32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 27 - A

Texts:  Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25; Psalm 78:1-7; 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18;
Matthew 25:1-3

Call to Worship
L: God has gathered us to this place,
P: where we hear those stories which show us
what the kingdom of God is like.
L: God summons us to this place,
P: where we can learn how to serve our God
without reservation, or hesitation.
L: God will send us from this place,
P: to tell others of God's hopes and dreams,
so they, too, can choose to follow God.

Prayer of the Day
You do not want us
to be ignorant of your
dreams and hopes for us,
God of holiness,
so you speak to us in parables,
so we might pay careful attention
to your words;
you tell us stories about
our grandparents in the faith,
so we might become mentors
to our grandchildren, and theirs.
Filling us with the holy oil
of generosity and grace,
you make us ready to welcome
Jesus Christ into our lives,
and to open our hearts
to those who are in need.

On this day, we choose to serve you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father. . .

Call to Reconciliation
Throughout Scripture's stories and people, God
is bluntly honest with us about hopes, dreams,
expectations.  If we are to be as honest, we must
stand before God, confessing what we have done
and said, as well as our silences and inactions, so
that we might be drenched in God's healing tears
of forgiveness.

Unison Prayer of Confession
   We have so much trouble putting away our
false gods, Patient God.  When we could place our
hope in you, we trust platitudes and shaky promises.
When we could tell our friends about what you have
done in our lives, we become forgetfully silent.  When
we could make ourselves ready to serve in your kingdom,
we find other places to put our time and resources.
   Forgive us, Holy Lover, and fill us with your tender
mercy.  As you whisper to us of your faith in us, may
we listen to your transforming grace, so we may follow
wholeheartedly Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior,
being faithful in our calling as disciples.

Silence is kept.

Assurance of Pardon
L: Listen, my friends!  The good news is that God
is in our midst - moving, forgiving, renewing, restoring.
P: This day, we choose - to live with hope, to share God's
grace, to tell of God's goodness in our lives.  Thanks be
to God.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: People of God, lift up your hearts.
P: We lift them to the One whose faithfulness never ends.
L: People of God, give thanks to the Lord.
P: We offer our praise and thanks to the One whose love is eternal.

How good and right it is to praise you,
God who gathers us around this Table!
You opened your mouth,
and creation's glory sprang forth;
you appointed the stars
to glitter in the night;
you established the waters
to nourish the earth.
You shaped us in your image,
calling us to be your children,
to live with you in harmony and joy.
But we chose to serve sin,
crossing death's river back into chaos,
our false gods clutched tight to our hearts.
Yet, you did not give up your hopes,
sending us the prophets
to get our attention with words
of challenge, as well as comfort.
When we steadfastly refused
to let go of our reliance on idols,
you sent Jesus to us,
to die and rise again for us.

Therefore, we join our voices
with those who await in heaven,
as well as witnesses here on earth,
forever singing your joyous praise:

P: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of parables and peace.
all creation sings of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who leads us across the waters
   into the kingdom of God.
Hosanna in the highest.

You alone are holy, God of all time,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior.
When we turned our backs on your love,
following the false gods of sin and death,
you came to us in Jesus, to lead us home.
When we would no longer to tilt our heads
In order to listen to your songs,
Your Word of hope walked among us,
to be your love in our midst.
When we could not shake off
sin's grasp on our souls,
Jesus reached out, taking our hands,
Showing us what the kingdom truly is.

As we remember his death and resurrection,
we would speak to others of that mystery
we know as faith:

P: Christ has died;
Christ rose again;
God will bring with him into the kingdom
     all who have died, that we will live forever.

It is at this Table of gentleness
that you pour out your Spirit
upon the cup and the bread,
and on your people you have gathered.
As we leave our false gods behind us,
We open our hands for that Bread
which, broken, can make us whole once more,
that we might offer our lives for others.
As we would encourage others
who are searching for your presence in their lives,
we drink of the Spirit of Christ,
that we might serve you
in both the foolish and the wise.
Nurtured and refreshed,
we no longer can plead ignorance,
but with open eyes and embracing hearts,
we may welcome all you send our way,
that we might listen to their souls
even as we tell our stories.

And when we are gathered in your kingdom,
seated at the Table of the Bridegroom,
we will praise you forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

(c) 2008  Thom M. Shuman

Reformation Day

Texts:  Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 46; Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36

Call to Worship
Be still!
We come to quiet ourselves in this haven of holiness.
Be still and know . . .
we come to discern the Word that can set us free.
Be still and know that God is
our Hope, our Help, our Refuge, and our Redeemer.

Prayer of the Day
You break the cycle of wars,
so we may be enriched by your peace;
you shatter the grip of violence,
so we may be freed from our fears;
you plant your words of hope deep within us,
carving on our hearts:
'you are mine.'
You give us the word we need,
so we might live in your grace,
God of Creation.

You freely become one of us,
so we could be liberated
from our addiction to sin;
you take us by the hand
to lead us out of our doubts;
you give us the words we need,
so we can continue to share
your good news of life,
Friend of the needy.

You pull us to safety
when sin's waters swirl around our feet;
you surround us with serenity
when doubts rattle our souls;
you give us words we need,
whenever we wander
onto the paths of trouble,
Spirit of Holiness.

God in Community, Holy in One,
you give us the words we need
to pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We can no longer flatter ourselves about how good we are.  We do not need to make grandstand plays to get God's attention.  We only need to confess our lives, as God makes good on the promises of grace and mercy.  Join me as we ask God to reform us into God's children, praying together,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   Heart of the Covenant: we have known your hopes for us, and disappointed every one of them; we have hear your words of faithfulness, and forgotten every one of them; we have seen your dreams for us, and turned them into nightmares.
   Forgive us, Hope's Heart.  Silence every blustering word, so we may hear your mercy; still every feeble attempt to justify ourselves, so we may be made right with you; melt every frozen heart, so we might be drenched in your river of joy.  May Jesus Christ continue to live in us, so we might be free to live forever with you.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Be still and know the good news:  God has not forsaken nor forgotten us, but redeems us.
Why should we be afraid?  God is in our midst - forgiving, restoring, sending.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 26 - A

Texts:  Joshua 3:7-17; Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37; 1st Thessalonians 2:9-13; Matthew 23:1-12

Call to Worship
L: When we stand at the edge of fear and worry,
P: God invites us to step into the waters of faith and trust.
L: When we stand at the edge of the world's pain and need,
P: Jesus invites us to step into the land of humble service.
L: When we stand at the edge of our hunger and thirst:
P: the Spirit invites us to sit at the Table of grace.

Prayer of the Day
God-ever-with-us:
you draw us near to your heart,
so that, cradled in compassion,
we might see the brokenness
of all who are around us.

Teacher-beside-us:
you draw us near to yourself,
so that, by following you,
we may discover the deep joy
of serving the broken of the world.

Spirit-within-us:
you draw near to us with your peace,
so that, reconciled and restored to God,
we may be the healers
to a world shattered by despair.

God in Community, Holy in One,
as we draw near to you in this time,
we lift the prayer you have taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We know how easy it is to do exactly the opposite of what we learn
from our Teacher, Jesus.  So, let us draw near to our God, for in
confessing our failures, we will discover the grace and mercy God has
in store for us.  Join me as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   When we come to the edge of your holiness, Constant Love, we
know how we have not lived as your children.  We dam up for ourselves
your rivers of love, while the lives around us turn into deserts of
loneliness.  All too quickly, we place our feet on the quicksand of fear,
not wanting to step across to your faith.  We tie up our angers and
worries and burden our families and friends with them.
   Forgive us, Listener to our hearts.  By your patient grace, give us more
time to practice our calling to discipleship, so we might learn all we need
to
live as sisters and brothers of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:  This is the good news:  God hears you, God forgives you, God
is with you as you journey into that land called Promise.
P: Let the redeemed of God say: this is indeed great news!  Accepting
God's word of joy and grace, we will live as God's children in all
the days to come.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:  May creation's Guide be with you!
P:  And also with you!
L:  Weary wanderers, offer your hearts to God;
P:  who takes us by the heart to lead us back to faithfulness.
L:  Do not hesitate, but step forward in joy into God's life.
P:  We will do so, singing to the One who immerses us in hope.

Standing at the edge of chaos,
you cried out, Exalted Love,
and all creation sprang forth
from the goodness of your Word.
Grace overflowed from your heart,
racing through the deep valleys of hope.
Creating us in your image,
breathing life and joy into us,
you drew us near to you,
so we could live in joy with you.
But we chose to wander
through the deserts of death,
paving over Eden's promise with our sins.
Like a parent with her children,
you encouraged us to change,
sending the prophets to bring us back.
But we would not listen,
tying up the burdens of our lives
and putting them on their backs.
Then you chose to send Jesus,
to be the Witness to your
never-ending love for us.

So, with wanderers and witnesses,
with those who cried out to you,
and those who followed your promises,
we lift our songs with our sisters and brothers
who forever sing your praises:

P:   Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of steadfast love.
      All creation overflows with your grace and mercy.
      Hosanna in the highest!

      Blessed is the One who calls us to humble service.
      Hosanna in the highest!

You are holy, Creation's Guide,
and Jesus Christ, your Son, our Teacher,
is the One who comes to redeem us.
Seeing the barren lives we lead,
he came to till the rich soil
of your hopes and dreams,
that it might bear life in us.
Watching us stumble
along sin's side streets,
he takes us by the hand,
to lead us to your feast.
When we would allow our pride
to become entangled with death,
he gently takes this burden
from off our shoulders,
carrying it to the cross,
and leaving it behind in the tomb,
as he strides forth into
the promised land of resurrection.

As we remember his words and witness,
as we would let his teachings shape our lives,
we speak of what we believe, great is the mystery of faith:

P:   Christ was sent to be God's Witness.
      Christ is our Teacher of the Way.
      Christ will come to welcome us home.

Pour out your Holy Spirit
upon those gathered
from every corner of the world,
and upon the gifts of the bread and the cup.
as your grace fills us,
may we go forth,
in thanksgiving and humility,
to feed the hungry around us.
As the cup turns our parched souls
into fountains of hope,
may we overflow in service
to those who wander in our midst.

Then, when all time has ended,
when the truly humble find themselves
seated beside you at the Table in eternity,
we will join our voices in thanksgiving to
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

(c) 2011  Thom M. Shuman

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 25 - A

Here's the real liturgy for this Sunday.  I take a Sunday off and get verything
goofed up.  my apologies.  Thom

Texts:  Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; 1st Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46

Call to Worship
L: We are invited to share in Christ's ministry of compassion.
P: We would widen our hearts so we might cradle the lost.
L: We are challenged to learn more about God each day.
P: We would open our minds that we might discern God's dreams for us.
L: We are summoned to let the Spirit be planted within us.
P: We would deepen our souls that we might grow in love.

Prayer of the Day
Every generation has found
its home in you,
God our provider,
and discovered that every moment
spent in your holy presence
lasts beyond all imaginable time.
You watch over us in the night,
cradling us in your arms
as tenderly as a nurse
cares for her children,
and her neighbor's.

Full of wisdom,
Imagination of Creation,
you humbled yourself
that we might learn
to love those
who have been swept aside
by a callous and cruel world.
Witness to God's grace,
you call us to act
in ways of love of peace
to all we meet in this life.

In the fresh breeze
   on a summer's day;
in the leaves dancing
   across autumn's lawns;
in the crisp, new snowfall
   crunching beneath our feet;
in the new life
   flowering in the spring:
from everlasting to everlasting
you proclaim God's grace to us,
Spirit of Life.

God in Community, Holy in One,
continue to be the dwelling place
of our minds, our hearts, our souls,
even as we prays as we have been taught,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We have been entrusted with the message of the gospel,
but all too often act as if the memos from sin and death have
more influence in our lives.  Let us confess our sins, so we
might know God's great love for us.

Unison Prayer of Confession
As you know, God our healer, we stand on the edge of your
promises and hopes, yet cannot seem to let ourselves cross
over into the life you intend for us.
   We seek praise from our families,
yet are unable to tell them how much we love them;
   we care more about our needs and desires,
than for the struggles of our neighbors;
   we think more about the trash we read and see
than focusing on the Spirit of wisdom.

Forgive us, Everlasting God.
Renew our lives with your grace;
restore our hopes with your vision of tomorrow;
refresh our spirits with your joy which comes to us new in each moment
    in the gift of your Child, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept.

Assurance of Pardon
L: This moment, this morning, this day, and in all the days to come,
God's compassion and hope fill our lives.
What joyous good news!
P: Our hope is not in vain.  God forgives our sins, and is the dwelling
place for all people.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:  May the God of compassion be with you!
P:  And also with you!
L:  Each morning, God feeds us with steadfast love.
P:  Each day, our hearts are filled with God's call to serve.
L:  Children of God, sing your praises to God all our days.
P:  We lift our joy to the One who is the dwelling place of all generations.

Refusing to let chaos
become our dwelling place,
God of the ages,
you called forth creation.
Whether in the blink of an eye,
or in moments spanning thousands of years,
deep valleys of hope were carved,
carpeted with grace renewed each morning.
You created humankind in your image,
knowing us face to face in love.
But we turned our gaze
towards that land of temptation,
chasing the false dreams offered by death.
Caring so deeply for us,
you sent prophets to call us home,
but their words withered in our hearts.
So you sent Jesus to bring
the message of good news,
and to lead us to
the promised land of eternal life.

Therefore, with those filled with the spirit of wisdom,
and those who were full of themselves,
with saints and sinners, prophets and pharisees,
we sing of your everlasting joy:

P:   Holy, holy, holy, God our dwelling place.
      You satisfy us with your love each morning,
      You comfort us in your grace each night.

      Blessed is the One who comes calling us to love:
          to love you without reservation,
          to love others without expectation,
          to love ourselves without self-condemnation.
      Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God our Peace,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Way of life.
Mindful of your hopes for us,
he came, so we might
discover you in our neighbor.
Soul of your soul,
he came, so we might
overflow with your grace.
Loving us more than himself,
he came, to defeat sin
and destroy death's grip on us,
so we might spend eternity
embraced in your life.

With remembrance of his life,
In the joy of the resurrection,
In anticipation of his return,
We proclaim that mystery we call faith:

P:  Christ came, that we might know God's love;
     Christ died, that our souls might be healed;
     Christ will come again, that our hearts will be united with God's.

Pour out your Spirit of wisdom
on the gifts of this Table,
and on those who prepare to feast
on your bounty of grace.
As the bread fills us
with your love and hope,
we would go out to love
our neighbors with hearts
shaped by your joy.
As the cup refreshes
our minds and souls,
we would show our
everlasting love for you,
by serving the lost and forgotten
with lives molded by your compassion.

And when time, which was first wound at creation
has ticked its last moment,
when friends, neighbors, and strangers
are gathered around your Table,
we will join our voices singing your praises,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Charge
L: And now go forth,
To love God with all your heart, your mind, your soul:
P with passion, with prayer, with intelligence;
L: to love your neighbor:
P: with forgiveness, with service, with love;
L: and to love yourself:
P: with hope, with joy, with peace.

© 2011 Thom M. Shuman

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 24 - A

Texts:  Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99l; 1st Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22

Call to Worship
L:   Each morning, God's grace awakens us,
      each evening, God's peace cradles us.
P:   Compassion is our constant companion,
      as we go through work, school, the day.
L:   In every moment, God is present with us;
      God whispers words which can change our lives.
P:   Justice is our faithful teacher,
      pointing to where we can carry out fairness.
L:   When we find ourselves groping in the shadows,
      God's light will provide a way home.
P:   We turn the corner, and hope is waiting for us;
      we return home, and find a feast prepared.

Prayer of the Day
Steadfast Hope:
when we want
to make all the rules
so we can win every game,
you call us to your side,
put your arm around us
and whisper, 'play fair!'
When we tremble in fear,
worried that our lives
are about to crash to the bottom,
you place us in
the hollow of your heart,
and give us safety.

Word of Joy:
when we would follow
those who pretend
to be our saviors
to achieve their own ends,
you remind us that we have been chosen
to be examples of faith to others.
When we would
fill our pockets with
the treasures of temptation,
you ask us to empty them,
so we can become
servants of hope.

Crafter of Faith:
when others judge us on
our backgrounds, education, looks,
you teach us how
to treat all people as equal,
to welcome each person
as our sister or brother.
When we wonder how
our needs, our hopes, our lives
will be made known to God,
you mention us, by name,
in all your prayers.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we know you as
Glory, Grace, Goodness,
and lift our prayer to you, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We know, despite our sincere efforts to live in God's
way, that all too easily we slip off the path to the kingdom.
Trusting that God will answer our prayers and forgive us,
let us confess our sins, as we pray together,

Unison Prayer of Confession
Great Lover of Justice, hear our prayers:
called to treat all people equally,
   we take sides and pick favorites;
chosen to be your children,
   we arrogantly assume others are not so honored;
challenged to be examples of faith,
   we reveal our worst natures to our families and friends.

Forgive us, Giver of Rest.
Enable us to stop putting you to the test, so we can open
our hypocritical hearts to your healing touch of compassion
and hope.  As Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, has given
all for us, may we give ourselves to you - confidently,
completely, faithfully.

Assurance of Pardon
L:   Hear the good news: the One who created goodness
      and beauty is also the One who shows no partiality,
      but offers grace and peace to all.
P:   God has heard our prayers and done the very thing we
      asked - forgiven us, healed us, restored us.  Thanks be
      to God.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:  May the exalted One be with you!
P:  And also with you!
L:  Open your hearts to the One who knows you by name.
P:  We offer ourselves to the One who is always with us.
L:  Give thanks to God, all of you, in prayer and song, in silence and service.
P:  We sing to the One who calls us to worship.

Holy and Honest God:
In establishing all that is
beautiful and joyful,
your glory banished chaos
and your goodness became
the shawl which warmed all creation. 
You shaped humankind in your own image
and called us, each by name, favoring us with your love. 
But we could not pass by sin and death
huddled in the cracks of chaos,
and turned towards them,
offering a safe place in our hearts. 
Because you would bring
your people back to you,
you sent the prophets
to teach us your ways,
but we thought they were hypocrites,
speaking insincere words. 
So then you sent Jesus
to show us your hope
and to reveal your dreams for us. 

So, we join our voices with all your people
in every age, time, and place, who forever sing your praises:

P:   Holy, holy, holy!  Lover of Justice and Peace!
      All creation sings of your hopes,
      echoing your dreams for us. 
      Hosanna in the highest! 

      Blessed is the One who comes to reveal your gospel,
      by word, by grace, by the Spirit.
      Hosanna in the highest!

Great Giver of Joy:
you loved the world so much
that you sent your very heart to us. 
We did not welcome him
as your beloved Child,
turning our backs as he approached us. 
His faithfulness to your way
revealed our idolatry of the world. 
His plain spoken truth showed the lies
we all too easily accepted. 
He went to the cross,
defeating sin and death,
so he could claim what is yours
and give us back to you. 

As we offer you the gift of our prayers and thanksgiving,
we remember Jesus, your Beloved,
who bequeathed to us that mystery we call faith:

P:   We eat this bread,
remembering his brokenness;
      we drink this cup,
to be filled with his grace;
      we wait for Jesus to come again,
constantly proclaiming your love for us.

Holy Goodness:
pour out your Spirit of welcome
on the gifts of the cup and the bread.
Simple gifts made sacred by your presence,
may the grain which has
come to us from many fields
strengthen you people to go out
and serve in many neighborhoods. 
May the cup which has been filled
by the fruit of many vines
nourish us with faith and hope
so our hearts will overflow with grace
to those who thirst for your presence.

And when your people
have been gathered together
from every corner of creation,
we will know one another by name,
lifting our voices to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
seated upon the praises of our hearts.  Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 23 - A

Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14

Call to Worship
L: Here in this place, with these people,
    we come to worship the living God.
P: In you, O God, we hope;
    in you, Creator of love, we live.
L: Here in this sacred space, in these very moments,
    we are invited to the Table of Joy.
P: In you, Christ of the Way, we rejoice;
    in you, dear Brother, grace is as near as your heart.
L: Here on this day of gentleness and beauty,
    we are filled with the peace of God.
P: In you, O Spirit, we find our path;
    in you, Teacher of hope, we learn to serve.

Prayer of the Day
When we realize how we are
blessed beyond every imagining,
we can sing of your surprising grace
and your steadfast presence
to a world which has grown deaf
from the noise of empty clichés.
When we remember your love
which has no beginning and no end,
when we stand in grace's sweet waters
swirling around our hearts,
we can rejoice in your hope
which sees every person,
even those we would
never invite into our circles,
as your beloved child.
When we remember your call
to treat every single person
with dignity, justice, and hope,
we can share your peace
(even when we don't recognize it)
with a society which believes
violence is the solution
to every single problem.

God in Community, Holy in One,
as you live in us,
so we will live for others,
even as we pray as taught by Jesus,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Called to have the same mind as Christ, we often
spend too much time thinking about all those
ways which then lead us astray.  But, if we confess
our sins, God will forgive us, and strengthen us
to be Christ's sisters and brothers.  Join me as
we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   You would call us to your feast, Inviting God,
but our busy lives keep us from responding.  You
remember every word we utter, every prayer we whisper,
but we forget all the little ways you care for us.  You
would make your gentleness known through us, but
we lash out in anger and fear towards others.
     Forgive us, God of all hope, and remember your
Servant, Jesus Christ.  In him, we can live in your way.
Through him, we can learn the dreams you have for us.
With him, we can open our arms and embrace all the
people we meet.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: As we are forgiven by God, we can begin to reflect
    on all those ways in which we can live justly, act
    honorably, love completely.  This is indeed good
    news for us.
P: At the Wedding Feast, we are fed with grace, and
    nourished with joy, so we may go and bring hope
    and peace to everyone we meet.  Thanks be to
    God.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:  May the One who works wonders be with you!
P:  And also with you!
L:  People of God, listen to the One who teaches you life.
P:  Unlock our hearts, O God, that we might hear you.
L:  Children of God, you are called to servanthood.
P:  We sing praises to the One who fills us with compassion
     so we might know the deepest needs of those around us.

Silencing the noise of chaos,
God of wonder and might,
you created the heavens and earth,
your steadfast love poured out
into the oceans brimming with life,
your joy flowing into every valley of hope.
Your heart melted with love
as you created us in your image,
so we might live with you
in that garden of peace.
But we exchanged your dreams
for the seductive lies of death,
so we might graze in sin's fallow fields.
You longed to bring us back,
making your gentleness known
in prophets throughout the ages.
When we continued to refuse
your invitation to your heart,
you sent Jesus to us,
to round up all of your children
and lead them home to you.

So, with those who stood at the foot of mountains,
and those who continue on the journey,
we lift our hearts and voices,
praising your name forever.

P:    Holy, holy, holy are you, God of peace and justice.
        We have heard the good news of Jesus' grace;
        we have seen the service of his followers;
        we have received his hope from surprising people;
        we have learned to trust him in every moment.

       Blessed is he who came to make us known to you.
       Hosanna in the highest!

We praise your name, Catering God,
remembering your acts of grace.
Loving us with a passion beyond compare,
Jesus came to fill us with compassion.
Aware of our hunger for hope,
he feeds us with your steadfast grace.
Understanding death's grip on us,
he came to defeat it's power,
that we could live with you forever.

As we rejoice in the feast you provide,
as we remember the sacrifice, death and resurrection of our Lord,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

P:    We celebrate the birth of the Babe of Bethlehem;
        we remember the life which Jesus led;
        we rejoice in Christ's coming to us in glory.

In your gentleness and wonder,
God of all joy,
pour out your Holy Spirit on us,
and the gifts of your Table.
As the bread of life
not only feeds us,
but makes us one as Christ's Body,
may we bring healing
to our broken world.
as the cup of grace
not only refreshes us
but unites us in the Spirit of service,
may we go forth to be
a river of righteousness
flowing to those who live
in oppression and hopelessness.

And when we gather at the Table
you prepare for us in glory,
when we feast with all
our sisters and brothers
from every time and place,
we will join our voices
and praise you forever,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

© Thom M. Shuman