Call to Worship
God, who created all things and named them "Good',
has shaped us in the divine image.
We come, with grace-filled hearts,
into the presence of our Creator.
Jesus, who led the way by carrying a cross,
has brought us into the Kingdom of God.
We come, our brokenness made whole,
into the presence of our Redeemer.
The Holy Spirit, who brings us together from many places,
calls us to be the household of God.
We come, all walls broken down,
into the presence of our Sustainer.
Prayer of the Day
Imaginative God,
you spoke,
and your Word
carved towering peaks
and cascading streams;
your Breath stirred chaos,
and stars glimmer in the long night;
the sun trumpets new life:
you are Creation's Architect!
Jesus Christ,
the poor and needy
praise yuo,
for you are their Brother;
little children
climb into your lap,
for you are their Safety;
sinners whisper your name,
for you are our Hope:
you are the Word made flesh!
Spirit of Holiness,
you are the bracing wind
that drives away our sins;
you are the fire
that cleanses us
by dancing in our hearts;
you are the morning dew
which moistens are desert lips:
you are the Breath of God!
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayers to you
as we have been taught, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Do people see God when they look at us? Do they hear Jesus' words of welcome and hope when we speak? Do they see the fresh Spirit acting in our hearts? In these moments, we must be honest with God as to how we have not lived up to our calling to be God's people. Let us pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
God of Glory, Grace and Wisdom:
you have made us in your image, but we do not always show your glorious face. We are called ot follow the Christ, but fatigued by the stresses of our lives, we often do not have the energy or enthusiasm. And when we see the Spirit standing with the oppressed and outcast, we too often turn and walk the other way.
Creator God, Master of the Universe:
have mercy on us;
Jesus Christ, Brother and Sister to the poor:
have mercy on us;
Holy Spirit, Comfort of the broken-hearted:
have mercy on us.
Silent prayers may be offered
Assurance of Pardon
Here is the good news: God continues to create out of the chaos and brokenness of our lives: filling our hearts with love, transforming our despair into hope, shaping our selfishness into servanthood.
What marvelous news! God loves us, Christ redeems us, the Spirit calls us to service. Thanks be to God! Amen.
Charge and Benediction
God, who created you in the divine image,
sends you forth:
we go, to reflect the presence of our Creator
to everyone we meet.
Jesus, who has redeemed you,
has established God's Kingdom in our midst:
we go, to bring healing
to the broken of the world.
The Holy Spirit, who calls you to be God's people,
goes with you to many places:
we go, to tear down the walls that divide us,
and to build lives of hope for all of God's children.
And now,
may the peace of the rolling waves,
the peace of the silent mountains,
the peace of the singing stars,
and the deep, deep peace
of the Prince of Peace,
be with you now, and forevermore.
Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Thursday, May 12, 2005
The Day of Pentecost
Call to Worship
The Day of Pentecost is upon us.
Those who have been touched by tongues of fire
can speak as though in native languages.
In worship together, let us share with each other.
Let us share our bread, our wine, our prayers.
We come to the Lord's Table.
It is spread before us.
Prayer of the Day
Spirit of the Living God,
visit us again on this day of Pentecost.
Come, Holy Spirit.
Like a rushing wind that sweeps away all barriers.
come, Holy Spirit.
Like tongues of fire that set our hearts aflame,
come, Holy Spirit.
With speech that unites the confusion of our languages,
come, Holy Spirit.
With love that overlaps the boundaries of race and nation,
come, Holy Spirit.
With power from above to make our weakness strong,
come, Holy Spirit, come as we pray, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We admit that in our lives we forget to cooperate with each other, with the Holy Spirit, with Jesus, and with the Father. We forget to think of God and of God's gift of grace. Please join me as we confess our lives to the listening god.
Unison Prayer of Confession
We ask your grace in our lives for our many sins: for ignoring people who are in need, for disrespecting our loved ones, and for speaking harsh words rather than sympathetic ones to those who do not understand. We continually judge people by their actions instead of as children of God. We fail to do unto others in our communities and in our world as we would have them do unto us.
Forgive us now, for we repent, O God.
Silent Prayers may be offered.
Assurance of Pardon
All the promises of God find their "yes" in Christ. That is why we utter the 'Amen' through him, to the glory of God. It is God who has put his seal upon us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
In Christ, by the power of the Spirit, we are redeemed. Praise God, form whom all blessings flow!
The Day of Pentecost is upon us.
Those who have been touched by tongues of fire
can speak as though in native languages.
In worship together, let us share with each other.
Let us share our bread, our wine, our prayers.
We come to the Lord's Table.
It is spread before us.
Prayer of the Day
Spirit of the Living God,
visit us again on this day of Pentecost.
Come, Holy Spirit.
Like a rushing wind that sweeps away all barriers.
come, Holy Spirit.
Like tongues of fire that set our hearts aflame,
come, Holy Spirit.
With speech that unites the confusion of our languages,
come, Holy Spirit.
With love that overlaps the boundaries of race and nation,
come, Holy Spirit.
With power from above to make our weakness strong,
come, Holy Spirit, come as we pray, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We admit that in our lives we forget to cooperate with each other, with the Holy Spirit, with Jesus, and with the Father. We forget to think of God and of God's gift of grace. Please join me as we confess our lives to the listening god.
Unison Prayer of Confession
We ask your grace in our lives for our many sins: for ignoring people who are in need, for disrespecting our loved ones, and for speaking harsh words rather than sympathetic ones to those who do not understand. We continually judge people by their actions instead of as children of God. We fail to do unto others in our communities and in our world as we would have them do unto us.
Forgive us now, for we repent, O God.
Silent Prayers may be offered.
Assurance of Pardon
All the promises of God find their "yes" in Christ. That is why we utter the 'Amen' through him, to the glory of God. It is God who has put his seal upon us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
In Christ, by the power of the Spirit, we are redeemed. Praise God, form whom all blessings flow!
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Ascension Day (May 8, 2005)
Call to Worship
We gather in this holy place,
some empty, some filled,
some whole, some broken:
yearning for the Holy Spirit to fill us.
We come, with these ordinary people,
who have show us the way:
trusting that God will continue
to illumine our hearts.
We surround the Table of grace,
so we might be fed by the Bread of life:
that graced, we may serve others;
that healed, we may bring hope to the world.
Prayer of the Day
Exalted God:
you are the constant lover
who never forsakes us;
you are the mother
who cradles her children;
you are the teacher
patiently repeating your words for us.
We worship you.
Jesus Christ:
in you,
we are convinced
God loves us;
through you,
we are formed
into your people;
with you,
we serve those
the world ignores.
We follow you.
Holy Spirit:
you are the power
which gives us peace;
you are the wisdom
which reveals the broken
in our midst;
you are the spokesperson
of the voiceless
to whom we are deaf.
We welcome you.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayers toyou
as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Called to proclaim repentance, we are reluctant to look at our own failings. Invited to witness to God's loving forgiveness of sins, we would rather not speak aloud of our own. Let us trust in the One who offers us hope and healing, as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
You call us to proclaim a gospel we find difficult to practice, God Most High. We watch our clocks to make sure we spend more time with ourselves than with you. We are hesitant to witness to your power from on high, as we are uncertain of your presence in our lives.
Forgive us, God of Light. Fill us with the healing presence of your spirit, that we may proclaim your good news, as we participate in the life and suffering of our world, as did your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Silent Prayers may be offered
Assurance of Pardon
Choosing to set aside judgment, God gives us justice;
choosing to let go of punishment, God fills us with peace;
choosing to release anger, God's steadfast love rests upon us.
Forgiven, redeemed, restored - we will tell everyone,
through the lives we lead, what God has done for us.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts, people of God.
We lift them to our God on high.
It is good to sing loud songs of joy.
We lift our praises to our God.
We do indeed lift loud songs of joy
to you awesome God.
Everything in heaven, and on earth,
provides the proof we need
of your goodness and mercy.
But closing our hearts
to all this evidence,
we looked to our own wisdom
and ways for salvation.
Patiently, you hoped
we would return to you,
but when you could wait no longer,
you came to us
in your Word made human.
Therefore, with all your people
of every time and every place,
we sing our praises to you.
Sanctus
All glory is due to you, God on High,
and blessings on your Son,
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Stripping himself of glory,
he clothes us
with the power of the Holy Spirit;
walking the thorny crown of death,
he is made the Head of the church,
his Body made whole for the world.
As we remember his life,
his service, his death, his resurrection,
we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Memorial Acclamation
We will not stop
giving thanks to you, Gracious God,
as we pray you
would pour out your Holy Spirit
upon your children
gathered around your Table,
and upon the gifts
of the bread and the cup.
As we are filled
with the presence of Christ,
we would go out to empty ourselves;
telling your story of grace and hope,
carrying your mercy
to those who cannot forgive themselves,
pouring cups of cold water,
embracing the untouchables of our time.
Then, when we gather
at your festive Table in glory,
we will clap our hands
and shout our joy for all eternity:
our God, one God -
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
We gather in this holy place,
some empty, some filled,
some whole, some broken:
yearning for the Holy Spirit to fill us.
We come, with these ordinary people,
who have show us the way:
trusting that God will continue
to illumine our hearts.
We surround the Table of grace,
so we might be fed by the Bread of life:
that graced, we may serve others;
that healed, we may bring hope to the world.
Prayer of the Day
Exalted God:
you are the constant lover
who never forsakes us;
you are the mother
who cradles her children;
you are the teacher
patiently repeating your words for us.
We worship you.
Jesus Christ:
in you,
we are convinced
God loves us;
through you,
we are formed
into your people;
with you,
we serve those
the world ignores.
We follow you.
Holy Spirit:
you are the power
which gives us peace;
you are the wisdom
which reveals the broken
in our midst;
you are the spokesperson
of the voiceless
to whom we are deaf.
We welcome you.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayers toyou
as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Called to proclaim repentance, we are reluctant to look at our own failings. Invited to witness to God's loving forgiveness of sins, we would rather not speak aloud of our own. Let us trust in the One who offers us hope and healing, as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
You call us to proclaim a gospel we find difficult to practice, God Most High. We watch our clocks to make sure we spend more time with ourselves than with you. We are hesitant to witness to your power from on high, as we are uncertain of your presence in our lives.
Forgive us, God of Light. Fill us with the healing presence of your spirit, that we may proclaim your good news, as we participate in the life and suffering of our world, as did your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Silent Prayers may be offered
Assurance of Pardon
Choosing to set aside judgment, God gives us justice;
choosing to let go of punishment, God fills us with peace;
choosing to release anger, God's steadfast love rests upon us.
Forgiven, redeemed, restored - we will tell everyone,
through the lives we lead, what God has done for us.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts, people of God.
We lift them to our God on high.
It is good to sing loud songs of joy.
We lift our praises to our God.
We do indeed lift loud songs of joy
to you awesome God.
Everything in heaven, and on earth,
provides the proof we need
of your goodness and mercy.
But closing our hearts
to all this evidence,
we looked to our own wisdom
and ways for salvation.
Patiently, you hoped
we would return to you,
but when you could wait no longer,
you came to us
in your Word made human.
Therefore, with all your people
of every time and every place,
we sing our praises to you.
Sanctus
All glory is due to you, God on High,
and blessings on your Son,
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Stripping himself of glory,
he clothes us
with the power of the Holy Spirit;
walking the thorny crown of death,
he is made the Head of the church,
his Body made whole for the world.
As we remember his life,
his service, his death, his resurrection,
we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Memorial Acclamation
We will not stop
giving thanks to you, Gracious God,
as we pray you
would pour out your Holy Spirit
upon your children
gathered around your Table,
and upon the gifts
of the bread and the cup.
As we are filled
with the presence of Christ,
we would go out to empty ourselves;
telling your story of grace and hope,
carrying your mercy
to those who cannot forgive themselves,
pouring cups of cold water,
embracing the untouchables of our time.
Then, when we gather
at your festive Table in glory,
we will clap our hands
and shout our joy for all eternity:
our God, one God -
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
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