Worship Resources

Here are some resources that we feel speak particularly well of the Sri Lankan context.

Prayers from Page 19 of the Methodist Prayer Handbook 2007/08:

Collect from the Theological College of Lanka:  Gracious God, we humbly pray with your mercy and favour to behold the Theological College of Lanka, especially its Principal, the Rev'd Dr. Albert W. Jebanesan, and all the staff and students, that knowledge may increase and abound.  Bless all who teach and all who learn, and grant that in humility we may ever look to you, the fountain of all wisdom.  We pray in the name of the Triune God, who is community.

A Prayer by Maggie Mudalige, Librarian at TCL:  Loving Father, we come to you with our hearts burdened for the island of Sri Lanka, beset by ethnic conflict, political and religious tensions, social and economic problems.  Thank you for the courage with which you strengthen your people who live and work in situations that many of us simply cannot comprehend.  As your love impels them to reach out to those in their communities who are suffering physically and emotionally, to those traumatized by ethnic conflict, both civilian and soldier, may your people reflect your beauty, love, grace and forgiveness as they live out the Word of life, as they speak words of life and hope in the darkness that has invaded so many lives, and as they stoop to raise people up.  Amen.

A Prayer by Leo Fonseka, MRDF Partner, Methodist Church in Sri Lanka:  Gracious and loving Father who created all things, we beseech you to forgive us for our disobedience, which has caused your good creation to turn into evil and has ruined its beauty and equity.  You made men and women equal, without the horror of poverty.  But we, through selfishness and avarice, have caused disparities to enter the perfect world system you created.  Amen.

A hymn written by Andrew Pratt for One World Week and following receipt of September 2007 Newsletter.  Reproduced with permission. Tunes: Inrercessor or O Perfect Love.

Hymn for One World Week

Great God. the power, the force behind creation,

you came to us and shared a human birth.

You grew like us, matured in strength and reason,

then gave yourself upon this war torn earth.

We seek again the Spirit you can offer,

the grace and strength to make each foe a friend,

to break down walls of prejudice and hatred,

to bring all war and horror to an end.

We pray for courage as we face injustice,

the strength to stand for what we know is right;

help us to work through word and faithful action

to face down fear and walk  into your light.

We pray for peace, yes peace with understanding.

We pray for love that feels another's pain.

We'll walk together to a new tomorrow.

We'll build a realm where Christ can live and reign.

 A Eucharistic Liturgy used frequently in the TCL Chapel.

The Great Thanksgiving Liturgy from an unknown Sri Lankan source, adapted for use in the TCL Chapel by the Rev’d Adrian Aaron.

Collect from the Theological College of Lanka

Gracious God we humbly pray with your mercy and favour to behold the Theological College of Lanka, especially its Principal  the Reverend Dr Albert W. Jebanesan and all the staff and students, that knowledge may increase and abound. Bless all who teach and all who learn, and grant that in humility we may ever look to you, who is the fountain of all wisdom.  We pray in the name of the Triune God, who is community. Amen

Prayer for Peace

O God the creator of all humankind,

Look with mercy upon our country,

And in your great goodness

Give us the peace and justice and unity

We long for.

Restrain those who plan evil,

And encourage those whose duty exposes them to harm.

Uphold those who suffer

And strengthen those who are afraid.

Return safely those who are displaced to their homes,

And change the hearts of all those who pursue their cause through violence.

And temper, O Lord, the lifestyle of all our people

With simplicity, courage, humility and love for the truth,

Through the One who gave up life for us,

Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

(Adapted from a prayer issued by the National Christian Council.)

A Letter from the National Christian Council to all Clergy and Congregations of Constituent Churches:

August 2006

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

    We the Heads of Churches write to all our beloved scattered all over the country at this very difficult time in the history of our nation.  As you know, many in our country are weeping for the loss of the lives of their family members and friends.  There are many who are internally displaced.  Numerous stories are heard of brutality, fear, uncertainty and helplessness in all parts of the country.  There seems to be some growing hatred in some parts of the country.  All these stir up pain and agony in the hearts of our people.

    We thank God for those of you who responded to the needs of the people and engaged in Pastoral care.  There is much more to be done to support people of all communities who are displaced and grieving.  We encourage all of you to continue your pastoral ministry in creative ways through prayer, preaching, presence and assistance wherever possible.

    While our pastoral ministry continues we encourage you also to engage in a prophetic ministry to voice the alternate gospel view in order to bring sanity and build bridges towards reconciliation.  We need to reflect on biblical principles and on a kingdom spirituality in order to make a positive informed response and bring healing to all.  We are reminded of the words of our Lord "Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God".  This catastrophe could be considered a testing time for our churches and communities as to whether we are Disciples of Christ and whether we live according to biblical teachings.

    May we also kindly request you to be in close contact with other Christian groups and persons of other Faiths in order to build social trust and friendship. We firmly believe that building relationships of trust can pave way to make friends with "enemies".

    You are assured of our prayers.

Rev. Kingsley Perera - President Baptist Sangamaya & Chairperson NCC,  Rev. C.N. Jansz - President Dutch Reformed Church, Rt. Rev. Kumara Illangasinghe - Bishop of Kurunagula, Rt. Rev. Duleep de Chickera - Bishop of Colombo, Rev. Ebenezer Joseph - Presindent Mthodist Church, Rev. K. Piyadasa - Moderator Presbyterian hurc, Rev. S.C. Arnold - Moderators Commisary Jaffna Diocese of Church of Southn India, Col.Lalzamlova - Territorial Cmmander, Salvation Army, Rev. Dr. Jayasiri T. Pieris - General Secretary NCC.

A Closing Prayer:

Holy Spirit,

Spirit of the Living God,

you breathe in us,

on all that is inadequate

and fragile.

You make living water spring even from

our hurts themselves,

and through you, the valley of fears

becomes a place of wellsprings.

So, in an inner life

with neither beginning nor end,

your continual presences makes new

freshness break through.  Amen.

    Sri Lanka, World Council of Churches Worship Book 1998

A Prayer for the TCL / St. Mary's Goudhurst Link:  The Link Prayer:

Eternal Creator, the source of our being and all wisdom, we commend to your grace the Theological College of Lanka, Pilimatalawa and the Parish of St. Mary's Goudhurst with Christ Church, Kilndown. Foster within our people in our parishes and the Theological College a sense of our vocation and a true commitment to your service, and so deepen our trust in you that, in the days to come, we may be enabled not only to share knowledge, but to kindle the flame of faith and of your love in the lives of those committed to our care and on those who live and witness around us, for the honour and glory of Jesus Christ our Liberator.  Amen

A Prayer of Refuge based on the Buddhist Prayer of Refuge (the Thisaranaya).  This is sometimes used by the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka as the final thanksgiving after the Eucharist.

I take refuge in you the Father

    accepting you as God,

I take refuge in you the Son

    accepting you as Lord,

I take refuge in you blest Spirit

    accepting you as Lord,

I take refuge in you Three

    acknowledging you one God.

I look for refuge in your holy Church,

I look for refuge in your own precepts and laws,

I look for refuge in your noble word,

I look for refuge in this your community.

This hymn were written by Rev'd W. S. Senior, a CMS missionary.  The set tune is adapted from a Buddhist tune.  It can also be sung to "O Jesus I have promised".

O Jehovah, Thou hast promised

The isles shall wait for Thee,

The joyous isles of ocean,

The jewels of the sea.

Lo! we, this island's watchmen

Would give and take no rest;

For thus hast Thou commanded

Till our dear land is blessed.

Then bless her mighty Father,

With blessings needed most,

In every verdant village,

By every palmy coast.

On every soaring mountain,

O'er every spreading plain,

May all her sons and daughters

Thy righteousness attain.

Give peace within her borders

Twixt ev'ryone goodwill,

The love all unsuspicious,

The love that works no ill.

In loyal lowly service,

Let each from other learn,

The guardian and the guarded,

Till Christ Himself return.

To Him our land shall listen,

To Him our peoples kneel;

All rule be on His shoulder,

All wrong beneath His heel;

O consummation glorious

Which now by faith we sing;

Come, cast we up the highway

That brings us back our King.

A Prayer for Renewal

Even as the water falls on dry tea leaves and brings out their flavour,

so may your Spirit fall on us and renew us so that we may bring refreshment and joy to others.

(Reproduced with permission from the Ceylon Churchman)

A Prayer from Christian Aid on the Anniversary of the Tsunami:

God, moving in the depths of all creation,

moves our hearts:

thanks be to God.

 

God, making a new world out of chaos,

renews and transforms all life:

thanks be to God.

 

God, giver of all good gifts,

inspires us to use and share our gifts:

thanks be to God.

A Tsunami Hymn by the Reverend Andrew Pratt (reproduced with permission)

Tune: St. Matthew no. 812 in Hymns & Psalms

1.    In every face we see the pain

       Of grief and human loss;

       The hell we cannot understand,

       We cannot count the cost.

       Beneath the sun the cooling earth,

       Had risen, ruptured, torn.

       Creation raised its voice and cried,

       A tidal wave was born.

2.    And was God mid-wife at the birth

       Confounding our belief?

       Or is our God outside the frame,

       Removed from human grief?

       For ages we have tried and failed

       To understand this flaw,

       That God should let such evil rise,

       While mixing love and awe.

3.    If God is here where bodies rise

       In piles along the shore,

       Where is the mercy, grace and love

       Of which we should be sure?

       We plead for love, we long for grace,

       To help us, where they fell,

       To grasp the reason for this pain,

       This cavalcade of hell.

4.    Then give us strength to rise again,

       Enlivened by your hope,

       And for the present show your love

       And give us grace to cope.

       God come and join your people in

       The centre of their loss.

       If you are real then show yourself

       Upon this present cross.

A prayer by G.A. Cleveland Shrigley, published as Prayer for the Week in The Church Times 4/11/05.

Father of all, free us from

every prejudice born of

hate and fear, and kept alive

by ignorance and pride.

Open our hearts and minds

to new friendships and new

contributions of the Spirit

from ethnicities, cultures, and

religions other than our

own. Enrich us by the great

thoughts and experiences

of all peoples and

countries.  With all your 

children on earth, make us

sharers of your abundant

life, and workers together

in your Kingdom of love and

peace.  Amen.

A Hymn about God and Suffering by the Reverend Andrew Pratt (reproduced with permission)

Tune: Martyrdom: Hymns & Psalms 416 (As pants the hart)

The mingled tears of memory,

Of present grief and fear,

Reminders for humanity

That death is always near.

The hurricane, the tidal wave,

The terrorist attack,

The fractured faith, unsettled hope,

Can cause belief to crack.

For where is God? And what is love

Within this finite frame,

Where life is tramped underfoot,

Destroyed by winds that maim?

Can God be found in broken lives,

Where chaos seems to rule?

Forsaken on a cross Christ hung,

Made wisdom look a fool.

His broken hands reach out to heal,

Through humans hands today;

Compassion sees the need for love

and God still makes a way.

And so amid these mingled tears

We cling to those who care,

And in the silence come to feel

The love of God is there.

A Prayer for Sri Lanka by Metropolitan Lakdasa De Mel

O God, our father, who has made Sri Lanka so wondrously fair, pour your Holy Spirit on Your Church, that all the peoples of our land, being led through the knowledge of Your truth to worship You in the beauty of holiness, may offer the gold of intellect, the frankincense of devotion and the myrrh of discipline to Him who is the Light of the World, even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who, with You and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, ever one God, world without end.  Amen

Commissioning Service, July 23rd 2005

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