National Consultation on Feminist Biblical Hermeneutics
Closing Worship*

Celebrating our Sisterhood:
Call to Worship:
Leader: Dear Sisters in Christ, we have gathered together from different places, traditions, cultures and denominations, to celebrate our sisterhood in Christ, our sisterhood in pain and struggles. We have gathered here to march on with hope in Christ, our brother, our leader, and our saviour.
All: AMEN.

Song of Praise: Mothering God… Text: Jean Janzen, Music: Carolyn Jennings
 Mothering God, you gave me birth In the bright morning of this world Creator, source of every breath You are my rain, my wind, my sun.  Mothering Christ, you took my form Offering me your food of light Grain of new life, and grape of love Your very body for my peace  Mothering Sprit, nurturing one In arms of patience hold me close So that in faith I root and grow  Until I flow’r, until I know.     

Prayer of Thanksgiving:

Leader:  For bringing us together as one family of God
People: We praise you
Leader: For creating us in your own image and giving us that new lease of life everyday,
People: We praise you
Leader: For being with us in this consultation, in our discussions and sharing
People: We praise you
Leader: For the promise of your abiding presence
People: We praise you
Leader: For the spirit of enthusiasm, vision and commitment to justice
People: We praise you
Leader:  Accept our praises in the name of your son Jesus Christ our Lord.
People: AMEN.

Celebrating God’s eternal Faithfulness through the Word
Scripture Reading: Mark 7: 24 - 30

Hymn: Enemy of Apathy  (A song by John Bell, IONA community)

She sits like a bird, brooding on the waters
Hovering on the chaos of the world’s first day
She sighs and she sings, mothering creation
Waiting to give birth to all the Word will say.

She wings over earth, resting where she wishes
Lighting close at hand or soaring through the skies,
She rests in the womb, welcoming each wonder
Nourishing potential hidden to our eyes.

She dances in fire, startling her spectators
Waking tongues of ecstasy where dumbness reigned.
She weans and inspires all whose hearts are open
Nor can she be captured, silenced or restrained

For she is the Spirit, one with God in essence
Gifted by the Saviour in eternal love
She is the Key opening the scriptures
Enemy of apathy and heavenly dove.

Reflection: The Participants will share their experiences in the light of the Gospel

Confession:
Leader : We confess Gracious God,
-our fear of powers and structures, more than in the promise of your liberating love,
-our lack of courage to move from positions of invisibility to showing our faith
-our lack of support from each other when we have to challenge social expectations
People: Forgive us O Gracious God.

Leader: We confess Gracious God,
That very often we are blinded by our own selfishness
That we are complacent and hesitant to challenge powers
That we are too preoccupied with our daily chores to care for the others
People: Forgive us O Gracious God.


Assurance of God’s Forgiveness:
Leader: God invites us with open arms, as children who would come crying to their mothers if they have had a fall. Our wounds and injuries that we have suffered due to gender injustice, oppression and violence, God sees and is waiting to go out and fight against those who cause us this pain. Let our tears of pain turn into tears of joy as we step out together from this place, encouraged by God’s redeeming presence.
People: Amen, Thanks be to God.
Celebrating our solidarity and relationship:
Hymn: The Care the Eagle gives her young… Text: Deane Postlethwaite, Music: Jesse S. Irvine
 The care the eagle gives her young The care the eagle gives her young,  Safe in her lofty nest In like the tender love of God  For us made manifest  And the time to venture comes She stirs them out to flight So we are pressed to boldly try, To strive for daring height  And if we flutter helplessly As fledgling eagles fall Beneath us lift God’ mighty wings To bear us one and all    

Intercessory Prayers: ( Spontaneous prayers for various concerns in our church and society)
Celebrating our Christian Faith:
Leader: Sisters, let us celebrate our faith in Jesus the Christ who came into the world,
Who was born of a woman,
Who has shown us an example of life that can be led in this world. 
Who was ready even to face death because he believed in the power of resurrection.
In his name, we have gathered to celebrate our faith
In the way he has taught us
To be reminded that we are all disciples of Jesus Christ,
Ready to follow the way of the cross

Just as Jesus was anointed and prepared for his way to the cross by the Woman
We have gathered here to be reminded that we are preparing for a similar journey of faith, ready to be broken as Christ was.
We wait now for the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.

All: For we know that when he washed the feet of his disciples and taught them the true meaning of discipleship, to serve one another, he also called his disciples to prepare for that last meal through which he was going to teach the whole world, that if anyone wants to be his disciples, they should be ready to be broken as the bread was, through which they can remind themselves that they are the true body of Christ.

In the same manner, Jesus took the cup and shared it with the disciples and taught them a lesson for life, that if anyone wanted to follow him and be a disciple, that they should be ready to be crushed and poured out, as the wine was, and through this act be reminded that they have a share in the blood of Christ.

We believe in this Jesus Our Christ. As we share in this body and blood, we celebrate our faith in you, our hope in you and our future in you. Bless us through the gifts of bread and wine.  We ask this in Jesus’ name. AMEN.

(All share in the bread and the wine)
Leader: Having now shared our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, let us thank God for the strength, courage and hope that were gifted to us through this bread and wine.

All: DOXOLOGY (from Touch Holiness: Resources for Worship, ed. Ruth Duck and M.C. Tirabassi)
Praise God from whom all grace flows forth!
Praise Life, all creatures here on earth!
Praise Light who guides us on our way!
Praise Love who forms us day by day!


Benediction: May the blessings of the Elshaddai, the almighty God, Jesus, the Sophia child of God and Ruach, the Holy Spirit ever surround us and show us the Way, the Truth and the Life.
All: AMEN.

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*Order of Worship: Evangeline Anderson-Rajkumar, UTC, Bangalore.