Optional Prayer Service for ‘Ring the Bells’
Who?
A small (or larger) group of individuals concerned about the devastating effect of climate change on our planet and who wish to pray together in solidarity with Christians around the world.
You will need four Readers (Reader 1 (Leader),Reader 2, Reader 3, Reader 4). If your group is smaller, adapt the service as required. Reader 1 (Leader) might be your parish priest or a curate in your parish, or it can be a lay person.
Where?
Your local Church. This prayer can be said indoors or outdoors depending on the weather.
What else is required?
- Some kind of central ‘prayer space’ created with symbols of Creation as a focal point. It might also be appropriate to include in your sacred space some bells and other religious symbols (e.g. candles, book of the Gospels, prayer books, rosary beads, statues) as you see fit.
A larger bell will be required. This can be placed in the centre of your prayer space but needs to be accessible for a reader/altar server to reach at a number of different moments during the Prayer. (See below for details.)
However, your prayer space might be as simple as this single larger bell on its own.
- A copy of the prayer service is required for readers but not for a wider group – you will of course want to bear in mind any unnecessary photocopying of paper.
- In terms of music, you do not need to have music or musicians involved in this service. However, if you dodecide that music would add to the occasion, there are plenty of hymns on the theme of creation, and care of the poor from which to choose. Alternatively, quiet reflective music might be used to set the tone with the main sound experience being the sound of your parish bells ringing at the end of the prayer service. Feel free to have no music at all for this service.
How long will this service take?
This service should take no more than half an hour. It can be shortened or lengthened as you see fit in your parish. Adapt it to your own needs.
The service itself is divided into three mains sections:
-Ringing the bells as a moment of praise (Bell in sacred space)
- Ringing the bells as a moment of warning (Bell in sacred space)
- Ringing the bells as a call to action (Larger Church bells)
The Service is designed around these ‘bell moments’. Each bell moment will have the same basic components; prayers, scripture reading and ringing of the bell. The service is introduced with a prayer and concludes with the ringing of your parish Church bells.
When?
December 13th at 2pm
Why?
To join with Christians across the globe who wish to stand together in prayerful solidarity to pray for the successful outcome of international Climate talks in Copenhagen.
The Prayer Service
Introductory prayer:
Reader 1 (Leader)
All stand.
Brothers and sisters, we gather today as concerned Christians to stand with hundreds of thousands of Christians across our planet who wish to raise their voices in concern about the devastating impact of climate change on our planet. We stand in solidarity with those in our own country who have been affected by recent devastating floods. We stand in prayerful solidarity with the voiceless millions too poor, too weak, and too marginalised to raise their voices aloud today. We stand in prayerful solidarity with future generations, the unborn not yet with a voice. Finally, we stand in prayerful solidarity with one another as Brothers and Sisters. Today we humbly pray.
Reader 2:
This bell we ring now symbolises this prayerful solidarity. We ring it and hear it echo in silence around our Church. We ring it in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
All:Amen
(Solemnly ring the Bell in your prayer space three times)
Moment 1: In Praise of the Created World
Reader 1 (Leader):
Creator God, this earth is miraculous and beautiful. We see this every day in our parish, in our community, in our interaction with our world around us. If we have the eyes to see, we can see your divine hand in so much of our created world.
Today we will ring our bells in praise for all that you have created. We thank you for your gift of our world. We pray that we will be careful stewards of creation. As we listen to your word during our Prayer Service, remind us Creator God of the love that inspired your creativity. Remind us also of your call to us to love the created world and one another.
(All sit)
Reader 2:
How wonderful, O Lord, are the works of your hands! The heavens declare your glory; the arch of sky displays your handiwork. In your love you have given us the power to behold the beauty of your world robed in all its splendour.
The sun and the stars, the valleys and hills, the rivers and lakes all disclose your presence. The roaring breakers of the seas tell of your awesome might; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air speak of your wondrous will.
In your goodness you have made us able to hear the music of the world. You are in our midst. A divine voice sings through all creation.
(A Traditional Jewish Prayer)
Reader 3:
A reading from the Gospel of John (1:1-5)
“In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God. From the very beginning the Word was with God.Through him God made all things;not one thing in all creation was made without him. The Word was the source of life and this life brought light to humanity. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.”
This is the Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God
Reader 4:
We ring our Bell in thanks to our loving Creator for all that is good in our created world. As we listen to our bell ringing in the silence of our Church we allow gratitude to enter our prayer. We praise you Lord and we thank you.
(Solemnly ring the bell in your prayer space three times)
Moment 2: A moment of warning
Reader 1 (Leader):
All stand
As we gather today to pray together in solidarity with Christians all over the planet, we gather in particular for those most affected by Climate Change. We bring to mind the pastoralists of sub-Saharan Africa whose cattle die in blistering heat, the farmers of Cambodia whose crops are destroyed by excessively heavy rains and devastating droughts, the family devastated by floods in El Salvador. Today we stand with one another on behalf of our poorest brothers and sisters in the world. At this time, we also remember those in our own country whose homes and livelihoods have been devastated by recent floods.
Reader 3:
A major report called: ‘The Human Impact Report: Climate Change – The Anatomy of a Silent Crisis’; is a comprehensive report looking at the human impact of climate change. Produced by the Global Humanitarian Forum, the report estimates that climate change today accounts for over 300,000 deaths throughout the world each year - the equivalent of an Indian Ocean Tsunami every single year.
By 2030, the annual death toll from climate change will reach half a million people a year. The report also indicates that climate change today seriously impacts on the lives of 325 million people. In twenty years time that number will more than double to an estimated 660 million, making it the biggest emerging humanitarian challenge in theworld, impacting on the lives of 10% of the world’s population. (Source:
Who are these millions of people? These are our brothers and sisters; these are our neighbours.
Reader 4:
A Reading from the Gospel of Luke
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with your entire mind']; and, 'Love your neighbour as yourself."
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live?"
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?"
In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coinsand gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
This is the Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God
Reader 2:
At this moment, in this parish we pray for our brothers and sisters in the developing world in particular; the millions of people in our world today who are suffering and will suffer because of the ill effects of climate change. We ring our bells as a warning. Time is running out. We must work together and for one another to protect God’s gift to us of creation.
(Solemnly ring the bell in your prayer space three times)
Moment 3: A moment to act
Reader 1 (Leader):
As we gather today, we pray for the courage to act. It is never enough for Christians simply to pray for change. We are called to love.
Reader 2:
The Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila
Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours; yours are the eyes through which to lookwith Christ’s compassion on the world, yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good, and yours are his hands with which to bless us now.
Reader 3:
A Reading from the Book of Isaiah (58:6)
The kind of fasting I want is this: remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear and do not refuse to help your own Brothers and Sisters.
This is the word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God
Reader 4:
We pray to our God for forgiveness
God we are sorry for the way we use your gifts to us so carelessly.
We are sorry that our actions are spoiling the precious balance between the earth and the sun so that our world is becoming too hot.
We are sorry for wasting food while others go hungry
We are sorry for wasting water when some children spend four hours each day collecting it.
We are sorry for buying things we do not need.
We are sorry for throwing away things just because they are old or unfashionable.
We are ashamed that the world is such an unfair place
We are sorry when we choose to bury our heads in the sand rather than seek fair solutions.
Lord forgive us and disturb us until we change to make your world a better place.
(R Croft and J Laynesmi)
All:Amen
Reader 1 (Leader):
Prayers of Petition
In the silence of our own heart, we decide now to make one change in our lifestyles. We resolve to do something practical that will change the world. We pray for one another as Brothers and Sisters to that will give one another courage to change as we need to change. Lord hear us.
ALL: Lord graciously hear us
We pray for our Church that she too will continue to show leadership in our world particularly on the issue of Climate Change. We pray in thanks for the Irish Bishops’ courage in their publication of “The Cry of the Earth”, a pastoral reflection on Climate Change. We pray for such continued courage in our Church. Lord hear us.
All: Lord graciously hear us.
As we approach 2pm and the ringing our Church bells we pray for world leaders. That they will have the courage to agree a new, just and radical treaty in Copenhagen that will protect our fragile world for those most affected by climate change and for future generations.
All: Lord graciously hear us.
Concluding Prayer:
Throughout history you have moved people to do amazing things for the sake of their neighbours. Inspire us now to work together, as your people, to change priorities in the way we live, so that we build a fair and safe world for all your creation; a world where your will is done as it is in heaven. We conclude our prayer service with the ringing of our Church bells. May their chimes to a reminder to all us to take care of our planet and in so doing to care for one another.
We make this prayer, through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen
(Ring Church Bells at 2pm – ring as long as you in your parish see fit)