Dedication:
“Song for my
Father”
Today is a day like
any other day.
I
got up, got dressed,
came to church, and
here I am with you.
And
I’m singing a song
because you asked me
to.
And
this song is a song
like any other one.
It
starts up, has words
and a melody.
And
if it speaks to you,
then it’s yours for
free.
But
this church is a
church unlike any
other one.
It
allows me to be me
as I am, and as I
wish to be.
And
it brings all kinds
of good and loving
friends to me.
And
my father is a
father unlike any
other one.
I’ve received much
of the best of what
I am from him.
And it’s my
father, Abraham,
for whom sing
this hymn.
And this day,
and this song,
and this church
are special
Because of him.
Prelude:
In the
Stillness Of
the Morning” /
“Listen To
Your Heart’s
Song”
In
the stillness of
the morning,
In the shadows
of my of my soul
I perceive the
Divine.
And so I say,
"Namaste, my
brothers and
sisters."
Namaste, Blessed
be. Amen.
 Listen.
Listen. Listen.
Listen.
Listen
to your heart's
song. It will
help you to face
what you fear.
It will show you
the way, if your
heart you obey,
It will keep
your vision
clear.
Listen to
your heart's
song. It will
help you begin
to see
That the love
in your heart
is the
strongest
part.
It's the music
that sets you
free.
Listen to
your heart’s
song. It will
tell you who
you are.
You can reach
from the
depths of the
deepest sea
Outward to the
highest star.
Listen to
your heart
song.
It will
help you be
kind, it will
make you
strong.
Listen
(listen,
listen ...) to
your heart’s
song!
Introit:
“As We Gather In
This Sacred
Place”
As we gather in this sacred place
Let us remember
those who have
died
And will die for
our sins in
numbers beyond
counting.
As we gather in
this sacred
place
Let us
acknowledge
those who yet
live
To grant us
grace in
blessings ever
mounting.
Let us not
forget those
whose lives end,
as ours begin
In this sacred
place. Amen,
amen.
Meditation: “Within the Center Of Your
Heart”
Do do do do do do, do wah. Do do do, ah, oom.
Within the center of your heart, whispering
Speaks the voice
of God,
whispering.
Within the
center of your
heart, crying
low
Sings the voice
of God.
Hear you now;
hear you now.
Listen to the
voice.
Within
the center of
your heart,
crying low
Sings the
voice of God.
Hear you now;
hear you now.
Listen to the
voice.
Penitential
Rite (7:54)
Borrowing from the title of a Charles Ives composition,
and prompted
by, and in
memory of, a
young man who
lost the
battle with
his inner
demons, my
Reflection
begins with a
jarring
assemblage of
notes
representing
the letters,
T-H-E
U-N-A-N-S-W-E-R-E-D
Q-U-E-S-T-I-O-N
W-H-Y‽ (that
last character
is called an
interrobang
and is placed
there with
deliberation).
Confiteor:
“The
Unanswered
Question:
Why?” / De
Profundis”
(De
Profundis.
Ah.)
From the depths I cry to Thee, O Lord.
Grant me
strength to
live Thy holy
Word.
I despair that ever shall I see Thy face.
In a world of
fear that
cannot feel
Thy grace.
Oft I feel the world turn into ice.
Love is dear.
No one will
pay the price.
I
but seek to
learn how to
forgive,
That I may be
free, and in
Thy mercy
live.
Confiteor ii:“Brian”
So I talk to you of peace,
and I want to
save the
world;
I speak of social justice with my banners all unfurled.
I stand along
some picket
line, or march
with all my
friends,
But when
asked, ‘Will I
be arrested,’
I reply,
“Well,
that depends.”
[Chorus]:
Brian, you
never meant to
be a hero,
Didn’t want
to be a
martyr,
Did just what
you had to do.
Brian, I just
had to give a
cheer. Oh,
But I wish
that I could
write
A better song
to give to
you.
I write
letters after
church, vote
resolutions
every year,
As I seek to
find the
answer in a
heart still
locked in
fear.
I take my CD
workshop, talk
of laws the
action bends;
But when I’m
asked to lay
my body down I
say,
“Well, that
depends.”
[Chorus]
So I seek a
path to
follow, try to
sort out what
is true;
And I believe
that we all do
the very best
that we can
do.
But, God,
grant me
enough courage
and the
strength of
all my friends
To resist the
urge to say to
life and love,
“Well, that
depends.”
Brian, you
never asked to
be a martyr,
Didn’t want to
be a hero,
Did just what
you had to do.
Brian, I just
had to give a
cheer. Oh,
But I wish
that I could
write
A better song
to give to
you.
Bop, da, da …
do wah. That
depends.
Brian.
Kyrie:“Eirana” *
Lord, you came to live among us, mortal.
In risen form
you said to
your
disciples:
Our father’s
peace I bring:
“Eirana.”
Kyrie,
O Lord, have
mercy (eleison.)
Christ, many
times you
lived, many
times you
died:
Gandhi ji,
Martin, Oscar,
Rachel, Thomas
Fox. “Eirana.”
Christe,
O Christ, have
mercy (eleison.)
Lord, you will
continue
living, and
dying until we
get it right.
“Eirana.”
Kyrie,
O Lord, have
mercy (eleison.)
“Eirana,
eirana, eirana.”
* “Jesus spoke
of peace using
the Greek word
‘Eirana.’ He
chose this
word because
it established
His peace as
inner peace,
peace
dependent upon
God, in
contrast to
peace as the
world
understands
it.”
– Dr. Charles
E. Smith, from
Make Me an
Instrument of
Thy Peace
Proceed to the Liturgy of the Word 
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