of Prayer Opening Service
pansive European and American melodies , rich Byzantine chants with a single powerful line of music , Scandinavian music full of light . Songs of comfort , of confidence , of beauty , of awe and reverence , of trust , of faith , of protest and solidarity , of familiarity and simplicity . Tonight we are singing some of these together .
You may notice we ’ re not singing anything from Australia . But if we had included our region , it may have been with a song from Papua New Guinea - Mi pela I bung Papa God . “ God of all the world , we have come to give you thanks and become more like you . In worship we long to be one with each other and you .” Humble , addressed directly to Papa God . The grandeur of those huge services was offset by moments of peace and humility . Many prayers and sermons had elements that were surprisingly personal , inspiring yet utterly down to earth , unexpected in the sheer scale of the services . Just as a respectful traveller to a foreign country tries out the local language with a tentative Bon jour , or Hola ! or Sawbona , we can try out these rich powerful songs of faith . We celebrate and share the wonderfully diverse cultures of our world , the wideness in God ’ s mercy , and the inspiring breath of the Holy Spirit . Let ’ s sing together in joy .
- Susan Reid
Susan Reid giving her address
St Margaret ’ s News 19 May 2021