" We recently had to devise a service at short notice, because a guest preacher had been bereaved. The Olympic torch was passing through Barnard Castle shortly after the required date, so I put together the attached service, for all the congregation to participate in. They enjoyed it. The idea can refer to a stadium relay as well as the torch relay - it has a longer life than the torch relay. The service structure might be useful to other congregations over the summer. I'm sending it for the Synod website with this hope. "
BARNARD
CASTLE
WORSHIP: THE RELAY RACE OF LIFE
Notices
Duty Elder
Starting Blocks
Leader
Call to Worship:
Hebrews 12: 1-2a; John 8:12 Reader 1
Lap 1
Leader + Runner
Hymn 67: Immortal,
invisible God only wise ..
Hymn 45: Morning has broken ..
Prayer Leader
Lap 2
Leader
+ Runner
Hymn 129: The race
that long in darkness pined ..
Hymn 204: O vision
blest ..
Prayer Leader
Offering and Prayer
Leader
Lap 3
Leader
+ Runner
Hymn 544: Lead,
kindly light ..
Hymn 81: Come, let us
to the Lord our God ..
Prayer Leader
Lap 4
Leader + Runner
1
John 1: 5 - 7
Reader 8
Hymn 578: Lord of
Light .. [to tune 579]
Hymn 120: Summer suns
are glowing ..
Prayer Leader
The Finishing Line Leader
Hymn 26: Father, we
praise you ..
Prayer and Blessing
Leader
Note: the service is in six parts, and can involve several
members of the congregation, including children.
Runner: could be a child, carrying a large, round, battery operated torch, with doyleys wrapped round the lighted end, to provide a torch like the Olympic torch. Alternatively, four children could run legs of a relay race, with a "baton".
Prayers: instead of the Leader, several people could read or write their own, appropriate prayers.
_______________________________
The Relay Race of Life - Leader's Texts
Starting Blocks
Churches have been encouraged to take the theme of the Olympic Games, and especially the Olympic torch relay, as inspiration for worship, and other activities.
Today we are using the images of Light and Running a Relay
Race as images for living the Christian life.
A relay race in the Olympic stadium usually has four laps, so our
service is divided into four laps or parts.
And we have some very good runners, who are going to carry a torch round
the church at the beginning of each lap - except they're going to walk, not
run, in case there are any accidents!
Our call to worship sets the themes.
[Reader 1]
Lap 1
In an Olympic relay race, everyone gets off to a quick
start, and tries to make a clean hand-over of the baton to the next runner in
his or her team.
The Christian gets off to a good start in life, inspired by
God's glory, the fruitfulness of God's world, and God's forgiveness. [Runner does Lap 1]
Lap 2
Some hand-overs go well and the second lap runners speed
off, while others try to make up lost time.
The Christian is helped to run a good race by following the
teachings of Jesus.
[Runner does Lap 2]
Lap 3
Once again, the hand-overs are crucial, and the pace is beginning to tell. Some teams slow down, some forge ahead. This is the lap where those falling behind just have to catch up.
The Christian may struggle at times in his or her life. At these times especially, the Holy Spirit provides
strength to carry on.
[Runner does Lap 3]
Lap 4
Lap four is the last. If the last hand-over has gone well, there is a very good chance of taking the lead. The last lap is very fast and very exciting. The runners give everything they can, to reach the finishing line first. [Runner does Lap 4]
The Finishing Line
Runners have to qualify in the first place, to take part in the Olympic Games. In games long ago, the winners received crowns of laurel leaves. Today, they receive medals and only the winning team gets gold medals.
In the Christian life, everyone is called to take part, and
everyone who finishes the race will receive a crown.
Thanks and glory to God the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. [Runner to read last verses]
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