8th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Epiphany 8 - A

Texts:  Isaiah 49:8-16a; Psalm 131; 1st Corinthians 4:1-5; Matthew 6: 24-34

Call to Worship
When our hearts are so heavy, it seems
we cannot carry them through the day,
God will give us compassion through our friends,
so we will not bear the load alone.
When our words are so inadequate
it seems we cannot speak them,
God will give us hope
so we can break forth in songs of joy.
When we have so lost our way
we stumble in the shadows of life,
God will give us light,
so we can find the living waters.
 Prayer of the Day
To those who hunger and thirst
in the loneliness of life,
you nourish us with compassion;
to those who huddle
in the shadows of unhappiness,
you bring the light of joy.
You love us like a mother, Holy God.

To those held captive
by the stress of daily living,
you whisper, 'let go; cling to me.'
To those who wonder each morning
what they should wear to school,
you hand a bouquet of daisies.
You watch over us like a father,
Jesus of our hearts.

For those who stumble through life,
you fill in the potholes of our worries;
for all those forgotten
by all rushing by them,
you tattoo our faces on your palms,
so you will see us
every time you pray for us.
Like our parents,
you remember us,
Spirit of Joy.

God in Community, Holy in One,
Father, Brother, Mother,
hear us as we pray as we are taught,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Called to be servants and stewards of mysteries, we worry more about how others will judge our hairstyles or choice of shows. Let us go to God's store, where we will find grace and mercy, before wasting our blessings on the trinkets of the world.

Unison Prayer of Confession
You tell us not to worry, Mothering God,
but we cannot seem to help ourselves.
With refrigerators full of food,
we still make grocery lists;
with closets so full we cannot shut the doors,
we run out and buy new outfits;
with a simple invitation to 'follow me,'
we form committees to help us decide.

We lift our hearts to you, Tender God, so you would fill them with your mercy and hope. May we continue to seek your kingdom in every moment to come, hoping and trusting in the peace and love of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Like a nursing child fed by its mother, God's mercy calms and quiets us, so we can receive all that God wants to give us.
We welcome all that God gives to us, and will share these gifts with everyone we meet. Amen.

Great Prayer of ThanksgivingHope in God!
Our hope is in the One who feeds us!
Do not be anxious about anything, children of God.
Our hearts are lifted to the One who feeds us at this Table.
Sing for joy, beloved of God, let your voices echo the joy of heaven.
God comforts us with life, with grace, with peace, with hope.

You called, Gentle Heart,
and creation stepped out of
the shadows of chaos
into the light of goodness.
You would feed us
from grace's bounty,
you would shelter us
from the hazards of nature.
But we could not stop worrying
about what to wear,
or how long our lives would last,
so we turned to sin and death
for comforting answers.
Prophets came, assuring us
that you had not forgotten us,
but longed to help us.
When we continued to trust
in the world's seductions,
your compassion overflowed
as you sent Jesus
to bring us back to the waters
of life and hope.

So, with those of every time and place,
we lift our hearts to you,
bursting into songs of joy:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of comfort and hope.
All creation breaks forth into singing.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes with compassion for the afflicted.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of Peace,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
your Compassion, our Savior.
When our days were filled
with despair, he came
bringing the day of hope.
When our days overflowed
with grief and pain,
he came to bring
the day of joy and life.
When our names were down
on death's calendar,
he came to bring
the day of salvation.

As we remember all the days of his life,
the preaching, the teaching, the healing,
the sacrifice for us, the resurrection for all,
we celebrate that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, our souls engraved on the palms of his hands.
Christ arose, calling to all imprisoned by death, "come forth!'
Christ will come again, to quiet us at God's breast.

Pour out your Spirit
upon these simple gifts
from creation's goodness,
and upon your children
gathered in your name.
Given as a sign of your love,
may the bread we eat
strengthen us to serve those
for whom the word
has no pity.
Given as a seal of your compassion,
may the cup we drink
nourish us so we can
guide our sisters and brothers
to your justice and peace.

And when all time has ended
and there is only that day which lasts forever,
we will gather around your Table,
feeding upon your grace and mercy,
as we lift our hearts singing your praises,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman