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Interfaith Worship Service
Sunday, October 11, 1998
3 P.M.
Grace Baptist Church of Germantown*
25 West Johnson Street
Philadelphia, PA 19144
(Parking available in church parking lot)
Dr. G. Daniel Jones, Guest Speaker
Pastor, Grace Baptist Church of Germantown
Reception
(refreshments and sharing of resources)
for further information call (215) 563-7393
*wheelchair
accessible
Clergy, women and men of all faiths are invited to attend this
worship service of hope and restoration. A reception will be held
immediately following the worship service to welcome worship
participants. In addition, support agencies will be present to
provide information and answer questions.
Order of Worship
Worship Leader: Reverend Inez Thompson, Saint Thomas Episcopal
Church
Prelude
*Processional Hymn #8
Praise to the Lord
Welcome
Lee Jackson
Executive Council
Grace Baptist Church of Germantown
*Call to Worship
Reverend Robert Betts
Episcopal Community Services
Leader:
We gather to worship our God.
People: We gather to acknowledge our weakness.
Leader: We assemble affirming God's sovereignty
and our need for human dignity.
People: We assemble seeking peace and denouncing violence.
Leader: We congregate affirming home and family.
People: We congregate denouncing dysfunctional behavior
and domestic violence.
Leader: We worship our God who is loving, empowering,
and sensitive to our need.
People: We worship our God, who equips us to do
justly, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly in God's ways.
Leader: In the name of domestic peace, justice,
civility, mutual respect
and family love,
Unison: Through worship, we seek divine guidance in
relating to
each other better as sons and daughters of
the Most High.
Opening Prayer
Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
God of grace,
you are always working to hold us together,
to heal division,
to make love true and strong.
Send your grace, O God,
to the homes in our community where women and men, the young and
the old, live in fear of violence;
to homes that are places of danger and pain,
to homes where there is no peace and love.
Lead those who live in terror
to a place of quiet,
to a place to rest their weary spirits.
God of mercy,
you hear the voices of children crying.
Send us love enough to turn their tears into laughter.
You see terror in the faces of our sisters.
Send us courage enough to turn their fear into hope.
You know the pain, the brokenness, the anger of abusers.
Send us conviction enough to confront and embrace them.
You hear our cries of anguish and frustration,
send patience and persistence,
until all people live in peace, without fear.
We long for that time O God.
Amen.
Sung response:
#450 Hear Our Prayer, O Lord
Hymn
To Save a Life
Aviva Bass
Student Rabbi,
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Reading from the Mishnah
Avot 1:12
Rabbi Brian Walt
Congregation Mishkan Shalom
Sung response:
Mine is the faith that I surely will see
God's goodness in the land of life (2x)
Hope in the Lord and have courage
Hope in the Lord and be strong (2x)
Reading from the New Testament
James 3:13-18
Abby K. Ryan
Old Pine Presbyterian Church
Reading from the Qur'an
Imam Suetwedien Muhammad
Masjid Isha
Solo
Mary Beth Rankin-Finn
First Baptist Church of Philadelphia
Message
Reverend Dr. G. Daniel Jones
Grace Baptist Church of Germantown
*Congregational Hymn
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me
Bless His holy Name. (Repeat)
He has done great things, He has done great things,
He has done great things, Bless His holy Name.
Prayers of the People: Litany of Healing
Beatrice Vieira, Lutheran Settlement House
Joan Evans, Parish Nurse Association, Archdiocese of
Philadelphia
Dr. Munawar Chaudhri, Muslim Physician
Fredi Cooper, Student Rabbi, Reconstructionist Rabbinical
College
God of Grace,
you nurture us with a love deeper than any we know,
your will for us is always healing and salvation.
We Praise and thank you, O God.
God of love,
you enter into our lives, our pain, and our brokenness,
and embrace us with your healing hands wherever we are.
We praise and thank you, O God.
God of strength,
you fill us with your presence
and send us forth with love and healing
for all whom we meet.
We praise and thank you, O God.
Hear now, O God, the prayers of your people.
Hear us, O God of life.
For the world,
that your creation may be understood and valued.
Hear us, O God of life.
For order which dispels fear,
for those paralyzed by confusion or doubt.
Hear us, O God of life.
For women and men, girls and boys,
terrorized and beaten by domestic violence.
Hear us, O God of life.
For their empowerment,
for their healing,
for their peace and self-value,
for their dignity.
Hear us, O God of life.
For children who witness violence
that they might learn and know the ways that make for peace,
breaking the cycles of violence from one generation to the next.
Hear us, O God of life.
For all relationships
that they might be based on justice, equality, respect, dignity
and peace.
Hear us, O God of life.
Let us now name before God and this gathered community
those, including ourselves, for whom we seek healing.
(The congregation may call out names.)
Sing:
Anah, Eyl nah, refah nah lah
Please God, heal us now, in body and soul.
O God,
we remember before you this day
all who have died at the hand of violence.
(The congregation may call out names of those who have died.)
Sing:
Anah, Eyl nah, refah nah lah
Please God, heal us now, in body and soul.
That they may have rest
in your presence where there is no fear, no pain, no grief,
but life eternal.
Sing:
Anah, Eyl nah, refah nah lah
Please God, heal us now, in body and soul.
All:
O God,
in you all is turned to light,
and brokenness is healed.
Look with compassion on us
and on those for whom we pray,
that we may be re-created in wholeness, in love,
and in compassion for one another.
Amen.
Sing:
Anah, Eyl nah, refah nah lah
Please God, heal us now, in body and soul.
Offering
Closing Prayer
Reverend Doris Williams
Pastor, Shekinah Revival Temple
O God,
in mystery and silence you are present in our lives,
bringing order out of chaos,
new life out of destruction,
hope out of despair,
growth out of difficulty.
We thank you that you do not leave us alone,
and are always at work to make us whole.
Give us eyes to see your unseen hand
in the unfolding of our lives,
and to attend to the gentle guidance of your Spirit,
that we may know the joy of the life you give.
O holy and faithful God,
ever merciful and compassionate,
we offer you praise and thanks, now and for all ages.
Amen.
*Sending Forth
Reverend Dr. G. Daniel Jones
Grace Baptist Church of Germantown
May we go forth to turn our hearts and hands and prayers to
restoring hope for the future of our families and toward the
healing of our nation. Then, truly, shall we raise up the
foundations of many generations, and our light will shine forth in
the darkness. Amen.
*Recessional #19
O God, Our Help in Ages Past
Postlude
*Please stand if you are able.
Acknowledgments
The Interfaith Coalition for the Sabbath of Domestic Peace extends
sincere gratitude to Rev. Dr. G. Daniel Jones, Pastor, and members
of the Congregation of Grace Baptist Church of Germantown for
hosting this event.
Our thanks also to: Robert Webb, organist; Mary Beth Rankin-Finn,
soloist; Dawn Brown McGlotten, Society for Helping Hand Church,
sign language interpreter; Archdiocese of Philadelphia, printing
of programs.
We gratefully acknowledge the assistance given in support of the
goals of the Sabbath of Domestic Peace given by :
The Philadelphia Foundation
The Danellie Foundation
The Samuel S. Fels Fund
St. Martin-In-The-Fields Episcopal Church
Union Benevolent Association
* * * * * * *
The Sabbath of Domestic Peace is an interdisciplinary, interfaith
coalition to encourage and support the involvement of religious
leaders and congregations in the greater Philadelphia area in
their efforts to prevent and reduce domestic violence by raising
awareness and providing educational and resource materials.
* * * * * * *
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