or a parable using his proven teaching method. Ask the congregation the following questions: Who are the characters in the story? What is the problem? How is it resolved? Who comes out well and vindicated? Who comes out worse and condemned? Jesus has turned the tables. He stands not only as prophet, but now judge between Simon and the sinful woman. He is not only judge, but also the God who forgives sin and gives peace.

We Apply the Word of God to the Congregation and the society. Love never condemns. It rejoices when people finally find forgiveness and peace. Is there something that lending institutions can learn from this story? He said, freely, freely, you have received Freely, freely give. God in my name and because you believe, Others will know that I live. Go in peace. Service on Love Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians Introduction Love in not only a language universal, but it is also its civilization.

The culture of love expresses itself in the pleasure of loving. This is what the world needs and longs for, and yet which it lacks. This is what the world desires, but also that it misses. The world talks and sings about love a lot, but also greatly misunderstands it. Our sense of love is conditional, functional, and has strings attached, it is never free and spontaneous. The love that we are talking about in this text is very different from what we are used to. It is foundational and also fundamental as the greatest commandment.

It is the meaning of life since we are created in the image of God whose very life and nature is love 1 John We are created out of love, through love, with love, and for love. Only love can give us the hope we need and only love can sustain our faith. It is love that makes us communities of compassion and not those who stigmatized and discriminate those who are living with the disease.

This should help to set the context for our text. It might also be good to start reading the text from 1 Cor. Love is presented in verse 31 as the greater gift and the most excellent way. What is the evaluation when love is lacking? Without love, all other gifts lack value for God and for other people.

This serves as our benchmark to see how we are measuring up in our own humanness. Ask each to substitute their name for love to see if they measure up to the greatest commandment.

While these are powerful means for our security and salvation, they are imperfect. We grow spiritually and that growth is properly marked by love and not other spiritual gifts. The mark of a person filled by the Holy Spirit is love. Even among these, love is the greatest. It is the hallmark of Christian living.

We Apply the Word to the Congregation and Society Just listen to any FM station, you are bound to listen to some melancholic music about some aspect of love. Love seems to be the universal language. It is longed for and most missed. While we believe that love is the answer, more often than not, we do not know how to express it adequately. We often have wrong ideas about love and we use the word to trap others in our greed and self-centredness. Genuine love is other centred and seeks to serve the other rather than self.

While we talk a lot about love in the churches, there is little practice to show that we are serious. Love has to be our sense of being the church in the world otherwise we are not yet the church. Since genuine love is a gift of the Holy Spirit, it is found nowhere in the world except in the church. Since it is a gift, it can only be offered to others as a gift. If we are going to be of any service to those who are HIV positive then we have to be first and foremost servants and prisoners of love.

Congregation: Patient God, you are always patient with us, teach us also to be patient with one another. Leader: Love is kind.

Congregation: Kind God, you are always kind with us, teach us to be kind with one another. Leader: Love does not envy. Congregation: We confess the envy destroys our relationships daily. God who is not envious, teach us to appreciate one another. Leader: Love does not boast and it is not proud. Congregation: We confess our pride.

Oh God! Leader: Love is not rude and self-seeking. Congregation: Good Lord, we confess that we are often so rude to one another and also so self-centred. Forgive us for the sake of Jesus Christ and make us new people again. Leader: Love is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrong.

Congregation: We confess that very often we keep records of wrong and thus are not able to reconcile ourselves to one another and to you. Good God, show us the futility of keeping such records and the need to forgive in order to be forgive ourselves. Leader: Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. Congregation: Help us Good Lord to delight in that which is good and true.

Leader: Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Congregation: Help us Good Lord to experience this kind of love from you and others. Leader: Love never fails. Congregation: Good Lord, we often experience failure with our types of love. Grant us your kind of love so as to succeed in our loving endevours. Mosupole 6. Service on Fear and Desperation Sermon Text: 2 Kings 6: Leader: We gather in the name of our Creator who did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.

We join hands to work together towards the healing of our communities from injustice. It dehumanizes people by making the victims of war to live in fear and desperation. This is because where there has been war, there is also economic, gender, health, and political injustice. War breeds insecurity, displacement of people, anger, selfishness in people, despair, and oppression of the poor and marginalized.

This primarily because war destroys and can bring every social welfare institution to standstill: families, health, education government system come to a standstill, while money is ploughed into killing. A war rubbishes life and tramples down on the most valuable aspects of being; namely, life. Even those who survive their psyches have been adversely affected. In the Western media, the African people are presented as constantly fighting among themselves. It is a very bad image for all of us.

Scores Grainger, Percy Romantic style Early 20th century Dances For flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn Scores featuring the flute Scores featuring the oboe Scores featuring the clarinet Scores featuring the bassoon Scores featuring the horn For 5 players Works first published in Works first published in the 20th century Pages with commercial recordings Pages with commercial recordings Naxos collection Pages with parts for purchase. Dances ; For flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn ; Scores featuring the flute ; Scores featuring the oboe ; Scores featuring the clarinet ; Scores featuring the bassoon ; Scores featuring the horn ; For 5 players.

Contents 1 Performances 1. Performers Ithaca College Wind Ensemble. Boca Raton: Masters Music Publications , Javascript is required for this feature. Editor First edition reprint.

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