Saturday, February 4, 2017

Thanksgiving Litany for Shiny's Ruby Birthday Celebrations

    

1. Invocation:
Chorus: I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter his courts with praise, I will say this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice for He has made me glad. Jesus makes me glad, Jesus makes me glad, I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

2.       Call to Worship:
L: Dearly beloved, we have gathered here to join & celebrate & rejoice for the gift of life specially for Shiny on her 40th Birthday, and more importantly to offer praise and thanksgiving to God, from whom life originates, evolves and sustains.
All: Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all God’s blessings upon us, Bless the Lord O my Soul

3.       Opening Prayer:

4.       Opening Hymn: O God our help in ages past… 705

5.       Praise & Thanksgiving:
L: God of Eve, God of Sarah, God of Hagar, God of Tamar, God of Rahab and God of all our mothers, we praise you for being faithful towards us, and we specially thank you for being faithful to Shiny from her childhood, to her youthhood, in her womanhood and in her motherhood. 
All: Ha Ha Ha Halleluiah…ha ha Amen (tune)

L:  God of Ruth, God of Hannah, God of Vashti, God of Esther, God of Deborah and God of all our sisters, we praise you for guiding & guarding us under your wings and we specially thank you for the Christian nurture Shiny receives & contributes and for being a strong woman of faith & courage in life
All: Ha Ha Ha Halleluiah…ha ha Amen (tune)

L: God of Mary, God of Elizabeth, God of Mary the Magdalene, God of Mary & Martha and God of all our daughters we praise you for embracing us with love, peace & kindness and we specially thank you for the gifts of hospitality, love, humility and generosity that Shiny brings to each of us.
All: Ha Ha Ha Halleluiah…ha ha Amen (tune)

L: God of Priscilla, God of Rodhe, God of Louis, God of Eunice, God of Salomi, God of several unnamed, forgotten and neglected women, God of the unsung sheros of our Bible & history and God of all our mothers, sisters and daughters, we praise you O God for you in Jesus Christ brought us salvation and we specially thank you for channelling Shiny to be the agency of your grace to family and friends around her.
All: Ha Ha Ha Halleluiah…ha ha Amen (tune)

6.       Scripture Reading: Joshua 3: 1-7

7.       Thanksgiving Homily:

8.       Dedication: (Irish Celtic Blessing)
Women: May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm on your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Men: May God be with you and bless you,
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor misfortune,
Rich in blessings, may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.

All: May the road rise to meet you
May the wind always be at your back,
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home, and may the hand of a friend always be near. 
May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the sky above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.

9.       Closing Hymn:

10.   Closing Prayer & Lord’s Prayer:

11.   Benediction:
The way is long, let us go together
The way is difficult, let us help each other
The way is joyful, let us share it
The way is Christ’s, for God is the way
Let us follow the way is open before us;
Let us go with the love of God, the grace of Jesus Christ and the communion of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


12.   Cake Cutting & Fellowship Dinner 


@rajpatta, 3rd Feb 2017 

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