The Service:

video images played from the start and throughout - a progression beginning with a bare tree eching the bare tree on the altar, gradually gaining more leaves and finishing with a full green tree by the end of the service.

body prayer
we wanted to begin the service without having to make an announcement. we did this thought on of the team standing up and performing a body prayer - using hand movements - based on the traditional post-easter response ‘christ is risen, he is risen indeed. allelluia!’
the congregation gradually joined in the body prayer as it was repeated.

breathing meditation
a simple breathing meditation, breathing out negativity, breathing in the spirit.

mint leaves meditation/prayer

the congregation are invited to open their envelopes and take out the leaf. the envelope can be put aside for now so they are just holding the leaf.

in your envelope you should have found a mint leaf. be careful with it. it’s quite delicate. you might like to hold it up to the light by its stalk. as we look at the delicate veins of the leaf, at the colours, at the intricate shape,

we’re reminded of the complexity of god’s creation - all this detail on one single leaf

it’s not often we take time to look at something as seemingly insiginificant as a leaf, possibly one of hundreds or thousands on a single plant. but it’s with leaves such as these that the flavours and medicines of the world originate. scientists are scouring the remaining rainforests in the hope that they might contain cures for the diseases that humankind cannot conquer. in our pre-packaged culture, it’s easy to forget how reliant we are on the natural world. to feed us. to heal us. to be home to us. a gift.

in the book of revelations the angel shows John the tree of life, and it’s leaves are for the healing of the nations.

[pause 10 secs]

now rub the leaf between your fingers you’ll be able to smell the sharp scent. if you hold it to your nose you’ll be aware of how it’s easier to breathe. you may be more aware of the air you inhale as the scent of the plant causes your nose to be more sensitive. it’s as if this leaf can suddenly enhance one of the most basic aspects of our life - our breathing.

we’re reminded of the hebrew word for ‘spirit’ - “ruach”, literally meaning air or wind. we think of how the spirit breezes through our lives, unsettling, disturbing, enhancing and inspiring us - the sharp scent of god in our lives.

the tree of life - it’s leaves are for the healing of the nations.

[pause 10 secs]

let’s break the leaf in half. the true strength of the leaf will become apparant as the plant oils soak into your fingers. it may feel cool on your skin, you’ll be more aware of the smell and of the power of this old medicinal plant. now taste the leaf. bite off a tiny amount or just lick along the broken edge. it’s surpisingly bitter. not actually a pleasant taste.

we think of a tree that’s been felled, stripped and shaped into a cross. and hanging there now in place of it’s leaves is a man. bleeding. in pain. a bitter taste in his mouth. and then the tree is empty again. and the man is sharing food with his friends.

the tree of life, the healing of the nations

[pause 10 secs]

putting our hands together in prayer, still holding the leaf, we give thanks, we offer our praise
- for the god of creation experienced in the world around us
- for the spirit, fragrant in our lives
- for the christ, resurrected offering new life

the tree of life, the healing of the nations

hymn: be here now

confession
usually we’d invite the congregation to each bring their leaf to the tree. the physical and time contraints of this service meant we had to delegate this to some extent:

In the presence of God we’re aware of how our lives, our culture, our world is too often one of death and despair, rather than resurrection and hope. We long for the doubt and fear of our lives to be transformed into faith and joy.

And so we confess the sin with which we would tarnish god’s creation, we confess our complicity and ask for god’s mercy and healing in our lives.

Also in your envelope with the leaf is a thin strip of paper. We invite you to make a tear in the paper to symbolise the brokenness of our lives and of our culture.

This is our confession - for ourselves and the world.

When you have done that, and feel ready, pass your strip along to the end of the pew, and we’d like the person sat nearest the aisle to bring the strips forward and hang them on the tree at the front of the church. If you feel you’d like to do that yourself and you’re able to come out to the front, please do.

confession meditation with resonses (read as prayers are hung on the tree)

And the Angel showed me a young girl sleeping in a shop doorway.
I watched as people passed her by, looking the other way, not wanting to meet the eye of their own daughter.

‘For God’s sake, we need help’ - ’We find help in the risen Christ’

And the angel showed me the television news.
I saw a world far away, I saw crops fail, I saw hungry families, I saw poor people giving what little they had to those who already had more than they needed.
I quickly turned over to ‘ready steady cook’.

‘For God’s sake, we need justice’ - ’We find justice in the risen Christ’

And the angel showed me a vial of posion, and the lad about to shoot it into his arm.
I couldn’t understand why he would want to do this. I turned away, and poured myself a drink to try and blot out the image.

‘For God’s sake, we need understanding’ - ’We find understanding in the risen Christ’

And the angel showed me a rainforest, a tree pulped into card, becoming a carton filled with fries, being dropped empty to the ground, lying there until it was swept up and poured into a landfill. Nothing grew there.
I ordered another burger to go.

‘For God’s sake, we need vision’ - ’We find vision in the risen Christ’

And the angel showed me a holy place. And I saw a 17 year old girl strap her body with explosives and walk into a crowded restaurant.

‘For God’s sake, we need peace’ - ’We find peace in the risen Christ’

And the angel showed me the river of the water of life. It was shining like crystal and was flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the street of the city. The tree of life was on each side of the river. It produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of all the nations.

Absolution (once prayers have been hung on tree)

May God, who knows the trap of false dreams,
who sees the pitfalls of good intentions,
who understands the pain and frustration of being human,
heal us and lead us to new life in Christ.
Amen

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