Resources for faith and life |
Welcome to 'Conversations' ...
Worship, prayer, preaching, inspiration and song from Aotearoa New Zealand |
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Brought to you by Silvia Purdie from Christchurch, New Zealand Silvia is the Minister at Cashmere Presbyterian Church. Check out their website. |
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NZ is reeling today in the aftermath of our very own terrorist attack. As 50 people lie dead and dozens more fight for their lives in hospital, we are all shocked and devastated.
My son's school has lost 2 current students and 5 family members of current students. My son was part of this amazing event in our city park: Haka and vigil for shooting victims Psalms for a day like this ... Psalm 58 ... evil and violence in the metaphor of a snake Psalm 7 is also strong stuff. Psalm 46 ... a very present help in times of trouble Psalm 56 ... fears lie in wait ... and tough conversation HERE about how our own religious tradition, even the Psalms, can be read to fuel self-righteous hatred. Take Psalm 101 for instance. |
Presbyterians denounce violent Christchurch attacks
Presbyterian Church Moderator, Rt Rev Fakaofo Kaio, adds the voice of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand to those railing against today’s violent shootings in Christchurch. “We are deeply, deeply shocked. There are really no words to adequately convey the gravity of this situation where people have lost their lives and been injured in such a senseless and violent manner. “In New Zealand this sort of violence is unheard of, and we must stand together as a nation against religious violence. “There is strength the diversity, and many of us will have neighbours who are different to ourselves. We need to learn their names, break bread with them, and work to understand their values and their faith, because this how the hatred and fear that breeds such violence will be eliminated. “We will be praying for today’s victims and their families, and we will also pray for God’s blessing upon the Christchurch community, who will be particularly affected by this terrible tragedy. “I call on all of our parishes and faith communities, to please have a moment of silence before worship this Sunday. The love and power of God shall reign through all the world.” Prayer: Holy God of mercy and compassion, pour down your embrace and love on all the world. In places of strife, violence, and death. We pray for the communities in Christchurch. The victims of this horrific tragedy, their families and the whole of New Zealand. May your grace and power surround us all. Giving strength and courage in the face of hatred and evil. In Jesus we pray. Amen |
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Announcing, hot off the press, new for Lent 2019 .... (drum roll please!)
For God so loved the world study about Christian faith and our environment 8 weeks of reflections, with personal and practical ways to pray, exploring the Bible and critical current issues. Also I'm adding in lots more stuff into the Creation page in the God menu, including links to major websites. |
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How to write a prayer An ideas sheet by Silvia Purdie
There are a gazillion written prayers available on websites and books
but the best prayer is your own prayer.
Here is a ‘tried and true’ framework to help to get started.
(It also happens to be the basic flow of most of the prayers in the Bible)
Prayers can be short or long. Some focus more in one part than others.
Don’t use lots of words when a few will do. Best to say what you mean and leave out waffle (… “we humbly just ask that you might hear our prayer that” … blah blah!). Be direct.
Use words that evoke an emotional response, without dictating what that might be.
Normally in church we pray together, so it’s “we …”
Here are the basic elements, normally in this order:
1: Address God Name God, and say what aspect of God you want to highlight.
2: Thanks We are grateful for …
3: Confession (not every prayer includes this – often one in a worship service)
We are sorry for …
4: Asking We pray for …
We pray that … … what do you want to happen?
5: Returning glory to God. A good way to end a prayer is by circling back to the God you are talking to, handing it over and giving credit where credit is due.
What is your theology of prayer?
Mine is that God is always at work in the world, but that God has a bit of a “by invitation only” policy. Our prayers make space for God to do what God does, inviting more of his healing and restoration, his calling and leading and sustaining power. This has the strongest effect in the lives of those who pray the prayer, but it also has effect in situations we know nothing about.
When we pray with Creation we name things we value in the natural world and remember their relationship with God. We bring to God our sadness, guilt and our fears for the environment, and entrust these into God’s hands, together with our hopes for positive action we long for.
There are a gazillion written prayers available on websites and books
but the best prayer is your own prayer.
Here is a ‘tried and true’ framework to help to get started.
(It also happens to be the basic flow of most of the prayers in the Bible)
Prayers can be short or long. Some focus more in one part than others.
Don’t use lots of words when a few will do. Best to say what you mean and leave out waffle (… “we humbly just ask that you might hear our prayer that” … blah blah!). Be direct.
Use words that evoke an emotional response, without dictating what that might be.
Normally in church we pray together, so it’s “we …”
Here are the basic elements, normally in this order:
1: Address God Name God, and say what aspect of God you want to highlight.
2: Thanks We are grateful for …
3: Confession (not every prayer includes this – often one in a worship service)
We are sorry for …
4: Asking We pray for …
We pray that … … what do you want to happen?
5: Returning glory to God. A good way to end a prayer is by circling back to the God you are talking to, handing it over and giving credit where credit is due.
What is your theology of prayer?
Mine is that God is always at work in the world, but that God has a bit of a “by invitation only” policy. Our prayers make space for God to do what God does, inviting more of his healing and restoration, his calling and leading and sustaining power. This has the strongest effect in the lives of those who pray the prayer, but it also has effect in situations we know nothing about.
When we pray with Creation we name things we value in the natural world and remember their relationship with God. We bring to God our sadness, guilt and our fears for the environment, and entrust these into God’s hands, together with our hopes for positive action we long for.
STRESSFUL SITUATIONS in ministry
A word of advice for newbies and old hands in ministry
on dealing with crises.
Sooner or later in your ministry, things will get ugly. Shit happens. People get hurt. People get mad. And the underbelly of your coping strategies gets dragged out into the light. When that happens, how you respond as a church leader will make a huge impact on the outcomes.
Wedding Resources
Updated material on weddings, and some work-in-progress about the Commitments of marriage.
A word of advice for newbies and old hands in ministry
on dealing with crises.
Sooner or later in your ministry, things will get ugly. Shit happens. People get hurt. People get mad. And the underbelly of your coping strategies gets dragged out into the light. When that happens, how you respond as a church leader will make a huge impact on the outcomes.
Wedding Resources
Updated material on weddings, and some work-in-progress about the Commitments of marriage.
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Fresh work on the Psalms ...
Looking for ideas about how to use Psalms more in a worship service? New page in my Psalms section: HERE Enriching Worship with Psalms (a workshop for the Canterbury Lay Preachers Association) How does the Revised Common Lectionary use Psalms? I've been right through the 3 year cycle of the Lectionary and drawn up an index of which Psalms are used for which seasons in which years. This has highlighted for me how the Lectionary chooses Psalms and verses within Psalms. I find the results troubling. If you use the Lectionary, check out my new pages & analysis HERE. |
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Family Tree: Material about my family tree, ancestry, where my ancestors came from in England ...
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In 'Conversations.net.nz' you will find:
GOD ... resources for worship, especially 'Calls to worship' and confession - prayers and home-grown 'psalms' - sermons - Communion liturgies - all-age worship ideas & reflections for children's ministry PSALMS ... reflections on Biblical Psalms interpreted and reworked for prayer and for use in worship LOVE ... poetry, discussions on marriage & intimacy and dramatic explorations of Biblical love stories ... reflections on grief and death SONG ... original music, for worship and for kids ... and lots of lovely photos! 
Because I believe ... that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true! that growing to maturity in Christ takes work that courageous honesty of heart and soul is required that worship is wonderful that each person is a taonga, a treasure, no matter the age, assets or abilities that the local church is the hope of the world. |
In conversation ...
... chatting with friends over coffee ... finding words for the moments and movements of mind & body, my spirit alive with God-Spirit ... getting to know Jesus Christ, ever curious as to what he would say and do ... bringing every fibre and phrase into the eternal conversation of Father Spirit Son ... conversations with children and elders, with church as it is and as it might be ... with my people in my place and offered to everyplace ... with pain and with celebration, with beauty and with scars, with the sacred and the ordinary, with scripture, song and silence. All material here is copy-right free; you are free to copy and paste to your heart's content. I just ask that you acknowledge the source and help promote my website.
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