Call to Worship
Gathered as God's people, we come to worship together:
singing praises to the One who loves us,
opening our hearts to the One who calls us.
Called to be God's people, we come to share our lives together:
to celebrate the joys of our hearts,
to mingle our tears with God's.
Challenged to follow Jesus to the end, we come to learn how to be disciples:
offering our food to our enemies,
giving a drink of water to those
who have drained our souls.
Prayer of the Day
When we would rush
to get all our to-dos done,
you call to us to turn
and notice your compassion
burning (but not reduced to ashes)
for those living in misery.
When we hesitate,
you ask us to remove
all we think protects us from
the fire of your justice
so we can draw closer
to your heart's warmth.
YOU ARE the One we search for,
God of all held in bondage.
When we become
stumbling blocks to you,
you polish our stony resistance
so we can become smooth pebbles
on the path to your kingdom.
When we would tell you
how we think you should
bring about your hopes and dreams,
you show us your heart,
broken for the lost and the last,
so we will look to their needs
rather than thinking about our own.
YOU ARE the One
who leads us to freedom,
Servant of the poor.
When we believe we cannot speak
about your peace and hopes,
you give us words
which spill out of our hearts.
When we put our palms
over our eyes, afraid to look
at the suffering around us,
you fill our hands with grace,
sending us to serve your children.
YOU ARE the One who
teaches us new ways,
Impassioned Spirit.
God in Community, Holy in One,
YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE,
and we lift our prayer to you, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
In stories and in stores, in sandy deserts and in rocky roads, at school events and Sunday worship, we encounter God. We meet the One who fills every moment with the sacred. We confess our sins, in trust that we can turn aside and notice God welcoming us with forgiveness and hope.
Unison Prayer of Confession
God of Moses and Mary,
we could live at peace with others,
but we choose to do wrong to them;
we could welcome those we do not know,
but choose to close our hearts;
we could make outsiders our best friends,
but choose the safety of our cliques.
Forgive us, Genuine Love, for our foolish choices.
Hold on to our shaky lives,
until we learn to clasp your goodness to our hearts,
so we can give it away to those around us.
Whisper your grace and hopes to us,
until we can stop cursing our enemies,
and bless them as our friends.
Smoothe the rough edges of our arrogance,
until we become polished enough
to win the gold in being honorable.
Then, we would put aside our stumbling blocks to discipleship, so we can follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, as he leads us to your way of denial and life.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
In our love for others, we discover God's love for us. In our forgiving of others, we learn once more how deeply God has forgiven us. Friends, this is the good news offered to us!
We are God's children, called to be different, called to act different, called to live as new people. Thanks be to God. We are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
In a moment, creation began,
and from that time on,
God of Freedom,
you began to pour out
your goodness and genuine love.
Earth laughed with flowers
and rejoiced with sunrises.
You shaped us in your image
and began to show us all
you wanted to give us.
But chasing after the temptations
and seductions of the world,
we tripped over the stumbling blocks
of sin and death, falling flat
on our fears and doubts.
Observing our misery in such living,
you sent the prophets
to call us back to you,
but we did not hear their cries.
Knowing we would continue
to suffer and lose our way,
you sent Jesus to come
and deliver us from our slavery.
Joining our voices with those
who have faithfully followed,
and with those who stumbled along the way,
we call on your name, singing praises to you:
Holy, holy, holy are you, God of Wonder.
Watching our struggles,
your heart breaks;
hearing our cries,
you whisper our name;
knowing our loneliness,
you came to deliver us.
Blessed is Jesus Christ, who comes in your name!
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Listener of cries in the night,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Child.
Hearing the pain of your heart,
he came to speak of your hopes;
seeing the brokenness of our relationships,
he came to make us whole;
knowing our fear of death,
he came to defeat its power,
aware of what it would cost him,
he journeyed to Jerusalem
to embrace suffering and heartache;
hating evil so much
he was willing to let it believe
it had won the battle,
until he burst from the grave
bringing life for all
even as you raised him from the dead.
Remembering his wonderful works,
recalling his miracles, his words, his life,
we speak of that mystery we know as faith:
Christ rejoices with us,
Christ weeps with us,
Christ died for us,
Christ was raised for us.
As we prepare to gather around
your Table, God of Love,
pour out your Spirit upon us,
and on the gifts of the bread and cup.
Feed us on the rich food
of your forgiveness and grace,
so we might go forth
to feed all those we only know
by the name 'enemy.'
Quench our thirst for power
with the sweet wine of your servanthood,
so we might choose
honor over fame,
humility over pride,
forgiveness over vengeance,
and in so doing,
lose ourselves in your life
of denial and service,
giving ourselves to others,
thus returning your love for us.
And when all moments come to an end,
and the time has come to gather around
that great feast in heaven,
there will be no enemy, no them, no us -
just sisters and brothers joining
hearts and voices in singing your praise,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
Call to Worship
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Our joy comes from the heart of God,
who transforms us into open-handed givers of hope.
Our grace comes from God's compassion,
who breaks the bonds which tie us to sin and death.
Blessed be the Lord our God!
who reveals to us the One who brings us new life!
Prayer of the Day
When fear would enslave us,
you set us free by your faith in us;
when the currents of hopelessness
would sweep us away,
you cradle us in your promises;
when evil would exercise power,
you transform us into
members of the one Body,
so we can overcome its efforts.
You are always on our side,
All Watchful God.
Through the mouths
of children and youth,
you teach the foolish
the wisdom of your grace;
through the gentle lives
of those harmed by hate,
you open our locked hearts
to embrace the broken.
You are always by our side,
Heart of Compassion.
Reluctant to let go
of all our gifts,
you touch us with generosity's grace.
Hesitant as to what
we might do for others,
you teach us the skill set
of compassion and service.
Dwelling with loneliness,
you nudge us to welcome
the last and the least.
You are always at our side,
Spirit of Change.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we believe you are side-by-side with us,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
While we may yearn to be like Jesus, we know that in our hotheaded choices, our frantic lives, our impetuous words, we are too often like Peter. But like him, we can confess Christ as our Lord, speaking of our need for your saving presence in our lives.
Unison Prayer of Confession
We look for you in all the wrong places, God of the lost, and wonder why we cannot find you. We wander the corridors of power, while you are on the sidewalks, beside the homeless. We sit at the head tables of the world, while you are handing out soup to the hungry at the kitchen's backdoor. We applaud those who win the gold, while you are cheering on those in last place.
In forgiving us, God of new life, you would transform our cold hearts into those melted in service to others. In granting us mercy, you challenge us to think of all those we have ignored. In gifting us with grace, you enable us to proclaim Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, as the hope, the joy, the peace the world seeks.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
It is not the money, but our generosity with it; it is not power, but our willingness to humble ourselves; it is not our efforts, but Christ's gift, which transforms us into God's children.
It is more than just how we think. In mercy and grace, our hearts, our lives, our spirits are transfigured and made new. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
If you had not been on the side
of all that is good, perfect, and acceptable,
God of Joy,
chaos would have rule.
But you swept it away
in your flood of creation,
which thundered through valleys
carving majestic mountains,
which showered the soil
with life, with hope, with love.
Transforming us from earth's floor
into people in your image and heart,
you gifted us to live with you.
Sin and death begged us
to follow in their footsteps,
nursing our infantile foolishness
with their seductions and desires.
You sent to prophets
to be midwives to us,
bringing words of new hope;
but our anger flared up
at their intrusion in our lives.
So, after we had ignored
Elijah and Jeremiah, Miriam and Hannah,
you sent Jesus to us,
to open wide the gates
to the kingdom of your heart.
So, with those who remained faithful as slaves,
as well as with those who proclaim your Child,
we join our voices with those in every time and place,
singing your praises forever:
Sanctus
Holy are you, God of Imagination,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Messiah, your Son.
If he had not been on our side,
we would have continued
to wander sin's pathways
into death's oppression.
In compassion,
he came to reveal your heart;
in generosity,
he offered us the means
to escape from sin;
conscious of his choice,
he took up the cross,
where he was put to death,
and swallowed up by the grave,
sweeping away death's power
when he was raised to new life
by your love and hope.
So, as we remember his willingness
to come and be by our side,
we sing of that mystery called faith:
Memorial Acclamation
Renew us, God of all joy,
by the gift of your Spirit
upon the bread and cup prepared for us.
If the Spirit were not with us,
we would become gluttons,
stuffing ourselves on your grace.
But She sends us out
to empty ourselves for those
forced into hunger and despair.
She nourishes us with your hope,
so we might prevail
against all those powers
which would oppress your children
with injustice and hopelessness.
And when all powers have been defeated,
when evil has gone the way of chaos,
we will stand side by side at your Table
in that kingdom of eternal joy,
singing our thanksgiving to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Our joy comes from the heart of God,
who transforms us into open-handed givers of hope.
Our grace comes from God's compassion,
who breaks the bonds which tie us to sin and death.
Blessed be the Lord our God!
who reveals to us the One who brings us new life!
Prayer of the Day
When fear would enslave us,
you set us free by your faith in us;
when the currents of hopelessness
would sweep us away,
you cradle us in your promises;
when evil would exercise power,
you transform us into
members of the one Body,
so we can overcome its efforts.
You are always on our side,
All Watchful God.
Through the mouths
of children and youth,
you teach the foolish
the wisdom of your grace;
through the gentle lives
of those harmed by hate,
you open our locked hearts
to embrace the broken.
You are always by our side,
Heart of Compassion.
Reluctant to let go
of all our gifts,
you touch us with generosity's grace.
Hesitant as to what
we might do for others,
you teach us the skill set
of compassion and service.
Dwelling with loneliness,
you nudge us to welcome
the last and the least.
You are always at our side,
Spirit of Change.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we believe you are side-by-side with us,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
While we may yearn to be like Jesus, we know that in our hotheaded choices, our frantic lives, our impetuous words, we are too often like Peter. But like him, we can confess Christ as our Lord, speaking of our need for your saving presence in our lives.
Unison Prayer of Confession
We look for you in all the wrong places, God of the lost, and wonder why we cannot find you. We wander the corridors of power, while you are on the sidewalks, beside the homeless. We sit at the head tables of the world, while you are handing out soup to the hungry at the kitchen's backdoor. We applaud those who win the gold, while you are cheering on those in last place.
In forgiving us, God of new life, you would transform our cold hearts into those melted in service to others. In granting us mercy, you challenge us to think of all those we have ignored. In gifting us with grace, you enable us to proclaim Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, as the hope, the joy, the peace the world seeks.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
It is not the money, but our generosity with it; it is not power, but our willingness to humble ourselves; it is not our efforts, but Christ's gift, which transforms us into God's children.
It is more than just how we think. In mercy and grace, our hearts, our lives, our spirits are transfigured and made new. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
If you had not been on the side
of all that is good, perfect, and acceptable,
God of Joy,
chaos would have rule.
But you swept it away
in your flood of creation,
which thundered through valleys
carving majestic mountains,
which showered the soil
with life, with hope, with love.
Transforming us from earth's floor
into people in your image and heart,
you gifted us to live with you.
Sin and death begged us
to follow in their footsteps,
nursing our infantile foolishness
with their seductions and desires.
You sent to prophets
to be midwives to us,
bringing words of new hope;
but our anger flared up
at their intrusion in our lives.
So, after we had ignored
Elijah and Jeremiah, Miriam and Hannah,
you sent Jesus to us,
to open wide the gates
to the kingdom of your heart.
So, with those who remained faithful as slaves,
as well as with those who proclaim your Child,
we join our voices with those in every time and place,
singing your praises forever:
Sanctus
Holy are you, God of Imagination,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Messiah, your Son.
If he had not been on our side,
we would have continued
to wander sin's pathways
into death's oppression.
In compassion,
he came to reveal your heart;
in generosity,
he offered us the means
to escape from sin;
conscious of his choice,
he took up the cross,
where he was put to death,
and swallowed up by the grave,
sweeping away death's power
when he was raised to new life
by your love and hope.
So, as we remember his willingness
to come and be by our side,
we sing of that mystery called faith:
Memorial Acclamation
Renew us, God of all joy,
by the gift of your Spirit
upon the bread and cup prepared for us.
If the Spirit were not with us,
we would become gluttons,
stuffing ourselves on your grace.
But She sends us out
to empty ourselves for those
forced into hunger and despair.
She nourishes us with your hope,
so we might prevail
against all those powers
which would oppress your children
with injustice and hopelessness.
And when all powers have been defeated,
when evil has gone the way of chaos,
we will stand side by side at your Table
in that kingdom of eternal joy,
singing our thanksgiving to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman
Monday, August 11, 2008
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
Call to Worship
Here we can come together, people searching for healing and hope:
here we are met by the One who would bless us with abundant life.
Here we are called to gather as the family of God:
we may find those who are strangers, yet are sisters and brothers of ours.
Here we discover the truth that God makes no distinctions among us:
here we are welcomed and embraced by the One whose arms are open to all.
Prayer of the Day
When we are alone,
you make us known
to our sisters and brothers.
When we are lonely,
you whisper, 'come closer,'
inviting us into your heart.
Great is your love for us,
Welcoming God.
When we wander lost and afraid,
you take us by the hand,
so we may settle in your kingdom.
When we hunger
for the crumbs of hope
which the world offers to us,
you feed us with
the fullness of your joy.
Great is your grace for us,
Accepting Christ.
When those around us
make clear they want nothing
to do with us, ever,
you persist in being our friend.
When we stand on
despair's welfare line,
you invite us to come
to a sumptuous feast.
Great is your hope for us,
Embracing Spirit.
God in Community, Holy in One,
you weep openly as you welcome us
into your heart and your hopes,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Our words, our deeds, our lives build barriers between us and others, between us and God. But God would shatter every distinction, God would reshape us as new people. Let us come to the One who loves us, and longs to forgive us. Join me as we confess our sins together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We admit, Providing God, that we have difficulties living as your children. We could live in unity, but our words fracture relationships with family and friends. We have been shown the way to your kingdom, but turn into blind guides when asked for the directions by others. When we could offer others the precious oil of peace, we hand them the vinegar of despair and rejection.
Have mercy on us, Healing Heart, have mercy on us. When you call to us, may we listen with open ears, understand with embracing hearts, and share your grace with others, even as we have been graced by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Hear the good news for you: God has provided hope for you, filling you with joy, with mercy, with peace.
As mercy leads to mercy, we will take these gifts to share with the world. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
When chaos threatened to control,
you spoke out of your own mouth,
crying, 'let there be light!'
and creation burst forth,
rivers flowing like precious oil
through the valleys of love,
peace singing to all creatures,
whispering of the gift of unity.
Shaping us in the divine image,
you whispered to us, 'come closer,'
inviting us to live with you
in Eden's joy-dewed garden.
Sin and death, however,
dazzled us with their lies,
so we followed these blind guides
into a world scarce on hope.
You did not reject us,
but continued to call us
through the mouths of prophets;
you continued to gift us
with your faithful presence.
Your dreams would
not be dismayed,
as you sent Jesus,
your mercy to beget mercy
for all your children.
With those overlooked by the world,
with those who have sought you in every time,
we lift our songs of joy and praise:
Sanctus
Holy are you, Joy of Creation,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
When he could have turned
a blind eye toward us,
he came that we might
be able to see our hope;
when he could have sent
us away from his side,
he drew us closer
to your mercy and love;
when he could have been
dismayed by our foolishness,
he went into death's embrace,
providing salvation for us.
As we remember his words of teaching,
as we remember his hopes for us,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:
Memorial Acclamation
Here in this moment and place,
we pray you would pour out
your Spirit of peace and joy
upon the gifts of the bread and the cup
and upon your children
who have gathered around the Table.
You do not give us crumbs,
but nourish us with compassion,
so we might go to serve
a world hungering for healing.
You do not touch our lips
with only a few drops,
but offer us great gulps of grace,
so we might offer peace
to a fractured and frightened world.
And when the famine of our despair is ended
and you gather all your children around you,
to be fed at the feast of the Lamb,
we will sing our thanksgiving songs to you,
as the precious tears of joy run down our cheeks,
praising you through all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman
Here we can come together, people searching for healing and hope:
here we are met by the One who would bless us with abundant life.
Here we are called to gather as the family of God:
we may find those who are strangers, yet are sisters and brothers of ours.
Here we discover the truth that God makes no distinctions among us:
here we are welcomed and embraced by the One whose arms are open to all.
Prayer of the Day
When we are alone,
you make us known
to our sisters and brothers.
When we are lonely,
you whisper, 'come closer,'
inviting us into your heart.
Great is your love for us,
Welcoming God.
When we wander lost and afraid,
you take us by the hand,
so we may settle in your kingdom.
When we hunger
for the crumbs of hope
which the world offers to us,
you feed us with
the fullness of your joy.
Great is your grace for us,
Accepting Christ.
When those around us
make clear they want nothing
to do with us, ever,
you persist in being our friend.
When we stand on
despair's welfare line,
you invite us to come
to a sumptuous feast.
Great is your hope for us,
Embracing Spirit.
God in Community, Holy in One,
you weep openly as you welcome us
into your heart and your hopes,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Our words, our deeds, our lives build barriers between us and others, between us and God. But God would shatter every distinction, God would reshape us as new people. Let us come to the One who loves us, and longs to forgive us. Join me as we confess our sins together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We admit, Providing God, that we have difficulties living as your children. We could live in unity, but our words fracture relationships with family and friends. We have been shown the way to your kingdom, but turn into blind guides when asked for the directions by others. When we could offer others the precious oil of peace, we hand them the vinegar of despair and rejection.
Have mercy on us, Healing Heart, have mercy on us. When you call to us, may we listen with open ears, understand with embracing hearts, and share your grace with others, even as we have been graced by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Hear the good news for you: God has provided hope for you, filling you with joy, with mercy, with peace.
As mercy leads to mercy, we will take these gifts to share with the world. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
When chaos threatened to control,
you spoke out of your own mouth,
crying, 'let there be light!'
and creation burst forth,
rivers flowing like precious oil
through the valleys of love,
peace singing to all creatures,
whispering of the gift of unity.
Shaping us in the divine image,
you whispered to us, 'come closer,'
inviting us to live with you
in Eden's joy-dewed garden.
Sin and death, however,
dazzled us with their lies,
so we followed these blind guides
into a world scarce on hope.
You did not reject us,
but continued to call us
through the mouths of prophets;
you continued to gift us
with your faithful presence.
Your dreams would
not be dismayed,
as you sent Jesus,
your mercy to beget mercy
for all your children.
With those overlooked by the world,
with those who have sought you in every time,
we lift our songs of joy and praise:
Sanctus
Holy are you, Joy of Creation,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
When he could have turned
a blind eye toward us,
he came that we might
be able to see our hope;
when he could have sent
us away from his side,
he drew us closer
to your mercy and love;
when he could have been
dismayed by our foolishness,
he went into death's embrace,
providing salvation for us.
As we remember his words of teaching,
as we remember his hopes for us,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:
Memorial Acclamation
Here in this moment and place,
we pray you would pour out
your Spirit of peace and joy
upon the gifts of the bread and the cup
and upon your children
who have gathered around the Table.
You do not give us crumbs,
but nourish us with compassion,
so we might go to serve
a world hungering for healing.
You do not touch our lips
with only a few drops,
but offer us great gulps of grace,
so we might offer peace
to a fractured and frightened world.
And when the famine of our despair is ended
and you gather all your children around you,
to be fed at the feast of the Lamb,
we will sing our thanksgiving songs to you,
as the precious tears of joy run down our cheeks,
praising you through all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
Call to Worship
Here, in this place, God welcomes
all the dreamers, as well as the doubters:
here, the worriers and wanderers
can call on God by name.
Here, in this time, we can remember
all the ways God has graced us:
here, in these moments, we are reminded
that God is with us, always!
Here are gathered those daring enough
to step out of comfort into the unknown:
here, in this faith space, we will find the courage
to cry out, 'God, save us!' in every situation.
Prayer of the Day
Making sandwiches and stirring the soup
for the hungry lined up at the door;
taking the night shift
at the homeless shelter;
talking with the prisoners
awaiting their trials:
You surround us with signs
of your hopes for all,
God of justice.
Bringing reconciliation
to strife-torn communities;
mending the broken promises
which have shattered lives;
holding your arms wide open
to embrace weary searchers:
everywhere we turn,
we hear people say,
'here comes that Dreamer!"
Inviting us to wander down
the streets of sacrifice;
hoping that every breath
will be filled with peace and hope;
gifting us with joy and grace,
so they can be freely given away:
you nudge us to get out
of our comfortable religion,
and to walk on those unfamiliar
waves of faith and hope,
Spirit of trust.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we give thanks to your name,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Too often when life threatens us, we trust the world to save us, finding it easy to believe the empty promises of seduction and doubt. But our God offers us forgiveness and healing, if we will but trust and follow. Let us begin, by confession our sins together,
Unison Prayer of Confession
It seems so easy to get into the boat and set sail on our journey, God of Promises. But when the winds of change begin to blow, we want to turn around and head back to the past's safe harbor. When sin's waves crash over the side, we try to wrap ourselves in the cloak of pride thinking we will not get wet. When Jesus calls to us to get out and follow in faith, we look around, hoping he is not speaking to us.
Swamped by our fears, and sinking in doubt, we long for someone to help us - so save us, Holy One, save us! Stretch out your hand, so we might be lifted from our despair to hope, from our worries to trust, from our foolishness to faithful living. Then, we will dare to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, even if it means getting out of the sheltered lives we have built for ourselves.
Silent prayers may be offered.
Assurance of Pardon
In confessing that Christ is Lord, we let go of the past, and turn to God's future. We step out of our fears, and walk into the light and life offered by our God.
In trusting Christ's resurrection, we trust all of God's promises, letting the Spirit work in and through us, healing and making us whole. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord is with you!
And also with you!
People of God: lift up your hearts to the One
who invites you to daring discipleship.
We lift our hearts to the One
who calls us out of our comfort zones.
People of God: give thanks to the Lord our God.
We lift our hearts to the One who
enables us to walk the paths of pilgrimage.
To the one true and living God,
we can only bring our songs of glory and praise.
Through you, the light of creation
dispelled the shadows of chaos;
from you came the imaginative Word,
shaping the mountains that touch the sky,
scooping out the hollows for the seas;
by you the Spirit of beginnings breathed,
giving life to people
created in your image.
In love, you embraced us as your own,
giving us the freedom to make our own choices.
Our foolishness led us to believe
that we were wiser than Wisdom herself,
and greater than the Creator of the stars.
So we ran away from your glory
and into the arms of sin and disobedience.
But as a mother tenderly nourishes her children,
as a father welcomes home the wayward,
you did not abandon us to the powers of evil,
but in your graciousness, you came to us,
speaking through the words of the prophets
and the witness of the faithful.
When we continued to turn away from you,
you sent Jesus Christ, your true Heart,
that we might see your love face to face.
And so, we join the faithful of every time and place,
who, beholding the glory of your presence,
sing with countless throngs of angels,
hymns of unending praise:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
who is, who was, and who is to come.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.
You are worthy, Lord our God,
to receive praise and glory,
honor and blessing.
How wonderful are the works of your hands, Holy God,
and how gracious is the gift of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
When we were famished from eating
the empty promises of the world,
he came, breaking the bread of fullness;
when we hungered from the vain feast of fame,
he came, eating with the lost, the least, the little, the last;
when we found no nourishment in our disobedience,
he came, breaking bread with sinners and outcasts;
when we chose to nibble on death,
he came, to be broken on the cross of Calvary.
Giver of eternal life in Christ,
as we remember his life, his ministry, his gentleness,
his acceptance of all, his death, his life,
we would speak of that mystery of faith
we claim as believers:
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive
divine power, wisdom, and strength,
honor, glory and blessing.
Let us praise and glorify him forever.
Breathe on us, Breath of God,
and upon these gifts of the bread and the cup.
As we join Christ at this Table,
to be strengthened by your gifts of grace and hope,
send us forth to be your faithful people.
Having tasted the Bread of Life,
may we go forth to bring healing
to every corner of our shattered world;
as we drink of the Cup of Salvation,
may we be poured out
in service to those who can find no life;
as you have broken yourself for us,
so we will do so for everyone in your kingdom.
Then, when all creation is healed,
and all people are one family,
we will gather around the Feast of the Lamb,
singing our praise to you, Holy God:
through Christ, in Christ, with Christ,
and in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever:
Praise our God all your servants,
honor God, you who would be faithful,
small and great, young and old.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.
Let heaven and earth praise God's glory:
all creatures in heaven, on earth,
and under the earth,
the sea and everything in it.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.
Amen.
(The responses of the congregation in the Great
Prayer of Thanksgiving are adapted from a prayer
by St. Francis of Assisi)
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman
Here, in this place, God welcomes
all the dreamers, as well as the doubters:
here, the worriers and wanderers
can call on God by name.
Here, in this time, we can remember
all the ways God has graced us:
here, in these moments, we are reminded
that God is with us, always!
Here are gathered those daring enough
to step out of comfort into the unknown:
here, in this faith space, we will find the courage
to cry out, 'God, save us!' in every situation.
Prayer of the Day
Making sandwiches and stirring the soup
for the hungry lined up at the door;
taking the night shift
at the homeless shelter;
talking with the prisoners
awaiting their trials:
You surround us with signs
of your hopes for all,
God of justice.
Bringing reconciliation
to strife-torn communities;
mending the broken promises
which have shattered lives;
holding your arms wide open
to embrace weary searchers:
everywhere we turn,
we hear people say,
'here comes that Dreamer!"
Inviting us to wander down
the streets of sacrifice;
hoping that every breath
will be filled with peace and hope;
gifting us with joy and grace,
so they can be freely given away:
you nudge us to get out
of our comfortable religion,
and to walk on those unfamiliar
waves of faith and hope,
Spirit of trust.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we give thanks to your name,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Too often when life threatens us, we trust the world to save us, finding it easy to believe the empty promises of seduction and doubt. But our God offers us forgiveness and healing, if we will but trust and follow. Let us begin, by confession our sins together,
Unison Prayer of Confession
It seems so easy to get into the boat and set sail on our journey, God of Promises. But when the winds of change begin to blow, we want to turn around and head back to the past's safe harbor. When sin's waves crash over the side, we try to wrap ourselves in the cloak of pride thinking we will not get wet. When Jesus calls to us to get out and follow in faith, we look around, hoping he is not speaking to us.
Swamped by our fears, and sinking in doubt, we long for someone to help us - so save us, Holy One, save us! Stretch out your hand, so we might be lifted from our despair to hope, from our worries to trust, from our foolishness to faithful living. Then, we will dare to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, even if it means getting out of the sheltered lives we have built for ourselves.
Silent prayers may be offered.
Assurance of Pardon
In confessing that Christ is Lord, we let go of the past, and turn to God's future. We step out of our fears, and walk into the light and life offered by our God.
In trusting Christ's resurrection, we trust all of God's promises, letting the Spirit work in and through us, healing and making us whole. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord is with you!
And also with you!
People of God: lift up your hearts to the One
who invites you to daring discipleship.
We lift our hearts to the One
who calls us out of our comfort zones.
People of God: give thanks to the Lord our God.
We lift our hearts to the One who
enables us to walk the paths of pilgrimage.
To the one true and living God,
we can only bring our songs of glory and praise.
Through you, the light of creation
dispelled the shadows of chaos;
from you came the imaginative Word,
shaping the mountains that touch the sky,
scooping out the hollows for the seas;
by you the Spirit of beginnings breathed,
giving life to people
created in your image.
In love, you embraced us as your own,
giving us the freedom to make our own choices.
Our foolishness led us to believe
that we were wiser than Wisdom herself,
and greater than the Creator of the stars.
So we ran away from your glory
and into the arms of sin and disobedience.
But as a mother tenderly nourishes her children,
as a father welcomes home the wayward,
you did not abandon us to the powers of evil,
but in your graciousness, you came to us,
speaking through the words of the prophets
and the witness of the faithful.
When we continued to turn away from you,
you sent Jesus Christ, your true Heart,
that we might see your love face to face.
And so, we join the faithful of every time and place,
who, beholding the glory of your presence,
sing with countless throngs of angels,
hymns of unending praise:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
who is, who was, and who is to come.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.
You are worthy, Lord our God,
to receive praise and glory,
honor and blessing.
How wonderful are the works of your hands, Holy God,
and how gracious is the gift of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
When we were famished from eating
the empty promises of the world,
he came, breaking the bread of fullness;
when we hungered from the vain feast of fame,
he came, eating with the lost, the least, the little, the last;
when we found no nourishment in our disobedience,
he came, breaking bread with sinners and outcasts;
when we chose to nibble on death,
he came, to be broken on the cross of Calvary.
Giver of eternal life in Christ,
as we remember his life, his ministry, his gentleness,
his acceptance of all, his death, his life,
we would speak of that mystery of faith
we claim as believers:
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive
divine power, wisdom, and strength,
honor, glory and blessing.
Let us praise and glorify him forever.
Breathe on us, Breath of God,
and upon these gifts of the bread and the cup.
As we join Christ at this Table,
to be strengthened by your gifts of grace and hope,
send us forth to be your faithful people.
Having tasted the Bread of Life,
may we go forth to bring healing
to every corner of our shattered world;
as we drink of the Cup of Salvation,
may we be poured out
in service to those who can find no life;
as you have broken yourself for us,
so we will do so for everyone in your kingdom.
Then, when all creation is healed,
and all people are one family,
we will gather around the Feast of the Lamb,
singing our praise to you, Holy God:
through Christ, in Christ, with Christ,
and in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever:
Praise our God all your servants,
honor God, you who would be faithful,
small and great, young and old.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.
Let heaven and earth praise God's glory:
all creatures in heaven, on earth,
and under the earth,
the sea and everything in it.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.
Amen.
(The responses of the congregation in the Great
Prayer of Thanksgiving are adapted from a prayer
by St. Francis of Assisi)
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman
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