Cartoon by Tom Toro, published in the ‘New Yorker’, Source ...

Cartoon by Tom Toro, published in the ‘New Yorker’, Source: https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*qmwypW7QseJJbIB3.jpg

JUSTICE AND MISSION UNIT UNITING CHURCH SYNOD OF WA

https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*qmwypW7QseJJbIB3.jpg





Sustainable September Week 4: Time to Act Intergenerational Service

Procession Source: https://disneydetail.me/2012/12/04/december-4/vlcsnap-2012-12-03-17h33m10s142/


Call to Worship


Video of the Great Barrier Reef

• Insert this video here:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAyRBqKk3hk (3:01)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAyRBqKk3hk

Hymn: TIS 135 All Things Bright and Beautiful


All things bright and beautiful,

all creatures great and small,

all things wise and wonderful -

the Lord God made them all.


The wildflowers in their beauty,

the mountain ranges tall,

the billabongs and rivers,

and friendly birds that call,


All things bright and

beautiful,


all things wise and wonderful



The cold wind in the winter,

the bright, life-giving sun,

the ripe fruits in the garden –

God made them every one.


All things bright and

beautiful,

all creatures great and

small,




The many-coloured corals,

the creatures of the sea,

of bushland, field or desert,

On farms, or roaming free,


All things bright and beautiful,





He gave us eyes to see them,

And lips that we might tell

How great is God Almighty,

Who has made all things well. ©Together in Song (1999) The Australian Hymn Book Company, hymn 135.


Discussion 1

Break into groups of about 4 people and share with each other your favourite experiences related to coral reefs and/or the ocean. What are you grateful for?


Opening Prayer


Discussion 2


Source: https://au.pinterest.com/pin/219409813065671107/


Making your own fish!


Finding Nemo Clip

• Insert video here: http://youtu.be/BVRENOxPdcw (2:49)


http://youtu.be/BVRENOxPdcw

News Clip:

• Insert video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BcgUPsOuzM (0:55)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BcgUPsOuzM

JUSTICE AND MISSION UNIT UNITING CHURCH SYNOD OF WA http://www.savingnemo.org/#!million-kisses-campaign/sjoxs

http://www.savingnemo.org/#!million-kisses-campaign/sjoxs





Give your fish to someone else!


Children’s Song: Fishy Pokey


You put your left fin in

You put your left fin out

You put your left fin in

And you shake it all about

You do the fishy pokey

And you turn yourself around

That’s what it’s all about


You put your right fin in

You put your right fin out

You put your right fin in






You put your gills in

You put your gills out

You put your gills in






You put your whole body in

You put your whole body out

You put your whole body in




That’s what it’s all about Source: http://www.karolyeatts.com/Early%20Childhood/Ocean%20Unit/Ocean%20Animal%20Songs.pdf


http://www.karolyeatts.com/Early Childhood/Ocean Unit/Ocean Animal Songs.pdf

http://www.karolyeatts.com/Early Childhood/Ocean Unit/Ocean Animal Songs.pdf

Children please gather up at the front, as we have some paper here for you to draw a coral reef together while you listen to the service.


Bible Reading: 1 Tim 6:6-19 (NRSV) “Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7 for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; 8 but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.


• 11 But as for you, child of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made[b] the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the Ruler of rulers and Lord of lords. 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.


https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+6:6-19&version=NRSV#fen-NRSV-29784b

17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.”


Discussion 3

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/great-barrier-reef-coral-bleaching-concerning-govt-week-after-mine-approval-20160408-go1xmd.html


Coral bleaching video

• Insert video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJVh4bpj3dE (6:47)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJVh4bpj3dE

Bible Reading: Lk 16: 19-31 (NRSV) The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 24 He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27 He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ 30 He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”


Mini-Sermon


Hymn and Offering Collection: TIS 690 Beauty for Brokenness As you come forward to make your offering you may like to

add something to the coral reef scene at the front.


Beauty for brokenness Hope for despair Lord, in the suffering This is our prayer Bread for the children Justice, joy, peace Sunrise to sunset Your kingdom increase!


Shelter for fragile lives Cures for their ills Work for the craftsman Trade for their skills Land for the dispossessed Rights for the weak Voices to plead the cause Of those who can't speak


God of the poor Friend of the weak Give us compassion we pray Melt our cold hearts Let tears fall like rain Come, change our love From a spark to a flame


Rest for the ravaged earth Oceans and streams Plundered and poisoned Our future, our dreams Lord, end our madness Carelessness, greed Make us content with The things that we need


God of the poor Friend of the weak Give us compassion we pray Melt our cold hearts Let tears fall like rain Come, change our love From a spark to a flame

©Together in Song (1999) The Australian Hymn Book Company, hymn 690.


Call to Action: What are you going to do for our reefs?

Three Groups

Group 1: what will you do as individuals to protect our coral reefs and climate?

Group 2: what will you do as a church to protect our coral reefs and climate?

Group 3: what will you do to campaign for government action to protect our coral reefs and climate?

All groups: pick a spokesperson to report on your brainstorm.


Prayers of the People


Final Prayer – responsive

Loving, Creating God,

all of nature calls you blessed, and so do we.

You are the Spirit of Life, the Breath of life, in whom we live and move and have our being,

revealed to us in the life that abounds around and within us.

With our eyes let us see the dazzling worth of nature,

With our ears let us hear the music of the eons

And with our mouths let us proclaim the fullness of life embodied in Jesus of Nazareth.


We acknowledge Jesus as the pivot point of life,

and that how we react to him determines whether we live or die.

May we see the resurrection of life in him,

resurrection that shows us that the status quo can, must and will change.

Amidst death and decay, we are witnesses to the coming of spring.

We are convinced that another world is indeed possible.


Help us to devote our lives to that vision, with joy, integrity and courage.

Remind us, we pray, that it is not so much how we understand the resurrection in the light of history,

but how we understand history in the light of the resurrection,

We acknowledge at this time that we have not exercised the responsibility that rests upon us.

We acknowledge that so often our best efforts are tinged with greed –


the desire for more and different things

and how at times our greed is nothing less than theft

from those who have no power against us - people, animals and nature's store.

May we continue to open our eyes to the enormity of our deeds,

And our hearts to the suffering and despoiling which those deeds have caused.


We seek forgiveness from you; and from the children, women and men

whose hurt have come from us;

We seek forgiveness from every animal, plant and rock,

the skies above and the good earth itself, which nourishes and sustains us all.


May we find the grace to live for the world’s healing rather than our own.

May we think clearly, engage in right action, and adopt a gentle life style –

the very things we see in Jesus of Nazareth

and in whose name we gather

Amen.

(Compiled by Rev. Neville Watson)


Sending Out

Source: http://www.justsnorkel.com/listing/heartreef/ JUSTICE AND MISSION UNIT UNITING CHURCH SYNOD OF WA

Hymn TIS 137 For the Beauty of the Earth

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/report-sought-on-proposed-power-plants-impact-on-turtles/article4033169.ece


Music Video

• Insert this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpEbQGsPqHE (3:35)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpEbQGsPqHE

Cartoon by Tom Toro, published in the ‘New Yorker’, Source ...

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