Theme:Asian Women Moving Forward; Non-Violent World; New Earth; Life in Its Fullness
ACWC Day: The third Sunday in November in each year

• Procession of participants carrying the Bible, ACWC Banner and some symbols to symbolize your country (Example: Sprigs of greenery for New Zealand) and placed on or near the altar according to local custom.

Call to Worship
Leader: Micah 6:8 (Suggest to use the New Revised Version for the basic reading)

Leader: We send greetings from Aotearoa New Zealand, the land of the Long White Cloud, and join with our nineteen member countries of the Asian Church Women’s Conference to praise God and give thanks for the gift of Christian Faith which we have received.
We uphold before God, the theme of this Service: Asian Women Moving Forward, Non-Violent World; New Earth; Life in its Fullness.
We praise God for the beauty of the earth: the mountains, the rivers, the sea and the freedom we all have to roam at will. We marvel at the sunrise, sunset and gaze at the Southern Cross Constellation high in our clear night sky.
We ask for the wisdom to care for our country and our people of many nations, Maori and Pakeha who have come to live here; and to share it with others.
Let us pray earnestly today and in the future for the courage to work for the ideals of our theme so that God’s Creation in the fullest sense of human, animal and all nature will be respected.
Let us greet one another as we often do in New Zealand....Haere Mai, Nau Mai....... welcome, welcome.

Hymn: We Are Many, We Are One
We are many, we are one,
and the work of Christ is done
when we learn to live in true community,
as the stars that fill the night ,
as a flock of birds in flight,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine;
as the branches of a tree,
as the waves upon the sea,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine.

All division is made whole
when we honour every soul,
find the life of God in every you and me
as the fingers of a hand,
as the grains that form the sand,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine
as the threads upon the loom,
as a field of flowers in bloom,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine.

We will join creation’s song
make a world where all belong,
build as one in peace and loving harmony,
as the voices of a choir,
as the flames within a fire,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine;
as the snowflakes in the snow,
as the colours of a bow,
as the cluster of the grapes upon the vine.

Words: Colin Gibson & Music: Colin Gibson

Benedict Aotearoa
Leader: O give thanks to our God who is good:
All: whose love endures forever.
Leader: You sun and moon, you stars of the southern sky:
All: give to our God your thanks and praise
Leader: Sunrise and sunset, night and day:
All: give to our God your thanks and praise.
Leader: All mountains and valleys, grassland and scree,
glacier, avalanche, mist and snow:
All: give to our God your thanks and praise.
Leader: You kauri and pine, rata and kowhai, mosses and ferns:
All: give to our God your thanks and praise.
Leader: Dolphins and kahawai, sealion and crab,
coral, anemone, pipi and shrimp:
All: give to our God your thanks and praise.
Leader: Rabbits and cattle, moths and dogs
kiwi and sparrow and tui and hawk:
All: give to our God your thanks and praise.
Leader: You Maori and Pakeha, women and men,
all who inhabit the long white cloud:
All: give to our God your thanks and praise.
Leader: All you saints and martyrs of the South Pacific:
All: give to our God your thanks and praise.

Explanation:
Maori ~ people of our land
Pakeha ~ non Maori person
rata & kowhai ~ flora
kahawai ~ fish
pipi ~ fish
tui ~ bird

Prayer of Confession
Leader: Loving and merciful God
We come before you, conscious of how often we disappoint you. We want to be like you, to follow you in everything we do, but we get distracted by worldly things.
All: Forgive us and have mercy.
Leader: The world is full of distractions and we often turn away from those things that make us feel uncomfortable. Open our eyes to the needs of people around us and help us to be ready with a kind word of encouragement and practical service.
All: Forgive us and have mercy.
Leader: Help us to recognise our own prejudices and realise the discrimination and exclusion that damages society. Banish all contempt and self righteousness in us and grant us the humility you showed in your Son Jesus.
All: Forgive us and have mercy.
Leader: God of compassion, help us to understand that having material things is not enough. Forgive our greed, our neglect of the environment and help us all to live in your grace and aroha (Maori for love).
May we become a truly loving and healing community.
All: In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Readings (Suggest to use the New Revised Version for the basic reading)
Isaiah 55: 6-12
Psalm 46
John 4: 4-29
Romans 15: 1-13

Hymn: Tama Ngakau Marie (In Maori)
Tama ngakau marie,
Tama a t’Atua,
tenei tonu matou
Arohaina mai

Murua ra nga hara:
Wetekina mai
Tenei here kino
Whakaruru nei

Takahia ki raro,
Tau e kino ai;
Kei pa kaha tonu
Ko nga mahi he

Homai he aroha
Mou i mate nei
Tenei ra, e Ihu,
Takina e koe;

Tenei arahina
A tutuki noa:
Puta i te pouri,
Whiwhi hari nui

Tama ngakau marie,
Tama a t’Atua,
Tenei tonu matau,
Arohaina mai. Amine

Words:Traditional Maori & Music:Traditional Maori

Address

Hymn: Let Justice Roll Down

Refrain:
Let justice roll down like a river,
let justice roll down like a sea
let justice roll down like a river
let justice begin with me.

Justice for all who are hungry
crying to God to be fed
left in a world of abundance
to beg for a morsel of bread

Refrain

Justice for those who are homeless
victims of warfare or need
trapped on the borders of no-where
lost in the canyons of greed

Refrain

Justice for all who are powerless
yearning for freedom in vain
plundered, and robbed of their birthright
silently bearing their pain

Refrain

Words: Colin Gibson & Music: Colin Gibson

Collection of Offerings
Lord’s Prayer: to be prayed in your own language.

Prayer for our ACWC Prayer Partner Country
We ask God’s blessing on our Prayer Partner. May the work among our members and their families be fruitful and supportive of their Christian lives. May the Lord Jesus raise their spirit and increase their love for Him and make them strong in diversity and gentle in their relationships with friends and family. May the Lord, the great shepherd of His flock enfold them in His arms.

ACWC Prayer
O Loving Creator, we present ourselves in your divine presence to thank you for all the bountiful gifts of life. We are especially grateful for the ACWC which binds us together in love and supporting around the Asian area. Free us from all doubts and prejudices, we pray. Inspire us to live in solidarity with humankind that we may know the joy of giving and receiving.

Dear God accept our prayers. Let us honour your creation with love as shown through the life and resurrection of your Son Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Creed: We say together in faith
All: Holy, holy, holy,
is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come.
Leader: We believe in God the Father,
who created all things:
All: for by his will they were created
and have their being.
Leader: We believe in God the Son,
who was slain:
All: for with his blood,
he purchased us for God,
from every tribe and language,
from every people and nation.
Leader: We believe in God the Holy Spirit:
All: the Spirit and the Bride say “Come!”
Even so, Come Lord Jesus! AMEN.

Reading: Revelation 22:1-5 (Suggest to use the New Revised Version for the basic reading)

Prayer of Intercession
Leader: Dear Lord God, we bring the needs of others to you now. The sounds of violence and anger are in many places around us. The ground is wounded by the greed and demands of people. In deep sorrow, our sisters and brothers of many lands are suffering. We call on you to send the gentle rains of your mercy where they are most needed. Only you can bring us your gift of peace.
Response: Oh Lord, hear our prayer for peace.
Leader: Dear Father, we know that all our leaders in the Church, in our communities, and in our countries need to be wise. Many problems are world-wide and need trust between nations. Send your blessing of wisdom we pray, on those who have responsibility. Show our leaders the right choices and the right way forward. Only you can bring us the gift of wisdom.
Response: Oh Lord, hear our prayer for wisdom.
Leader: Dear Lord Jesus, there is great illness in the world today. Many are suffering from HIV- AIDS; from serious epidemics of influenza and from local disease. Just as you walked among the sick and touched them with your hands, we ask you today to bring wholeness to your faithful people. Only you can bring the gift of healing.
Response: Oh Lord, hear our prayer for healing.
Leader: Dear Holy Spirit, there is darkness in the world; the cloud of disbelief and the worship of materialism. Many people are filled with despair, and have lost hope in the future. Shine through your word we pray, so that the true light and the true love of God can shower on the shadows of evil in our lands. Only you can win the spiritual battles with your gift of blessing.
Response: Oh Lord, hear this prayer for blessing. Use us to carry your love and compassion we pray, through the power of your name; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Hymn: Where Mountains Rise to Open Skies
Where mountains rise to open skies
your name, O God, is echoed far,
from island beach to kauri’s reach,
in water’s light, in lake and star

Your people’s heart, your people’s part
be in our caring for this land,
for faith to flower, for aroha
to let each other’s mana stand.

From broken word, from conflict stirred,
from lack of vision, set us free
to see the line of your design,
to feel creation’s energy.

Your love be known, compassion shown,
that every child have equal scope:
in justice done, in trust begun
shall be our heritage and hope.

Where mountains rise to open skies
your way of peace distil the air,
your spirit bind all humankind,
one covenant of life to share!

Words: Shirley Erena Murray & Music: Vernon Griffiths

Explanation: aroha–Maori word for “all-embracing love” mana - Maori for “dignity,” “prestige.”

Prayer of Commission
All: Together we seek life in its fullness, a non-violent world where we can live in relationship with all people.
Together may we live in a relationship with all creatures, all living things and all of nature where we are not the sole beneficiaries of the earth’s resources.
Together may we live in relationships to God so that our identity and wellbeing is grounded in the knowledge that God is Love.
Leader: Go now in Peace; Moving Forward in God’s Love.

Acknowledgements:
The National Committee Church Women United Aotearoa New Zealand acknowledges with gratitude the following copyright permission:
Copyright has been approved as follows:
Benedict Aotearoa - ”The Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia – Te Hahi Mihinare ki Aotearoa ki Nui Tireni, ki nga Moutere o te Moana Nui a Kiwa.”
Tama ngakau marie - “Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa gives its approval for A New Zealand Prayer Book including Hymn number 80 Tama ngakau marie”
“Where mountains rise to open skies” Shirley Erena Murray MNZM FRSCMOriginal title “Hymn for Waitangi Day” copyright held New Zealand, Australia and Asia. “We are many we are one,” and “ Let Justice roll down” Colin Gibson

* This order of worship was prepared by the National Committee Church Women United Aotearoa - New Zealand