Texts: Isaiah 63:7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2:10-18; Matthew 2:13-23
Call
to Worship
L: All creation, all people: praise the Lord!
P: stars
shooting across the sky,
sing glad songs to our God!
L: Snow clouds
approaching, birds sitting on a branch:
praise the Lord!
P: Sleeping
cats and braking dogs,
sing new choruses of praise!
L: Rich and
poor, leaders and followers:
praise the Lord!
P: Old and young,
families and singles,
we will lift our joy to our God!
Prayer of
the Day
On that not so silent night,
you came to us, Mothering
God,
like a night nurse
on the pediatric floor,
to
gather us in your arms
and swaddle us in your hope.
On that not
so silent night,
you came to us, Child of humanity,
to be cradled
with the lost,
to share a stable with outsiders,
to confront the
bullies who
threaten our children.
On that not so silent
night,
you came to us, Spirit of joy,
to lift us up and carry us to
salvation,
to help us persist in praising God,
to share our
lives with us.
Be with us in all the nights and days to come,
God in
Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as you taught us, saying,
Our
Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We know all that God has done for
us, as
well as all we could have done for others.
Let us confess to God
our failures and
foibles, as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer
of Confession
We could proclaim your name, God of
this holy season, but
we spend too much
time talking about celebrities. We could
tell others
about all your gracious deeds,
but are comparing notes about the
exploits
of our favorite athletes. We could let your
Word guide our
lives, but instead we do
what the politicians think is best.
Why?
Because we forget who we are called
to be. But you remember, Faithful God.
You
remember that we put our trust in others, not
you; you remember how we
chase after idols,
not follow you; you remember to save us in
our
distress, which is why you sent Jesus to
us, our Lord, our
Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: In the silence,
in the dreams, in the
wonder, in the words, God comes to save
us and have
mercy on us.
P: It is fitting that we offer our thanks and
praise to the
One who forgives us. Thanks
be to God! Amen.
Great Prayer of
Thanksgiving
L: May the God of Christmas be with you!
P: And also with
you!
L: Put your trust in the One who has come.
P: We offer our hearts
willingly to our God.
L: Join all creation in praising God.
P: We join
in the chorus of glad songs to God.
In that not so silent
moment, you
spoke to creation,
God of our dreams and hopes,
and birds warbled in
the morning,
thunder rumbled over the waters,
cows lowed in the
meadows.
For us, those shaped in your image,
were these gifts imagined and
formed,
but we took up after death,
getting up to follow
sin.
Prophets came to praise your name,
and to bring us back to
you,
but we thought they were
trying to trick us.
Then you
sent Jesus, Pioneer of salvation,
to proclaim your name to us.
With
those who are shy and silent,
with those who persist in glorifying you,
we
offer our thanksgiving songs:
P: Holy, holy, holy are you, ever-loving
God.
All creation praises your name.
Hosanna in the
highest!
Blessed is the One who put his trust in you.
Hosanna in the highest!
In the silence of the night,
your holiness
became human, our God,
and you blessed us with Jesus, Child of grace.
When
he could have stayed with you,
he came to offer us help.
When he
could have remained in Nazareth,
he got up to bring us the good
news.
When he could have played it safe,
he shared his flesh and
blood on the cross,
so we might have life through the
resurrection.
As we celebrate the gift of his life,
as we remember his
death and rising to new life,
we proclaim that mystery called
faith:
P: Christ died, putting his trust in you;
Christ rose,
taking on the resurrection life;
Christ will come, to carry us home to
you.
Into these moments of silence
and sacrament, send your
Spirit
upon those gathered in this place,
and on the gifts of the Bread
and Cup.
As we eat of the Bread,
send us out to serve
the hungry
and the homeless,
the lost and forgotten,
the broken and
battered -
all whose hopes have disappeared.
As we drink from the
Cup,
may we see the
lonely and forsaken,
the hurting and
ridiculed,
the oppressed and imprisoned -
all whose dreams have
become nightmares.
And when we are gathered to your side,
we will
proclaim your glory to
our sisters and brothers around the Table,
our
praises being offered to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
©
2013 Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Liturgy for November 28, 2013 (Thanksgiving Day, USA)
Texts: Deuteronomy 8:7-18; Psalm 65; 2nd Corinthians 9:6-15; Luke
17:11-19
Call to Worship
L: Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
P: We glorify our God with songs of thanksgiving and joy.
L: God has done great things for us, filling us with grace.
P: God fed our ancestors in the wilderness,
God clothes us with hope.
L: We will offer our hearts to God, always saying, 'Thank you!'
to the One who loves us.
P: We will sing our praises, shouting of God's presence in our lives.
Prayer of the Day
Hot showers in the morning
and cool breezes in the evening;
work that provides for our families,
and abundance that makes us generous;
silly jokes told by third graders,
and the silent tears of a grandmother
lost in her childhood forever.
What blessings are ours, Creation's Joy!
Teachers who patiently help us with our math,
and mentors who keep us on the right paths;
friends who shovel snow off sidewalks before we waken,
and employers whose hearts are greater than their profits;
piano teachers who smile at our repeated mistakes,
coaches who teach us (one more time)
how to curl the ball into the goal.
What blessings are ours, Servant of Joy!
Dogs who bounce us awake early in the day
and cats who lullaby us to sleep at night;
grandfathers who teach us how to whittle
and sisters who give up a date to baby sit;
little boys who always forget to wipe their mouths
and folks who always remember to say 'thank you.'
What blessings are ours, Joyous Spirit!
God in Community, Holy in One,
thanksgiving is in every word we speak,
even as we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We wonder what's for lunch, we worry about work tomorrow, we fret about the
test that is coming up. So much worry, so much time waster over things we
cannot control. The One who showers earth with rain, who places the stars in
the autumn sky, is the same One who wraps mercy tight around you, who feeds
us on healing and hope. Let us confess how our worries keep us from trusting
the God who hears us and restores us to new life. Please join me as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Because we live in this modern, tech-driven, twittering age, we often
forget what you have done for us, God of every blessing. We pat ourselves on
the back for our ability to learn new computer skills, but have forgotten
that life is more than a machine. We have more than we could ever use yet,
like squirrels, store up more and more. Our faith is often pushed to the
back of the closet, to make room for all the fears we wear so easily.
Forgive us, Restorer of life. As you clothe us with your grace and
mercy, may we share with those who have so little. As our hearts overflow
with your love and wonder, may we offer them as gifts to everyone we meet.
As you feed us with your joy and hope, may we welcome to the Table all those
who lives are filled with tears and pain. As we gather with family and
friends during this season, may we continue to give thanks for the gift of
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: This is the good news: as God dresses creation in wonder, so you will be
clothed in grace; as God pours out abundance upon the earth, so you will be
blessed with peace and joy.
P: We don't say it often enough, but thanks be to God for healing, for
life, for wonder, for mercy. We are blessed, for we are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: The Lord of blessings be with you.
P: The Lord be with you, also.
L: Be glad and rejoice, God's people,
lifting your hearts to the restorer of lives.
P: We offer them to the God who clothes us in grace.
L: People of God, come to the Table where you shall eat and be satisfied.
P: With shouts of joy, we gather to praise the name of God!
Your mouth was filled with laughter,
God of our every moment,
as you sang creation into being.
The heavens rang with shouts of joy,
as fruit-bearing trees sprang up,
as green pastures rippled with wonder.
Crafted in your image, you would
satisfy us with the bounty of grace,
but we chose the destroyer, death,
hanging out with the life-cutter, sin.
Prophets and psalmists were sent by you,
longing to restore us to your side,
but we put their words to shame.
So that everyone might be saved,
Jesus came to be with us,
herald of your grace,
bringer of your truth.
With those who lifted thanks by crossed rivers,
with those who offered gratitude for simple gifts,
we join our voice in praising your name:
P: Holy, holy, holy! God of wonder and delight.
All creation is filled with your joy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to clothes us in grace.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Restorer of broken lives,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Mediator of salvation.
Seeing the nightmare of our lives,
he became one of us, so we
might see the dreams you have for us.
Knowing how our hearts overflowed
with fear, bitterness, and worries,
he came with peace and comfort.
Teaching that the body is more than sin,
that life is more than death,
he became our ransom on the cross,
our salvation by rising from the grave.
As we give thanks for his life and death,
as we shout with joy for his resurrection,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:
P: Christ died, the righteousness for all.
Christ rose, the resurrection for all.
Christ will return, the fulfillment for all.
Pour out your Spirit
doing great thing with the bred and the cup.
Empty, we will be filled
with the plenty of your grace,
the broken bread strengthening us
so we might bring healing to a world
shattered by violence and despair.
Longing for hope, we shall be satisfied
with the cup of blessing and hope,
our lives overflowing
with your love and compassion,
pouring ourselves out for the
poor and marginalized of our time.
And when all our worrying hours have ended,
when we are clothed in your mercy forever,
we will gather with our sisters and brothers,
our mouths filled with laughter,
our hearts echoing glad songs of joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
L: Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
P: We glorify our God with songs of thanksgiving and joy.
L: God has done great things for us, filling us with grace.
P: God fed our ancestors in the wilderness,
God clothes us with hope.
L: We will offer our hearts to God, always saying, 'Thank you!'
to the One who loves us.
P: We will sing our praises, shouting of God's presence in our lives.
Prayer of the Day
Hot showers in the morning
and cool breezes in the evening;
work that provides for our families,
and abundance that makes us generous;
silly jokes told by third graders,
and the silent tears of a grandmother
lost in her childhood forever.
What blessings are ours, Creation's Joy!
Teachers who patiently help us with our math,
and mentors who keep us on the right paths;
friends who shovel snow off sidewalks before we waken,
and employers whose hearts are greater than their profits;
piano teachers who smile at our repeated mistakes,
coaches who teach us (one more time)
how to curl the ball into the goal.
What blessings are ours, Servant of Joy!
Dogs who bounce us awake early in the day
and cats who lullaby us to sleep at night;
grandfathers who teach us how to whittle
and sisters who give up a date to baby sit;
little boys who always forget to wipe their mouths
and folks who always remember to say 'thank you.'
What blessings are ours, Joyous Spirit!
God in Community, Holy in One,
thanksgiving is in every word we speak,
even as we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We wonder what's for lunch, we worry about work tomorrow, we fret about the
test that is coming up. So much worry, so much time waster over things we
cannot control. The One who showers earth with rain, who places the stars in
the autumn sky, is the same One who wraps mercy tight around you, who feeds
us on healing and hope. Let us confess how our worries keep us from trusting
the God who hears us and restores us to new life. Please join me as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Because we live in this modern, tech-driven, twittering age, we often
forget what you have done for us, God of every blessing. We pat ourselves on
the back for our ability to learn new computer skills, but have forgotten
that life is more than a machine. We have more than we could ever use yet,
like squirrels, store up more and more. Our faith is often pushed to the
back of the closet, to make room for all the fears we wear so easily.
Forgive us, Restorer of life. As you clothe us with your grace and
mercy, may we share with those who have so little. As our hearts overflow
with your love and wonder, may we offer them as gifts to everyone we meet.
As you feed us with your joy and hope, may we welcome to the Table all those
who lives are filled with tears and pain. As we gather with family and
friends during this season, may we continue to give thanks for the gift of
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: This is the good news: as God dresses creation in wonder, so you will be
clothed in grace; as God pours out abundance upon the earth, so you will be
blessed with peace and joy.
P: We don't say it often enough, but thanks be to God for healing, for
life, for wonder, for mercy. We are blessed, for we are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: The Lord of blessings be with you.
P: The Lord be with you, also.
L: Be glad and rejoice, God's people,
lifting your hearts to the restorer of lives.
P: We offer them to the God who clothes us in grace.
L: People of God, come to the Table where you shall eat and be satisfied.
P: With shouts of joy, we gather to praise the name of God!
Your mouth was filled with laughter,
God of our every moment,
as you sang creation into being.
The heavens rang with shouts of joy,
as fruit-bearing trees sprang up,
as green pastures rippled with wonder.
Crafted in your image, you would
satisfy us with the bounty of grace,
but we chose the destroyer, death,
hanging out with the life-cutter, sin.
Prophets and psalmists were sent by you,
longing to restore us to your side,
but we put their words to shame.
So that everyone might be saved,
Jesus came to be with us,
herald of your grace,
bringer of your truth.
With those who lifted thanks by crossed rivers,
with those who offered gratitude for simple gifts,
we join our voice in praising your name:
P: Holy, holy, holy! God of wonder and delight.
All creation is filled with your joy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to clothes us in grace.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Restorer of broken lives,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Mediator of salvation.
Seeing the nightmare of our lives,
he became one of us, so we
might see the dreams you have for us.
Knowing how our hearts overflowed
with fear, bitterness, and worries,
he came with peace and comfort.
Teaching that the body is more than sin,
that life is more than death,
he became our ransom on the cross,
our salvation by rising from the grave.
As we give thanks for his life and death,
as we shout with joy for his resurrection,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:
P: Christ died, the righteousness for all.
Christ rose, the resurrection for all.
Christ will return, the fulfillment for all.
Pour out your Spirit
doing great thing with the bred and the cup.
Empty, we will be filled
with the plenty of your grace,
the broken bread strengthening us
so we might bring healing to a world
shattered by violence and despair.
Longing for hope, we shall be satisfied
with the cup of blessing and hope,
our lives overflowing
with your love and compassion,
pouring ourselves out for the
poor and marginalized of our time.
And when all our worrying hours have ended,
when we are clothed in your mercy forever,
we will gather with our sisters and brothers,
our mouths filled with laughter,
our hearts echoing glad songs of joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Liturgy with communion for November 24, 2013 (Reign of Christ/Christ the King - C)
Texts: Jeremiah 33:1-6; Luke 1:68-79; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke
23:33-43
Call to Worship
Blessed be the Lord God who looks with kindness on us.
We are the inheritors of the promises
made long ago to our ancestors.
Blessed be the Lord God who gathers us here in this place.
From across the street, from halfway around the world,
God brings us home to the heart of grace.
Blessed be the Lord God who has remembered us.
Scoffers and singers, watchers and wigglers,
we are those redeemed by God.
Prayer of the Day
Gathering God:
when we have only
a few pennies of hope
in our pockets,
you multiply us
into a blessing.
When the world whispers
seductively to us,
you tell us
of your joy for us.
When everyone has forgotten
even who we are,
you shout out our name
with delight: "My Beloved!"
Dawn from on high:
when we would divide people
by class, by race, by age,
you cast your lot
with the outcasts of society.
When we get lost
from the muddled directions
the world gives us,
you lead us down
that path called Peace.
Spirit of wisdom:
when we grow impatient
with all the trivial matters of life,
you surround us with serenity.
When the world puts us on
the route to sin,
you transfer us
to the streets of the kingdom.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we trust you will remember us,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We know that we have not lived as God hopes. But however fragmented we become, God longs to hold us together in grace and peace. Let us come with our prayers of confession and need to the One who prepares the way for our words.
Unison Prayer of Confession
In these moments, Remembering God,
we bring to you all the ways we have not lived as your people:
we stand by watching
while those in need struggle to survive;
we cast our lots with those
who worship power and success;
we offer insults rather than words of grace
to those who care for us;
we scoff at your words
which call us to a different lifestyle.
Forgive us, God of Mercy, for not knowing what we do to you, to others, to ourselves. Speak to us through Jesus Christ, our King and our Savior, who bears words filled with your tender mercy and gracious hope.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news: God remembers! Not our sins, not our foolish lives, not our rebellion. God remembers us - and redeems us!
God prepares the way for us - the way to grace, to hope, to new life. Joyfully, we offer our thanks to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the peace of God be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One whose has favored us with grace.
God's beloved children, sing of your hopes and dreams.
We bless the One who remembers us and redeems us to new life.
Joyfully, we lift our songs
of praise to you, O God.
From the fragments of chaos,
you created all things.
Those that are visible to us
in the leaves drifting to the ground,
in the children playing hopscotch,
in the moon shimmering at night -
and those that we cannot see,
but gift our lives beyond measure:
grace, which heals our longing;
hope, which fills our emptiness;
love, which embraces our loneliness.
All were shaped and blessed for us,
but we chose to cast our lots
with sin and death,
believing their powers to be greater
that your hopes and dreams for us.
The prophets came to speak
about the One from on high
who yearned for us to come home,
but we grew impatient with their words
and mocked their faithfulness.
Finally, you sent Jesus
to gather your scattered children together
and to bring us back to your heart.
Therefore, we join our voices
with rulers and reprobates,
with the fruitful and the foolish
of every time and place,
who forever sing of your joy:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God our shelter.
All creation makes glad your heart.
Hosanna in the highest!Blessed is the One who is exalted among the nations.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God who remembers us,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
Dawn from on high and creative Word.
Creation's true Light,
he rescues us from the darkness of death;
speaker of promises
to our grandparents in the faith,
on the cross
he kept the vows made to them;
the first-born of all creation,
he was born again
from the grave,
so we could all be with you
in eternity's kingdom.
As we reflect on his life, his ministry, his love,
we remember all that he has done for us,
that mysterious story we call faith:
Christ died, having done nothing wrong;
Christ arose, having done God's will;
Christ will return, having reconciled us to God.
As we come to this Table of peace,
pour out your Spirit of life upon us,
and upon the gifts
of the Bread of life
and the Cup of salvation.
You nourish with grace,
so we may go wherever
the broken and lost live,
that we might feed them.
You fill us with hope,
so we would have no more fear,
but would boldly reach out
and gather up all
whom the world has cast aside.
And when time has come to an end,
and all creation has been reconciled to you,
we will gather around the feast in heaven,
singing our joy and praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Blessed be the Lord God who looks with kindness on us.
We are the inheritors of the promises
made long ago to our ancestors.
Blessed be the Lord God who gathers us here in this place.
From across the street, from halfway around the world,
God brings us home to the heart of grace.
Blessed be the Lord God who has remembered us.
Scoffers and singers, watchers and wigglers,
we are those redeemed by God.
Prayer of the Day
Gathering God:
when we have only
a few pennies of hope
in our pockets,
you multiply us
into a blessing.
When the world whispers
seductively to us,
you tell us
of your joy for us.
When everyone has forgotten
even who we are,
you shout out our name
with delight: "My Beloved!"
Dawn from on high:
when we would divide people
by class, by race, by age,
you cast your lot
with the outcasts of society.
When we get lost
from the muddled directions
the world gives us,
you lead us down
that path called Peace.
Spirit of wisdom:
when we grow impatient
with all the trivial matters of life,
you surround us with serenity.
When the world puts us on
the route to sin,
you transfer us
to the streets of the kingdom.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we trust you will remember us,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We know that we have not lived as God hopes. But however fragmented we become, God longs to hold us together in grace and peace. Let us come with our prayers of confession and need to the One who prepares the way for our words.
Unison Prayer of Confession
In these moments, Remembering God,
we bring to you all the ways we have not lived as your people:
we stand by watching
while those in need struggle to survive;
we cast our lots with those
who worship power and success;
we offer insults rather than words of grace
to those who care for us;
we scoff at your words
which call us to a different lifestyle.
Forgive us, God of Mercy, for not knowing what we do to you, to others, to ourselves. Speak to us through Jesus Christ, our King and our Savior, who bears words filled with your tender mercy and gracious hope.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news: God remembers! Not our sins, not our foolish lives, not our rebellion. God remembers us - and redeems us!
God prepares the way for us - the way to grace, to hope, to new life. Joyfully, we offer our thanks to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the peace of God be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One whose has favored us with grace.
God's beloved children, sing of your hopes and dreams.
We bless the One who remembers us and redeems us to new life.
Joyfully, we lift our songs
of praise to you, O God.
From the fragments of chaos,
you created all things.
Those that are visible to us
in the leaves drifting to the ground,
in the children playing hopscotch,
in the moon shimmering at night -
and those that we cannot see,
but gift our lives beyond measure:
grace, which heals our longing;
hope, which fills our emptiness;
love, which embraces our loneliness.
All were shaped and blessed for us,
but we chose to cast our lots
with sin and death,
believing their powers to be greater
that your hopes and dreams for us.
The prophets came to speak
about the One from on high
who yearned for us to come home,
but we grew impatient with their words
and mocked their faithfulness.
Finally, you sent Jesus
to gather your scattered children together
and to bring us back to your heart.
Therefore, we join our voices
with rulers and reprobates,
with the fruitful and the foolish
of every time and place,
who forever sing of your joy:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God our shelter.
All creation makes glad your heart.
Hosanna in the highest!Blessed is the One who is exalted among the nations.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God who remembers us,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
Dawn from on high and creative Word.
Creation's true Light,
he rescues us from the darkness of death;
speaker of promises
to our grandparents in the faith,
on the cross
he kept the vows made to them;
the first-born of all creation,
he was born again
from the grave,
so we could all be with you
in eternity's kingdom.
As we reflect on his life, his ministry, his love,
we remember all that he has done for us,
that mysterious story we call faith:
Christ died, having done nothing wrong;
Christ arose, having done God's will;
Christ will return, having reconciled us to God.
As we come to this Table of peace,
pour out your Spirit of life upon us,
and upon the gifts
of the Bread of life
and the Cup of salvation.
You nourish with grace,
so we may go wherever
the broken and lost live,
that we might feed them.
You fill us with hope,
so we would have no more fear,
but would boldly reach out
and gather up all
whom the world has cast aside.
And when time has come to an end,
and all creation has been reconciled to you,
we will gather around the feast in heaven,
singing our joy and praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Liturgy for November 17, 2013 (Proper 28/Ordinary 33/Pentecost 26/Trinity 25) - C
Texts: Isaiah 65:17-25; Isaiah 12; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke
21:5-19
Call to Worship
This day! This day we will give thanks to God,
who cradles us in the waters of baptism.
This day! This day we will trust in the One who has saved us,
who strengthens us.
This day! This day we dance to the fountain of life,
drinking deeply of salvation's goodness.
This day! This day we praise our God for every blessing;
telling everyone of God's amazing grace in our lives and in our world.
This day! This day we sing God's praises;
testifying to all creation of our God.
This day! This day our songs are filled with joy,
for God is with us, this day and in all the days to come!
Prayer of the Day
Creating God:
you grasp chaos
and shake it into
new heavens brimming with light,
new earth teeming with life.
You delight in your children so much that
before we finish our sentences,
you have heard our hearts;
before we whisper our dreams,
you fill our needs.
Word of God,
you shape our lips
and loosen our tongues
that we might witness
to your kingdom
where enemies take naps together;
where meat-eaters become vegetarians.
Spirit of Wisdom:
open us,
that we might trust
without fear;
fill us,
that we might discern
our call to faithfulness;
teach us,
that we would make known
our thanks to the farthest
shores of the universe.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us, this day and every day,
as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
God does not take our sins and stick them up on a shelf, in order to remember them - God forgets them! God does not hold them against us, but forgives us! Join me as we pray to the One who delights in us, as we say,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We confess that our lives weaken us, Strengthening God. We do not exercise our faith as we should, and so fatigue easily. We see houses as investment property, not as homes built on love, hope, and dreams. We whimper our petty complaints about our friends and families, rather than shouting our hosannas to heaven for the gift of their lives.
You are our hope, Tender God, so forgive us. Create in us new hearts, and fill us with new energy to serve our sisters and brothers, bringing them to the deep wells of salvation, where they can fill their parched souls, even as we have been led to them by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
Rather than remaining white hot, God's anger melts into streams of living water, washing us clean of our sins and refreshing our spirits with hope and joy.
This day! This day we give thanks to the God who is our strength and our salvation. Praise God! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Behold, God is your salvation!
And also yours!
With joy, draw hope from our God.
We will fill our hearts with the grace of our God.
Say on this day, 'I will give thanks to God, who loves us."
Surely God is our song, and our salvation!
When nothingness seemed to stretch
into forever, you spoke, Mindful God,
and the days of creation sprang forth,
throwing down all chaos,
shaping all that is marvelous and new
from its shattered pieces.
In our foolishness, we were led astray
by temptation and sin's sweet words,
but the end did not follow immediately,
for you sent the prophets to sing your praises.
But though they spoke to us, we would not listen.
So you sent your Beloved Child,
rejoicing in him, so you could delight in your people.
So with busybodies and those who are never a burden,
with our sisters and brothers from every time and place,
we sing our songs of thanksgiving to you:
Holy, holy, holy is God who saves us.
All creation is glad and rejoices in your forever.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who makes your deeds known to all peoples.
Hosanna in the highest!
Surely you are the One who saves us, Holy God,
sending Jesus to become one of us, for us.
He did not remain idly by your side,
but came so that we might
no longer be children of calamity.
Betrayed by those who knew him,
he was placed upon the cross,
but his opponents, sin and death,
could not withstand the power of his love,
or contradict his sacrifice on our behalf,
for by the endurance of his faith,
we gained our souls once again.
As we remember his death offered for us,
as we celebrate his life shared with us,
we speak of that mystery we know as faith:
Christ died, trusting in God completely,
Christ arose, drawing resurrection from the springs of salvation;
Christ will return, to create us as a joy.
Pour out your Spirit of grace and hope
upon the Table and its simple gifts of life,
and upon your people gathered in this place.
On this day, as we are fed by the Bread of life,
we will give thanks to you,
even as we go to build houses for those who have none,
to fed all who do not have enough to nourish them.
On this day, as we drink from the Cup
drawn from the springs of salvation,
we will remember your great deeds,
by opening our ears to the sound of weeping
in among our friends, and those we do not know,
offering relief to those who cry with distress.
And when all days have come to an end,
and we discover that the Holy One is in our midst,
we will cry aloud, singing out our joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
forever and ever. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
This day! This day we will give thanks to God,
who cradles us in the waters of baptism.
This day! This day we will trust in the One who has saved us,
who strengthens us.
This day! This day we dance to the fountain of life,
drinking deeply of salvation's goodness.
This day! This day we praise our God for every blessing;
telling everyone of God's amazing grace in our lives and in our world.
This day! This day we sing God's praises;
testifying to all creation of our God.
This day! This day our songs are filled with joy,
for God is with us, this day and in all the days to come!
Prayer of the Day
Creating God:
you grasp chaos
and shake it into
new heavens brimming with light,
new earth teeming with life.
You delight in your children so much that
before we finish our sentences,
you have heard our hearts;
before we whisper our dreams,
you fill our needs.
Word of God,
you shape our lips
and loosen our tongues
that we might witness
to your kingdom
where enemies take naps together;
where meat-eaters become vegetarians.
Spirit of Wisdom:
open us,
that we might trust
without fear;
fill us,
that we might discern
our call to faithfulness;
teach us,
that we would make known
our thanks to the farthest
shores of the universe.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us, this day and every day,
as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
God does not take our sins and stick them up on a shelf, in order to remember them - God forgets them! God does not hold them against us, but forgives us! Join me as we pray to the One who delights in us, as we say,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We confess that our lives weaken us, Strengthening God. We do not exercise our faith as we should, and so fatigue easily. We see houses as investment property, not as homes built on love, hope, and dreams. We whimper our petty complaints about our friends and families, rather than shouting our hosannas to heaven for the gift of their lives.
You are our hope, Tender God, so forgive us. Create in us new hearts, and fill us with new energy to serve our sisters and brothers, bringing them to the deep wells of salvation, where they can fill their parched souls, even as we have been led to them by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
Rather than remaining white hot, God's anger melts into streams of living water, washing us clean of our sins and refreshing our spirits with hope and joy.
This day! This day we give thanks to the God who is our strength and our salvation. Praise God! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Behold, God is your salvation!
And also yours!
With joy, draw hope from our God.
We will fill our hearts with the grace of our God.
Say on this day, 'I will give thanks to God, who loves us."
Surely God is our song, and our salvation!
When nothingness seemed to stretch
into forever, you spoke, Mindful God,
and the days of creation sprang forth,
throwing down all chaos,
shaping all that is marvelous and new
from its shattered pieces.
In our foolishness, we were led astray
by temptation and sin's sweet words,
but the end did not follow immediately,
for you sent the prophets to sing your praises.
But though they spoke to us, we would not listen.
So you sent your Beloved Child,
rejoicing in him, so you could delight in your people.
So with busybodies and those who are never a burden,
with our sisters and brothers from every time and place,
we sing our songs of thanksgiving to you:
Holy, holy, holy is God who saves us.
All creation is glad and rejoices in your forever.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who makes your deeds known to all peoples.
Hosanna in the highest!
Surely you are the One who saves us, Holy God,
sending Jesus to become one of us, for us.
He did not remain idly by your side,
but came so that we might
no longer be children of calamity.
Betrayed by those who knew him,
he was placed upon the cross,
but his opponents, sin and death,
could not withstand the power of his love,
or contradict his sacrifice on our behalf,
for by the endurance of his faith,
we gained our souls once again.
As we remember his death offered for us,
as we celebrate his life shared with us,
we speak of that mystery we know as faith:
Christ died, trusting in God completely,
Christ arose, drawing resurrection from the springs of salvation;
Christ will return, to create us as a joy.
Pour out your Spirit of grace and hope
upon the Table and its simple gifts of life,
and upon your people gathered in this place.
On this day, as we are fed by the Bread of life,
we will give thanks to you,
even as we go to build houses for those who have none,
to fed all who do not have enough to nourish them.
On this day, as we drink from the Cup
drawn from the springs of salvation,
we will remember your great deeds,
by opening our ears to the sound of weeping
in among our friends, and those we do not know,
offering relief to those who cry with distress.
And when all days have come to an end,
and we discover that the Holy One is in our midst,
we will cry aloud, singing out our joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
forever and ever. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, November 03, 2013
Liturgy for November 10, 2013 (Proper 27/Ordinary 32/Pentecost 25/Trinity 24) - C
Texts: Haggai 1:15b-2:9; Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17; Luke 20:27-38
Call to Worship
The God who is greater than we will ever understand,
is humbled to become one of us.
The God who is more loving that our hearts dare imagine,
gives us more grace than we ever realize.
The God who is wiser than we will ever know,
teaches us all we need to become God's children.
Prayer of the Day
Why should we fear,
God of compassion?
You choose us
to be bearers
of grace and justice
to a broken world;
you call us to be words
of hope and joy
to people deafened by despair.
We will extol you.
Why should we fear,
Brother of justice?
You call us to follow you
so we may serve all
who have been abandoned
by a society focused on self.
You model kindness
so we might bring healing
to a fractured culture.
We will bless you.
Why should we fear,
Spirit of grace?
When we run around in circles,
you fill us with your peace;
when we stumble through each day,
you energize us with your hope;
when our spirits are empty,
you come and dwell in us.
We will praise you.
Why should we fear,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as you listen to us pray
as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation We often think God is 'out there' somewhere, distant and uncaring. But God hears our hearts, God shares our struggles, God walks with us as we try to be faithful disciples. Let us come to the One who is as close as the very breath we take in this moment to confess the brokenness of our lives. Please join me as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We are so easily confused by what the world tells us, Watching God, that we forget the stories of faith we heard as children. We are so fearful of tomorrow, we are not aware of your Spirit with us today. We are so busy wondering 'what if?' or 'suppose?’ - we cannot hear the promises you whisper to us.
So once again, Gracious God, have mercy on us. You know our hearts so well - touch them with your grace. You see our deepest fears - heal them with your peace. You hear our secret longings - speak to them of your hope. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon The One who searches our broken hearts has found the way to mend them and make us new people. The good news is that everything God has done in Christ is for us, that we might be made whole.
With kindness and with justice, God makes us new people. We will sing our thanks through all eternity. Great is God and greatly to be praised! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One who heals our brokenness.
Let us offer our thanks to God, who has prepared this Table for us.
We will bless the One who offers us life in every moment.
We thank you for your greatness,
God of the living, and fall silent.
When there was only chaos,
you whispered your Word,
and creation sprang forth.
The sun and the stars
filled the heavens with your splendor,
and the earth sang your glory.
You filled us with your dreams
of life with you forever,
but we confused your hopes
with our desires and went chasing
after the seductions of sin and death.
You sent the prophets
to remind us of the stories
we had been told as your children,
but we thought them
to be myths and fables.
So once again, you sent your Word
to speak sense to our lives.
Therefore, in this time and place,
with those who have gone before,
and those who will come after,
we join in the song of all creation:
Holy, holy, holy, God of unsearchable greatness!
The glorious splendor of your creation sings your praises.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes according to the promises made.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of understanding,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son.
When we had been deafened
by the songs of the world,
he came to speak of hope,
and to offer us justice.
When we were easily confused
by the promises of sin,
he came to make clear
your dreams for us.
When we thought
we could save ourselves,
he offered himself on the cross,
that we might spend eternity
in your presence.
As we come to the Table of grace,
as we are offered all your gifts,
we remember what Christ has done for us:
Christ died, holding fast to God's promises;
Christ rose, opposing the so-called god death;
Christ will return to fill our hearts with splendor.
Send your Spirit upon the gifts
of the bread and the cup,
and upon your children
who gather in this place.
Place into our empty hands
your Bread made with life and mercy,
that we might take
justice and peace
to the outcasts of our world.
Fill our parched hearts
with the Cup of grace,
that we might be poured out
for the broken and lost
in these times and places.
Heal us with the peace
of this joyous feast,
that we might become
your people of hope.
Then, when this world passes away,
and time has come to an end,
we will gather around the Table
in your kingdom of grace,
singing our praises to you for all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Proper 26/Ordinary 31/Pentecost 24/Trinity 23 - Year C
Texts: Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4; Psalm 119:137-144; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12; Luke 19:1-10
Call to Worship
We gather in awe
standing in the presence of the One
who crafted the stars, the mountains, the seas.
We gather in faith,
trusting that the One who has held little children
holds our lives in the heart of God.
We gather in need,
seeking the One who longs for justice
to grace each and every person in creation.
Prayer of the Day
You stirred the dust
and created us for service;
you breathed into our lungs
so we could share your good news;
you shape our hearts
with the tools of compassion
so we will seek justice for all.
We thank you, God of gifts.
In the hospitality of Zaccheus,
we see your openness
for all who are different;
in the grumbling of his neighbors,
we hear the echoes
of our own prejudices and fears;
in his transformation
into a new person,
we see your grace
which is prepared for us.
We thank you,
Companion of the poor.
You cradle us in the peace
of the resting night;
you awaken us
with the light of dawn
and the warmth of your gentleness;
you walk with us through each day,
nudging us to be that blessing
we are called to be to others.
We thank you,
Surprising Spirit.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our thanks to you,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches,
Our Father. . .
Call to Reconciliation
How patient is God! We run around trying to do everything our way, and God just waits. We try to buy life and happiness, and God waits. We hurt others and walk away from those in need, and God waits. God waits, and upon hearing our heartfelt prayers and cries for help, God touches us with forgiveness and new life. Come, join me as we pray to the One who waits to hear - from us!
Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
Surrounded by so many seductions, Patient God, we find it difficult to see you in our lives. Justice has a hard time surviving when there is so much persecution and affliction towards the little ones of the world. Our neighborhoods, our families, even our churches, are filled with strife and contention.
We cry for help, Listening God; forgive us! As we wait for your grace to fill our lives, may we open our hearts to your hope and healing, always giving thanks for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Rich, poor; young, old; sinner, saint. We are all God's children, and God transforms each of us into the people we are meant to be.
Broken, we are mended; separated from others, we are made one; longing to serve, we are sent forth. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of all hope be with you.
And also with you.
Lift your hearts to the One who comes to feast with you.
We offer our hearts to God who is in our midst.
Children of God, sing praises to the One
who feeds you with goodness and hope.
Our hearts and voices resound with joy.
In your heart, God of wonder,
you wrote the vision of creation,
and the Word shaped the mountains
from the rich loam of the valleys,
your Spirit breathed life into every
which sprang forth from your imagination.
Welcomed into your garden with hope,
we forgot your words of hospitality,
running to catch a glimpse of the parade
of seductions sin and death brought to town.
Prophets came, your vision written on their hearts,
your voice standing behind their words
which sought to bring us back to you,
but we took no delight in their invitations.
So you sent your Beloved, Jesus the Christ,
to be the guest of sinners in every time and place,
that we might receive the gift of salvation.
So, with reformers and saints who have gone before us,
with friends and neighbors sitting around us,
we lift our songs of praise to you:
Holy, holy, holy, God of justice and righteousness.
All creation keeps watch for your justice.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to call us home.
Hosanna in the highest.
In your heart, Forgiving God,
you wrote the vision of redemption,
and sent Jesus, your Servant of righteousness,
to your people at the appointed time.
When our zeal for sin consumed us,
he came to feed us with the bread of life;
when our souls were emptied out
by the corruption of death,
he came to grow abundant faith in us;
when we saw only destruction on the horizon,
he came to stand at his watchpost,
defeating sin and death so they could
never harm us again,
and inviting us to find life and peace
in your heart's home for all eternity.
As we remember his life, his teachings, his words,
as we celebrate the good news of his resurrection,
we speak of our faith, which often seems a mystery:
Christ died, faithful to the end;
Christ is risen, your righteousness come true;
Christ will return, our hope and peace.
In your heart, Blessing God,
your wrote the vision of a community
which would live out your kingdom here on earth,
pouring out your Spirit of life and grace
upon the gifts of the Bread and Cup,
and on your people gathered for your Feast.
As we are fed by your Word become life,
give us understanding so we might hear
those who are crying out for hope;
as we are nourished by your Spirit of peace,
may we go to all who live surrounded by oppression,
bringing justice to every place
where it has never prevailed.
And when we are gathered in that vision
of life forever which is written in your heart,
we will join our sisters and brothers
from every time and place, forever praising you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
We gather in awe
standing in the presence of the One
who crafted the stars, the mountains, the seas.
We gather in faith,
trusting that the One who has held little children
holds our lives in the heart of God.
We gather in need,
seeking the One who longs for justice
to grace each and every person in creation.
Prayer of the Day
You stirred the dust
and created us for service;
you breathed into our lungs
so we could share your good news;
you shape our hearts
with the tools of compassion
so we will seek justice for all.
We thank you, God of gifts.
In the hospitality of Zaccheus,
we see your openness
for all who are different;
in the grumbling of his neighbors,
we hear the echoes
of our own prejudices and fears;
in his transformation
into a new person,
we see your grace
which is prepared for us.
We thank you,
Companion of the poor.
You cradle us in the peace
of the resting night;
you awaken us
with the light of dawn
and the warmth of your gentleness;
you walk with us through each day,
nudging us to be that blessing
we are called to be to others.
We thank you,
Surprising Spirit.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our thanks to you,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches,
Our Father. . .
Call to Reconciliation
How patient is God! We run around trying to do everything our way, and God just waits. We try to buy life and happiness, and God waits. We hurt others and walk away from those in need, and God waits. God waits, and upon hearing our heartfelt prayers and cries for help, God touches us with forgiveness and new life. Come, join me as we pray to the One who waits to hear - from us!
Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
Surrounded by so many seductions, Patient God, we find it difficult to see you in our lives. Justice has a hard time surviving when there is so much persecution and affliction towards the little ones of the world. Our neighborhoods, our families, even our churches, are filled with strife and contention.
We cry for help, Listening God; forgive us! As we wait for your grace to fill our lives, may we open our hearts to your hope and healing, always giving thanks for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Rich, poor; young, old; sinner, saint. We are all God's children, and God transforms each of us into the people we are meant to be.
Broken, we are mended; separated from others, we are made one; longing to serve, we are sent forth. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of all hope be with you.
And also with you.
Lift your hearts to the One who comes to feast with you.
We offer our hearts to God who is in our midst.
Children of God, sing praises to the One
who feeds you with goodness and hope.
Our hearts and voices resound with joy.
In your heart, God of wonder,
you wrote the vision of creation,
and the Word shaped the mountains
from the rich loam of the valleys,
your Spirit breathed life into every
which sprang forth from your imagination.
Welcomed into your garden with hope,
we forgot your words of hospitality,
running to catch a glimpse of the parade
of seductions sin and death brought to town.
Prophets came, your vision written on their hearts,
your voice standing behind their words
which sought to bring us back to you,
but we took no delight in their invitations.
So you sent your Beloved, Jesus the Christ,
to be the guest of sinners in every time and place,
that we might receive the gift of salvation.
So, with reformers and saints who have gone before us,
with friends and neighbors sitting around us,
we lift our songs of praise to you:
Holy, holy, holy, God of justice and righteousness.
All creation keeps watch for your justice.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to call us home.
Hosanna in the highest.
In your heart, Forgiving God,
you wrote the vision of redemption,
and sent Jesus, your Servant of righteousness,
to your people at the appointed time.
When our zeal for sin consumed us,
he came to feed us with the bread of life;
when our souls were emptied out
by the corruption of death,
he came to grow abundant faith in us;
when we saw only destruction on the horizon,
he came to stand at his watchpost,
defeating sin and death so they could
never harm us again,
and inviting us to find life and peace
in your heart's home for all eternity.
As we remember his life, his teachings, his words,
as we celebrate the good news of his resurrection,
we speak of our faith, which often seems a mystery:
Christ died, faithful to the end;
Christ is risen, your righteousness come true;
Christ will return, our hope and peace.
In your heart, Blessing God,
your wrote the vision of a community
which would live out your kingdom here on earth,
pouring out your Spirit of life and grace
upon the gifts of the Bread and Cup,
and on your people gathered for your Feast.
As we are fed by your Word become life,
give us understanding so we might hear
those who are crying out for hope;
as we are nourished by your Spirit of peace,
may we go to all who live surrounded by oppression,
bringing justice to every place
where it has never prevailed.
And when we are gathered in that vision
of life forever which is written in your heart,
we will join our sisters and brothers
from every time and place, forever praising you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Proper 25/Ordinary 30/Pentecost 23/Trinity 22 - C
Texts: Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14
Call to Worship
This is the day the Lord has made:
a day for praise and prayer;
a day for gratitude and generosity.
This is the time God has given us:
a time for singing and silence;
a time for speaking and listening.
This is the life to which God calls us:
a life of humility and service;
a life of faith and trust.
Prayer of the Day
Pour out your Spirit
upon us as we gather,
God of our salvation:
so your grace
might strengthen us
for service;
so your peace
might calm
our troubled souls;
so your hope
might mend
our broken hearts.
You poured out your life
that we might be filled
with the gift of salvation.
You humbled yourself
that we might be raised
to eternal life.
Take hold of our hands,
Servant of the world,
so we might cross
the finish line together.
You are in our midst,
Spirit of wholeness.
You enabled us
to cling to faith,
when hope runs
through our fingers like sand.
You open the gateways
of our hearts
morning and evening,
that we might sing
our praises with all creation.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we pour out our hearts to you,
as we pray as Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
When we pray to God, do we do so with pride in what wonderful people we are, or with that humble hope which recognizes how we have not lived as God’s children, and how we need God’s forgiveness and grace in our lives? Join me as we pray to our God, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Watching God, like the Pharisee, we think we can stick our thumbs into life, pull out a prayer, and congratulate ourselves for being such good Christians. Then, we remember the harsh words we have spoken this week, the hurt we have inflicted on someone we loved, the lack of compassion we failed to offer to someone who needed our help.
Forgive us, God of Grace, and deal gently with us. May we become more like the tax collector - humble, penitent, acknowledging our faulty lives to you. Then, may we receive the mercy promised to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Forgiven and healed, we open ourselves to the grace, the peace, the hope offered to us through our loving God. This is the good news we have received!
Graced and blessed, we are able to live our lives for others, taking them by the hand to reach that finish line called the Kingdom. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the Lord our God be with you!
And also with you!
Rejoice, o children of God, and open your hearts to our God.
Our hearts are overflow with the hope God has poured into them.
Rejoice, o children of God, and be glad!
We sing to the One who has dealt wondrously with us!
Your heart opened, Amazing God,
and abundant rain flowed forth
on that early morning of creation.
Caring and loving beyond all hope,
the earth's floors were filled with grain
and the plenty of every good thing;
valleys overflowed with oil and wine.
Ever ready to crown us with your blessings,
your heart broke as we allowed sin
to cut out your hopes for us,
as we welcomed death, who came
destroying your intended life for us.
You sent the prophets into our midst,
to bring us back to live in your courts,
but we preferred the hollow promises
of temptation and seduction.
So you sent Jesus into our lives,
pouring your Spirit on his flesh,
so we might see you face to face.
So, with those who have finished the race,
with those who are only at the starting line,
we sing our praises to you:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of all.
The gateways of morning and evening shout your joy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who stands by us, giving us strength.
Hosanna in the highest!
Praise is due to you, Holy One,
for there is no other god like you,
and no Lord and Savior like Jesus Christ,
who ran the race when we stumbled,
who kept the faith when it slipped through our fingers.
When sin’s unceasing passions
created a drought in our lives,
he opened the channels of your river of life
to flow through us, washing us clean
and giving us new hopes and dreams.
When death held the deeds of our sins,
threatening to foreclose on our lives,
he came to purchase them back,
so we might live free and clear forever.
As we remember how he poured himself out for us,
as we celebrate the new hopes which fill our hearts,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, rescuing us from every evil;
Christ arose, saving us for your kingdom;
Christ will come again, to pour your spirit into us.
Pour out your Spirit upon all people gathered
around your Table, filled with the gifts of creation.
From the plenty of the Bread of life,
we will be fed until we are hungry
to serve your children in every need;
from the sweet river which flows from the Cup,
we will be humbled into your people,
that we might exalt all who have been
cast aside by the world around us.
For here at this Table of grace and joy,
little boys and girls will tell stories
of peace and hope;
young women and men will envision
lands where oppression has been destroyed;
old women will recall dreams of justice,
and work to turn them into reality;
old men will prepare meals and serve them
to all who hunger in every place.
And when the time of our departure comes,
and all who have longed for your appearing
are gathered around your river of life,
we will join our hearts and voices
in praising you forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One, Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
This is the day the Lord has made:
a day for praise and prayer;
a day for gratitude and generosity.
This is the time God has given us:
a time for singing and silence;
a time for speaking and listening.
This is the life to which God calls us:
a life of humility and service;
a life of faith and trust.
Prayer of the Day
Pour out your Spirit
upon us as we gather,
God of our salvation:
so your grace
might strengthen us
for service;
so your peace
might calm
our troubled souls;
so your hope
might mend
our broken hearts.
You poured out your life
that we might be filled
with the gift of salvation.
You humbled yourself
that we might be raised
to eternal life.
Take hold of our hands,
Servant of the world,
so we might cross
the finish line together.
You are in our midst,
Spirit of wholeness.
You enabled us
to cling to faith,
when hope runs
through our fingers like sand.
You open the gateways
of our hearts
morning and evening,
that we might sing
our praises with all creation.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we pour out our hearts to you,
as we pray as Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
When we pray to God, do we do so with pride in what wonderful people we are, or with that humble hope which recognizes how we have not lived as God’s children, and how we need God’s forgiveness and grace in our lives? Join me as we pray to our God, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Watching God, like the Pharisee, we think we can stick our thumbs into life, pull out a prayer, and congratulate ourselves for being such good Christians. Then, we remember the harsh words we have spoken this week, the hurt we have inflicted on someone we loved, the lack of compassion we failed to offer to someone who needed our help.
Forgive us, God of Grace, and deal gently with us. May we become more like the tax collector - humble, penitent, acknowledging our faulty lives to you. Then, may we receive the mercy promised to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Forgiven and healed, we open ourselves to the grace, the peace, the hope offered to us through our loving God. This is the good news we have received!
Graced and blessed, we are able to live our lives for others, taking them by the hand to reach that finish line called the Kingdom. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the Lord our God be with you!
And also with you!
Rejoice, o children of God, and open your hearts to our God.
Our hearts are overflow with the hope God has poured into them.
Rejoice, o children of God, and be glad!
We sing to the One who has dealt wondrously with us!
Your heart opened, Amazing God,
and abundant rain flowed forth
on that early morning of creation.
Caring and loving beyond all hope,
the earth's floors were filled with grain
and the plenty of every good thing;
valleys overflowed with oil and wine.
Ever ready to crown us with your blessings,
your heart broke as we allowed sin
to cut out your hopes for us,
as we welcomed death, who came
destroying your intended life for us.
You sent the prophets into our midst,
to bring us back to live in your courts,
but we preferred the hollow promises
of temptation and seduction.
So you sent Jesus into our lives,
pouring your Spirit on his flesh,
so we might see you face to face.
So, with those who have finished the race,
with those who are only at the starting line,
we sing our praises to you:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of all.
The gateways of morning and evening shout your joy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who stands by us, giving us strength.
Hosanna in the highest!
Praise is due to you, Holy One,
for there is no other god like you,
and no Lord and Savior like Jesus Christ,
who ran the race when we stumbled,
who kept the faith when it slipped through our fingers.
When sin’s unceasing passions
created a drought in our lives,
he opened the channels of your river of life
to flow through us, washing us clean
and giving us new hopes and dreams.
When death held the deeds of our sins,
threatening to foreclose on our lives,
he came to purchase them back,
so we might live free and clear forever.
As we remember how he poured himself out for us,
as we celebrate the new hopes which fill our hearts,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, rescuing us from every evil;
Christ arose, saving us for your kingdom;
Christ will come again, to pour your spirit into us.
Pour out your Spirit upon all people gathered
around your Table, filled with the gifts of creation.
From the plenty of the Bread of life,
we will be fed until we are hungry
to serve your children in every need;
from the sweet river which flows from the Cup,
we will be humbled into your people,
that we might exalt all who have been
cast aside by the world around us.
For here at this Table of grace and joy,
little boys and girls will tell stories
of peace and hope;
young women and men will envision
lands where oppression has been destroyed;
old women will recall dreams of justice,
and work to turn them into reality;
old men will prepare meals and serve them
to all who hunger in every place.
And when the time of our departure comes,
and all who have longed for your appearing
are gathered around your river of life,
we will join our hearts and voices
in praising you forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One, Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Proper 24/Ordinary 29/Pentecost 22/Trinity 21 - C
Texts: Jeremiah 31:27-34; Psalm 119:97-104; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8
Call to Worship
We have gathered in God's holy presence,
the One who etches grace on our hearts.
This is the place where God
will transform us into disciples. We glorify our God, who yearns for justice,
not just for a favored few, but for the least of our world.
This is the place where God
will write compassion on our souls. We give thanks to God for unceasing grace;
we remember God's persistence in saving us.
This is the place where God
will breathe the Word into our lives.
Prayer of the Day Holy God:
with the precious jewel
of holy scripture,
you share with us
the treasure of your heart.
Engrave your covenant -
your hopes, your dreams,
your vision, your peace -
upon our hearts,
that they might beat
as one with yours.
Holy Word:
ever clear,
you keep us from wandering
down the wrong paths;
ever longed for,
you make us persistent
in bringing justice
to the lost and to the least;
ever practical,
you show us how
not to misplace our hearts.
Holy Wisdom:
as you breathe the Word
into our hearts,
tutor us in faithfulness
so we are trained
in using the tools
of justice and hope;
so we are equipped
to share the good news with all;
so we become skilled
in compassion and grace.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our hearts to you
as we pray as Jesus teaches us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation Seeking to follow Jesus, we often wander down the wrong roads. Impatient with God's schedule, we rush off to do things our way. Let us confess our foolishness, that we might receive God's hope for our lives.
Unison Prayer of Confession
Your words are given to us, Author of Life, so we might be reformed, but we are intent on changing others. Your words are offered to us so we might be transformed, but we are focused on conforming to our culture. Your words are spoken to lead us into new life, but we hold our old ways tight to our chests.
Forgive us, God of Wonder. Do not remember our sins, but continue to touch us with your steadfast mercy. Show us how to be persistent in living out our faith, even as you were so tenacious in offering us your grace and life in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon Jesus reminds us that we are to be resolute in our lives of faithfulness and service. The good news is that God is steadfast in filling us with love and grace.
We are forgiven people. May we live as sisters and brothers in Christ, God's children in word and deed, in hope and joy. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of this day and all the days to come be with you!
May God be with you as well!
Children of the new covenant, offer your hearts to God.
We open them to the One who writes the good news on them.
People of God, join in praising the One whose Word is within you.
Glad songs are sung to the One we know in our deepest souls.
'The days are surely coming,'
you announced to chaos, God of power,
dividing it into morning and night,
sowing seeds of humanity and other life
into the rich loam of your creation.
You took us by the hand to show us
the place where we might have life,
ever feasting on your bounty of love.
But we drank deeply of sin's sour wine,
our teeth set on edge by the sound of death
scraping its fingernails across our souls.
You sent the prophets to us,
your hopes written on their hearts,
but since we did not fear you,
we had no respect for them.
So you took Jesus by the hand,
asking him to proclaim the good news
that you would forget our sins,
you would forgive our foolishness.
With all who have wandered from your path,
with all who have the new covenant on their hearts,
we sing our songs of praise to you:
Holy, holy, holy, God of incredible patience.
All creation cries out for your justice.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to teach your ways.
Hosanna in the highest!
He did not shrink from your command, God of hope,
but obediently, Jesus became one of us
so we might know you face-to-face.
When the law no longer
wanted to be seen with us,
he became our constant companion.
Wiser than our enemies, sin and death,
he defeated them at the cross,
the empty tomb the sign of his victory.
As we remember his persistence in offering grace to us,
as we celebrate the joy of life with him,
we speak of the mystery we know as faith:
Christ died, for all our sins;
Christ rose, for all our sakes;
Christ comes, to take us by the hand to lead us into your presence.
As for us, we pray you
to send your Holy Spirit to us,
to bless the gifts of your love
and to transform your gathered people.
What we know, what we believe,
we have learned at your knee,
gathered up into your lap,
your call to wholeness a taste so wondrous
we share it with all who are broken;
your cup of grace sweeter
than the honey of our hopes.
And when we are gathered together
into the kingdom you have built in eternity,
we will join our voices with our sisters and brothers,
crying out to you day and night forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
We have gathered in God's holy presence,
the One who etches grace on our hearts.
This is the place where God
will transform us into disciples. We glorify our God, who yearns for justice,
not just for a favored few, but for the least of our world.
This is the place where God
will write compassion on our souls. We give thanks to God for unceasing grace;
we remember God's persistence in saving us.
This is the place where God
will breathe the Word into our lives.
Prayer of the Day Holy God:
with the precious jewel
of holy scripture,
you share with us
the treasure of your heart.
Engrave your covenant -
your hopes, your dreams,
your vision, your peace -
upon our hearts,
that they might beat
as one with yours.
Holy Word:
ever clear,
you keep us from wandering
down the wrong paths;
ever longed for,
you make us persistent
in bringing justice
to the lost and to the least;
ever practical,
you show us how
not to misplace our hearts.
Holy Wisdom:
as you breathe the Word
into our hearts,
tutor us in faithfulness
so we are trained
in using the tools
of justice and hope;
so we are equipped
to share the good news with all;
so we become skilled
in compassion and grace.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our hearts to you
as we pray as Jesus teaches us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation Seeking to follow Jesus, we often wander down the wrong roads. Impatient with God's schedule, we rush off to do things our way. Let us confess our foolishness, that we might receive God's hope for our lives.
Unison Prayer of Confession
Your words are given to us, Author of Life, so we might be reformed, but we are intent on changing others. Your words are offered to us so we might be transformed, but we are focused on conforming to our culture. Your words are spoken to lead us into new life, but we hold our old ways tight to our chests.
Forgive us, God of Wonder. Do not remember our sins, but continue to touch us with your steadfast mercy. Show us how to be persistent in living out our faith, even as you were so tenacious in offering us your grace and life in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon Jesus reminds us that we are to be resolute in our lives of faithfulness and service. The good news is that God is steadfast in filling us with love and grace.
We are forgiven people. May we live as sisters and brothers in Christ, God's children in word and deed, in hope and joy. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of this day and all the days to come be with you!
May God be with you as well!
Children of the new covenant, offer your hearts to God.
We open them to the One who writes the good news on them.
People of God, join in praising the One whose Word is within you.
Glad songs are sung to the One we know in our deepest souls.
'The days are surely coming,'
you announced to chaos, God of power,
dividing it into morning and night,
sowing seeds of humanity and other life
into the rich loam of your creation.
You took us by the hand to show us
the place where we might have life,
ever feasting on your bounty of love.
But we drank deeply of sin's sour wine,
our teeth set on edge by the sound of death
scraping its fingernails across our souls.
You sent the prophets to us,
your hopes written on their hearts,
but since we did not fear you,
we had no respect for them.
So you took Jesus by the hand,
asking him to proclaim the good news
that you would forget our sins,
you would forgive our foolishness.
With all who have wandered from your path,
with all who have the new covenant on their hearts,
we sing our songs of praise to you:
Holy, holy, holy, God of incredible patience.
All creation cries out for your justice.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to teach your ways.
Hosanna in the highest!
He did not shrink from your command, God of hope,
but obediently, Jesus became one of us
so we might know you face-to-face.
When the law no longer
wanted to be seen with us,
he became our constant companion.
Wiser than our enemies, sin and death,
he defeated them at the cross,
the empty tomb the sign of his victory.
As we remember his persistence in offering grace to us,
as we celebrate the joy of life with him,
we speak of the mystery we know as faith:
Christ died, for all our sins;
Christ rose, for all our sakes;
Christ comes, to take us by the hand to lead us into your presence.
As for us, we pray you
to send your Holy Spirit to us,
to bless the gifts of your love
and to transform your gathered people.
What we know, what we believe,
we have learned at your knee,
gathered up into your lap,
your call to wholeness a taste so wondrous
we share it with all who are broken;
your cup of grace sweeter
than the honey of our hopes.
And when we are gathered together
into the kingdom you have built in eternity,
we will join our voices with our sisters and brothers,
crying out to you day and night forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, October 06, 2013
Proper 23/Ordinary 28/Pentecost 21/Trinity 20 - C
Texts: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7; Psalm 66:1-12; 2 Timothy 2:8-15; Luke
17:11-19
Call to Worship
Whether we live in an apartment or a house;
if we reside in the suburbs or the city:
God tells us to pray for the places where we live.
Whether we are exiles or prisoners for the gospel;
if we are young, old, insider, outcast:
God says, 'when you search for me, you will find me.'
Whether we have been wandering and lost;
or if we have lived in the same place all our lives:
God says, 'I will gather you from all your places and bring you home.'
Prayer of the Day
Awesome Creator:
you bring us together in this sanctuary,
calling us from all those places
where we live and work and play,
so we can recognize you
in faces lined with wisdom;
so we can hear you
in the questions of the smallest child;
so we can sit up and notice
all that you do in our midst.
Cradler of Grace:
you speak your words,
so we might hear the sighs
of the outsiders of our world.
You walk the borderlands
of our joys and sorrows,
so we might embrace your healing.
You enter our hearts,
despite our best efforts
to close them to your presence.
Enduring Spirit:
when we are tempted
to imprison the good news
with our politics, our fears,
our prejudices, our doubts -
whisper that Word
which shatters all chains,
and sets us free to be God's people.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we pray as Jesus, our Brother and Savior,
has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Despite our foolish and angry words, God continues to speak of mercy to us. Despite our best efforts to be faithless in our living, God remains faithful in keeping the promise to forgive us and restore us to wholeness. Let us confess our sins to God, so that God's hope and grace might endure in our brokenness.
Unison Prayer of Confession
God beyond borders, we know that on our way to worship, we may not have noticed the exiles in our neighborhoods. We admit how easy it is for us to wander down the streets of temptation, pausing at the corner of easy choices. We fall silent in the presence of those who speak words of anger and hate. We tolerate a culture that suspects all who are different from us.
Have mercy on us, O God, for surely you take the side of justice. Open our hearts to all the wonders you are performing in our lives. You gift us with those of other cultures, that our lives might be blessed. You send us friends out of places we least expect, that our community might be enriched. You call us to be generous with our blessings, so others might be graced with the gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
God challenges us, God encourages us. God confronts us, and God accepts us. God works wonders in our midst and gives us the eyes, the hearts, the souls to see such miracles.
God forgives us, God guides us through the wilderness of the world, God leads us home. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of joy be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, open your hearts to the One who does wonders for you.
We offer our hearts to God, who plants gardens of peace within us.
Children of God, sing praises to the One who leads us to this place.
We join all creation in singing our thanks God, our Creator.
On that first glad morning, Architect of glory,
you built the house of creation
for us to dwell in with peace as our neighbor;
you planted gardens in the valleys and meadows
that we might be fed by your goodness.
But we chose to live in death's dim exile,
believing sin would provide a better home.
You sent the prophets to us,
carrying words of promise and hope,
but we refused to return to you.
So, seeking the welfare of all creation,
and longing to restore us to wholeness,
you sent Jesus of your heart to us.
With all the earth that worships you,
with all brought to spacious places,
we sing your glory forever:
Holy, holy, holy, God of wondrous acts.
All creation rejoices in you.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blesses is the One who remains faithful to you.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of peace and hope,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Healer.
Your Word sent from glory,
he came that we might see
what you are doing for us.
Your Freedom for all your people,
he set free the gospel which
shatters the chains of our oppression.
Your Hope from the foundation of creation,
he went through the regions
of sin and death that we might
enter the wonders of your kingdom,
singing praises to you as we travel your Way.
As we celebrate our redemption,
as we remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead,
we sing that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, his faith making us well;
Christ rose, that we might live with him;
Christ will come again, to present us before God.
On this glad morning, Loving God,
pour out your Spirit on the gifts of the Table,
and on those who gather at your feast.
As we are strengthened by the Bread of life,
send us forth to plant gardens,
sharing the harvest with those who hunger.
As we are nourished by the Cup of hope,
give us the tools to build homes
for those who live in poverty's grip.
As we are filled with the Spirit of service,
may we have the courage
to use our hearts and voices
to break the chains of those
who live in oppression's exile.
And when that glad morning of resurrection comes,
when we gather with the exiles of every time and place,
our sisters and brothers who were ever faithful,
we will rejoice in you forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Whether we live in an apartment or a house;
if we reside in the suburbs or the city:
God tells us to pray for the places where we live.
Whether we are exiles or prisoners for the gospel;
if we are young, old, insider, outcast:
God says, 'when you search for me, you will find me.'
Whether we have been wandering and lost;
or if we have lived in the same place all our lives:
God says, 'I will gather you from all your places and bring you home.'
Prayer of the Day
Awesome Creator:
you bring us together in this sanctuary,
calling us from all those places
where we live and work and play,
so we can recognize you
in faces lined with wisdom;
so we can hear you
in the questions of the smallest child;
so we can sit up and notice
all that you do in our midst.
Cradler of Grace:
you speak your words,
so we might hear the sighs
of the outsiders of our world.
You walk the borderlands
of our joys and sorrows,
so we might embrace your healing.
You enter our hearts,
despite our best efforts
to close them to your presence.
Enduring Spirit:
when we are tempted
to imprison the good news
with our politics, our fears,
our prejudices, our doubts -
whisper that Word
which shatters all chains,
and sets us free to be God's people.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we pray as Jesus, our Brother and Savior,
has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Despite our foolish and angry words, God continues to speak of mercy to us. Despite our best efforts to be faithless in our living, God remains faithful in keeping the promise to forgive us and restore us to wholeness. Let us confess our sins to God, so that God's hope and grace might endure in our brokenness.
Unison Prayer of Confession
God beyond borders, we know that on our way to worship, we may not have noticed the exiles in our neighborhoods. We admit how easy it is for us to wander down the streets of temptation, pausing at the corner of easy choices. We fall silent in the presence of those who speak words of anger and hate. We tolerate a culture that suspects all who are different from us.
Have mercy on us, O God, for surely you take the side of justice. Open our hearts to all the wonders you are performing in our lives. You gift us with those of other cultures, that our lives might be blessed. You send us friends out of places we least expect, that our community might be enriched. You call us to be generous with our blessings, so others might be graced with the gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
God challenges us, God encourages us. God confronts us, and God accepts us. God works wonders in our midst and gives us the eyes, the hearts, the souls to see such miracles.
God forgives us, God guides us through the wilderness of the world, God leads us home. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of joy be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, open your hearts to the One who does wonders for you.
We offer our hearts to God, who plants gardens of peace within us.
Children of God, sing praises to the One who leads us to this place.
We join all creation in singing our thanks God, our Creator.
On that first glad morning, Architect of glory,
you built the house of creation
for us to dwell in with peace as our neighbor;
you planted gardens in the valleys and meadows
that we might be fed by your goodness.
But we chose to live in death's dim exile,
believing sin would provide a better home.
You sent the prophets to us,
carrying words of promise and hope,
but we refused to return to you.
So, seeking the welfare of all creation,
and longing to restore us to wholeness,
you sent Jesus of your heart to us.
With all the earth that worships you,
with all brought to spacious places,
we sing your glory forever:
Holy, holy, holy, God of wondrous acts.
All creation rejoices in you.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blesses is the One who remains faithful to you.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of peace and hope,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Healer.
Your Word sent from glory,
he came that we might see
what you are doing for us.
Your Freedom for all your people,
he set free the gospel which
shatters the chains of our oppression.
Your Hope from the foundation of creation,
he went through the regions
of sin and death that we might
enter the wonders of your kingdom,
singing praises to you as we travel your Way.
As we celebrate our redemption,
as we remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead,
we sing that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, his faith making us well;
Christ rose, that we might live with him;
Christ will come again, to present us before God.
On this glad morning, Loving God,
pour out your Spirit on the gifts of the Table,
and on those who gather at your feast.
As we are strengthened by the Bread of life,
send us forth to plant gardens,
sharing the harvest with those who hunger.
As we are nourished by the Cup of hope,
give us the tools to build homes
for those who live in poverty's grip.
As we are filled with the Spirit of service,
may we have the courage
to use our hearts and voices
to break the chains of those
who live in oppression's exile.
And when that glad morning of resurrection comes,
when we gather with the exiles of every time and place,
our sisters and brothers who were ever faithful,
we will rejoice in you forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Proper 22/Ordinary 27/Pentecost 20/Trinity 19 - C
Texts: Lamentations 1:1-6; Psalm 137; 2 Timothy 1:1-14; Luke
17:5-10
Call to Worship
We gather, as God's people, bringing our fears and pain,
knowing that when our spirits have grown cold,
God rekindles the gift of faith in us.
We gather, as God's people, hanging our broken hearts
on the branches of the tree of life,
knowing that while friends may turn against us,
God transforms enemies into sisters and brothers.
We gather, as God's people, hungering for healing and hope,
knowing that even when life is no picnic,
God prepares a feast for us.
Prayer of the Day
Singer of Songs:
when we have lost
the melody of your hope,
you reshape the notes of our hearts;
when we can find
no resting place,
you are the lap
that cradles us;
when we are held captive
by our complaints,
you free us for praise.
Seed Planter,
you only did
what you ought to have done:
traveling the empty roads
of our world;
listening to
our midnight cries;
overtaking us
to shoulder our burdens.
Spirit of Love,
as you enter our hearts
to ease our loneliness:
may we not forget
who our protector is;
may we remember the faith
which has been gifted to us;
may we be stewards
of the good treasure that is ours.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayers as Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Our faith has been placed in our hands by our parents and grandparents. But we know we have not always done what we ought to have done. Let us lift our prayers to the One who is always ready to place forgiveness in our hearts.
Unison Prayer of Confession
We stand before you in this moment, Listening God, and state what you already know. Our cheeks are carved with the tears of the pain we have caused. Our hearts are so empty we cannot comfort others. Our desires have taken us to places where we cannot sing your praises.
Heart-seeking God, forgive us. Plant a tiny seed of hope that it might grow into a bouquet for others. Increase our faith until it spills over in thanksgiving to you. Fill us with the love that overwhelms all our complaints and rekindles our desire to follow faithfully Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
While are failures and frailty are fresh, God's grace has been ours before time began. This is great news - we are forgiven.
God plants the seed of faith deep within us, growing a harvest of grace and hope. Thanks be to god, who has given us the promise of life in Christ Jesus our Lord! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One who cradles our hearts in loving hands.
People of God, let us give thanks to the God who sets a Table for us.
We praise the Lord our God who welcomes us with open arms.
It is our greatest joy
to sing our songs of praise to you,
Gardener of Creation.
You planted the seeds of faith
in our ancestors
who sought to pass it on to us.
But your gifts of love and self-discipline
found no resting place in our souls.
Your tears washed
the streets of the kingdom
when we abandoned them
to walk the world's lonely paths.
We do not remember who protects us,
and we rely on those false gods
who would lead us into despair's captivity.
But you will not forget us,
or leave us orphaned.
Hearing us crying in the night,
you sent our Hope, Jesus Christ.
Therefore, we lift our voices,
singing our praise with those
in every time, and in every place,
who have been brought out of death's exile
and who forever sing your joy:
Sung: (tune: Bunessan 5.5.5.4D)
God of Creation, Lord of all beauty,
All creatures join in singing your love;
Holy Compassion, Joy of our mornings,
Fill us with grace which comes from above.
Holy are you, Speaker of our hearts,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Promise of Life.
When we had hung our souls
on the branches of loss,
he handed them back to us,
teaching us the ageless
harmonies of grace.
When the world left us
by the side of the road
like rusty automobiles,
he came to restore us to newness.
Splashing in sin's puddles,
he washed our feet
and dried them with his love,
leading us into the kingdom.
Daughters of despair, sons of sadness,
orphans of woe -
he gathers us all up
in his arms of mercy
wiping out death,
and sits us down
at the family Table.
As we remember his grace and love,
as we dare not forget his sacrifice for us,
we sing of that mystery we call faith:
Sung: Christ of the outcast, Comfort of mourners,
Neighbor to strangers, Love without end;
Bearer of burdens, Grace ever with us,
Blessing our children, Brother and Friend.
Holy Spirit,
as we offer the gifts
of the bread and the cup
for your blessing,
so we present ourselves:
our accomplishments, our failings,
our hopes, our realities.
Make us weak,
so we might rely
on your strength.
As we have heard the Word,
may we listen
to the cries of the poor.
As we are family
with those sitting beside us today,
may we love our sisters and brothers
in every corner of creation.
As you hold out
the bread and the cup to us,
may we reach out to enemies
to clasp hands as friends.
God in Community, Holy in One,
all honor and glory are yours,
as we sing our praises through all eternity:
Sung: Spirit of kindness, Breath of forgiveness,
Faithful Companion, just as Christ said;
God's little children gathered together,
Drink of salvation, feast on your Bread.
© Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
We gather, as God's people, bringing our fears and pain,
knowing that when our spirits have grown cold,
God rekindles the gift of faith in us.
We gather, as God's people, hanging our broken hearts
on the branches of the tree of life,
knowing that while friends may turn against us,
God transforms enemies into sisters and brothers.
We gather, as God's people, hungering for healing and hope,
knowing that even when life is no picnic,
God prepares a feast for us.
Prayer of the Day
Singer of Songs:
when we have lost
the melody of your hope,
you reshape the notes of our hearts;
when we can find
no resting place,
you are the lap
that cradles us;
when we are held captive
by our complaints,
you free us for praise.
Seed Planter,
you only did
what you ought to have done:
traveling the empty roads
of our world;
listening to
our midnight cries;
overtaking us
to shoulder our burdens.
Spirit of Love,
as you enter our hearts
to ease our loneliness:
may we not forget
who our protector is;
may we remember the faith
which has been gifted to us;
may we be stewards
of the good treasure that is ours.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayers as Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Our faith has been placed in our hands by our parents and grandparents. But we know we have not always done what we ought to have done. Let us lift our prayers to the One who is always ready to place forgiveness in our hearts.
Unison Prayer of Confession
We stand before you in this moment, Listening God, and state what you already know. Our cheeks are carved with the tears of the pain we have caused. Our hearts are so empty we cannot comfort others. Our desires have taken us to places where we cannot sing your praises.
Heart-seeking God, forgive us. Plant a tiny seed of hope that it might grow into a bouquet for others. Increase our faith until it spills over in thanksgiving to you. Fill us with the love that overwhelms all our complaints and rekindles our desire to follow faithfully Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
While are failures and frailty are fresh, God's grace has been ours before time began. This is great news - we are forgiven.
God plants the seed of faith deep within us, growing a harvest of grace and hope. Thanks be to god, who has given us the promise of life in Christ Jesus our Lord! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One who cradles our hearts in loving hands.
People of God, let us give thanks to the God who sets a Table for us.
We praise the Lord our God who welcomes us with open arms.
It is our greatest joy
to sing our songs of praise to you,
Gardener of Creation.
You planted the seeds of faith
in our ancestors
who sought to pass it on to us.
But your gifts of love and self-discipline
found no resting place in our souls.
Your tears washed
the streets of the kingdom
when we abandoned them
to walk the world's lonely paths.
We do not remember who protects us,
and we rely on those false gods
who would lead us into despair's captivity.
But you will not forget us,
or leave us orphaned.
Hearing us crying in the night,
you sent our Hope, Jesus Christ.
Therefore, we lift our voices,
singing our praise with those
in every time, and in every place,
who have been brought out of death's exile
and who forever sing your joy:
Sung: (tune: Bunessan 5.5.5.4D)
God of Creation, Lord of all beauty,
All creatures join in singing your love;
Holy Compassion, Joy of our mornings,
Fill us with grace which comes from above.
Holy are you, Speaker of our hearts,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Promise of Life.
When we had hung our souls
on the branches of loss,
he handed them back to us,
teaching us the ageless
harmonies of grace.
When the world left us
by the side of the road
like rusty automobiles,
he came to restore us to newness.
Splashing in sin's puddles,
he washed our feet
and dried them with his love,
leading us into the kingdom.
Daughters of despair, sons of sadness,
orphans of woe -
he gathers us all up
in his arms of mercy
wiping out death,
and sits us down
at the family Table.
As we remember his grace and love,
as we dare not forget his sacrifice for us,
we sing of that mystery we call faith:
Sung: Christ of the outcast, Comfort of mourners,
Neighbor to strangers, Love without end;
Bearer of burdens, Grace ever with us,
Blessing our children, Brother and Friend.
Holy Spirit,
as we offer the gifts
of the bread and the cup
for your blessing,
so we present ourselves:
our accomplishments, our failings,
our hopes, our realities.
Make us weak,
so we might rely
on your strength.
As we have heard the Word,
may we listen
to the cries of the poor.
As we are family
with those sitting beside us today,
may we love our sisters and brothers
in every corner of creation.
As you hold out
the bread and the cup to us,
may we reach out to enemies
to clasp hands as friends.
God in Community, Holy in One,
all honor and glory are yours,
as we sing our praises through all eternity:
Sung: Spirit of kindness, Breath of forgiveness,
Faithful Companion, just as Christ said;
God's little children gathered together,
Drink of salvation, feast on your Bread.
© Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Proper 21/Ordinary 26/Pentecost 19/Trinity 18 - C
Texts: Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15; Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16; 1 Timothy 6:6-19; Luke
16:19-31
Call to Worship
The word has come for us from God:
who promises to shelter us under the wings of hope and grace.
The word has come to us from Jesus:
who encourages us to remember the good news we have received.
The word flows to us from the Spirit:
who reminds us to place our hope and trust in God.
Prayer of the Day
When we fall into the traps
of groundless fears,
you deliver us.
When an epidemic of worry
threatens to overcome us,
you protect us.
When harmful words
are flung at us,
you answer our cries for help.
Gracious God,
we worship you.
When our lives crumble,
you urge us to buy hope's fields.
When we are tempted by wealth,
you point us to those
who have nothing but share everything.
When we are eager
to grasp senseless lies,
you wrap our hands
around God's promises.
Servant of the poor,
we follow you.
When the world silences our hope,
you give us the words to make
the good confession of faith.
When we have lost our way
and can no longer endure
the emptiness of our lives,
you satisfy us from the abundance
of God's grace and joy.
Sheltering Spirit,
we seek your peace.
God in Community, Holy in One,
our Refuge, our Trust, our Hope,
we lift our prayer to you
as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
In God's presence, our lives are exposed, our words are shown for their hollowness, our need is revealed. Let us confess who we are, as we ask God to embrace us with grace and hope.
Unison Prayer of Confession
We need to confess, God of Abraham and Lazarus, how often we are not content with the simple gifts and lives you offer. Tempted by everything, we can become insensitive to those who have nothing. Encouraged by the world to accumulate more, we may miss the chance to gather your goodness and godliness. Chasing after all which has no value, we may not have the energy to pursue the faith, the love, the gentleness you have for us.
Forgive us, God of Reversals. You have sent the One who speaks the words we need to listen to in order to have life. Help us to remember how you have redeemed us, and in remembering, may we make that good confession that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, now and forever.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news that comes from God: I will hear your prayers, I will answer with hope and peace, I will deliver you from your sins.
God has covered us with grace; under God's hope we will find shelter. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God our refuge be with you!
And also with you!
Open your hearts to the One who watches over you.
We lift our hearts to God, who covers us with grace.
Sing to the One whose faithfulness wraps around you like a warm shawl.
Our voices unite in praise to God, in whom we trust.
In your presence, life-shaping God,
your heart besieged chaos,
planting hope and joy
where there was only despair,
bringing forth fields of flowers
where there was only emptiness.
You created us in your image,
signing the deed for all creation,
and sealing it for us, the Word
and Spirit witnesses to your generosity.
But we sought shelter in sin,
choosing to live in the shadow of death.
You called to us through the prophets,
but we did not answer.
Determined to rescue us,
you sent Jesus to us,
bring hope and grace and mercy
to us once again.
So, with those who have trusted you
in every time and place, we join
our voices with our sisters and brothers,
singing your glad praises:
Holy, holy, holy, God of faithfulness.
All creation takes hold of your life.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who dwells in unapproachable light.
Hosanna in the highest!
King of Kings,
Jesus humbled himself as our servant,
bringing everything we need into our world.
Lord of Lords,
he set aside eternal glory with you,
to take on our fleeting life.
Brother to the poor,
he turned from the riches of heaven,
to offer the wealth of your mercy to all.
Bearer of your good news,
he bore witness to Pilate
and all who rejected him,
of your grace which is stronger than death,
your love with defeats evil,
your redemption that gives new life.
As we remember Jesus' faithfulness in life,
as we celebrate his victory over death,
we would speak of that mystery we know as faith:
Christ died, enduring the cross;
Christ rose, taking hold of eternal life;
Christ will come, giving new life to all things.
Here, in the shelter of your grace,
surrounded by the gifts of the bread and the cup;
here, in the shadow of your love
which stretches through all creation
and touches your children everywhere,
we pray that you would pour out
your Spirit of peace, of hope, of joy.
As we are strengthened by the life
shared with us by the Broken One,
we would go forth to live out our faith,
satisfying the hunger of the world
for reconciliation and for freedom.
As we take hold of the Cup of life,
we will not fear the terrors that besiege us,
but journey on in trust and obedience,
pursuing righteousness and justice for all.
And when all life has ended and your Word calls to us,
at that time we will gather with our sisters and brothers
around the Table of wonder and mercy you have prepared,
forever singing our praises to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
The word has come for us from God:
who promises to shelter us under the wings of hope and grace.
The word has come to us from Jesus:
who encourages us to remember the good news we have received.
The word flows to us from the Spirit:
who reminds us to place our hope and trust in God.
Prayer of the Day
When we fall into the traps
of groundless fears,
you deliver us.
When an epidemic of worry
threatens to overcome us,
you protect us.
When harmful words
are flung at us,
you answer our cries for help.
Gracious God,
we worship you.
When our lives crumble,
you urge us to buy hope's fields.
When we are tempted by wealth,
you point us to those
who have nothing but share everything.
When we are eager
to grasp senseless lies,
you wrap our hands
around God's promises.
Servant of the poor,
we follow you.
When the world silences our hope,
you give us the words to make
the good confession of faith.
When we have lost our way
and can no longer endure
the emptiness of our lives,
you satisfy us from the abundance
of God's grace and joy.
Sheltering Spirit,
we seek your peace.
God in Community, Holy in One,
our Refuge, our Trust, our Hope,
we lift our prayer to you
as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
In God's presence, our lives are exposed, our words are shown for their hollowness, our need is revealed. Let us confess who we are, as we ask God to embrace us with grace and hope.
Unison Prayer of Confession
We need to confess, God of Abraham and Lazarus, how often we are not content with the simple gifts and lives you offer. Tempted by everything, we can become insensitive to those who have nothing. Encouraged by the world to accumulate more, we may miss the chance to gather your goodness and godliness. Chasing after all which has no value, we may not have the energy to pursue the faith, the love, the gentleness you have for us.
Forgive us, God of Reversals. You have sent the One who speaks the words we need to listen to in order to have life. Help us to remember how you have redeemed us, and in remembering, may we make that good confession that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, now and forever.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news that comes from God: I will hear your prayers, I will answer with hope and peace, I will deliver you from your sins.
God has covered us with grace; under God's hope we will find shelter. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God our refuge be with you!
And also with you!
Open your hearts to the One who watches over you.
We lift our hearts to God, who covers us with grace.
Sing to the One whose faithfulness wraps around you like a warm shawl.
Our voices unite in praise to God, in whom we trust.
In your presence, life-shaping God,
your heart besieged chaos,
planting hope and joy
where there was only despair,
bringing forth fields of flowers
where there was only emptiness.
You created us in your image,
signing the deed for all creation,
and sealing it for us, the Word
and Spirit witnesses to your generosity.
But we sought shelter in sin,
choosing to live in the shadow of death.
You called to us through the prophets,
but we did not answer.
Determined to rescue us,
you sent Jesus to us,
bring hope and grace and mercy
to us once again.
So, with those who have trusted you
in every time and place, we join
our voices with our sisters and brothers,
singing your glad praises:
Holy, holy, holy, God of faithfulness.
All creation takes hold of your life.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who dwells in unapproachable light.
Hosanna in the highest!
King of Kings,
Jesus humbled himself as our servant,
bringing everything we need into our world.
Lord of Lords,
he set aside eternal glory with you,
to take on our fleeting life.
Brother to the poor,
he turned from the riches of heaven,
to offer the wealth of your mercy to all.
Bearer of your good news,
he bore witness to Pilate
and all who rejected him,
of your grace which is stronger than death,
your love with defeats evil,
your redemption that gives new life.
As we remember Jesus' faithfulness in life,
as we celebrate his victory over death,
we would speak of that mystery we know as faith:
Christ died, enduring the cross;
Christ rose, taking hold of eternal life;
Christ will come, giving new life to all things.
Here, in the shelter of your grace,
surrounded by the gifts of the bread and the cup;
here, in the shadow of your love
which stretches through all creation
and touches your children everywhere,
we pray that you would pour out
your Spirit of peace, of hope, of joy.
As we are strengthened by the life
shared with us by the Broken One,
we would go forth to live out our faith,
satisfying the hunger of the world
for reconciliation and for freedom.
As we take hold of the Cup of life,
we will not fear the terrors that besiege us,
but journey on in trust and obedience,
pursuing righteousness and justice for all.
And when all life has ended and your Word calls to us,
at that time we will gather with our sisters and brothers
around the Table of wonder and mercy you have prepared,
forever singing our praises to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Proper 20/Ordinary 25/Pentecost 18/Trinity 17 - C
Texts: Jeremiah 8:18 - 9:1; Psalm 79:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:1-7; Luke
16:1-13
Call to Worship
We gather together to celebrate the joy in our lives.
God's love fills our hearts to overflowing with laughter.
We gather, in God's presence, to find comfort and hope for our pain.
God's grace wipes away our tears and knits us together as one people.
We gather together, in God's presence, to worship God in faith and truth.
Alleluia! Amen!
Prayer of the Day
Healing God,
when dismay
is our daily companion,
you come to touch us
with your healing hope.
When grief falls on us
like a wall of bricks,
you rebuild our joy
with your comfort and love.
Jesus Christ,
Faithful Spirit,
when bullies pick on us,
you stand by our side.
When neighbors taunt us
for choosing to be faithful,
you commend us
for our wisdom.
Teaching Spirit,
when we are heart-sick
over the brokenness of our lives,
your compassion races
to bring your gentle balm.
When our joy is gone
and we are stained
by the world's cruelty,
you bathe us in the tears
flowing from God's broken heart.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Before we speak, God knows our needs, yet our words open our hearts to God's grace. Let us prepare ourselves for God's healing as, in words and silence, we tell of all that separates us from God and one another. Please join me as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
First of all, Everlasting God, we must confess how we have not lived as your people. We serve many masters - work, wealth, power, addictions - yet find no hope in them. We hear the cries of the poor, and shut the doors of our hearts to them. We ridicule those who expose their hopes and dreams to us.
Forgive us, Compassion's Heart, and heal us of our brokenness. Make us well, so that by our healing, we might be the hope and love others need in their lives, even as Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, brought these gifts to us, calling us to be faithful with the grace, peace, and joy entrusted to us.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Now that we have let go of the pain, the bitterness, the anger of our lives, let us be kind, tender-hearted, and gentle towards each other, forgiving as God has forgiven us.
We are God's beloved children, and will model God's grace and love in our hearts. Thanks be to God! We are forgiven! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the one God be with you!
And also with you!
Lift your hearts to the One who heals them.
We offer our hearts to be filled with the balm of Gilead.
Sing praises to our God who would fill us with springs of joy.
Glad songs of thanksgiving are proclaimed to the One who delivers us to new life.
We praise you for our inheritance,
God of wonder and delight:
springs of water trickling into mighty rivers,
birds of the air cart wheeling in the morning mist,
tall trees dancing with the wind.
As your children, we were blessed
with abundant gifts beyond measure,
but we squandered this bounty, choosing
to buy property in sin and death's community.
Heartsick, you sent the prophets to us,
who indicted us for ruining ourselves,
but we were not strong enough
to pull up our roots and return to you.
So you sent Jesus, faithful in all,
to restore us to full health.
As we join our voices with all
who seek to serve you, far and wide,
we lift our songs of praise to you:
Holy, holy, holy, Author of grace and goodness.
All creation affirms the depths of your love.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is your Child of Compassion who sprints to us.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of our salvation,
and everlasting is the salvation brought
to us by Jesus Christ, our Mediator.
When we were too weak to dig
our way out of the mess we were in,
he came to show us the way out.
When we were too proud to ask for help,
he humbled himself, to become our brother.
When we could not account for our lives,
he balanced the books for us.
When we were faithless in so much,
he determined to go to the cross for us,
so that we might know of your longing
for everyone to be saved.
As we remember his faithful life in every thing he did,
as we celebrate his spirit of sacrifice,
we speak of that truth we call faith:
Christ died, paying the price we could not;
Christ arose, becoming our means of new life;
Christ will come, leading us to that quiet, peaceable life with you.
In these moments, in this holy place,
upon these gifts with offer hope and life,
upon these people who seek to be faithful,
pour out your Spirit of compassion and peace.
As we eat of the bread, tasting its grace,
may we move swiftly in service,
carrying compassion to the lost,
the hurting, the hungry, the homeless.
As we drink from the cup of love,
may the tears of our eyes
at the brokenness of the world,
become the healing balm for your children.
And when all time is gone, when eternity is upon us,
we will join our sisters and brothers from far and wide,
in singing forever your glory and wonder,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
We gather together to celebrate the joy in our lives.
God's love fills our hearts to overflowing with laughter.
We gather, in God's presence, to find comfort and hope for our pain.
God's grace wipes away our tears and knits us together as one people.
We gather together, in God's presence, to worship God in faith and truth.
Alleluia! Amen!
Prayer of the Day
Healing God,
when dismay
is our daily companion,
you come to touch us
with your healing hope.
When grief falls on us
like a wall of bricks,
you rebuild our joy
with your comfort and love.
Jesus Christ,
Faithful Spirit,
when bullies pick on us,
you stand by our side.
When neighbors taunt us
for choosing to be faithful,
you commend us
for our wisdom.
Teaching Spirit,
when we are heart-sick
over the brokenness of our lives,
your compassion races
to bring your gentle balm.
When our joy is gone
and we are stained
by the world's cruelty,
you bathe us in the tears
flowing from God's broken heart.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Before we speak, God knows our needs, yet our words open our hearts to God's grace. Let us prepare ourselves for God's healing as, in words and silence, we tell of all that separates us from God and one another. Please join me as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
First of all, Everlasting God, we must confess how we have not lived as your people. We serve many masters - work, wealth, power, addictions - yet find no hope in them. We hear the cries of the poor, and shut the doors of our hearts to them. We ridicule those who expose their hopes and dreams to us.
Forgive us, Compassion's Heart, and heal us of our brokenness. Make us well, so that by our healing, we might be the hope and love others need in their lives, even as Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, brought these gifts to us, calling us to be faithful with the grace, peace, and joy entrusted to us.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Now that we have let go of the pain, the bitterness, the anger of our lives, let us be kind, tender-hearted, and gentle towards each other, forgiving as God has forgiven us.
We are God's beloved children, and will model God's grace and love in our hearts. Thanks be to God! We are forgiven! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the one God be with you!
And also with you!
Lift your hearts to the One who heals them.
We offer our hearts to be filled with the balm of Gilead.
Sing praises to our God who would fill us with springs of joy.
Glad songs of thanksgiving are proclaimed to the One who delivers us to new life.
We praise you for our inheritance,
God of wonder and delight:
springs of water trickling into mighty rivers,
birds of the air cart wheeling in the morning mist,
tall trees dancing with the wind.
As your children, we were blessed
with abundant gifts beyond measure,
but we squandered this bounty, choosing
to buy property in sin and death's community.
Heartsick, you sent the prophets to us,
who indicted us for ruining ourselves,
but we were not strong enough
to pull up our roots and return to you.
So you sent Jesus, faithful in all,
to restore us to full health.
As we join our voices with all
who seek to serve you, far and wide,
we lift our songs of praise to you:
Holy, holy, holy, Author of grace and goodness.
All creation affirms the depths of your love.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is your Child of Compassion who sprints to us.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of our salvation,
and everlasting is the salvation brought
to us by Jesus Christ, our Mediator.
When we were too weak to dig
our way out of the mess we were in,
he came to show us the way out.
When we were too proud to ask for help,
he humbled himself, to become our brother.
When we could not account for our lives,
he balanced the books for us.
When we were faithless in so much,
he determined to go to the cross for us,
so that we might know of your longing
for everyone to be saved.
As we remember his faithful life in every thing he did,
as we celebrate his spirit of sacrifice,
we speak of that truth we call faith:
Christ died, paying the price we could not;
Christ arose, becoming our means of new life;
Christ will come, leading us to that quiet, peaceable life with you.
In these moments, in this holy place,
upon these gifts with offer hope and life,
upon these people who seek to be faithful,
pour out your Spirit of compassion and peace.
As we eat of the bread, tasting its grace,
may we move swiftly in service,
carrying compassion to the lost,
the hurting, the hungry, the homeless.
As we drink from the cup of love,
may the tears of our eyes
at the brokenness of the world,
become the healing balm for your children.
And when all time is gone, when eternity is upon us,
we will join our sisters and brothers from far and wide,
in singing forever your glory and wonder,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© Thom M. Shuman
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