THE COMMUNITY OF JESUS AND MARY
WELCOMES ALL GOD’S CHILDREN
STATEMENT OF WELCOME
(to be provided for every guest when they first attend a Worship
Service)
The Community of Jesus and Mary is a worldwide ecumenical organization of individuals from different backgrounds and ideologies. We are proudly pluralistic, and recognize that every person is a child of God.
The Community of Jesus and Mary stands strongly opposed to injustice and discrimination. We welcome, value, and appreciate people of all ages, abilities, races, ethnicities, sexes, sexual orientations, or gender identities (including a person’s choice of gender presentation, whether or not that gender identity, appearance or behavior is traditionally associated with that person’s sex at birth),. We don’t just tolerate diversity, we celebrate it.
The Community of Jesus and Mary is firmly committed to
promoting the human rights of all people to be proud of who and what they are,
and to allowing stigmatized minorities to live in peace and dignity without
interference in their personal lives by governments or other forces.
In the Community of Jesus and Mary we don’t waste people; we believe that every person has their gift from God, and every person has their valuable contribution to make. We want every single individual to have an equal opportunity to realize their full potential as a member of society and as a precious child of God. Accordingly, we place particular emphasis on expanding human rights, and especially the rights of children and adolescents, with the hope that young people may be able to enjoy freedom and happiness in all aspects of life.
The Community of Jesus and Mary places special emphasis on promoting the freedom and happiness of young people, and on encouraging their education. We believe that each person—no matter what their economic status—should have the opportunity to attain the highest level of education of which they are capable. While youth is a time to enjoy life and to learn, education is a life-long experience. Followers of all ages are encouraged to continue to learn new skills, to develop new insights, and to appreciate all of God’s creation.
The Community of Jesus and Mary also places special importance on creativity. Every person should be encouraged to develop their creative side, whether it is in the arts of dance, music, visual arts, creative writing, or the creativity of invention, scientific discovery, or the creation of new products that will benefit humanity and the earth. Our aim is to build societies that are full of persons whose lives are characterized by peace, love, joy, self-acceptance, fulfillment, and compassion for all other beings. Individual lives are not the means to a goal, but are the goal itself.
The Worship Service is held on Saturday, which is the Sabbath that Jesus and Mary, as observant Jews, practiced. Worship Services are designed to make people feel enjoyment and fulfillment. Because music moves the soul, hand-clapping, joyous singing and dancing are major parts of each Worship Service. Each activity should be inclusive and welcoming, and hopefully will leave people with an attitude of gratitude that they attended. The goal of the Worship Service is that people should go away with a renewed spirit that will help them deal with their problems and have a more positive attitude toward life. The Community of Jesus and Mary exists to help people, spiritually, physically, psychologically, financially, and in all other ways, to have a better life.
SUGGESTED ORDER OF WORSHIP SERVICE
ENTRY BAPTISM
As people enter the sanctuary at 11:00am, or until 11:20am, they are individually blessed by the Celebrant or a volunteer at the door, with a baptism of sanctified water on the top of the head, forehead, neck, chest, or hand. “Blessings be upon you.”
CHANTING
11:00am—11:20am Chant
“
[translated: “I give
devotion to the mysticism of the universe.”]
Chanting is done to put the mind in an altered state of
consciousness, to relax, and to release the brain from all the mundane stresses,
concerns and worries of the day.
COMMUNION OF THE COMMUNITY at 11:20am
[at communion, offer a full glass of wine or juice, plus an assortment of various breads that are substantial, to hold people from hunger until 1pm]
Celebrant: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. In the name of the Creator, the Word, and the Sacred Spirit, peace be with you.
People: And peace be also with you.
Celebrant: Alleluia. We call upon the power of Mary Magdalene to bless us all.
People: May her grace provide me and my loved ones with her everlasting beneficence and protective care.
Celebrant: Alleluia. We call upon the power of Jesus to sanctify this food and this drink.
People: Praise them from whom all blessings flow.
Celebrant (while holding the tray of bread): Alleluia. We remember today the Last Supper, when Jesus sat with his disciples in friendship. He took a loaf of bread, and blessed it, and broke it into pieces, saying:
People: Take this and eat. This is my body which is given for you. I am the bread of life. All those who come to me shall never hunger. Eat in remembrance of me, and in eternal union with me.
Celebrant: And passing the bread to each one who sat at the table, he said unto them:
People: The bread that I give is my flesh for the life of the world, and they that eat of this flesh, their spirit shall never die.
Celebrant: (while holding the tray of liquid) And then, after each one had eaten of the flesh, he poured goblets of liquid, and blessed them, saying:
People: I am the drink of life. All those who come to me shall never thirst.
Celebrant: And passing the drinks to each one who sat at the table, he said unto them:
People: Take this and drink. This is my blood, which will be shed for the forgiveness of the trespasses of the many. I offer my blood for the life of the world, and for each one who drinks this, all their trespasses are forgiven. Drink in remembrance of me, and in eternal union with me.
Celebrant: And now I call upon any of you who wish to come forward to be nourished with the spiritual food and drink of the body and the blood that Jesus freely gave, for the gift of life and for the forgiveness of the world. Come into the light that Jesus holds before you as the ark of the covenant is opened unto you. Walk in beauty into the light of love, peace, happiness, and fulfillment. Walk with beauty before you, with beauty behind you, with beauty above you, with beauty below you. Walk in the light with beauty all around you. Walk in the beauty of the all-embracing love of the Creator, the Word, and the Sacred Spirit. Come to the light.
SONG OF JOY: “Love is
the Light,”
[repeat verses until all who wish to come forward have taken
communion]
Look for the light, [clap
twice]
that distant
light. [clap twice]
If we detect it we’ll know it outright.
We can perceive with a little foresight.
A message is here for the world.
wonderful light. [clap twice]
The words all appear as we leave the twilight
Study the message and then we’ll recite:
Love is the light of the world.
Accept the light,
the truthful light.
Get rid of shame that makes some feel contrite.
Seek out the knowledge that helps us think right.
Love is the light of the world.
staggering light.
Release our guilt as we gain more insight.
As we learn goodness, we’ll read and we’ll write,
Love is the light of the world.
beautiful light. [clap twice]
Come where the dew drops of mercy shine bright.
Shine all around us by day and by night.
Love is the light of the world.
fantastic light.
Create a world where our love is all right.
Seek out and cherish the right that makes might.
Love is the light of the world.
marvelous light.
To love who we wish to, that is our birthright.
When we tell others we feel great delight.
Love is the light of the world.
incredible light.
Reach for the spirit that’s within our sight.
We can advance as we live so forthright
Love is the light of the world.
flourishing light.
The message is true and in this we'll unite.
Life is a blessing so live it upright.
Love is the light of the world.
encompassing light.
Live in fulfillment, in daytime and night.
Enlightenment means that we know this outright.
Love is the light of the world.
WELCOME OF GUESTS:
Anyone who is here for the first time is asked to stand so that we may
welcome you to our Community. [applause] We will now have a recitation of our common creed,
stating what we believe.
THE CREED OF THE COMMUNITY
[all say in unison]
I believe in the Creator’s divine essence, which is within me and infuses the entire universe.
who represents the sacred heaven that provides the air which
we breathe,
and the sacred earth that provides the sustenance on which we
live.
I believe in Jesus, who provides the teachings that allow us to live a life filled with love, peace, happiness, and fulfillment.
I believe in Mary Magdalene as a primary disciple of Jesus
who understood his teachings through her heart, spirit and mind, and was a
compassionate example of his message.
I give devotion to God, to Jesus, and to both Marys, and in turn receive their unlimited blessings.
and as such I open my heart to receive their unconditional
love. Amen.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OR TESTIMONY BY A MEMBER
[chosen by
the Celebrant, and rehearsed ahead of time]
[if this is a new member, after they give their experience
they are baptized and welcomed into membership in the Community of Jesus and
Mary. If it is an infant or child being
baptized, their parent or godparent makes a welcoming statement about their
hopes and dreams for this child’s future]
CREATIVE PERFORMANCE
(a piece of original dance, music,
skit, demonstration, reading, poem, or song, performed by one or more members
of the Community of Jesus and Mary)
[all say in unison]
First prayer: [ring the gong one time]
Our Father and Mother who are in Heaven, hallowed be your
names. May your kingdom come, your will
be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily food, and forgive our trespasses, as we
forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom within us, and the
power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Second prayer: [ring
the gong two times]
I offer praise and deepest gratitude for your blessed child
Jesus, who possesses the three enlightened attributes and the three virtues of
teacher, caregiver, and healer. His
immense love and embracing presence transcends past, present, and future, and
has the potential to lead all people to enlightenment. I offer thanks and deepest gratitude for
blessed Mary who gave life to Jesus, nurtured him, and was his first great
spiritual teacher.
I also give thanks for the immeasurable benefits I have
received.
[give
silent prayers of thanks for benefits received]
Third prayer: [ring
the gong three times]
I offer praise and deepest gratitude to God, to the spirits
of all things, to the universal forces within everything, and to the guardian
angels who night and day protect all life.
I solemnly praise the inscrutable essence of the universe, the perfect
fusion of masculine and feminine, the entity of absolute freedom, and the
eternal manifestation of love. I express
heartfelt appreciation to Mary Magdalene and the other disciples of Jesus, to those
who have dedicated their lives to following the teachings of Jesus, and to
those who have applied these teachings to our own day.
[give silent prayers of thanks to those who spread the
teachings of Jesus, by personal example, by leadership, and by contributing to
the Community of Jesus and Mary]
Fourth prayer: [ring
the gong four times]
I offer special prayers for those who are sick in body or in
spirit. I pray for those who are in
need. I pray for those who are suffering
unjustly.
[give silent
prayers of wishes to benefit others]
Fifth prayer: [ring
gong five times]
I pray to erase my negative actions of greed, anger,
stupidity, and trespasses against others; and to build my positive actions by
spreading happiness to others, by learning, by creativity, and by giving
compassionate benefits for others. I
pray to fulfill my constructive wishes in this life and in the future.
[give
silent prayers of wishes to benefit oneself]
Sixth prayer: [ring
gong six times]
I pray for my deceased loved ones and for all who have
passed away, especially these individuals
[offer special
memorial prayers while the gong rings continuously]
Seventh prayer:
Lastly, I pray for Jesus and Mary’s loving blessings to
spread throughout the world and bring peace and happiness to all living beings
and to the entire universe.
[ring gong slowly
seven times]
SONG OF JOY:
READING FROM AN INSPIRED TEXT [by a member or Celebrant]:
REFLECTIVE THOUGHTS (sermon, discussion, or
question-answers)
[by a member or guest or Celebrant]
[finish by 12:55pm]
SONG OF JOY:
BENEDICTION
People: Love one another as I have loved you.
People: Amen. [clapping and cheering permitted]
At 1:00pm, attendees are invited to share a potluck meal for which they have brought a dish, or they pay for a ticket. Or, attendees go to a nearby restaurant to share a meal in common.