Meditation Resources
As we seek God's mercy in light of the September 11, 2001, US tragedy, and other times of crisis.

Friends:

This is a time for the church to affirm that "the earth is the Lord's," and that "our God reigns," in spite of the circumstances around us. Words that affirm our security in God, in the reign and intent of God, offer comfort as we gather in to worship.

Please send to Mennonite Church Canada your services of prayer or outlines of services and responses during this time so that we may share them with other congregations.

Marilyn Houser Hamm, Henry Petkau
September 11, 2001

Mood:

Whatever the music is used in worship, it is wise to remember that the musical language should be consistent with its functions in worship - the music must "bear the weight" of what the prayers of the people are being called to address.

Here are suggestions for the use of music around and during a time of prayer for Sunday, September 16, or further times of intensity and crisis:

Hymnal Worship Book

#348 O Lord, hear my prayer
Suggestions: Use guitar, flute- or C instrument - to play the melody, quiet piano to introduce the piece. Sing twice with the congregation, then continue to play while statements for guided prayer are read. The song can be used as a response/refrain following each paragraph, or the song can be sung following a complete spoken prayer. Instruments should complete the prayer by playing through the song to bring the prayer to a closure that is not abrupt for the people and allows mental space for completion of the prayer. Additional recommended Taize pieces : # 452 - Ubi Caritas; #298 Veni Sancte

#627 There is a balm in Gilead
Suggestion: Use the refrain as an introduction to prayers of intercession. Sing once with text, then hum the Refrain, unaccompanied.

#144 Kyrie eleison - Russion Orthodox liturgy
Suggestion: This powerful prayer for God's mercy can carry the weight of terror and catastrophy. The sonority of the voices provides the deep call of the spirit which "words" often cannot do in a time of great tragedy or need. Sing between paragraphs of a spoken prayer, and be sure to leave the space for silence at the prayer's completion - again, as the Spirit continues to work beyond the sound of the words.

Scripture/Readings

Psalm: 46
Psalm: 121
Romans 12:9-21
Matthew: 5:3-16
Prayers & Readings: Hymnal: A Worship Book #696, 697, 711, 720, 760

The PRAYING, CONFESSING/RECONCILING, WITNESSING: Peace/Justice sections of the hymnal provide many resources for the coming weeks.
See also Minister's Manual, pages 5-9 "Worship Beyond Words"; A Wee Worship Book -Iona Community - GIA Publishers (address in back of Hymnal Worship Book) for a powerful contemporary litany which can be used directly or as a guide - highly recommended.

Additional Resources

Hymnal Subscription Service (HSS) 2001/2
#981 Come And Fill our Hearts with Your Peace - Taize Community
Suggestion: This beautiful prayer combines beautiful simplicity of text and music with fine harmonization to speak the hearts of a people. The suggestion is to substitute the word "Hearts" with the word "World" for petitions around the September 11 tragedy. Again, in the Taize style, the song must be repeated numerous times as the ongoing prayer of the people continues - whether spoken or silent . If candle-lighting is used at the cross, and worshippers place lit candles into a sand-basin, this piece works expecially well.

Other prayer pieces which create similar effects from the Iona Community are:
HSS 1998:2
# 917 Don't Be Afraid
#920 Behold the Lamb of God
#928 Alleluia
#932 On God Alone I Wait Silently

Additional suggestions from the Subscription Series which call forth a sense of God's kingdom are the following: