Liturgy w/communion for July 28, 2024 (Pentecost 10/Trinity 9/Proper 12/Ordinary 17 - B)

 Texts: 2 Samuel 11:1-15; Psalm 14; Ephesians 3:14-21; John 6:1-21

Call to Worship
The foolish say, "There is no God!
We are alone, on our own."
We gather to declare
the glory of God in our lives.
The foolish say, "It is your life;
you are accountable to no one."
We gather, strengthened by the Spirit,
trusting that Christ dwells in our hearts.
The foolish say, "Everything I have is mine;
I owe nothing to anyone."
We gather to praise the One
who calls us to serve others in love.

Prayer of the Day
Your glory flows
through all generations,
as you name every family
in heaven and on earth.
And so we come to you this day,
O God.

Your grace is
higher than the farthest star;
your peace is
deeper than our greatest emptiness;
your love spans
the abyss of death;
your hope stretches
into all eternity.
And so we come to you this day,
O Christ.

When our lives bottom out,
your grace is still our bedrock;
when our spirits run dry,
you fill us with your joy;
when we falter in our faith,
you strengthen us
to serve with hope and peace.
And so we come to you this day,
O Spirit.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we come to you this day,
praying as we have been taught,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
God looks at us, to see if we are wise enough to offer confession, to receive forgiveness, and to seek to know the healing love of Christ.  Let us prove our wisdom, and set aside our foolish pride, as we pray together,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   Wisdom's Heart: deep within, we know how we have failed to be your people.  Our hardened hearts are closed to the love of Christ; our lust for more and more blocks the fullness of your grace from transforming our lives; our trust in the powers of the world reveals our foolish nature.
   Have mercy, God of every generation.  Pour out the rich blessing of forgiveness on our parched souls.  Feed us with Heaven's Bread, so we might be nourished by your gentleness.  Shape us as your people, and restore us to faithful living, as we seek to follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in service to everyone we meet.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
The wideness of God's mercy, the range of God's forgiveness, the infinite love of God, the Heart of hope which is never empty:  all these gifts are ours, as God restores us to the fullness of life meant for us.
Grounded in love, rooted in discipleship, we offer ourselves in service to others, recognizing the limitless grace which is ours to share in Christ.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
In our hands, the gifts seem so paltry, but in yours, they can bring plentitude of grace to those who are so hungry for hope.  In our hearts, we wonder how effective our ministries might be, but joined with yours, we can indeed bring healing, community, peace, and joy to our struggling communities.  Bless us and our gifts, multiply our hopes and our efforts, that your wonders might come into the world around us.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God feed you at this Table of grace!
And also feed you!
God desires to dwell in us,
and so we open our hearts to welcome God.
Let us rejoice in the God who loves us,
as we sing songs of thanksgiving to God.

Chaos foolishly thought there was no God,
until you spoke and sent it astray,
as creation burst forth from your imagination,
   grace racing the breadth and length
      planting wonders and joys beyond count,
   laughter filling the height and depth
      of every corner of the universes.
You prayed that we would have the power
to understand that all these gifts were shaped
for the life of those crafted in your image.
   But early one evening we gazed sin bathing,
   and felt it so beautiful that we inquired
   of death how to gain it.
You sent the prophets to us,
their words continuing to challenge us
to see if we had grown any wiser,
   but we continued to confound your plans,
   seeking refuge in the alluring embrace of temptation.
Finally, you sent Jesus to us,
who continually called to us,
‘do not be afraid; I am here.’

So with those who have come through the storms of life,
with those foolish enough to rely more on themselves than on you,
we lift our voices in glad song to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of who feeds all people.
All creation is filled with the fullness of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who came be the bread to feed our emptiness.
Hosanna in the highest!

You alone are holy, God of every moment,
and in your Child, Jesus, we find that love we cannot understand.
He could have stayed on the safe shores of glory,
   but came to bring us hope in every storm we face.
He could have kept your abundance for himself,
   but took your gifts and poured them out for us,
   so much that there were leftovers to share with those around us.
He could have left us to our foolish lives,
   but confounded the plans of sin
   by defeating death at its own game,
and restored us in that refuge called the resurrection.

As we try to understand his willingness to restore
   our fragmented lives through his brokenness,
as we ponder that miracle which is beyond death,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

We know God’s love, by the death of Christ;
we received the grace of God, by the resurrection of Christ;
we will be fed in glory, by the return of Christ.

We gather at this Table which is blessed
by your Spirit of transformation,
the common gifts being set aside for your holy use.
The broken pieces of the bread
are just enough to strengthen us
so we can go out to serve our fragmented world.
The cup of grace overflows with hope,
so we can see those around us,
   the families without hope,
   the children without food,
   the elderly without friends,
   the world without peace.

And when that time comes, when you show
how truly foolish you are by gathering
those of every time and place around your Table,
we will join our hearts and voices
in singing our praises to you forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
Let us go now, foolish enough to believe in God.
We will see God in everyone we meet.
Let us go now, foolish enough to follow Jesus.
We will share grace with those who need it the most.
Let us go now, foolish enough to be filled with the Holy Spirit,
We will serve with the Spirit in calming the fears of the world.

© Thom M. Shuman

Alternate texts liturgy w/communion for July 28, 2024 (Pentecost 10/Trinity 9/Proper 12/Ordinary 17 - B)

 Texts:  2 Kings 4:42-44; Psalm 145:10-18; Ephesians 3:14-21; John 6:1-21

Call to Worship

God comes with hands filled with grace;
God offers justice like a neighbor with tomatoes from the garden.
For this reason, we come to worship our God.
Jesus comes to hold up those whose legs wobble;
Jesus picks up all who stumble over their faith.
For this reason, we come to follow Jesus.
The Holy Spirit comes, as close as every breath we take;
the Spirit makes clear God’s hopes for us.
For this reason, we come to learn from the Spirit.

Prayer of the Day
We fill sacks with groceries
and hand them out to
hungry neighbors and strangers;
we run, walk, wheel
with kids and teens
to help pay medical bills
for one of their friends;
and you strengthen our faith
with these and so many other
ways to serve, Holy God.

A couple hold their grandchild
for the first time as she
beams up at them;
a carer holds our hand
as we prepare for another round
of treatments which weaken us;
and you dwell in us
through these and so many others,
Jesus our Companion.

You awaken that dormant
commitment to peace and justice
which has been gathering dust;
you till our souls with
goodness and compassion
so we can welcome refugees
into our communities;
and you continue to plant us
deep into the rich soil of hope,
Spirit of wonder.

Through these ways and opportunities,
these people and challenges,
you show us the dimensions of your love,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and we lift the prayer you have taught, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We get out our yardsticks, our calculators, our laser distance measurers, determined we can figure out just how many square feet of grace we can expect.  But the dimensions of your love cannot be figured out, any more than the depths of your mercy.  And so, we know we can bring our prayers for hope as we speak of those foolish lives we have been leading.  Hear us, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   Believing you exist to save us, Holy One, we think we can do anything we want, no matter the consequences; we can speak any words that are on our lips, no matter how much they hurt those we love; we can hoard everything, and anything, we wish, no matter how much need others have in their lives.
   Yet you choose to redeem us, God of imaginative justice, not so we can keep living the lives we have, but we might be transformed into those who praise you, not just with our songs, but with hands that lift others to their feet, with hearts that love those ignored by the world, and with hope that has been planted deep within us by the Master Gardener, Jesus Christ, our Brother.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
There is more than enough grace for everyone.  We may not understand why, or how, or when; but God will make it happen.  And that is all we need to know.
When it comes to grace, hope, peace, forgiveness – there are so many leftovers from God’s abundant heart, that we can put them in to-go boxes to share them with everyone we meet.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
When we worry about having enough to feed the hungry, to clothe the cold, to shelter the homeless, to embrace the lonely, you simply ask us to share but some of our abundance, and you will multiply it beyond every expectation.  Receive our gifts, and use them we pray in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God who feeds us be with you.
May God be with you as well.
Let us open our hearts to the One who fills us with grace.
We lift them to our God who touches us with hope.
Let us join our voices in praising our God.
Taught by the Word, we sing the melodies of the Spirit.

Gathering up the fragments of chaos,
Innovative God,
you took them and, giving thanks,
shaped them into creation’s wonders:
   little children willing to share with everyone;
   little birds that swirl in autumn breezes;
   lightning bugs twinkling over summer lawns.
You even crafted us in your image of love and hope
so that we might live in joy with you,
   but we withdrew into the embrace of death,
   preferring to sail sin’s tossing seas.
Giving them your words of faith,
you sent prophets to call us back,
   but we did not think it was enough
   to keep us from ignoring you.
So, you chose to send your grace to us,
becoming one of us so we might
be brought back to your heart.

With those who have been fed by your grace,
and those who hunger for hope,
we sing our praises to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God who knows our hearts.
The faithful join all creation in glorifying you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who feeds the hungry.
Hosanna in the highest!

You could choose to stay apart
from us, God of all that is good,
but you cross to the other side of your holiness
to become one of us in Jesus.
In him, you became weak,
   so that we might be pulled up
   from where we have fallen;
in him, you became a laughing stock,
   so that we our tears could be wiped away
   by your grace and hope;
in him, you took on death,
   breaking its power once and for all,
   and denying sin’s claim on us,
   as you raised him from the grave.

As we remember his compassion for the most vulnerable,
as we prepare to receive the gifts of life and grace,
we sing of that faith which knows no reason:

For this reason, Jesus set across the rough seas of fear and death;
for this reason, Jesus was raised in resurrection love;
for this reason, Jesus will return to gather us in hope.

As your people gather at this Table,
where the Holy Meal awaits,
pour out your Spirit on the gifts
of the bread, the cup, and your children.
As we eat of the bread
which is as broken as your heart,
may its love and hope
not become leftovers we throw away,
   but strength for those broken by life,
   peace for those torn by conflicts,
   wonder for those dulled by disappointment.
And may grace filling this cup
not be poured down the drain,
but be offered in love
   to those who have no friends,
   to those who long for justice,
   to all who listen for words of affirmation.

And when you have accomplished more
than we could ever dare imagine,
gather up all of us from every time and place,
so that together we may forever praise you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
With words and whispers of the heart,
God has spoken to us in these moments.
For this reason, we shall go out to share good news with everyone we meet.
With ways to care for others, with bread for the journey,
Jesus sends us to care for those around us.
For this reason, we shall go out to be
with the hungry, the broken, the lonely.
With seeds of hope planted deep within us,
the Spirit prepares us to be hope and peace to others.
For this reason, we shall go to the places we try to avoid,
to serve those we usually ignore.  

© Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for July 21, 2024 (Pentecost 9/Trinity/8/Proper 11/Ordinary 16- B)

 Texts: 2 Samuel 7:1-14a; Psalm 89:20-37; Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 6:30-34; 53-56

Call to Worship

Neighbors and newcomers, families and strangers,
we gather in this place built by God’s steadfast love.
Strugglers and stragglers, pilgrims almost at the end of the journey,
each of us is seeks to follow Jesus, the compassionate One.
Builders of bridges in fractured communities,
those who stand on either side of walls of fear,
the Spirit of faithfulness calls us to live as one people – God’s people!

Prayer of the Day
God of aliens and strangers:
make the doors of this church
wide enough so that all find a welcome,
a home, a haven, a heart.

Christ of the near
and those who are far off:
make our hearts wide enough
so that all might find a place
in this household of faith.

Welcoming Spirit
of saints and sinners:
open our arms wide enough
so that all -
the guest, the neighbor,
the child, the widow,
the politician, the homeless,
the brother, the sister -
may be embraced
by your love and grace.

God in Community, Holy in One,
open your arms wide enough
to enfold us in your heart,
as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Do we really want God to dwell within us, or are we only willing to 'rent out' space for a brief visit?  Our actions, our words, our silence, our fears all show the presence, or absence, of God in our lives.  Let us empty ourselves of all which burdens us, and welcome the One who lives with us forever.  Please join me as we pray,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   Steadfast God, we confess that we are so busy putting up walls between ourselves and others, we cannot see the home you are building for all of us.  We spend so much time noting the differences between us and others, while you are embracing everyone as your child.  We run to welcome those who look, talk, and act like us, and you throw open your doors to the stranger, the alien, in our midst.
   Forgive us, Faithful Heart.  By your grace, help us to see the household you are building for all people: there are no plastic protectors on the furniture; there are no rooms that are off-limits; and even the smallest child is welcome to sit at the big peoples' Table and be fed by your grace.  We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our peace, our hope, our Lord, our Savior.
Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Do you remember?  At one time, you were without Christ; you were the stranger, the outsider, and the alien.  But now, in Christ, you have been brought home, living in God's household of hope and peace.
God's covenant with us is everlasting; God's steadfast love is forever; God's forgiveness makes us new and whole.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

Because you have compassion on us, Steadfast Love, you do not hold anything back, but fill us with your good gifts.  May we share from our abundance, as well as from our need, so our offerings might be an enduring witness to your hope, your peace, and your healing for all.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the Faithful One be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts to the one who has reconciled us.
We offer them as enduring witnesses to God’s steadfast love.
Sing to the One who is our Strength and our Hope.
We offer glad songs to the One who is our God.
 
Now, when chaos has settled in,
you spoke to Word and Spirit,
“Go, do all that you and in mind,”
and creation burbled forth into being:
   icy springs for hot summer days,
   color-changing leaves for kids to play in,
   grassy meadows just right for bare feet.
You appointed a place for us next to you
in your garden of wonders,
   but we hurried after death,
   begging sin to be our best friend.
Prophets came, hoping by their words
to draw us away from temptation’s playgrounds,
   yet we continued to cross over
   to seduction’s side every time.
You would not leave us without hope,
but having compassion for all your children,
sent Jesus to proclaim Jesus everywhere.
 
With those who have forsaken your grace,
with those who model your steadfast love,
we praise your name in these moments:
 
Holy, holy, holy are you, God who is always with us.
Creation calls out in joy to you, their God.
Hosanna in the highest!
 
Blessed is the One who has compassion for all.
Hosanna in the highest!
 
You are holy, God our salvation,
and your blessed Child could have stayed
in that lonely place called Glory,
   but he recognized our troubles
   and chose to come to us.
He could have secured the borders
of your kingdom to keep us immigrants out,
   but tore down the barriers we built,
   so we might cross more easily
   over that bridge called Faithfulness.
Having compassion on us,
he crossed to that deserted place called death,
   so we might recognize the Risen Lord
   as he came to embrace us in your resurrection love.
 
As we remember Christ’s great compassion for us,
as we seek to live as those who have hope,
we speak of that mystery called faith:
 
Christ became our death, so we might live.
Christ became our live, so we might know peace.
Christ will come in peace, so we might have hope.
 
As we gather around this Table,
we would come, not as strangers
but those who are called into your family
of steadfast love and faithfulness.
You have poured out the Spirit of strength
upon the bread which is broken for us,
   so we might go to tear down
   all the walls which divide us,
      to build bridges of reconciliation
      to all with whom we are broken.
You pour the grace of the Spirit
into the cup which is passed to us,
   so we might recognize those
   who are our sisters and brothers,
      not outsiders we need to fear.
As we feast on this meal of remembrance,
as we join hands and hearts with those around us,
   may we recognize that
   we are woven together with
   the scarlet threads of steadfast love and faithfulness.

And when we come away from this time we call life,

when we cross to that promised place called home,
we will gather with all who have journeyed before and after us,
offering enduring witness to your hope, peace, and forgiveness,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.
  
Sending
Now go, to greet stranger and dear friend equally.
We will share God’s steadfast love as we seek to live in faithfulness.
Now go, to share Christ’s compassion with everyone.
We will tear down dividing walls and build bridges of hope.       
Now go, to live as one as the Spirit gathers you with others.
We will build communities that welcome all, especially the outsiders.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for July 14, 2024 (Pentecost 8/Trinity 7/Proper 10/Ordinary 15 - B)

 Texts:  2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19; Psalm 24; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:14-29

Call to Worship

Before the earth was formed,
we were chosen by God to be God's people.
God gathers us together that we might
sing of joy and hope, as God's beloved.
Before the stars glittered in the night sky,
we were chosen through Christ to be God's family.
Christ gathers us together that we might
carol the good news of redemption.
Before the rivers flowed to the seas,
we were chosen by the Spirit to serve creation.
The Spirit gathers us together that we might
dance in the fields of peace with our sisters and brothers.

Prayer of the Day

Every moment, we have the chance
to breathe in your goodness and grace;
every hour, we have opportunities
to share your love and hope;
every day, we have occasions
to rest in the comfort of your heart.
In you, we discover the fullness of time,
Delight of the Ages.
 
In every challenge we face,
we can find the strength to persevere;
in every person we meet,
we can find the blessing you have sent;
in every need we encounter,
we can find the help you would have us offer.
In you, we discover the fullness of life,
Companion of our days.
 
In every conflict of our lives,
there is your healing we can offer;
in every brokenness we experience,
there is that reconciliation we can receive;
in every difficulty which makes us stumble,
there is that dance of hope you would teach us.
In you, we discover the fullness of faith,
Promised Spirit.
 
God in Community, Holy in One,
in you we discover the fullness we long for,
even as we pray as we are taught, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)
 
Call to Reconciliation
We toss and turn at night, unable to sleep because of the tunes running through our heads. But, if we listen carefully, we will discover that it is God singing to us, of that hope, that joy, that mercy offered to us, if we will but open our lives to the forgiveness and healing which is God's desire for us. Let us confess our out-of-tune lives, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

     We would sing praises to you, Composer of our lives, but we remember the harsh words we used toward a friend this week. We would learn your healing hymns of grace, but the broken chords of our anger and pain echo deep within us. We would dance in the circle of your love, but we recall how quickly we turned and ran when offered opportunities to serve your people.
     Forgive us, Gifter of every blessing. Open our hearts and fill us with your mercy. Open our ears that we may hear the songs of grace you would teach us to share with the world.  Open our eyes that we may see the hope we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, our inheritance of love and joy.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

Before the earth was shaped, God created the music of grace which sets our hearts, our souls, our feet to dancing with joy in the hope God has given to us. 
It is God who has created us, it is God who has redeemed us, and it is God who sends us forth to live as brothers and sisters of Christ. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication

In this company of seekers, we find our inheritance – the deep richness of God’s grace.  With this company of seekers, we offer our gifts, so that others might be able to set their hopes on Christ, with whom we are all blessed by God.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the God of wonder be with you!
And also with you!
Lift up your hearts to God, whose steadfast love dwells within you.
We welcome the One whose faithfulness
runs barefoot through our hearts
Sing of the peace which is God's gift to you.
We join in the chorus of glad praises to the One
whose justice is the hope of all the world.
 
Gathering up all that is good and beautiful,
God of all wonder and glory,
you shaped the universe and all that is in it:
soft summer breezes dancing
across verdant plains,
snow-capped mountains reflecting
the sunrise each new morning.
It was your good pleasure
to create us in your image,
it was your glorious grace
that filled us with your life.
Yet, seeing the dazzling seductions
offered by sin and death,
we rushed back to you, imploring
you to give us our every desire.
Deeply grieved by our rebellion,
you sent the company of prophets
to lead us back to your heart,
but we continued to dance
with the wrong partners.
In the fullness of your wisdom,
you sent Jesus, to seek our faces,
and to turn us back to you.
 
So now, with those who praise you
with song and silence, with tambourines and organs,
we proclaim the riches of your grace:
 
Holy, holy, holy, God who has blessed us with Christ!
All creation is yours, for the riches of your grace are poured upon it.
 
Holy, holy, holy! Just and merciful are you,
God in Community, Holy in One!
 
Holy indeed are you, God of every blessing,
and blameless is Jesus Christ, your Beloved.
He sets free all imprisoned
by their fears, as well as their past.
He proclaims good news to the poor,
and challenges the rich to generous lives.
He gave himself into death's hands
and was laid into a cold tomb.
He leaped from the grave,
teaching us resurrection's dance.
 
We offer our songs of joy to you, knowing
that whenever we eat the bread and share the cup,
we live out that mystery we call faith:
 
Holy, he humbled himself with our death;
blameless, he was raised to new life;
gracious, he will return in the fullness of time.
 
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray,
as you gather us all in this place.
As we take and taste
the Bread of Heaven,
may its brokenness become our healing,
that we may become hope
to a world shattered by fear.
As we share the Cup,
may its grace become our fullness,
that we might empty ourselves
to become blessings to those who long
for peace and reconciliation in their lives.
 
And when all time has been fulfilled
and you gather up all your children to yourself,
with clean hands and pure hearts
we will gather around your Table in glory,
singing our praises to you through all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
 
Sending
We are sent by God, to be God’s people in the world.
We will go to sing of God’s joy and hope to all.
We are called by Christ, adopted into God’s gracious family.
We will go to share the good news of Christ’s grace for everyone.
We are chosen by the Spirit to care for and serve creation.
We will go to join hands with our sisters and brothers in every moment.
 
© Thom M. Shuman

Alternate texts liturgy w/communion for July 14, 2024 (Pentecost 8/Trinity 7/Proper 10/Ordinary 15 - B)

Texts: Amos 7:7-15; Psalm 85; 8-13; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:14-29

Call to Worship
In Jesus Christ, the Child of God,
we hear, and see, the Word of peace,
which is for all people:
we gather to tell the world
that peace is God's will for us.
In Jesus Christ, Redeemer of all creation,
we hear, and see, the healing of the broken,
which is for all people:
we gather to proclaim the good news
of God's faithfulness and justice.
In Jesus Christ, our Lord, and our sibling,
we hear, and see, the inheritance of God,
which is for all people:
we gather to share with our sisters and brothers
this glorious grace we have received.

Prayer of the Day
In the chorus
of the cardinal and turtledove,
all creation sings your praise:
Giver of Grace.
Steadfast love whispers to us
on the breezes of summer,
while faithfulness runs barefoot
in the backyards of our hearts,
calling to us to come play forever
in your fields of peace.

Justice calls to our souls,
Plumb Line of Peace,
daring us to reach out
to the broken, the hungry,
the needy, the hopeless:
to share with them
the rich inheritance
of acceptance and healing
which has been given to us.

The evensong of the frogs
in summer's gentle mist
lullabies us in the gentleness
of your steadfast love,
Spirit of God,
as you cradle us in your grace
and heal us with your peace.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our praise to you as we pray
as Jesus has taught us, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Peace is the heirloom promised to us, forgiveness is the inheritance passed on to us through Christ. May we know God's peace, and be healed of our brokenness, as we confess our sins to God, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   Why are we always willing to descend into the worst areas life offers to us, but reluctant to come into your presence, Holy One? Why can we stand on sin's shaky foundations, yet find it impossible to dance in your joy? Why are we so quick to trumpet our hollow achievements, and do not seem to be able to hear your whispers of hope for us?
   Forgive us, Grace's Glory, and fill us with your mercy.  May we set our hope in Jesus Christ, who came so we might become your children, inheritors of love, peace, and faithfulness forever.  Amen.

Silent prayers may be offered.

Assurance of Pardon
In Christ, God's salvation has come; God's peace kisses our cheeks, wiping away our tears, and faithfulness takes us by the hand to lead us home to God.
God has called us, God has claimed us, God has redeemed us. This is good news for all creation! Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
Even as we are reluctant to part with our material goods, we know that it is just as hard to share peace, grace, hope, justice, and all of your gifts with others, Holy God. So, make us as generous and as vulnerable as you are to us, as we share more and more with those around us.

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of summer breezes be with you.
May the God of snowy mornings be with you.
In every place, in every time, God’s people
offered their hearts to the One called
Steadfast Love.
And so, here and now, we join our hearts
offering them to God whose faithfulness
never falters, never is taken away.
From the very first moment, all creations
has been singing praise to our Creator.
With quavering whispers and strong voices,
we offer our songs of praises this day.

You held a plumb line
to the cracked walls of chaos
and as Spirit held the blueprints,
you began to craft creation.
Meadows filled with grass and flowers
sprang forth where those lovers
grace and joy could walk hand in hand.
Justice gathered as clouds in the sky
to shower the seeds of hope and peace
you had planted deep in the earth.
All this, and so much more, you created
for those shaped in your image, but
we chose to run through the alleys
filled with the debris of sin and death.
time and again, you sent your prophets,
those women and men who reminded us
of your desire to gather us in your arms,
but we snuggled even closer
into the open arms of temptation.
then, you sent your heart to come
to call us back to you, becoming
flesh of our flesh, bone of our bone,
in the One named Jesus.

With those who always try to follow,
as well as those who often fail,
we join our voices in thanksgiving to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of steadfast love.
All creation offers its hear to you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes
to wipe away our tears.
Hosanna in the highest!

By your imagination, all creation
came into being, given life by
the breath of your holiness
by your grace, you became
one of us as Jesus took his first breath.
He came to the desolated
places of our lives,
so, we might set our hopes on him.
He came to the shattered
sanctuaries of our hearts,
so, stain glass window of grace
might be placed in the cracks
He came when we felt more alone
that we had ever done before,
so, we would realize that
we have been chosen as his siblings
Holy and blameless from
the very foundations of grace,
he came to transform
our foolishness into faith,
our idolatry to sin into
glorifying God, who brought him
out of the cold grasp of death
into the life of resurrection love.

As we gather for the feast of love,
as we remember his life and spirit,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

In the birth of Christ,
we know the mystery of God’s will.
in the life of Christ,
we are shown God’s good pleasure for us.
in the death of Christ,
God’s plans for all creation is made complete.
in the resurrection of Christ,
we are given our inheritance of grace.
in the return of Christ,
all things will be gathered to God.

In this place, in this moment,
we come to the Table
praying your Spirit will be poured out
on these people and on these gifts.
Here, the word of truth
is tasted in the bread of life,
so that we go and bring hope
to those in desolate place,
so that we may offer justice
to all who are forgotten
by the powers of the world.
Here, the gospel of love
is poured into the cup of grace
so that we can care for those
who know nothing but suffering,
so that we can create community
among all who live in loneliness.

God in Community, Holy in One,
when all time comes to an end,
gather us up in your arms with
our siblings from every moment
and part of creation since its beginning
to seat us around your Feast,
where we will join hands, forever
singing our love and you to you.
Amen and Amen.

Sending
Gathered, we have heard words of peace
which are offered to all.
Now, we will scatter to bring them
to all those desolated by conflict.
Gathered, we are reminded that grace’s gospel
is for everyone, everywhere, not just a few.
Now, we will scatter to bring healing
to those who are broken in so many ways.
Gathered, we see our siblings in that faith
which is founded on God’s love and justice.
Now, we will scatter to remind everyone
we meet that all of us, each of us, are heirs
to hope, wonder, love, and life.

© 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for July 7, 2024 (Pentecost 7/Trinity 6/Proper9/Ordinary 14 - B)

 Texts: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10; Psalm 48; 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13

Call to Worship
You awaken the sun, O God,
to guide us into the new day:
Your name, O God, like your praise,
sings in every person.
You speak your Word, O God,
to guide us into your kingdom:
Your hope, O God, like your joy,
echoes in every soul.
You guide us to those who are
looking for you:
Your love, O God, like your name, 
fills the emptiness of every heart.

Prayer of the Day
The rumbling of thunder in the distance,
the shade of an oak tree in the back yard,
the laughter of children splashing in the pool,
the stars glittering on a moonless night:
all the gifts of the universe
fill us with delight in every moment.
Great is your imagination,
Creation's Joy!

Broken,
you touch us to make us whole;
tear-stained,
you share our pain and struggles;
gifter of peace,
you replace our bitterness with hope;
teacher of gentle words,
you transform our unbelief into service.
Great is your love,
Christ, Companion of all people!

Making hardened hearts
as soft as a baby's breath;
turning stiffened necks
so we can see the poor;
placing wandering feet
back on the path of discipleship.
Great is your compassion,
Spirit of grace.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayers to you this morning
in praise and wonder.  Amen.

Call to Reconciliation
When we look at the relationships we hope to have with one another, and with God, we must admit how broken we are. But, as we gather in the presence of God, we are promised forgiveness and healing, if we will confess our sins.  Please join me, as we pray to the One who never ceases to love us, 

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   You know how stubborn we can be, Holy God.  You call us to serve others, and we stay in the coolness of our own homes.  You would send us to where the hopeless live, but we are reluctant to leave the comfort of our complacency. You would feed us on the peace and joy of your word, but we pull our chairs up to the tables of those who serve false promises.
  Forgive us, Guiding God.  Transform our defiance into discipleship, and our rejection of others into the resurrection of welcoming all people as sisters and brothers in Christ.  Help us to love as faithfully as you have always loved us, and send us forth to take the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone we meet. 

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
We open our lips and confess our hearts.  God hears our words and make us new, sending us out to bring hope and joy to all the world.
We hear the good news, we believe the good news, we will live out the good news.  Thanks be to God.  Amen!

Prayer of Dedication/Offertory
As we have heard, so we have seen God's compassion in our lives.  As we have seen, so we will live, offering our gifts to God, so others might know God's steadfast love is present with them in every moment.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of steadfast love be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, offer your hearts to God.
We open our hearts to the One who fills them with grace.
Children of God, sing your praises to the One who has gathered us here.
Our songs of joy travel to the very ends of creation. 

It was you, Imaginative God, who whispered
and the rumble of creation shook the rafters of chaos.
Mighty trees graced valleys with shade,
stars glittered in moonless nights,
children splashed in the pools of hope.
Every delight was crafted so we might know
of that love which would last forever.
When we could not have our way,
we took offense at your hopes for us,
throwing tantrums as we took flight
to follow sin and death through the world.
Amazed at our crafty rebellion,
you continued to love us,
longing to shelter us in your heart.
When we continued to dishonor your prophets,
when we would not welcome their words,
you sent Jesus to become that weakness
strong enough to destroy sin and death.

So, we join our voices with all
who have wondered at your steadfast love,
singing your name to the edges of the universe:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of enduring love.
All the gifts of creation delight in you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One whose weakness is our hope.
Hosanna in the highest! 

Holy are you, God of all goodness and truth,
and blessed is Jesus, your Child, our Savior.
It was he who came,
bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh,
with words which could transform our foolishness,
with weakness which could strengthen
our fatigued faithfulness,
with wisdom which could teach us
the way of life in all its fullness.
Yet, we were offended by
his life, his ways, his humility.
He continued to listen to you,
going wherever you sent him -
no glory, no wealth, no honor -
even to that place called Calvary
where sin's thorns crowned him.
Your grace was enough for him,
even in the cold shadows of the tomb,
and he walked forth into your steadfast love,
leaving death behind in the dust.

As we remember his calling us to follow,
as we seek to be sent forth to serve,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

Christ came, to shape our lives like his;
Christ came, to be our Guide forever;
Christ will come again, to gather us in glory. 

So now, in this place
where we have heard your promises,
among these people
in whom we have seen the Christ,
pour your Spirit upon the gifts of your Table.
The broken Bread of life
is all we need of hope for
filled, we can go forth
to anoint the lost and hopeless
with the oil of your compassion.
Your Cup of grace overflows,
more than we will ever need,
and more than enough to bring healing
to those who have known only
hardship, rejection, and loneliness.

And when at the end of all time,
we discover that it was you who
had led us all along the way
and brought us to the Table in glory,
we will join our voices as one,
singing our praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we unite in praying as we are taught,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Sending
We will go to let the Joy of creation 

lead us into this new day.
We will sing glad choruses of hope 

to a world in despair.
We go to walk with our Heart's Love 

beside those whose hearts are broken.
We will touch boastful tongues with peace, 
we will offer compassion to those frozen with fear.
We will go with your gentle wisdom, Spirit of grace,
to walk the streets of the kingdom.
We will bring healing to grudges held far too long, 
filling those who grieve with the laughter of hope. 

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for June 30, 2024 (Pentecost 6/Trinity 5/Proper 8/Ordinary 13 - B)

Texts: 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27; Psalm 130; 2 Corinthians 8:7-15; Mark 5:21-43

Call to Worship
With friends and strangers,
with family and neighbors, we gather:
Come among us, Healing God,
with that love which never ends.
With faith reaching out to touch,
with hearts straining to trust, we hope:
Come among us, Friend of the broken,
with your compassion which makes us whole.
With word and wonder,
with silence and song, we wait:
Come among us, Dryer of our tears,
to lift us to our feet to follow you.

Prayer of the Day
You watch,
Timeless God:
as we go hurrying and scurrying about,
our worries and fears crowding around us
until we can scarcely take a breath.

You wait,
as we struggle to keep up with you,
constantly distracted by the fears
which drain our faith and hopes.
You hope,
as we go from promise to promise,
leaving each one broken behind us,
the world bankrupting our dreams.

You watch, you wait, you hope,
and hearing the cries from the depths
of our despair and brokenness,
you lift us to our feet,
breathing new life into us.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we offer our hearts to you,
even as we pray as we are taught,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We know the words we have spoken which have broken a relationship; we know the deeds we have done which separate us from friends and families. We know how we have failed to be faithful followers of Jesus. Let us confess our sins, trusting that God will touch us with the healing power of grace.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   All too often, God of Excellence, it is the hem of sin we cling to, letting it drag us through the mud of fear and failures. You offer us that love which will always be with us, but we find it difficult to share it with those who need it most. You fill us with an abundance of gifts, but we think we need them all for ourselves.
   Forgive us, God of Gentle Hope. You do not keep a list of all that we have done wrong, but erase our failings and foolishness, writing a new ending for our lives. You touch us with your grace, you lift us to our feet, you strengthen us so we may follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in service to all your children.  Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news, dear friends: God's love has no ending; God's hope rests upon us each day; God's forgiveness restores us to new life.
Our God listens to us - to our cries, and to our joys; to our hopes and to our hearts. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

From our present abundance, we offer our gifts to you, Generous Heart, so that the hungry might be fed, so that the broken might find healing, and so the grieving might be comforted. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of hope be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, offer your hearts to God.
We open them to the joy God has for us.
Children of love, proclaim your love for God.
We sing to the One whose steadfast love is forever.

When you could wait no longer, Heart of Joy,
you spoke the Word which silenced chaos,
you sent your Breath racing across the waters
stirring them into motion and life.
You clothed the sunset in crimson and gold,
you dusted the mountains with fresh dew each morning.
You offered us all that is true, is beautiful, is good -
but we laughed at you, placing you outside our lives,
As we reached out to touch the hem of sin and death.
Your love for us was wonderfully enduring,
as you sent prophet after prophet
so that we might hear your voice calling to us.
You watched, you hoped, and when you
could wait no longer for us,
you sent your Word to answer
our cries from the depths of our brokenness.

So, with all the mighty who have fallen,
and all the lowly who have been lifted to their feet,
we join our voices in singing your glory:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of love and joy.
All creation is filled with songs of laughter and hope.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to heal us.
Hosanna in the highest!

Your glory, Listening Heart, rests upon all creation,
your praises are sung throughout the universe.
Because your love is ever faithful,
because you are generous beyond all measure,
you sent Jesus to finish what you had begun.
Overflowing with the riches of your grace,
he emptied himself so we might be filled;
embracing our constant companion, suffering,
he healed us, so we might know hope;
broken on the cross and laid in the cold grave,
you took him by the hand, saying, 'get up!'
and he paved the path of resurrection
so we could follow him into eternity.

As we remember his poverty which made us rich,
as we watch and wait for his return,
we would tell others of that mystery we call faith:

In remembering his death, we weep;
in claiming his resurrection, we wait;
in awaiting his return, we watch.

Here at this Table prepared for us,
where we watch and wait for peace and hope,
pour out your Source of healing on your children,
and on these gifts of life and joy.
As our hearts are made whole
by the breaking of the bread,
send us to the broken of the world
that we might bind up their wounds.
As our hollow souls are filled
with the tender taste from the cup of life,
may we empty ourselves
so we might embrace those cast off by the world.

And when we wait and watch no longer,
but are gathered together around the Feast in heaven,
as we join our hands, our hearts, our voices
with our sisters and brothers from every time and place,
we will fill your heart with songs of thanksgiving,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending

Go now to where you find friends and neighbors,

as well as family and strangers.
We will share that never-ending love of the Healer of all.
Go now, with that faith which dares to touch the outcast,
with hearts that break for the pain of others.
We will share the compassion of the Friend of the broken.
Go now, carrying word and wonder to a weary world,
waiting in silence for the songs of hope to sing to all creation.
We will follow the Dryer of tears wherever we are led.

© Thom M. Shuman