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Valentine's Day Shared Meal | 'The Parliament of Foules'

Valentine's Day falls on one of our meetings days this year. We thought about canceling to allow people to sneak off and be romantic, but everyone agreed they'd rather meet and enjoy a shared 'love feast'!

This is the piece of liturgy we're going to share tomorrow night.

Saint Valentine is a bit of a myth. The day came about because the 14th of Feb - Saint Valentine's day - was also the traditional day in Spring when birds chose their mates. As Chaucer put it in his piece 'The Parliament of Foules':

For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne's day
Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.

So the liturgy is not directly about love, but takes a quick journey through avine metaphors in the Bible... The spirit hovering over the water, the dove sent out by noah, the 'wild goose' of the Spirit, the dove settling on Christ, the assurance of the Father's love even for the birds... All ending with us eating

'these breadcrumbs, this bird-food, as a sign of our love,
this wine, your blood, as a memory of yours.'

As ever, feel free to share, and use with imagination.

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Prayer For a Meal on Tired Evening After a Week of Struggles in the City

The congregation gather around a table.

Lord, it is night,
It is night after a long day.
Websites have been tended, Copy written, Ministers ministered to, Festivals organized, lessons given. [The work details of the congregation are entered]

Lord it is night,
It is night after a week in the city.
Gardens have been dug, films seen, music listened to, people engaged with…
People bumped into, sleep disturbed, sirens heard, violations suffered.

Lord we are hungry,
Junk has been eaten, producers forgotten, chemicals swallowed, meals rushed, thanks not given.

Lord we are not as hungry as some,
Forgive us.

Lord we are hungry,
Make this table yours. Make this table just. Make this table gracious.
Make this table thankful.

Lord we are not whole,
We remember those who are not with us.

Lord, we are not whole,
We break this bread and share this wine to re-member your body.
Broken so we may be whole.
Poured out so we may be filled.

Lord it is night,
May this body and blood be strength and refreshment for us.
May it give us energy to forgive, to persevere, to love.
Dear Christ, re-invigorate us, re-plenish us, eat with us tonight.
Amen.

Bread and wine is shared, and a meal is eaten.

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Liturgy for the Celebration of a Birthday

The People are furnished with full glasses.

Infinite God, ageless and timeless,

God who was born and counted time with us,
God who knows each hair on N’s head (an alternate liturgy shall be said for the bald)
Thank you for N’s years that have passed.

The first toast is drunk, remembering joys and sorrows.

Infinite God, ageless and timeless,

God who rose eternal and sees far ahead
God who traces out each step N might tread
Thank you for N’s years still to come.

The second toast is drunk, a prayer of  hope for the future.

A cake may be presented, and a traditional song sung.
A third toast is drunk, a celebration of the present.

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Technorati Tags: Birthday Liturgy