Resources for The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and throughout the year 2015 (2)

PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN UNITY

 

 

Resources for 
THE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 
and throughout the year 2015

Jesus said to her: "Give me to drink" 
(John 4:7)

Jointly prepared and published by 
The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
The Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches

ECUMENICAL WORSHIP SERVICE

Introduction to the worship

This outline for the ecumenical worship may be used for the opening of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity or for another appropriate moment chosen by the local communities.

Jesus deliberately chose to cross Samaria on his way to Judea in Galilee. His route passed by the well of the Samaritan woman who came there to draw water. The Brazilian ecumenical group that prepared the celebration invites us to use these two symbols of the route and water as images of the visible Christian unity for which we pray. The local group invites us to reflect on these initial questions that give shape to the celebration:

Which is the path of unity, the route we should take, so that the world may drink from the source of life, Jesus Christ?

Which is the path of unity that gives proper respect to our diversity?

On this path of unity, there is a well filled with water: both the water sought by Jesus, tired on the way, and also the water given by him, springing up to eternal life. The water drawn by the Samaritan woman in her daily task is the water that quenches thirst, the water that makes the desert bloom. The water that Jesus gives is the water over which the Spirit of God hovered, the living water in which we were baptized.

The passage from John 4:1-42 is at the heart of this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This long Gospel passage may be read by several voices or by a dramatization.

For the meditation after the Gospel, there are several options depending on the size of the celebrating group:

• a sharing based on the initial questions in small groups, followed by returning to the assembly;

• a homily or sermon that will focus on the gospel and take into account the initial questions.

The path and the well

A path can be arranged with candles, flowers, colourful pieces of cloth... on the floor of the central aisle of the place of celebration, leading to the front of the assembly. In the center of the path, a large basin is placed and jugs of water nearby. These pitchers could be different from one another to represent the diversity of the assembly.

The celebrants may enter in procession along this path. Passing near the "well", each representative of a participating church will slowly pour the water from a jug into the bowl. This water, from different sources, is a symbol of our unity, already present though incomplete and hidden from our eyes. This gesture should be introduced at the beginning of the celebration and may be commented upon in the preaching.

The path may be used in the preparation of the confession of sins. People come from different parts of the assembly on the way to express petitions for forgiveness.

After the blessing, participants can exchange a sign of peace and fellowship, as they leave the assembly and move towards a convivial place to end the service in a communal way.

Structure of the Celebration

NB: Particular attention should be given to include those with impaired hearing and people with disabilities so that they can fully participate in the celebration.

The celebration has five parts.

I. Prelude/Preparation

II. Opening

• Welcome and Introduction to the Week of Prayer – Theme

• Confession of Sins and Kyrie

III. Gospel Proclamation

IV. We Respond in Faith and Unity

• Affirmation of Faith 
  (The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, the Apostles’ Creed or another affirmation of faith may be used, for example a renewal of baptismal promises.)

• Intercessory Prayer

• Offering

• The Lord’s Prayer (said or sung)

V. Benediction, Peace and Sending Forth

Postlude

Order of Service

C: Celebrant 
L: Lector 
A: All

I. Prelude/Preparation

The candles are to be lit as the service starts.

Welcome and Introduction to the Week of Prayer – Theme

A commentator welcomes people to the celebration introducing the theme of the prayer.

L: Please stand and join in singing the opening hymn as the celebrants enter in procession along the path. Passing near the "well", each representative of a participating church will slowly pour the water from a jug into the bowl. This water, from different sources, is a symbol of our unity which is real, though still incomplete.

When the celebrating group is small, if possible, invite people to say their names and to which church they belong.

II. Opening

Invitation to prayer (3)

C: Almighty God, breathe into us the wind of unity that recognizes our diversity, 
A: Breathe into us tolerance that welcomes and makes us community,

C: Breathe into us fire that unites what is torn apart and heals what is ill, 
A: Breathe into us grace that overcomes hatred and frees us from violence,

C: Breathe into us life that faces down and defeats death, 
A: Blessed be the God of mercy, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and makes all things new. Amen!

Confession of Sin and Kyrie

C: In humility, as children of God and sisters and brothers in Christ, we receive God’s mercy and respond to God’s call to make new all relationships.

L: Merciful Lord, your Spirit hovered over the waters where diversity sprouted and flourished. We confess our difficulty to live with legitimate differences. Forgive us those attitudes of mind, words and actions that do violence to unity in diversity.

A: O Lord, have mercy upon us…(sung)

L: Merciful Christ, grace and joy of the multitude, listener and teacher, you give birth to new visions of hope and heal the wounds of mind and body. We confess that we have failed to listen to voices different from our own, failed to say words that bring healing and hope, and we have perpetuated exclusive attitudes to those who cry out for solidarity and fellowship.

A: O Lord, have mercy upon us…(sung)

L: Merciful Lord, you are the source of all creation, the Eternal and life-giving Word. We confess that we do not listen to your creation that groans and cries out for liberation and renewal. Help us to walk together and to hear your voice in all living things that suffer and yearn for healing and care.

C: O God, fountain of mercy and grace, pour over us your pardon. May your love transform us into a source of living waters to restore the strength of your people. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen. 16 17

III. Gospel Proclamation

Proclamation or dramatization of the Gospel of John 4:1-42

Meditation or Sermon

IV. We Respond in Faith and Unity

Affirmation of Faith 
(The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, the Apostles’ Creed or another affirmation of faith may be used for example the renewal of baptismal promises.)

Intercessory Prayer 
The Congregation may sing the following Indigenous melody Guaicuru Kyrie or choose another.

L: God of eternal compassion, as individuals and as community, we ask for light, so we may become more welcoming and understanding towards others and reduce the suffering in our world.

A: Hear us, God of love! Hear this our cry!…(sung)

L: God of eternal compassion, teach your children that charity, hospitality and unity are expressions of your revelation and will for humanity. 
A: Hear us, God of love! Hear this our cry!... (sung)

L: God of eternal compassion, we beseech you, grant us peace; teach us and guide us to be builders of a tolerant and non-violent world. 
A: Hear us, God of love! Hear this our cry!... (sung)

L: God of eternal compassion, who spoke to us through creation, then through the prophets and then through your Son Jesus Christ, grant us wisdom to listen to your voice that calls us to unity in our diversity. 
A: Hear us, God of love! Hear this our cry!... (sung)

L: God of eternal compassion, in the name of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord who as a stranger asked for a drink from a Samaritan woman, give us living water, springing up unto eternal life. 
A: Hear us, God of love! Hear this our cry!... (sung)

The local community may add other prayers.

Offering

C: We learn from Jesus to offer our lives as a sign of love and compassion. God, may we become living offerings dedicated to the ministry of your Word and grace.

Offerings are presented to the community.

C: God, who are with us and walk in our midst, grant us this day the grace of your light and Spirit so that we may continue our mission and remain faithful to welcoming and listening to all, even those who are different from ourselves. Take away the violence that is in our hearts and the discriminating attitudes that exclude and devalue the human dignity of others. Enable our churches to be welcoming spaces where feast and forgiveness, joy and tenderness, strength and faith become our daily practice, our daily food, our daily movement forward in Jesus Christ. 
A: Amen.

Note: Local communities are invited to organize the offerings according to local tradition. We suggest that offerings be brought and placed on top of the colorful cloth before the altar. While the offertory takes place, a song is sung, chosen by the local organizing team.

The Lord’s Prayer (said or sung)

V. Benediction, Peace and Sending Forth

Benediction

C: May the Lord God, 
bless you and protect you, 
fill your heart with tenderness and your soul with joy, 
your ears with music and your nostrils with perfume, 
your tongue with song giving face to hope.

May Jesus Christ the living water be 
behind you to protect you, 
before you to guide you, 
by your side to accompany you, 
within you to console you, 
above you to bless you.

May the life-giving Spirit 
breathe into you that your thoughts may be holy, 
act in you so that your work is holy, 
draw your heart so that you love what is holy, 
strengthen you that you will defend what is holy.

May he make his home in your heart, 
water its dryness, and melt its coldness, 
kindle in your innermost soul the fire of his love