Texts: Jeremiah 31: 7-14; Psalm 147:12-20; Ephesians 1:3-14; John 1:1-18
Call to Worship
On this day, we remember the gift of God's Word,
who gathers us together from the farthest parts of the world to worship in joy and hope.
On this day, we remember the simple graces of the bread and the cup,
those plain gifts shaped by God's love into nourishing hope.
On this day, we remember the gifts of water and oil,
cleansing us in the baptismal pools, anointing us as God's children.
Prayer of the Day
You could let us continue to shuffle
through the world's deserts,
God of Christmas,
but you choose to walk with us
beside the rivers of life.
You could forget who we are,
but you adopt us into your family,
your children of hope and joy.
You could decide we are not worth all the love
or all the agony of caring,
but your redeem us and make us whole.
Blessed are you!
It was only the other day
the angels were singing of your birth,
Tiny One of Bethlehem,
and now, here you are,
running swiftly toward us:
to melt our frozen faith,
to comfort us in our loneliness,
to lead us into life in your kingdom.
Blessed are you!
At the edge of a new year,
we wonder what life will be life,
and what do you do,
Gathering Spirit?
You water our parched souls with laughter;
you teach dance steps to those
too weary to tap their toes;
you fill our emptiness
with overflowing gladness!
Blessed are you!
Blessed are we,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we lift the prayer Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Have we really been to Bethlehem? Have we worshiped at the manger? Have we changed, for the better? Or have we simply gone back to being the people we were before the joy, the peace, the gifts of Christmas? Let us confess how we have not lived as those who have seen the Baby, as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
God of Christmas:
we still are playing with our new toys,
the manger figures have not been put away;
we have the stacks of Christmas cards,
but we memorize the words sin has taught us;
we set limits on who we will love,
we make promises we cannot keep,
we fail to see the pain and hurt we cause.
God of the angels and shepherds, forgive us.
Your Word has come to reshape our lives;
your Light has come to show us the way home;
your Son has come to make us your family.
Have mercy and make us new people. This we pray
in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Like the Baby of Bethlehem, we are born anew. God's forgiveness cradles us; God's love is poured out on us.
What a marvelous gift - forgiveness! Filled with hope and new life, we can sing God's praises forever. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of newness be with you.
And also with you.
People of Christmas, offer your hearts to God.
We lift them to the One who comes, new hope and life cradled in loving hands.
L: People of the Holy One of Bethlehem, sing glad praises to our God.
P: We come, for we have received the good news, we have believed the Word, we are given joyful songs to sing.
When chaos thought there was no end,
you began, Fullness of all time.
Your Word ran sprints through creation,
scattering the seeds which sprang forth
into fruit, flowers, mountains and molehills.
Your Spirit sang songs of wonder and hope,
that Breath which gave your children life.
We were as close to your heart
as the blood which flows through ours,
but the soft, insistent whispers of sin
grew louder and louder in our ears,
and we ran off, letting the shadows
of seduction overwhelm us.
Time and again, every time you could,
you sent your messengers to us,
crying out in love and hope, 'return!'
but we did not recognize them
nor listen to their words.
So turning to the angels,
you said, 'Watch!' as you
sent Jesus to bring us home to you.
So, with those in every place,
and with those from every time,
we join our voices, singing to you:
Holy, holy, holy, God of every blessing.
All creation lavishes praise on you.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to live among us.
Hosanna in the highest!
You could have kept us scattered to
to the limits of loneliness, God of Wonder,
but you sent Jesus, your Glory,
to become the Gatherer of those
who had wandered far from you.
Peering into the shadows of our lives,
he is the Light which overcomes
all our fears,our doubts, our worries.
Speaking into the hollows of our hearts,
he is the Word who teaches us
new songs of gratitude and awe.
Gathering the cross into his arms,
he is the Deliverer who breaks
sin's death grip on us,
walking with us by the brooks of water,
into the kingdom of life eternal.
As we begin this new year with hope,
we remember his promise to be with us always,
even as we tell of that mystery we call faith:
At the beginning of time, Christ was the Word of creation;
at the right time, Christ was the Word of redemption;
at the end of time, Christ will be the Word who brings us home.
And in this time, in this place,
with these people, we gather
at your Table, Gatherer of your children.
The simple gifts we take for granted,
the bread which has been a staple of life,
the cup which refreshes us when we thirst,
you tranform into imaginative grace,
the Meal which is blessed by the presence
of your Spirit of power and peace.
You bring us from every point on the compass -
young and old, the mother with her son,
the grandfather balancing the girl on his knee,
those who run circles around us,
and those who point the way with their canes -
welcoming that great parade of your children
who come with outstretched hearts
to receive every blessing imaginable.
And when our beginning has come to your fullness,
when we come, our faces glowing with wonder,
our voices ringing with the songs of freedom,
we will gather around your Table in heaven,
comfort and gladness our eternal inheritance from you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Epiphany of the Lord - C
Texts: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12
Call to Worship
We gather wondering, 'Where will we find the Babe born in Bethlehem?'
We will find the Babe in the laughter of children, in the wisdom of grandparents.
We gather asking, 'where will we find the Child of Christmas?'
We will find the Child where the needy are gifted with hope, where the oppressed are set free.
We gather wanting to know, 'where will we find the Christ who has come for us?'
We will find our Hope where fear is overwhelmed by grace, where hatred is overwhelmed by love,
where all people are overwhelmed by joy.
Prayer of the Day
We have heard
of your grace,
Shaper of stars;
from those set free
from injustice;
from our children
who whisper of your joy;
from greeters
of dawn's fresh start;
from late risers
who listen to the stories
of the needy.
We have heard
of your Light,
Bright Star of the morning:
which can illumine
the shadows of our lives;
which can show
the path to God's heart;
which can point the way
to where we become
servants of the gospel.
We have heard
of your promised peace,
Wisdom's Radiance:
that peace
which can end war,
as well as heal our hearts;
that peace
which can conquer our fears,
and flood us with faith;
that peace which can enter our lives
and overwhelm us with hope.
We have heard of you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and will proclaim your glory to all,
even as we pray, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Why do we huddle in the shadowed corners of life, rather than running to the Light of life? Why do we love the wrong we do rather than grasping the good news offered to us? As we struggle with such questions, let us speak to God of all we have failed to do, seeking hope and grace as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We search for your light, Star Caster, but too often end up settling for the dimness of temptation. Our motives for seeking to find Christ are not always pure, for we expect him to fulfill our desires, rather than your hopes for us. We want the gifts of wealth, health, success, fulfillment, rather than those of servanthood, of compassion, of peace.
Forgive us, Shaper of our lives, that we are so foolish to put our needs ahead of your grace. Help us to be like those wise people of so long ago, who found hope, instead of a destination; who found grace, instead of gratitude; who found salvation, instead of a sign. As we journey with your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, fill us with the light of your joy and love.
Silence is kept.
Assurance of Pardon
Up, on your feet! Grace has been poured into our hearts, love has flooded our souls, the light of hope shines in us.
this is the light which has come to all, the light we will carry and give to everyone we meet. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
People of Advent: the Lord be with you!
And also with you!
People of Christmas, lift up your hearts.
We lift our hearts overwhelmed with grace to the One who was born for us.
People of the Star, offer your songs of joy and thanksgiving to God.
We will sing our praises to the One who has revealed glory and hope in the Babe of Bethlehem.
In that first moment, you spoke,
Radiant God,
and the light of creation
dispelled the thick darkness of chaos.
You whispered,
and your glory filled the skies.
You sang,
and the dust of the earth
was shaped into your image,
as you breathed life into us.
We could have lived
in grace and peace with you
for as long as the sun endures,
for as long as the moon hangs in the night sky.
But we were tempted
by the sweet taste of sin,
and overwhelmed with temptation's
wealth of cheap gifts and thrills.
The prophets were sent
to tell of your gifts
of joy and peace,
but we listened to the world's news
of success, power, achievement.
Finally, in that dark time of despair,
you sent Jesus,
your servant of salvation.
Therefore, we will join our voices
with the wise ones, as well as the foolish,
of every time and place
who forever sing of your grace:
Holy, holy, holy, God of bright dawns!
All creation renders tributes of praise to you.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who saves the lives of the needy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of redemption,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Overwhelmed with compassion,
he left the glory of heaven,
to become a prisoner of sin,
so we could be set free.
Overwhelmed with hope,
he entered death's house,
to break its dark power forever.
Overwhelmed with love,
he travelled another road,
walking to Calvary,
so we might run with joy
into your waiting arms.
So, as we remember his birth,
as we prepare to journey with him this year,
we speak of that mystery called faith,
which is revealed to us through Christ:
Christ came, the morning star of love;
Christ died, the night star of salvation;
Christ arose, the radiant star of resurrection;
Christ will come again, the constellation of hope.
Holy One of stars and sinners,
send down your Spirit of hope
upon those gathered around this Table,
and on the gifts of the bread and the cup,
that they might make us
your faithful and loving children.
Feed us with the bread of hope,
that when we leave,
we will travel another road,
to defend the weak,
to speak for the voiceless,
to assist those cast aside.
Refresh us with the sweet nectar of grace,
so we, overwhelmed with joy,
would go forth
to enter the houses
of the strangers in our midst;
to enter the despair
of the lonely and forgotten;
to enter the hearts
of everyone we meet.
And when eternity's time begins
and we are gathered around your Table,
with friends and family we loved,
with those we ignored and mistreated,
with all our sisters and brothers of grace,
we will lift our songs of glad joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
We gather wondering, 'Where will we find the Babe born in Bethlehem?'
We will find the Babe in the laughter of children, in the wisdom of grandparents.
We gather asking, 'where will we find the Child of Christmas?'
We will find the Child where the needy are gifted with hope, where the oppressed are set free.
We gather wanting to know, 'where will we find the Christ who has come for us?'
We will find our Hope where fear is overwhelmed by grace, where hatred is overwhelmed by love,
where all people are overwhelmed by joy.
Prayer of the Day
We have heard
of your grace,
Shaper of stars;
from those set free
from injustice;
from our children
who whisper of your joy;
from greeters
of dawn's fresh start;
from late risers
who listen to the stories
of the needy.
We have heard
of your Light,
Bright Star of the morning:
which can illumine
the shadows of our lives;
which can show
the path to God's heart;
which can point the way
to where we become
servants of the gospel.
We have heard
of your promised peace,
Wisdom's Radiance:
that peace
which can end war,
as well as heal our hearts;
that peace
which can conquer our fears,
and flood us with faith;
that peace which can enter our lives
and overwhelm us with hope.
We have heard of you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and will proclaim your glory to all,
even as we pray, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Why do we huddle in the shadowed corners of life, rather than running to the Light of life? Why do we love the wrong we do rather than grasping the good news offered to us? As we struggle with such questions, let us speak to God of all we have failed to do, seeking hope and grace as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We search for your light, Star Caster, but too often end up settling for the dimness of temptation. Our motives for seeking to find Christ are not always pure, for we expect him to fulfill our desires, rather than your hopes for us. We want the gifts of wealth, health, success, fulfillment, rather than those of servanthood, of compassion, of peace.
Forgive us, Shaper of our lives, that we are so foolish to put our needs ahead of your grace. Help us to be like those wise people of so long ago, who found hope, instead of a destination; who found grace, instead of gratitude; who found salvation, instead of a sign. As we journey with your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, fill us with the light of your joy and love.
Silence is kept.
Assurance of Pardon
Up, on your feet! Grace has been poured into our hearts, love has flooded our souls, the light of hope shines in us.
this is the light which has come to all, the light we will carry and give to everyone we meet. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
People of Advent: the Lord be with you!
And also with you!
People of Christmas, lift up your hearts.
We lift our hearts overwhelmed with grace to the One who was born for us.
People of the Star, offer your songs of joy and thanksgiving to God.
We will sing our praises to the One who has revealed glory and hope in the Babe of Bethlehem.
In that first moment, you spoke,
Radiant God,
and the light of creation
dispelled the thick darkness of chaos.
You whispered,
and your glory filled the skies.
You sang,
and the dust of the earth
was shaped into your image,
as you breathed life into us.
We could have lived
in grace and peace with you
for as long as the sun endures,
for as long as the moon hangs in the night sky.
But we were tempted
by the sweet taste of sin,
and overwhelmed with temptation's
wealth of cheap gifts and thrills.
The prophets were sent
to tell of your gifts
of joy and peace,
but we listened to the world's news
of success, power, achievement.
Finally, in that dark time of despair,
you sent Jesus,
your servant of salvation.
Therefore, we will join our voices
with the wise ones, as well as the foolish,
of every time and place
who forever sing of your grace:
Holy, holy, holy, God of bright dawns!
All creation renders tributes of praise to you.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who saves the lives of the needy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of redemption,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Overwhelmed with compassion,
he left the glory of heaven,
to become a prisoner of sin,
so we could be set free.
Overwhelmed with hope,
he entered death's house,
to break its dark power forever.
Overwhelmed with love,
he travelled another road,
walking to Calvary,
so we might run with joy
into your waiting arms.
So, as we remember his birth,
as we prepare to journey with him this year,
we speak of that mystery called faith,
which is revealed to us through Christ:
Christ came, the morning star of love;
Christ died, the night star of salvation;
Christ arose, the radiant star of resurrection;
Christ will come again, the constellation of hope.
Holy One of stars and sinners,
send down your Spirit of hope
upon those gathered around this Table,
and on the gifts of the bread and the cup,
that they might make us
your faithful and loving children.
Feed us with the bread of hope,
that when we leave,
we will travel another road,
to defend the weak,
to speak for the voiceless,
to assist those cast aside.
Refresh us with the sweet nectar of grace,
so we, overwhelmed with joy,
would go forth
to enter the houses
of the strangers in our midst;
to enter the despair
of the lonely and forgotten;
to enter the hearts
of everyone we meet.
And when eternity's time begins
and we are gathered around your Table,
with friends and family we loved,
with those we ignored and mistreated,
with all our sisters and brothers of grace,
we will lift our songs of glad joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Monday, December 21, 2009
1st Sunday after Christmas - C
Texts: 1st Samuel 2:18-20; Psalm 148; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52
Call to Worship
Praise God! Praise the Lord, all creation!
Stars glittering with grace, humpback whales singing of hope: all praise our God!
Praise God! Praise the Lord, all you people!
12 year-olds, and 80 plus, wise and those learning to walk:
all will praise our God!
Praise God! Praise the Lord, in every moment, in every place!
Here in church, and relaxing at home; in a classroom, and at the doctor's office:
we will praise our God!
Prayer of the Day
Wonder of wonders,
God of creation:
you choose us
to be your people,
continuing to clothe
us in holiness,
even when we drag
the garment through
the mud of our lives;
you call us 'Beloved',
even while
we speak words about others,
that would make
the Evil One blush.
Wonder of wonders,
Humble Jesus:
you ask questions
about our so-called wisdom,
revealing how foolish we are;
you wear your heart
on your sleeve
as you reach out
to embrace us
with your compassion.
Wonder of wonders,
Spirit of the old and the new:
every year
you take the old, stained clothes
of our silly lives,
and dress us in
kindness, humility,
patience, and meekness,
that we might be grow
in your love and grace.
May everything we do,
and everything we say,
be in your name,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as we have been taught,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We like to think we are wise beyond our years, but when we look at our lives as God's people, we discover we still act too often like little children. Let us confess how we always want our way, rather than following God's.
Unison Prayer of Confession
You set boundaries for us, Holy God, yet we continue to cross over them into sin. Believing we are wiser than you, we are amazed that you would question our actions and lives. Offering us the warm sweater of love, we would rather slip our lives into the sleeves of bitterness and anger. Challenging us to carry one's another's burdens, we complain about how heavy and uncomfortable they are.
Forgive us, Searching God, and clothe us with your gifts of compassion, humility, patience, and hope. Then, dressed as your graceful people, may we go forth to live as sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept.
Assurance of Pardon
The good news is simple: God loves us so much, we are forgiven and granted new life.
Praise God! As forgiven people, we will go to forgive others, and share God's grace with them. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thansgiving
May the Babe who grew up be with you.
And also with you.
Followers of the Child, lift your hearts to God.
Searchers and questioners, those comfortable with the answers, we all offer our hearts to God.
Let us join with all creation in praising God!
Our glad songs echo through the mountains and valleys, the rivers and trees.
All creation sings your praises,
God of stunning imagination:
ice-laden trees bowing in wonder,
cattle and sheep with a carol of joy,
stars glitttering in the bright, brittle night.
You created us in your image:
young men and women alike,
old and young together have life from you.
But we choose to wander from you,
following sin and death
into the temples of temptation.
Your prophets came to minister to us,
their searching eyes, their longing words
calling us back to you;
but we refused to listen.
So, you came searching for us,
sending Jesus among us,
that the peace of Christ
might rule in our hearts.
So, with all God's chosen ones,
the holy and the hungry,
the peaceful and the persistent,
we join our voices in praise to you:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord of wonder and glory.
All creation praises you with song.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who came to astonish us.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Creator of peace and beauty,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Joyous Love.
He came, to listen to our hearts,
so we might see your broken one;
he came, asking hose questions
which reveal our true longings.
Clothed in compassion and humility,
he was stripped, beaten, crucifed, buried.
He went down into death,
so we might have life,
so we could be swaddled
in God's bands of grace and peace.
As we remember the wonder of his birth,
as we celebrate the astonishing surprise of resurrection,
we praise that mystery we call faith:
Christ was born, so we might grow in lofe;
Christ died, so we might grow in life.
Christ will come, so be might be with God forever.
Here in this place
with family and friends,
beside strangers and neighbors,
we gather at your banquet,
God whose glory is above earth and heaven.
As your Spirit enlivens the Bread,
as we break and share it,
may we grow in awareness
of the struggles and pains of the world,
so we might go to be your servants.
As we taste the Cup of joy,
may your Spirit flow into us,
strengthening and growing our resolve
to feed the hungry,
to heal your creation,
to shelter the homeless,
to live humble, gentle lives.
And when time has grown into your eternity,
when we gather with our sisters and brothers
in that perfect harmony found only in you,
we will praise your name, which alone is exalted:
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Praise God! Praise the Lord, all creation!
Stars glittering with grace, humpback whales singing of hope: all praise our God!
Praise God! Praise the Lord, all you people!
12 year-olds, and 80 plus, wise and those learning to walk:
all will praise our God!
Praise God! Praise the Lord, in every moment, in every place!
Here in church, and relaxing at home; in a classroom, and at the doctor's office:
we will praise our God!
Prayer of the Day
Wonder of wonders,
God of creation:
you choose us
to be your people,
continuing to clothe
us in holiness,
even when we drag
the garment through
the mud of our lives;
you call us 'Beloved',
even while
we speak words about others,
that would make
the Evil One blush.
Wonder of wonders,
Humble Jesus:
you ask questions
about our so-called wisdom,
revealing how foolish we are;
you wear your heart
on your sleeve
as you reach out
to embrace us
with your compassion.
Wonder of wonders,
Spirit of the old and the new:
every year
you take the old, stained clothes
of our silly lives,
and dress us in
kindness, humility,
patience, and meekness,
that we might be grow
in your love and grace.
May everything we do,
and everything we say,
be in your name,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as we have been taught,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We like to think we are wise beyond our years, but when we look at our lives as God's people, we discover we still act too often like little children. Let us confess how we always want our way, rather than following God's.
Unison Prayer of Confession
You set boundaries for us, Holy God, yet we continue to cross over them into sin. Believing we are wiser than you, we are amazed that you would question our actions and lives. Offering us the warm sweater of love, we would rather slip our lives into the sleeves of bitterness and anger. Challenging us to carry one's another's burdens, we complain about how heavy and uncomfortable they are.
Forgive us, Searching God, and clothe us with your gifts of compassion, humility, patience, and hope. Then, dressed as your graceful people, may we go forth to live as sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept.
Assurance of Pardon
The good news is simple: God loves us so much, we are forgiven and granted new life.
Praise God! As forgiven people, we will go to forgive others, and share God's grace with them. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thansgiving
May the Babe who grew up be with you.
And also with you.
Followers of the Child, lift your hearts to God.
Searchers and questioners, those comfortable with the answers, we all offer our hearts to God.
Let us join with all creation in praising God!
Our glad songs echo through the mountains and valleys, the rivers and trees.
All creation sings your praises,
God of stunning imagination:
ice-laden trees bowing in wonder,
cattle and sheep with a carol of joy,
stars glitttering in the bright, brittle night.
You created us in your image:
young men and women alike,
old and young together have life from you.
But we choose to wander from you,
following sin and death
into the temples of temptation.
Your prophets came to minister to us,
their searching eyes, their longing words
calling us back to you;
but we refused to listen.
So, you came searching for us,
sending Jesus among us,
that the peace of Christ
might rule in our hearts.
So, with all God's chosen ones,
the holy and the hungry,
the peaceful and the persistent,
we join our voices in praise to you:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord of wonder and glory.
All creation praises you with song.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who came to astonish us.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Creator of peace and beauty,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Joyous Love.
He came, to listen to our hearts,
so we might see your broken one;
he came, asking hose questions
which reveal our true longings.
Clothed in compassion and humility,
he was stripped, beaten, crucifed, buried.
He went down into death,
so we might have life,
so we could be swaddled
in God's bands of grace and peace.
As we remember the wonder of his birth,
as we celebrate the astonishing surprise of resurrection,
we praise that mystery we call faith:
Christ was born, so we might grow in lofe;
Christ died, so we might grow in life.
Christ will come, so be might be with God forever.
Here in this place
with family and friends,
beside strangers and neighbors,
we gather at your banquet,
God whose glory is above earth and heaven.
As your Spirit enlivens the Bread,
as we break and share it,
may we grow in awareness
of the struggles and pains of the world,
so we might go to be your servants.
As we taste the Cup of joy,
may your Spirit flow into us,
strengthening and growing our resolve
to feed the hungry,
to heal your creation,
to shelter the homeless,
to live humble, gentle lives.
And when time has grown into your eternity,
when we gather with our sisters and brothers
in that perfect harmony found only in you,
we will praise your name, which alone is exalted:
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Christmas Day - C
Texts: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20
Call to Worship
Wonder of wonders, God has come to us!
Not as a judge, but a Savior, not in power, but as a servant.
Wonder of wonders, God comes to us!
Not in silence, but in the Word made flesh; not in the shadows, but bringing Light.
Wonder of wonders!
God is with us!
Prayer of the Day
Angels sang their anthems
at the midnight hour
to awaken a sleeping creation;
shepherds came to worship you,
and went away rejoicing;
wise one gave their hearts to you,
so they could dwell in yours.
O Immanuel,
we adore you!
You came to us as a baby,
to hold us in your grace;
you came to us in a stable,
so we would have no trouble finding you;
you came to us in poverty,
to enrich our lives.
O Beautiful Messenger of Peace,
we adore you!
You play with us
in the streets of the kingdom;
you build your home
deep within our souls;
you walk with us
in the winter of life.
O Wisdom from on high,
we adore you!
God in Community, Holy in One,
all the faithful lift their songs of joy to you,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father. . .
Call to Reconciliation
God became one of us, so that we could see
the face of love, hear the voice of peace, be
touched by the hand of grace, know the heart
of mercy. God comes to us, offering us
forgiveness and peace. Please join with me
as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
You came in weakness, Mighty God:
forgive our grasping
for power.
You came in humility, Prince of Peace:
forgive us
for wanting more than others.
ou came in poverty, Everlasting One:
forgive us
when we do not see your family
sleeping in our streets.
You came in gentleness, Wonderful Counselor:
forgive us
for the anger we speak
and the pain we cause.
Child of Bethlehem,
be born in us today:
forgive us,
heal us,
make us new;
then we will join the angels
in singing your praises
this Christmas Day
and all the days to come.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Break forth into singing, children of God:
for the Babe comes to comfort us,
like a mother rocking her son to sleep,
like a father wiping away the tears
of his daughter.
(sung) Joy to the Word, the Lord is come,
let earth receive her King.
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the Child of Bethlehem be born in you.
And in your heart as well.
Children of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One who came to us that first Christmas morning.
People of God, give thanks to the One who is always with us.
O come, o come Immauel, to feed us at your Table.
When you were weary
of chaos as your companion,
Everlasting God,
you whispered to the Word
who sang Creation's song:
mountains sprang to attention,
rivers and oceans splashed your feet,
and the dust from the Carpenter's table
was gathered up and shaped in your image.
Spirit breathed life into us,
that we might dance with you forever.
But when we looked beyond your glory,
and saw the decorative temptations
the world dangled before our eyes,
we rushed to embrace sin and death.
Yet you looked past our rebellion,
seeing the people we could become,
and so sent Isaiah and Hannah,
Simeon and Anna as your faithful witnesses.
When we continued to turn up
the world's volume
to drown out your pleas,
you sent the Word of hope
in the silence of a stable.
Therefore, we join with the angels
of Bethlehem's skies,
and all those who sing of your steadfast love,
in every time and place:
Sanctus
Holy are you, Mighty God,
and blessed is the One who comes in your name,
our Lord and Savior, your Gift to all the world.
You would not keep the Word to yourself,
but sent him to tell us
of your hopes for us.
You did not cling to the Prince of Peace,
but poured him out to end
our enmity and violence with one another.
You could not hold your Heart
in your hands,
but allowed him to be broken
on the tree of Calvary
that we might be made whole forever.
So, as we celebrate his birth,
his life, his death and his resurrection,
we remember the faith which he models for us,
and gives to us as our inheritance:
Memorial Acclamation
As we gather at your Table,
send your Spirit upon the bread and the cup,
and upon us, your children.
As you sent Jesus to be born of Mary,
may we bear the burdens of others;
as you became One with us in the Child,
may we live at peace with all people;
as you have brought us out
of the shadows of our sin,
may we carry the Light of the world
to all who live in the darkness
of oppression and injustice.
Then, when we gather at your Table
prepared for all people in your kingdom,
we will sing that new song
first caroled at creation
and echoed through Bethlehem's hills:
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth, peace,
goodwill to all."
Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Wonder of wonders, God has come to us!
Not as a judge, but a Savior, not in power, but as a servant.
Wonder of wonders, God comes to us!
Not in silence, but in the Word made flesh; not in the shadows, but bringing Light.
Wonder of wonders!
God is with us!
Prayer of the Day
Angels sang their anthems
at the midnight hour
to awaken a sleeping creation;
shepherds came to worship you,
and went away rejoicing;
wise one gave their hearts to you,
so they could dwell in yours.
O Immanuel,
we adore you!
You came to us as a baby,
to hold us in your grace;
you came to us in a stable,
so we would have no trouble finding you;
you came to us in poverty,
to enrich our lives.
O Beautiful Messenger of Peace,
we adore you!
You play with us
in the streets of the kingdom;
you build your home
deep within our souls;
you walk with us
in the winter of life.
O Wisdom from on high,
we adore you!
God in Community, Holy in One,
all the faithful lift their songs of joy to you,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father. . .
Call to Reconciliation
God became one of us, so that we could see
the face of love, hear the voice of peace, be
touched by the hand of grace, know the heart
of mercy. God comes to us, offering us
forgiveness and peace. Please join with me
as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
You came in weakness, Mighty God:
forgive our grasping
for power.
You came in humility, Prince of Peace:
forgive us
for wanting more than others.
ou came in poverty, Everlasting One:
forgive us
when we do not see your family
sleeping in our streets.
You came in gentleness, Wonderful Counselor:
forgive us
for the anger we speak
and the pain we cause.
Child of Bethlehem,
be born in us today:
forgive us,
heal us,
make us new;
then we will join the angels
in singing your praises
this Christmas Day
and all the days to come.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Break forth into singing, children of God:
for the Babe comes to comfort us,
like a mother rocking her son to sleep,
like a father wiping away the tears
of his daughter.
(sung) Joy to the Word, the Lord is come,
let earth receive her King.
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the Child of Bethlehem be born in you.
And in your heart as well.
Children of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One who came to us that first Christmas morning.
People of God, give thanks to the One who is always with us.
O come, o come Immauel, to feed us at your Table.
When you were weary
of chaos as your companion,
Everlasting God,
you whispered to the Word
who sang Creation's song:
mountains sprang to attention,
rivers and oceans splashed your feet,
and the dust from the Carpenter's table
was gathered up and shaped in your image.
Spirit breathed life into us,
that we might dance with you forever.
But when we looked beyond your glory,
and saw the decorative temptations
the world dangled before our eyes,
we rushed to embrace sin and death.
Yet you looked past our rebellion,
seeing the people we could become,
and so sent Isaiah and Hannah,
Simeon and Anna as your faithful witnesses.
When we continued to turn up
the world's volume
to drown out your pleas,
you sent the Word of hope
in the silence of a stable.
Therefore, we join with the angels
of Bethlehem's skies,
and all those who sing of your steadfast love,
in every time and place:
Sanctus
Holy are you, Mighty God,
and blessed is the One who comes in your name,
our Lord and Savior, your Gift to all the world.
You would not keep the Word to yourself,
but sent him to tell us
of your hopes for us.
You did not cling to the Prince of Peace,
but poured him out to end
our enmity and violence with one another.
You could not hold your Heart
in your hands,
but allowed him to be broken
on the tree of Calvary
that we might be made whole forever.
So, as we celebrate his birth,
his life, his death and his resurrection,
we remember the faith which he models for us,
and gives to us as our inheritance:
Memorial Acclamation
As we gather at your Table,
send your Spirit upon the bread and the cup,
and upon us, your children.
As you sent Jesus to be born of Mary,
may we bear the burdens of others;
as you became One with us in the Child,
may we live at peace with all people;
as you have brought us out
of the shadows of our sin,
may we carry the Light of the world
to all who live in the darkness
of oppression and injustice.
Then, when we gather at your Table
prepared for all people in your kingdom,
we will sing that new song
first caroled at creation
and echoed through Bethlehem's hills:
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth, peace,
goodwill to all."
Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Christmas Eve - C
Texts: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20
Greeting
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the shadows of death a light has dawned.
Jesus Christ is our Life and Light.
In Christ's name, welcome!
In Christ's grace, let us worhsip God!
Call to Worship
Let us go, just as we are, to see what has happened.
let us go with the shepherds:
let us go and find the One of whom the angels sang.
Let us go with those who are wise:
let us go and find the One who brings God's truth to us.
Let us go with the poor in spirit, and in flesh;
let us go with those who are humbled by life:
Let us find the Glory of God born in a stable, and placed in a feeding trough.
Let us go with our friends and family,
let us go with our neighbors and with strangers,
let us go with all the children of God:
let us go to find the One who comes to lead us home to God's kingdom.
O come, let us go to the Babe of Bethlehem; O come, let us adore him!
Christ our Lord!
Call to Reconciliation
We begin with such great hopes, such great dreams.
We are going to be better, to treat others more fairly,
to love more deeply. But we come to the manger
once again, knowing our failings, and aware of our
brokenness. Let us confess to the One who comes,
that our lives might be made new.
Unison Prayer of Confession
God who comes to us:
forgive us . . .
when our shadowed lives dim your Light;
when the tinsel of Christmas means more
to us than your truth;
when our hearts of stone resist the pain
and brokenness around us;
when we care more about what is under
the tree, than the damamge we do
to your creation and to your children.
Have mercy on us, Healing God,
so we might
tear down the walls we have built
to keep your love away;
so we could
seek your justice for our sisters and brothers;
so our hearts
would become cradles for your Son,
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon (based on Is. 62:10-12)
Go, go through the city, preparing for the people;
repair, repair all the roads, filling in the holes,
raising a banner for all to see.
God has spoken to all people,
saying to sons and daughters:
'See, your Savior comes;
to make good on my promises,
to bring redemption to all people.'
And we will be called God's Beloved,
the Redeemed of the Lord;
God will seek us out to live
in the New Jerusalem,
where no one is left behind. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
May God be also with you.
People of God, open your hearts,
We open our hearts to God.
Let us give thanks to the Living God.
It is right to give thanks to the One who offers abundant life.
This is the night your heart bursts open with Joy,
this is the evening Grace pours out of heaven,
this is the moment when you come
to make all things new,
ever-creating God.
You shaped light out of the shadows of chaos,
and molded your children from the earth,
looking in the mirror as you formed us,
breathing your Spirit into our empty lungs.
Made for life with you
in the Garden you designed for us,
we ran away into the wilds of the world,
believing we were wiser than you,
that we could make our own way.
Yet your love never failed us,
your compassion was never taken from us,
you would not abandon us in our foolishness.
You brought us out of slavery
into that land of promise and hope.
You sent your prophets to speak to us
of your disappointment in us,
and to remind us of your dreams for us.
Your love for us was so passionate,
that you sent your only Son
to become one of us
that we might be one with you again.
So on this night when heaven reaches down
to caress creation with healing,
we join the angel choirs who sang your glory,
and with your people in every time and place,
caroling the good news which is ours:
Gloria! Gloria! In excelsis deo!
Creation joins in the angelic chorus of joy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One born to us this night.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holiness is who you are, God of Christmas,
and blessings come in Jesus Christ, your Child of Grace.
Finding no warm welcome at his birth,
he knew the cold shoulder of friends at his death;
born in the rude confines of a barn,
he knew the suffering of your children;
sent to be your Word made flesh,
he calls us to follow him into your Kingdom;
proclaimed by the prophet as our Prince of Peace,
he died in the quagmire of human violence.
By his death and resurrection,
you have given new life to all creation.
So, as we gather on this holiest of nights,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:
Born in the shadows of night,
Christ is our light;
dying on a rough cross,
Christ is our life;
rising from a cold tomb,
Christ is our hope;
returning to us once more,
Christ is your promise.
Pour out your Spirit upon us,
Wonderful Counselor,
and on the gifts you have given us.
We lift the broken bread,
praying we would be made whole,
at peace with one another,
and reconciled to you.
As we drink from the vineyard of grace,
we believe that our salvation has come,
and we are one with Christ,
our flesh filled with his spirit of sacrifice,
our spirits refreshed by his compassionate heart.
As your joy flows into us,
may we become a river
carrying your justice to the poor;
as your hope sings in our hearts,
may we carry your righteousness to all who suffer.
And as we taste the promise
of the feast you prepare for us in your kingdom,
may we live for you and serve your children,
as we have been served by the Child of Christmas,
Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior.
Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Greeting
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the shadows of death a light has dawned.
Jesus Christ is our Life and Light.
In Christ's name, welcome!
In Christ's grace, let us worhsip God!
Call to Worship
Let us go, just as we are, to see what has happened.
let us go with the shepherds:
let us go and find the One of whom the angels sang.
Let us go with those who are wise:
let us go and find the One who brings God's truth to us.
Let us go with the poor in spirit, and in flesh;
let us go with those who are humbled by life:
Let us find the Glory of God born in a stable, and placed in a feeding trough.
Let us go with our friends and family,
let us go with our neighbors and with strangers,
let us go with all the children of God:
let us go to find the One who comes to lead us home to God's kingdom.
O come, let us go to the Babe of Bethlehem; O come, let us adore him!
Christ our Lord!
Call to Reconciliation
We begin with such great hopes, such great dreams.
We are going to be better, to treat others more fairly,
to love more deeply. But we come to the manger
once again, knowing our failings, and aware of our
brokenness. Let us confess to the One who comes,
that our lives might be made new.
Unison Prayer of Confession
God who comes to us:
forgive us . . .
when our shadowed lives dim your Light;
when the tinsel of Christmas means more
to us than your truth;
when our hearts of stone resist the pain
and brokenness around us;
when we care more about what is under
the tree, than the damamge we do
to your creation and to your children.
Have mercy on us, Healing God,
so we might
tear down the walls we have built
to keep your love away;
so we could
seek your justice for our sisters and brothers;
so our hearts
would become cradles for your Son,
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon (based on Is. 62:10-12)
Go, go through the city, preparing for the people;
repair, repair all the roads, filling in the holes,
raising a banner for all to see.
God has spoken to all people,
saying to sons and daughters:
'See, your Savior comes;
to make good on my promises,
to bring redemption to all people.'
And we will be called God's Beloved,
the Redeemed of the Lord;
God will seek us out to live
in the New Jerusalem,
where no one is left behind. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
May God be also with you.
People of God, open your hearts,
We open our hearts to God.
Let us give thanks to the Living God.
It is right to give thanks to the One who offers abundant life.
This is the night your heart bursts open with Joy,
this is the evening Grace pours out of heaven,
this is the moment when you come
to make all things new,
ever-creating God.
You shaped light out of the shadows of chaos,
and molded your children from the earth,
looking in the mirror as you formed us,
breathing your Spirit into our empty lungs.
Made for life with you
in the Garden you designed for us,
we ran away into the wilds of the world,
believing we were wiser than you,
that we could make our own way.
Yet your love never failed us,
your compassion was never taken from us,
you would not abandon us in our foolishness.
You brought us out of slavery
into that land of promise and hope.
You sent your prophets to speak to us
of your disappointment in us,
and to remind us of your dreams for us.
Your love for us was so passionate,
that you sent your only Son
to become one of us
that we might be one with you again.
So on this night when heaven reaches down
to caress creation with healing,
we join the angel choirs who sang your glory,
and with your people in every time and place,
caroling the good news which is ours:
Gloria! Gloria! In excelsis deo!
Creation joins in the angelic chorus of joy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One born to us this night.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holiness is who you are, God of Christmas,
and blessings come in Jesus Christ, your Child of Grace.
Finding no warm welcome at his birth,
he knew the cold shoulder of friends at his death;
born in the rude confines of a barn,
he knew the suffering of your children;
sent to be your Word made flesh,
he calls us to follow him into your Kingdom;
proclaimed by the prophet as our Prince of Peace,
he died in the quagmire of human violence.
By his death and resurrection,
you have given new life to all creation.
So, as we gather on this holiest of nights,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:
Born in the shadows of night,
Christ is our light;
dying on a rough cross,
Christ is our life;
rising from a cold tomb,
Christ is our hope;
returning to us once more,
Christ is your promise.
Pour out your Spirit upon us,
Wonderful Counselor,
and on the gifts you have given us.
We lift the broken bread,
praying we would be made whole,
at peace with one another,
and reconciled to you.
As we drink from the vineyard of grace,
we believe that our salvation has come,
and we are one with Christ,
our flesh filled with his spirit of sacrifice,
our spirits refreshed by his compassionate heart.
As your joy flows into us,
may we become a river
carrying your justice to the poor;
as your hope sings in our hearts,
may we carry your righteousness to all who suffer.
And as we taste the promise
of the feast you prepare for us in your kingdom,
may we live for you and serve your children,
as we have been served by the Child of Christmas,
Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior.
Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Fourth Sunday of Advent - C
Texts: Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1:46-55; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45
Call to Worship
We come to glorify God, to rejoice in the One who saves us.
God comes, so we might believe, so we might be blessed.
Our hearts leap for joy! For God is coming to us in a child.
God comes for those who hunger for hope, for those who thirst for grace.
Holy is the One who comes in God's name, who fulfills every promise of God.
God comes to walk with those who follow in faith, to bring peace to a shattered world.
Prayer of the Day
Holy God,
scattering the proud,
you look with favor
on those the world ignores.
For you,
we wait for the One
who will feed us;
for you,
we wait for the One
who stands with us
in our loneliness and pain.
For you, we wait.
Jesus Christ,
born in a backwater town:
in you,
God fills the hunger
of our hearts;
in you,
God lifts us
from our hopelessness;
in you,
all the promises come true.
For you, we wait.
Holy Spirit,
Hallower of God's people:
from you comes faith,
so we might believe;
from you comes belief,
so we might be blessed;
from you come all blessings,
so we might give them away.
For you, we wait.
God in Community, Holy in One,
for you, we wait, even as we pray:
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Every notion we have about power, success, wealth and achievement, God takes and tosses out the window. More importantly, God comes to us, to upset our idea that we have to save ourselves. In Jesus, God comes to us, removing our sin, our failures, our expectations, so we might have life. Please join me as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We confess we are not the people you hope us to be, Advent God. The very ones you favor? All too often, we ignore them, or worse fill them with ridicule. The ones you knock off their pedestals? We continue to admire them, seeking to emulate their ways. The drumbeat for more and more? We give into the rhythm so easily, we risk being sent away empty.
Forgive us, Mighty God who comes in the weakness of a baby. Look with grace upon us, so we might see your love shining down. We could live secure in your hope, we could be the ones of peace for our world, we could learn to do your will, if we but welcome Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, into our hearts and into our lives.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
God passes the heirloom of mercy down from generation to generation, always loving, always forgiving, always calling us to new life.
As we open our hearts to God, we are filled with the joy that was sung at the Birth, with the Hope that walked among us, with the Grace which is always with us. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
With patience, with gentleness,
you entered the emptiness of chaos,
God of wonder and awe,
spreading the rich soil of creation
from which sprang flowers and fields,
vegetables and trees, our ancestors in life.
You looked with favor upon them,
doing wondrous things for them.
But they wandered far from you,
losing themselves in the maze of thoughts
crafted by temptation and death.
You would not give up on them,
time after time sending prophets
with words of welcome and hope,
but they could not do your will.
So you sent Christ into the world,
filled with the Holy Spirit,
exclaiming with a living cry
of our salvation for all time.
With all those who trusted in what was unseen,
and those who believed the best would come,
we join our voices in singing your Advent praise:
Holy, holy, holy, God of holiness and peace.
All creation waits for your purpose to be revealed.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to do your will.
Hosanna in the highest!
You are holy, God of unending glory,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Hope of the world.
He came with haste, leaving your side
to set out on his journey for us.
The joy of your heart,
he come to proclaim your love;
the Word of your hope,
he came to call us home;
the fruit of your grace,
he was born to offer himself
for our salvation and freedom
from the power of sin,
making us your holy people
by his death and resurrection.
As we prepare to celebrate his birth,
as we remember the gift of his resurrection,
we would tell of that mystery we call faith:
Christ was born, that we might see hope in the flesh;
Christ lived, that we might hear grace spoken aloud;
Christ died, that we might feel the breaking of God's heart;
Christ is risen, that we might know that the promises are true;
Christ will come again, that we might be blessed as God's children.
Pour out your Spirit
upon the gifts of this Table
and upon your children
who gather for your feast.
In this place, we are filled
with the strength of hope,
so we may serve those
who hunger for goodness and grace.
Restored by the Cup of life,
we can dare to go out
to empty ourselves for those
who wander the streets of life,
unnoticed by the rest of the world.
And when our journey has ended,
when your Advent has come to gather us home,
we will join with Elizabeth and Mary,
with Joseph and John the Baptist,
with our sisters and brothers from all time,
forever singing our joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
We come to glorify God, to rejoice in the One who saves us.
God comes, so we might believe, so we might be blessed.
Our hearts leap for joy! For God is coming to us in a child.
God comes for those who hunger for hope, for those who thirst for grace.
Holy is the One who comes in God's name, who fulfills every promise of God.
God comes to walk with those who follow in faith, to bring peace to a shattered world.
Prayer of the Day
Holy God,
scattering the proud,
you look with favor
on those the world ignores.
For you,
we wait for the One
who will feed us;
for you,
we wait for the One
who stands with us
in our loneliness and pain.
For you, we wait.
Jesus Christ,
born in a backwater town:
in you,
God fills the hunger
of our hearts;
in you,
God lifts us
from our hopelessness;
in you,
all the promises come true.
For you, we wait.
Holy Spirit,
Hallower of God's people:
from you comes faith,
so we might believe;
from you comes belief,
so we might be blessed;
from you come all blessings,
so we might give them away.
For you, we wait.
God in Community, Holy in One,
for you, we wait, even as we pray:
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Every notion we have about power, success, wealth and achievement, God takes and tosses out the window. More importantly, God comes to us, to upset our idea that we have to save ourselves. In Jesus, God comes to us, removing our sin, our failures, our expectations, so we might have life. Please join me as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We confess we are not the people you hope us to be, Advent God. The very ones you favor? All too often, we ignore them, or worse fill them with ridicule. The ones you knock off their pedestals? We continue to admire them, seeking to emulate their ways. The drumbeat for more and more? We give into the rhythm so easily, we risk being sent away empty.
Forgive us, Mighty God who comes in the weakness of a baby. Look with grace upon us, so we might see your love shining down. We could live secure in your hope, we could be the ones of peace for our world, we could learn to do your will, if we but welcome Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, into our hearts and into our lives.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
God passes the heirloom of mercy down from generation to generation, always loving, always forgiving, always calling us to new life.
As we open our hearts to God, we are filled with the joy that was sung at the Birth, with the Hope that walked among us, with the Grace which is always with us. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
With patience, with gentleness,
you entered the emptiness of chaos,
God of wonder and awe,
spreading the rich soil of creation
from which sprang flowers and fields,
vegetables and trees, our ancestors in life.
You looked with favor upon them,
doing wondrous things for them.
But they wandered far from you,
losing themselves in the maze of thoughts
crafted by temptation and death.
You would not give up on them,
time after time sending prophets
with words of welcome and hope,
but they could not do your will.
So you sent Christ into the world,
filled with the Holy Spirit,
exclaiming with a living cry
of our salvation for all time.
With all those who trusted in what was unseen,
and those who believed the best would come,
we join our voices in singing your Advent praise:
Holy, holy, holy, God of holiness and peace.
All creation waits for your purpose to be revealed.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to do your will.
Hosanna in the highest!
You are holy, God of unending glory,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Hope of the world.
He came with haste, leaving your side
to set out on his journey for us.
The joy of your heart,
he come to proclaim your love;
the Word of your hope,
he came to call us home;
the fruit of your grace,
he was born to offer himself
for our salvation and freedom
from the power of sin,
making us your holy people
by his death and resurrection.
As we prepare to celebrate his birth,
as we remember the gift of his resurrection,
we would tell of that mystery we call faith:
Christ was born, that we might see hope in the flesh;
Christ lived, that we might hear grace spoken aloud;
Christ died, that we might feel the breaking of God's heart;
Christ is risen, that we might know that the promises are true;
Christ will come again, that we might be blessed as God's children.
Pour out your Spirit
upon the gifts of this Table
and upon your children
who gather for your feast.
In this place, we are filled
with the strength of hope,
so we may serve those
who hunger for goodness and grace.
Restored by the Cup of life,
we can dare to go out
to empty ourselves for those
who wander the streets of life,
unnoticed by the rest of the world.
And when our journey has ended,
when your Advent has come to gather us home,
we will join with Elizabeth and Mary,
with Joseph and John the Baptist,
with our sisters and brothers from all time,
forever singing our joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Monday, December 07, 2009
Third Sunday of Advent - C
Texts: Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18
Call to Worship
Sing for joy; shout out loud! God, who is our love, is among us.
May God's presence fill us with hope and joy!
Sing aloud; rejoice in your hearts! Christ, who is our salvation, has come.
May the celebration of Christ's birth renew our hearts with love and grace!
Sing praises; laugh out loud! The Spirit, who is our peace, dwells in us.
May the Spirit bring us blessings to share with everyone we meet.
Prayer of the Day
You would gather us together
as your beloved children,
shouting in joy over us,
as you sing your love
for us on this feast day,
bringing us home to your heart.
So come, Amazing God, come!
You would surround us with the gifts
of your faith and hope,
that we might share
from the abundance of grace,
even as shared yourself from
the poverty of your brokenness,
baptizing us with joy.
So come, Wellspring of Salvation, come!
You would guide us in your wisdom,
so we might truly know
the deep needs of those around us,
that we might bless them.
You would quiet us in your hope,
that we might hear the carols of peace
sung by the choirs of heaven.
So come, Spirit of Joy, come!
Come, God in Community, Holy in One,
come, as we pray as we have been taught,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Come, tell your story to God. Tell of the good you have done, of the mistakes you have made, of the gentleness you have shared, of the hurt you have caused. Let God know of your longing for forgiveness, for healing, as you join me as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Forgiveness
We don't fret over just any thing, God of Wonder, we worry about everything that comes our way. Our faithful companion, stress, guides us further and further from your gentle presence. Instead of waiting for you, we rush pell-mell through these days. We keep the hopes we could offer to you stuffed deep in our pockets, rather than lifting them to you.
Forgive us, Holy One of Advent. Let your grace be known to all who come to you. May your peace fill our spirits, may your hope be our strength, may your joy encompass our hearts as we celebrate the Advent of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is our Hope forever!
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news, dear friends: God does wonders for us - forgiving us, refreshing us with love, singing glad songs of salvation for us.
We will lift up God's name, praising the One who is our strength, our salvation, our hope, our joy. Thanks be to God! We are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Like a young woman giving birth,
you brought forth creation,
Wondrous God.
Like a mother lullabying a baby,
you sang over the waters and earth,
beauty springing up on each note,
life bursting forth at each word.
Everything was shaped for us,
humanity made in your image,
so we might proclaim your works.
When we could have fed on grace,
we nibbled away at the chaff
from sin's threshing floor,
filling ourselves with shame and despair.
You continued to draw near to us,
calling through the prophets,
longing to be our strength and hope,
but we rejoiced in temptation's gifts.
You sent Jesus to us
so that in everything he did and said,
we might hear the mystery of your grace.
With those you have already gathered home,
with those who cry out to you in our time,
we sing praises to you, giving thanks:
Holy, holy, holy, God who comes toward us.
All creation exults in your joy and love.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to baptize with
your Spirit of grace.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy indeed are you, God our trust,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our salvation.
Knowing the rich blessings of your heart,
he came to fill our impoverished spirits
with the abundance of your grace.
He came with buckets filled
from salvation's bottomless wells
to pour over our parched souls.
Worthy to walk beside you,
he carried our sinful lives to the cross,
so that in dying and rising,
death's power over us was removed,
and we would be gathered
into the kingdom of peace.
As we prepare to celebrate his birth,
as we remember his life, death, and rising,
we tell that mystery we know as faith:
Christ died, but is alive;
Christ is risen, that we might live;
Christ will come again, to bring us home.
As you place your gifts
upon your Table of life and hope,
may the gentleness of your Spirit
be known in the eating of the bread
and in the sharing of the cup.
We come, not to get what we want,
but to receive what we need,
the mending of our brokenness
so we might embrace the pain,
the suffering of the world,
touching it with your healing.
We feast on the bread of life,
we drink deeply of salvation's cup,
so we might tell everyone,
'do not be afraid, trust in God.'
And when you have taken away your judgment,
turning our tears into shouts of joy,
our shame into songs of praise,
we will lift our voices with those
of every age, of every place,
forever giving thanks to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Sing for joy; shout out loud! God, who is our love, is among us.
May God's presence fill us with hope and joy!
Sing aloud; rejoice in your hearts! Christ, who is our salvation, has come.
May the celebration of Christ's birth renew our hearts with love and grace!
Sing praises; laugh out loud! The Spirit, who is our peace, dwells in us.
May the Spirit bring us blessings to share with everyone we meet.
Prayer of the Day
You would gather us together
as your beloved children,
shouting in joy over us,
as you sing your love
for us on this feast day,
bringing us home to your heart.
So come, Amazing God, come!
You would surround us with the gifts
of your faith and hope,
that we might share
from the abundance of grace,
even as shared yourself from
the poverty of your brokenness,
baptizing us with joy.
So come, Wellspring of Salvation, come!
You would guide us in your wisdom,
so we might truly know
the deep needs of those around us,
that we might bless them.
You would quiet us in your hope,
that we might hear the carols of peace
sung by the choirs of heaven.
So come, Spirit of Joy, come!
Come, God in Community, Holy in One,
come, as we pray as we have been taught,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Come, tell your story to God. Tell of the good you have done, of the mistakes you have made, of the gentleness you have shared, of the hurt you have caused. Let God know of your longing for forgiveness, for healing, as you join me as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Forgiveness
We don't fret over just any thing, God of Wonder, we worry about everything that comes our way. Our faithful companion, stress, guides us further and further from your gentle presence. Instead of waiting for you, we rush pell-mell through these days. We keep the hopes we could offer to you stuffed deep in our pockets, rather than lifting them to you.
Forgive us, Holy One of Advent. Let your grace be known to all who come to you. May your peace fill our spirits, may your hope be our strength, may your joy encompass our hearts as we celebrate the Advent of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is our Hope forever!
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news, dear friends: God does wonders for us - forgiving us, refreshing us with love, singing glad songs of salvation for us.
We will lift up God's name, praising the One who is our strength, our salvation, our hope, our joy. Thanks be to God! We are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Like a young woman giving birth,
you brought forth creation,
Wondrous God.
Like a mother lullabying a baby,
you sang over the waters and earth,
beauty springing up on each note,
life bursting forth at each word.
Everything was shaped for us,
humanity made in your image,
so we might proclaim your works.
When we could have fed on grace,
we nibbled away at the chaff
from sin's threshing floor,
filling ourselves with shame and despair.
You continued to draw near to us,
calling through the prophets,
longing to be our strength and hope,
but we rejoiced in temptation's gifts.
You sent Jesus to us
so that in everything he did and said,
we might hear the mystery of your grace.
With those you have already gathered home,
with those who cry out to you in our time,
we sing praises to you, giving thanks:
Holy, holy, holy, God who comes toward us.
All creation exults in your joy and love.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to baptize with
your Spirit of grace.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy indeed are you, God our trust,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our salvation.
Knowing the rich blessings of your heart,
he came to fill our impoverished spirits
with the abundance of your grace.
He came with buckets filled
from salvation's bottomless wells
to pour over our parched souls.
Worthy to walk beside you,
he carried our sinful lives to the cross,
so that in dying and rising,
death's power over us was removed,
and we would be gathered
into the kingdom of peace.
As we prepare to celebrate his birth,
as we remember his life, death, and rising,
we tell that mystery we know as faith:
Christ died, but is alive;
Christ is risen, that we might live;
Christ will come again, to bring us home.
As you place your gifts
upon your Table of life and hope,
may the gentleness of your Spirit
be known in the eating of the bread
and in the sharing of the cup.
We come, not to get what we want,
but to receive what we need,
the mending of our brokenness
so we might embrace the pain,
the suffering of the world,
touching it with your healing.
We feast on the bread of life,
we drink deeply of salvation's cup,
so we might tell everyone,
'do not be afraid, trust in God.'
And when you have taken away your judgment,
turning our tears into shouts of joy,
our shame into songs of praise,
we will lift our voices with those
of every age, of every place,
forever giving thanks to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
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