Call to Worship
All around us, the universe sings
of God's creative love.
We gather as God's people,
seeking that love no one else can offer.
Every day, the sun bears witness to God's hope;
every night, the stars whisper of God's peace.
We gather as God's people,
needing peace in a warring world,
searching for hope in the midst of despair.
The breath of the wind carries God's grace;
the mountains echo the glory of God.
We gather as God's people,
from north and south,
from east and west,
to sit at the Joyful Feast.
Prayer of the Day
Composer of heaven's music:
with the eyes of compassion,
you see your children in bondage,
and redeem us;
with the voice of justice,
you create a people
urging us to live faithfully;
with a love which never ends,
you call us to be your Body,
those who share your peace
with everyone we meet.
Jesus Christ,
Cornerstone of Creation:
you are the foundation of faith
which sustains us;
you are the voice of peace
which gives us hope;
you are the gift of life
which makes us God's own forever.
Spirit of Confidence:
you are the life-giving waters
which cleanse us of our fears;
you are the fire in our hearts
which burns for justice;
you are the wind of hope
which pushes us to serve others.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we gather in this place
to worship and adore you,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father....
Call to Reconciliation
Like Paul, and so many before and after him, we think we are made right with God by the number of rules. Like Paul, we need to realize we gain precisely what we need - forgiveness, peace, hope - when we gain Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Let us confess our human ways, that we might receive the loving grace and mercy of the God who loves us.
Unison Prayer of Confession
Hearer of our words and spirits: we know how we have not lived as your people these past days. We continue to carve idols of success, wealth, and power out of our stress. We find it easier to use your name in exasperation, than in exaltation. We spread gossip about our closest friends. And it is hard to think of any thing we do not covet.
Forgive us, our hearts' Best Thought. Hold our hidden faults to the Light of Christ. Help us to let go of what we value most, that we might grasp that which prizes us beyond anything in all creation - your love, your peace, your hope in us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silent Prayers may be offered.
Assurance of Pardon
Not by anything we do, but by God's grace, we are forgiven. Our restoration to new life comes through faith in Christ, a faith beyond all value. This is, indeed, good news.
We are prized, we are loved, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
May God also be with you.
People of God, open your hearts.
We open them to God and to each other.
Let us give thanks to the Living God.
We lift our songs of praise
to the One who offers abundant life.
Majestic and Merciful,
Creative and Compassionate,
how can we not lift our praises to you,
Word Speaker?
From chaos, you shaped a world
that is good and beautiful:
stars watched by gazers
in Bethlehem and Bangladesh;
the sun which warms crops
in Cameroon and Canada;
grass which feeds cattle in Ghana,
and cradles children in our backyards.
You breathed into our dusty lungs
giving us life with you.
But, in our zeal to be like you,
we lost the passion to be your people.
You gave us the law on Sinai,
and we broke it;
you sent us the prophets,
and we laughed at them;
until finally, you gave us yourself,
that you might write your covenantal vows
on our hearts.
And so, with Christians in every part of the world,
with those who have gone on before us,
and those who will come after us,
we join the angelic host of heaven
singing your praises:
(verse 1 of Lord of the Dance)
You are holiness, God of eternity,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son,
our Hope, our Peace, our Lord.
Good Will and Peace were the lullabies
the angels sang to him
on the night of his birth.
When we are deafened by death's seductive song,
you speak life to us,
in your Word made flesh.
And, forgetting waht lay ahead of him,
Jesus carried his cross to Calvary,
that we might enter your kingdom.
As we rember his death for us,
we would become like him in his resurrection,
singing of that mystery we call faith:
(verse 5 of Lord of the Dance)
And now, at this Table which you have prepared,
our Rock and Redeemer,
pour out your Spirit upon these gifts
of the bread and the cup,
and on us:
that Spirit which gives us life,
so we might offer ourselves to your creation;
that Spirit which heals every brokenness,
so we might touch others with your grace;
that Spirit which fills us with peace,
so we might share this gift with everyone we meet.
And when that promised Day comes,
when the walls that divide us
are torn down,
when the words which harm us
are silenced,
when the pain we have caused
is carried away,
we will gather with our sisters and brothers
from every corner of creation,
sitting at the Great Feast,
singing our songs to you until the end of time:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
God in Community, Holy in One.
Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
Call to Worship
God became an infant
so we would become God's children;
God walked the earth telling stories,
so the words would guide our choices;
God became poor
so our riches would help others;
God became foolish
so we would be wise enough to follow;
God turned the world upside down
so we would find our way home.
Prayer of the Day
You nourish us,
Rock-Splitter:
with grace flowing from hardened hearts
and children spashing in fountains;
with stories we heard from our grandparents
and parables we live out;
with intelligence which can cure a disease
and imagination which builds sand castles.
You challenge us,
Self Emptier:
to let our minds be transformed by your love
and our love to be given away without logic;
to allow our stubborn will
to be transfigured into service;
to set down our selfishness
and stand with those who have nothing.
You fill us,
Sharing Spirit:
with compassion made real
when we stretch our hearts
in service to others;
with love offered to children
who need a lap to sit on;
with obedience which bends our knees
in worship to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
to whom we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
What do you think: the person who thinks she has nothing wrong, but whose heart is changed by God's grace and admits her mistakes; or the person who is always apologizing, but keeps doing the same thing over and over. Which one is faithful to God's desires for us? Let us pause for a moment to think about this question, and then pray together.
Unison Prayer of Confession
God of Glory:
our hearts are like rocks which others
strike with their needs;
crack us open,
so our gifts may be poured out.
Our mistaken conceit makes us believe
we are better than those around us;
humble us,
so we might become
servants to the world.
Our focus on ourselves makes us confident
our needs, our interests take priority
over all else;
fill our minds
with Christ and his love,
so we would think of others
instead of ourselves.
Silent Prayers may be offered
Assurance of Pardon
Let this be firmly planted in your minds: God loves you; God forgives you; God strengthens you for service.
May God's compassion make us more passionate to serve;
may God's forgiveness make us eager to forgive;
May God's love make us better lovers of the world.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
God became an infant
so we would become God's children;
God walked the earth telling stories,
so the words would guide our choices;
God became poor
so our riches would help others;
God became foolish
so we would be wise enough to follow;
God turned the world upside down
so we would find our way home.
Prayer of the Day
You nourish us,
Rock-Splitter:
with grace flowing from hardened hearts
and children spashing in fountains;
with stories we heard from our grandparents
and parables we live out;
with intelligence which can cure a disease
and imagination which builds sand castles.
You challenge us,
Self Emptier:
to let our minds be transformed by your love
and our love to be given away without logic;
to allow our stubborn will
to be transfigured into service;
to set down our selfishness
and stand with those who have nothing.
You fill us,
Sharing Spirit:
with compassion made real
when we stretch our hearts
in service to others;
with love offered to children
who need a lap to sit on;
with obedience which bends our knees
in worship to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
to whom we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
What do you think: the person who thinks she has nothing wrong, but whose heart is changed by God's grace and admits her mistakes; or the person who is always apologizing, but keeps doing the same thing over and over. Which one is faithful to God's desires for us? Let us pause for a moment to think about this question, and then pray together.
Unison Prayer of Confession
God of Glory:
our hearts are like rocks which others
strike with their needs;
crack us open,
so our gifts may be poured out.
Our mistaken conceit makes us believe
we are better than those around us;
humble us,
so we might become
servants to the world.
Our focus on ourselves makes us confident
our needs, our interests take priority
over all else;
fill our minds
with Christ and his love,
so we would think of others
instead of ourselves.
Silent Prayers may be offered
Assurance of Pardon
Let this be firmly planted in your minds: God loves you; God forgives you; God strengthens you for service.
May God's compassion make us more passionate to serve;
may God's forgiveness make us eager to forgive;
May God's love make us better lovers of the world.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
Call to Worship
Here, we gather in preparation:
calling on God's name;
singing praises to our Creator.
Here, we gather in anticipation:
believing that to live for Christ is gain;
to serve others in Christ is our calling.
Here, we gather in hope:
that God will take away our fears;
that the good news will transform our lives.
Prayer of the Day
Like the dew on the grass,
Giver of manna,
your grace comes to us,
fresh each morning:
waiting to be gathered up,
savored with joy,
and shared with childish abandon.
Like the geese flying over our heads
as we stand waiting for the bus to arrive,
you call to us,
Christ of Brokenness,
inviting us to set aside those desires
which fill us with a passion for ourselves,
and to take on that compassion
which reflects your heart for all who suffer.
Like the water that turns a desert into a spring,
Spirit of Generosity,
you move in our lives:
taking the gift of God's holy emptiness
and filling it with prayer, with a song,
with a Word, with silence,
so that filled with the Presence of Christ,
we can go forth to serve God's people.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as we have been taught,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We try; even God knows how hard we try. And God must wonder why we work so hard to earn love that is already ours, given joyfully, unconditionally, eternally. So, set aside your weariness from working too hard and come to receive God's healing mercy for your life. Please join me as we pray, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
You frustrate us, Confusing God. We think we have you all neatly wrapped in a box, and you burst out with laughter on your lips and grace flowing from your heart. We grumble about how others seem to have more, forgetting how richly you have blessed us. We are hard pressed by the world to follow its seductive trail to empty hopes and false promises. We compete even with our best friends and closest neighbors, rather than offering encouragement and strength.
Forgive us, Providing God, for our failures to be your people. Help us to stop our grumbling, and to be bearers of grace to the broken; enable us to quit complaining and to share compassion with those who need healing and hope; teach us to sing, to sing of your glory, to sing of your mercy, to sing praises to your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, in whom we have life.
Silent Prayers may be offered.
Assurance of Pardon
We expect to be condemned, and receive compassion; we figure we will be punished, but are forgiven. God continually turns our world upside down, so we can live in joy and peace.
By God's grace, we are new people;
by God's wisdom, we see others in a new light;
by God's Spirit, we serve in new ways.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
Here, we gather in preparation:
calling on God's name;
singing praises to our Creator.
Here, we gather in anticipation:
believing that to live for Christ is gain;
to serve others in Christ is our calling.
Here, we gather in hope:
that God will take away our fears;
that the good news will transform our lives.
Prayer of the Day
Like the dew on the grass,
Giver of manna,
your grace comes to us,
fresh each morning:
waiting to be gathered up,
savored with joy,
and shared with childish abandon.
Like the geese flying over our heads
as we stand waiting for the bus to arrive,
you call to us,
Christ of Brokenness,
inviting us to set aside those desires
which fill us with a passion for ourselves,
and to take on that compassion
which reflects your heart for all who suffer.
Like the water that turns a desert into a spring,
Spirit of Generosity,
you move in our lives:
taking the gift of God's holy emptiness
and filling it with prayer, with a song,
with a Word, with silence,
so that filled with the Presence of Christ,
we can go forth to serve God's people.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as we have been taught,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We try; even God knows how hard we try. And God must wonder why we work so hard to earn love that is already ours, given joyfully, unconditionally, eternally. So, set aside your weariness from working too hard and come to receive God's healing mercy for your life. Please join me as we pray, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
You frustrate us, Confusing God. We think we have you all neatly wrapped in a box, and you burst out with laughter on your lips and grace flowing from your heart. We grumble about how others seem to have more, forgetting how richly you have blessed us. We are hard pressed by the world to follow its seductive trail to empty hopes and false promises. We compete even with our best friends and closest neighbors, rather than offering encouragement and strength.
Forgive us, Providing God, for our failures to be your people. Help us to stop our grumbling, and to be bearers of grace to the broken; enable us to quit complaining and to share compassion with those who need healing and hope; teach us to sing, to sing of your glory, to sing of your mercy, to sing praises to your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, in whom we have life.
Silent Prayers may be offered.
Assurance of Pardon
We expect to be condemned, and receive compassion; we figure we will be punished, but are forgiven. God continually turns our world upside down, so we can live in joy and peace.
By God's grace, we are new people;
by God's wisdom, we see others in a new light;
by God's Spirit, we serve in new ways.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
Call to Worship
When we have been overwhelmed by the flood of fears,
when our wheels got stuck in the mud of despair:
you were with us, O God,
helping us to find solid ground.
When we clung to our old insecurities,
when we relied on the ways of the world:
you went before us,
leading us into the kingdom of grace.
When we would hold on to everything that would hold us back,
when we are hesitant to cut the ties to our past:
you show us the future you have prepared for us;
you open our hearts to your love.
Prayer of the Day
This is the place to which you have led us,
Cloud of Grace:
this sacred space
of memories and dreams,
of stories told to children,
of songs sung to you,
of gifts offered to others;
this home we call church.
Christ of Tenderness:
when the foundation of the church was being dug,
you used a shovel with us;
when we stumble seeking to follow you,
you pick us up;
when the end of the journey seems uncertain,
you point us in the right direction;
whatever we may face today or in the future,
you are with us.
Companion-Spirit,
bless the people who are with us today:
those who inspire us, and those who irritate us;
those who make us laugh, and those who make us weep;
those whom we have known forever,
and those we have just met;
but all who gather to be in this place with you.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
As we gather to praise God, we need to remember that we are people who often resist God's way for us. But God is eager to forgive us, and to strengthen us for discipleship. Let us confess our sins to God, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We admit how difficult it is for us to trust you, Living God. The temptations, the desires, the call of the world flood into our lives, but we do not believe you can part the waters and lead us into faithfulness. Our bitterness towards those who have hurt us is like a feast we cannot leave, despite your invitation to the Table of grace and hope. Our grudges fit comfortably into our hands, and if we let them go, we wonder if you will fill the emptiness with healing.
Forgive us and have mercy on us. You are the God who brought our ancestors into freedom--set us free from our pain. You are the God who is with us in every moment--open our eyes to your presence. You are the God of our future--in life, in death, you are with us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silent Prayers may be offered
Assurance of Pardon
God has claimed us and will not let us go. There is no one, there is no thing that can keep God from forgiving us, loving us, healing us.
Loved, we can love the unlovable;
graced, we can be a blessing to others;
forgiven, we can forgive those who have hurt us.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
When we have been overwhelmed by the flood of fears,
when our wheels got stuck in the mud of despair:
you were with us, O God,
helping us to find solid ground.
When we clung to our old insecurities,
when we relied on the ways of the world:
you went before us,
leading us into the kingdom of grace.
When we would hold on to everything that would hold us back,
when we are hesitant to cut the ties to our past:
you show us the future you have prepared for us;
you open our hearts to your love.
Prayer of the Day
This is the place to which you have led us,
Cloud of Grace:
this sacred space
of memories and dreams,
of stories told to children,
of songs sung to you,
of gifts offered to others;
this home we call church.
Christ of Tenderness:
when the foundation of the church was being dug,
you used a shovel with us;
when we stumble seeking to follow you,
you pick us up;
when the end of the journey seems uncertain,
you point us in the right direction;
whatever we may face today or in the future,
you are with us.
Companion-Spirit,
bless the people who are with us today:
those who inspire us, and those who irritate us;
those who make us laugh, and those who make us weep;
those whom we have known forever,
and those we have just met;
but all who gather to be in this place with you.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
As we gather to praise God, we need to remember that we are people who often resist God's way for us. But God is eager to forgive us, and to strengthen us for discipleship. Let us confess our sins to God, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We admit how difficult it is for us to trust you, Living God. The temptations, the desires, the call of the world flood into our lives, but we do not believe you can part the waters and lead us into faithfulness. Our bitterness towards those who have hurt us is like a feast we cannot leave, despite your invitation to the Table of grace and hope. Our grudges fit comfortably into our hands, and if we let them go, we wonder if you will fill the emptiness with healing.
Forgive us and have mercy on us. You are the God who brought our ancestors into freedom--set us free from our pain. You are the God who is with us in every moment--open our eyes to your presence. You are the God of our future--in life, in death, you are with us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silent Prayers may be offered
Assurance of Pardon
God has claimed us and will not let us go. There is no one, there is no thing that can keep God from forgiving us, loving us, healing us.
Loved, we can love the unlovable;
graced, we can be a blessing to others;
forgiven, we can forgive those who have hurt us.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
Thursday, September 01, 2005
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
Call to Worship
To people held captive by others,
to people overwhelmed by natural disasters,
God calls us to be ready:
ready to respond to those in need,
ready to respond to God's freedom.
To people whose friends persecute them,
to people who are at odds with neighbors,
Paul reminds us of our call to love:
to love others as deeply as we love ourselves;
to love God with every fiber of our being.
For people who see the pain of the world,
for people who know the brokenness of their lives,
God provides a Table:
feeding us with grace and hope,
inviting us to eat as a family.
Prayer of the Day
Liberating God:
you set us free from our loneliness
by the touch of another's hand;
you deliver us from our selfishness,
so we may serve others;
you break the chains of our pride,
that we might walk humbly with you.
Christ of love:
when we would cling to our anger,
you send us forgiveness to hold our hand;
when we would feast on our bitterness,
you share the Bread of Heaven;
when we would drink at sin's fountain,
you pour out the Cup of Salvation.
Spirit of new life:
you bring us together
that we might learn
to live together,
to love together,
to serve together,
so that those around us
would know you are in our midst.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift the prayer which Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
In worship, in life, in every moment, Christ is among us: loving us, teaching us, leading us. But our focus on on needs, on our desires, keeps us from knowing his presence. Let us confess our sins against God and neighbor, as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
"Love one another." That's all you ask of us, Dear God. Yet we find this simple request so hard to carry out. Someone upsets us, and we curse them. Another buys something we want but cannot afford, and we are jealous. A friend gets recognition we wanted, and we talk about them behind their back.
Forgive us, Loving God, and free us from our slavery to sin. With Christ in our midst, we can become the people you dream about: loving, merciful, gentle, compassionate people of God.
Silent prayers may be offered
Assurance of Pardon
2, 3, 30, 300--we have gathered as God's people;
broken--we are made whole;
alone--we are shaped into a family;
forgiven--we are sent forth to serve.
Fed, forgiven, restored, loved. The Table is our constant reminder of God's presence in our lives, of God's grace that makes us new. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
May God also be with you.
People of God, open your hearts.
We open our hearts to God and to each other.
People of God, give thanks to the Living God.
We praise the One who offers abundant life.
Holy God, we praise you:
Shaper of the Bread of Life,
Pourer of the Cup of Salvation.
At creation's birht, you gave us everything we need,
and more than we could ever want.
But gripped by the Evil One's wishes,
we dreamed of being like you,
and feasted on the fruit of sin.
You sought to bring us back into your presence,
sending prophets with your gracious word,
but we could not hear you above
the drumbeats of our desires.
Then, you took on human form,
sending Jesus to live among us,
that we might see your face
and know your forgiving love.
So, with our sisters and brothers,
those before us and those beside us,
we sing our songs in the gathering of the faithful:
Holy! Holy! Holy! Living God of Grace!
All creation sings your praise:
creatures roaming the earth,
dolphins splashing in the sea,
eagles soaring in the sky.
Glory to you forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One!
God our righteousness,
you take pleasure in your people and so:
in love, you became human;
in hope, you came to us;
in joy, you gave yourself to us
through your Child, Jesus our Brother.
When we enslaved to sin,
Jesus came to set us free;
when we could do nothing right,
Jesus came to fill us with wisdom;
when we live at odds with one another,
Jesus comes to gather us into one family;
when death awaits us with eager arms,
Jesus comes to give us life
and carry us into the kingdom of grace.
And so we come to this Table
which you have prepared for us,
remembering that Christ is the Bread of Life:
As we eat this bread,
as we drink this cup,
we proclaim your death, Lord of all,
until you return in glory.
Move over these gifts of the bread and the cup,
Breath of God,
and fill us with your grace and hope.
As the bread heals our brokenness,
may we go forth to be reconciled
to those we have harmed;
as the cup quenches our thirst for hope,
may we reach out to those
whom the world has forgotten;
as your peace fills our empty souls,
may we become the makers of peace
our neighbors and friends are seeking.
And when that day comes and
all brokenness is healed,
all barriers broken down,
all people set free,
we will gather with your whole creation
around the Table of the Lamb of Life,
singing your praises until the end of time:
Glory to you, God our helper;
Alleluias to you, Christ our hope;
Thanks to you, Spirit of comfort;
now and forever. Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
To people held captive by others,
to people overwhelmed by natural disasters,
God calls us to be ready:
ready to respond to those in need,
ready to respond to God's freedom.
To people whose friends persecute them,
to people who are at odds with neighbors,
Paul reminds us of our call to love:
to love others as deeply as we love ourselves;
to love God with every fiber of our being.
For people who see the pain of the world,
for people who know the brokenness of their lives,
God provides a Table:
feeding us with grace and hope,
inviting us to eat as a family.
Prayer of the Day
Liberating God:
you set us free from our loneliness
by the touch of another's hand;
you deliver us from our selfishness,
so we may serve others;
you break the chains of our pride,
that we might walk humbly with you.
Christ of love:
when we would cling to our anger,
you send us forgiveness to hold our hand;
when we would feast on our bitterness,
you share the Bread of Heaven;
when we would drink at sin's fountain,
you pour out the Cup of Salvation.
Spirit of new life:
you bring us together
that we might learn
to live together,
to love together,
to serve together,
so that those around us
would know you are in our midst.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift the prayer which Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
In worship, in life, in every moment, Christ is among us: loving us, teaching us, leading us. But our focus on on needs, on our desires, keeps us from knowing his presence. Let us confess our sins against God and neighbor, as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
"Love one another." That's all you ask of us, Dear God. Yet we find this simple request so hard to carry out. Someone upsets us, and we curse them. Another buys something we want but cannot afford, and we are jealous. A friend gets recognition we wanted, and we talk about them behind their back.
Forgive us, Loving God, and free us from our slavery to sin. With Christ in our midst, we can become the people you dream about: loving, merciful, gentle, compassionate people of God.
Silent prayers may be offered
Assurance of Pardon
2, 3, 30, 300--we have gathered as God's people;
broken--we are made whole;
alone--we are shaped into a family;
forgiven--we are sent forth to serve.
Fed, forgiven, restored, loved. The Table is our constant reminder of God's presence in our lives, of God's grace that makes us new. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
May God also be with you.
People of God, open your hearts.
We open our hearts to God and to each other.
People of God, give thanks to the Living God.
We praise the One who offers abundant life.
Holy God, we praise you:
Shaper of the Bread of Life,
Pourer of the Cup of Salvation.
At creation's birht, you gave us everything we need,
and more than we could ever want.
But gripped by the Evil One's wishes,
we dreamed of being like you,
and feasted on the fruit of sin.
You sought to bring us back into your presence,
sending prophets with your gracious word,
but we could not hear you above
the drumbeats of our desires.
Then, you took on human form,
sending Jesus to live among us,
that we might see your face
and know your forgiving love.
So, with our sisters and brothers,
those before us and those beside us,
we sing our songs in the gathering of the faithful:
Holy! Holy! Holy! Living God of Grace!
All creation sings your praise:
creatures roaming the earth,
dolphins splashing in the sea,
eagles soaring in the sky.
Glory to you forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One!
God our righteousness,
you take pleasure in your people and so:
in love, you became human;
in hope, you came to us;
in joy, you gave yourself to us
through your Child, Jesus our Brother.
When we enslaved to sin,
Jesus came to set us free;
when we could do nothing right,
Jesus came to fill us with wisdom;
when we live at odds with one another,
Jesus comes to gather us into one family;
when death awaits us with eager arms,
Jesus comes to give us life
and carry us into the kingdom of grace.
And so we come to this Table
which you have prepared for us,
remembering that Christ is the Bread of Life:
As we eat this bread,
as we drink this cup,
we proclaim your death, Lord of all,
until you return in glory.
Move over these gifts of the bread and the cup,
Breath of God,
and fill us with your grace and hope.
As the bread heals our brokenness,
may we go forth to be reconciled
to those we have harmed;
as the cup quenches our thirst for hope,
may we reach out to those
whom the world has forgotten;
as your peace fills our empty souls,
may we become the makers of peace
our neighbors and friends are seeking.
And when that day comes and
all brokenness is healed,
all barriers broken down,
all people set free,
we will gather with your whole creation
around the Table of the Lamb of Life,
singing your praises until the end of time:
Glory to you, God our helper;
Alleluias to you, Christ our hope;
Thanks to you, Spirit of comfort;
now and forever. Amen.
(c) 2005 Thom M. Shuman
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