 |
SUNDAY SERVICE SCRIPT EXAMPLE |
1. Musical opening by ________
2. Welcome and invocation by _______
3. Musical number by ____________
4. (Leader) Statement & Purpose of this Peace Rally- Purpose Statement:
3. Musical number by ____________
4. (Leader) Statement & Purpose of this Peace Rally- Purpose Statement:
Our purpose is to create an awareness of nonviolent principles and practice as a powerful way to heal, transform and empower our lives and communities. Through an educational and community action campaign, we are honoring those who are using nonviolence to build a community that honors the dignity and worth of every human being.
We are demonstrating that every person can move the world in the direction of peace through their daily nonviolent choice and action.
January 30, 1998 marked the 50th anniversary of Mohandis K. Gandhi’s assassination. April 4th is the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. In memory of these two great peace advocates, a 64 day grassroots movement honoring non-violence and peace began. This movement is called A Season for Nonviolence and it is a joint project involving the Association for Global New Thought known as AGNT, The M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, and the Martin Luther King Social Action training programs. In the past 17 years since the Season began, it has been celebrated 16 times at the United Nations, and over a thousand events have been carried out by New Thought congregations and community leaders in nearly every U.S. states, and as many as 900 communities in 67 countries worldwide.
5. (reader)
In 1997, in a personal conversation with Brother Wayne Teasdale, The Dalai Lama of Tibet spoke these words of support for the project. “...the time has come to make it clear that nonviolence is the only way, the proper way to solve the problems among humanity...The promotion of nonviolence ultimately reveals the awareness of how destructive other so-called solutions are, and in the meantime, shows us a way out of violence. Through nonviolence we can see that it is possible to solve all our problems by means of dialogue...This Season for nonviolence is a very good tool to remind us.of the large unfinished work we have together in transforming awareness on our planet.”
In an interview with the late Coretta Scott King, she told AGNT: "In the 'Season for Nonviolence' Initiative, the Association fro Global New Thought has made a significant contribution to creating a more compassionate and peaceful world by educating people in the principles of nonviolence advocated by Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and other peacemakers."
King and Gandhi were first and foremost men who operated as their authentic selves. They were committed to a Universal Law. They refused to accept legally sanctioned injustice. They were willing to know the truth, speak the truth, live the truth, and be willing to go to jail, or to die if necessary to be true to their own truth. This is NOT a passive stand.
Gandhi’s commitment to nonviolent protest became an inspiration for Martin Luther King. Gandhi used the British constitution to free his people and this showed King how to apply the U. S. constitution in similar ways. Melting hate with love worked for Gandhi in India. Gandhi became King’s hero and inspired him to choose a path of duty. His dream of freedom eventually led to the massive march on Washington and the stirring words uttered for all of the world to hear on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
“Let freedom ring from every hill...from every mountain top, let freedom ring...we are speeding up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:’Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.”
6. Music
7. (reader)
Three months later Congress passed the civil rights legislation and at the age of 35, King was chosen Time magazine’s Man of the Year. Ten months later, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Gandhi and King are examples of what a visionary can do. The steps they followed to achieve their dreams are part of the evolutionary awakening of the human race. They are available to anyone motivated enough to use them.
Each of us has a stake in creating a peaceful world. Hold that vision. Feel it, know it, and most importantly, we must trust the Divine in each of us to support our intentions. We can do it. Attitudes are changing. Our internal landscape is shifting. Gandhi and King were not assassinated in vain. Remember the dream, and most importantly, live the dream. Peace begins within each of us. One person at a time creates one peace at a time. And the instant each person in the world is at peace simultaneously, there will be peace on earth. Let it begin within me.
Interfaith Prayer - “I revere and honor all faiths. Each faith is simply a way to know God. All of them are Good as all of them are God. Even if I disagree personally, I disagree with Love. And so it is.
8. Music
9. Congregation Pledge of Nonviolence
Making peace must start within ourselves, in our families, and in our congregation. Each of us, members of __________________________________________, commit ourselves as best we can to become nonviolent and peaceable people.
To Respect Self and Others
To respect myself, to affirm others and to avoid uncaring criticism, hateful words, physical attacks and self-destructive behavior.
To Communicate Better
To share my feelings honestly, to look for safe ways to express my anger,and to work at solving problems peacefully.
To Listen
To listen carefully to one another, especially those who disagree with me, and to consider others' feelings and needs rather than insist on having my own way.
To Forgive
To apologize and make amends when I have hurt another, to forgive others, and to keep from holding grudges.
To Respect Nature
To treat the environment and all living things with respect and care.
To Recreate Nonviolently
To promote athletic and recreational activities that encourage cooperation and to avoid social activities that make violence look exciting, funny or acceptable.
To Be Courageous
To challenge violence in all forms whenever I encounter it, whether at home, at work, in the congregation, or in the community, and to stand with others who are treated unfairly.
This is our pledge. These are our goals. We will check ourselves on what we have pledged once a year on ________________________________ so that we can help each other become more peaceable people.
"Eliminating violence, one congregation at a time, starting with our own."
10. Native African Peace Prayer
“O Great spirit of our Ancestors, I raise my pipe to you; To your messengers the four winds, and to Mother Earth who provides for your children. Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love, to respect, and to be kind to each other, so that they may grow with peace in mind. Let us learn to share all good things that you provide for us on this Earth.”
11. Baha’i Prayer for Peace
“Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be a lamp unto those who walk in darkness, and a home to the stranger. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be a breath of life to the body of humankind, a dew to the soil of the human heart, and a fruit upon the tree of humility.”
12. Music
13. Meditation – Audio/Video Collage of Peace Passage from all traditions (6 MIN. 8 SEC) GO TO AGNT PAGE http://www.agnt.org/interfaith-video-meditations AND SCROLL DOWN TO PEACE
14. A Hindu Peace Prayer
“Oh God, lead us from the unreal to the Real. Oh God, lead us from darkness to light. Oh God, lead us from death to immortality. Oh Lord God almighty, may there be peace in Celestial regions. May there be peace on earth. May the waters be appeasing. May herbs be wholesome, and may trees and plants bring peace to all. May all beneficent beings bring peace to us. May thy Vedic Law propagate peace all through the world. May all things be a source of peace to us. And may thy peace itself bestow peace on all. And may that peace come to me also."
15. (Reader)
Gratitude is such an important part of the quest for peace. Ernest Holmes, the founder of Religious Science, said”...there is something in this attitude of thanksgiving that carries us beyond the field of doubt into one of perfect faith and acceptance, receptivity...realization. Appreciation, gratitude and thanksgiving-the motive power which attracts and magnifies the hidden potentialities of life.”
At this moment let us acknowledge some of the great peacemakers: Thank you: Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, The 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso), Mikhail Gorbachev, Shimon Perez, Desmond Tutu, Rosa Parks, Henry Kissinger Morris Dees, and of course Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Jesus. And thank you to all those not mentioned and to each of you sitting here in the audience for choosing peace.
Gandhi wrote, “Nonviolence is based on the assumption that human nature...unfailingly responds to the advances of love. Every moment I have the choice of love or fear.
Have you ever thought of the power you have as a human being sharing this planet? For example, what about touch? A loving hand on the shoulder, a hug, a pat on the back...these small gestures can let people know we really care. Sometimes words are too much or not enough and a gentle touch can be so healing. Emmet Fox said, “There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer; no disease that enough love will not heal; no door that enough love will not open; no gulf that enough love will not bridge; no wall that enough love will not throw down; no sin that enough love will not redeem”
Or, what about kindness? Sometimes all that is needed to turn a violent thought or experience around is a bit of kindness. The Apostle Paul wrote: “Clothe yourself with compassion and kindness and gentleness and patience before each other and forgive whatever grievance you may have with one another.” And what of reverence? Where would violence go in the face of reverence? How could one be violent when someone is holding them in high esteem and valuing them.
Or, what of transformation? How do I transform violent thoughts into loving thoughts? Might I sing? I acknowledge my Truth and know there is a song in me that only I can sing. And do I have a balance between speaking and listening? Dag Hammarskjold said, “The more faithfully you listen to the voice within you, the better you will hear what is sounding outside. And only she who listens can speak.’
A Sufi proverb says, “When the heart weeps for what it has lost, the spirit laughs for what is found,” and Albert Einstein said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.” And we say thank you to all the peacemakers that stood tall in their truth. Thank you for taking the elegant approach to life and leading with refined grace. Thank you for inspiring us to carry the torch that is leading us to victory.
16. A Muslim Peace Prayer
”In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful. Praise be to the Lord of the Universe who has created us and made us into tribes and nations, that we may know each other, not that we may despise each other. If the enemy incline towards peace, do thou also incline towards peace, and trust in God, for the Lord is the one that hearth and knoweth all things. And the servants of God, Most Gracious are those who walk on the Earth in humility, and when we address them, we say Peace.”
17. Music
18. A Jewish Prayer for Peace
God of all connections with all things; we have given ourselves to sacred coalition with You in the Repair of the world. As You make peace there, let there be peace among us, among all peoples, changing the world one person at a time. Amenmen.
19. A Christian Prayer for Peace
"Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS, for they shall be known as the Children of God. But I say to you that hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To those who strike you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from those who take away your cloak, do not withhold your coat as well. Give to everyone who begs from you, and of those who take away your goods, do not ask them again. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them."
20. ( Reader)
How can we, as individuals, one person at a time make a difference in this large world? We can do this in three specific ways on a daily basis. The first way is personally. An example of this would be : smiling, believing, dreaming, and caring. The second way would be interpersonally, and an example of that would be: praising, listening, cooperation, and accountability. The third way would be through your community. An example would be: advocacy, action, commitment, and celebration. You see, through one person at a time, we create one peace at a time. One peace at a time creates a peaceful family, a peaceful community, and ultimately, a peaceful world. Now we are going to take a few minutes for you to share a peace vision with us. What does peace mean to you? Is it a word that you hear, or is it a living, breathing entity with a heart and soul of it’s own? Is it passive or active? Think about it as you move through your life. How can I, one person make a difference?
21. Music
22. A Shinto Prayer for Peace
"Although the people living across the ocean surrounding us, I believe, are all our brothers and sisters, why are there constant troubles in this world? Why do winds and waves rise in the ocean surrounding us? I only earnestly wish that the wind will soon puff away all the clouds which are hanging over the tops of the mountains.