Texts: Isaiah 44:6-8; Psalm 86:11-17; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Call to Worship
From the moment we open our eyes each
morning,
until we close them at night, God is with us.
There is
no one like you, our God!
In times when we are surrounded with
struggles,
in all the surprising places we find hope, Jesus is
with us.
There is no one like you, our Brother!
When we feel
orphaned by the world,
when we are welcomed into faith's family,
the Holy Spirit is with us.
There is no one like you, Witnessing
Spirit!
Prayer of the Day
You we praise, Steadfast Love,
for your
presence never abandons us,
but is at our side in all of life.
There is no
cobwebbed corner
that is not claimed by your grace.
You we praise,
Teller of parables.
Your words challenge us in moments of doubt,
as well
as in our times of great faith.
When we run around in circles
chasing our
worries and fears
like a dog after it's tail,
you whisper hope to
us.
You we praise, Spirit who calls to our hearts.
Your voice is that
gentle whisper
in a world filled with angry shouts;
your joy is that
refreshing shower
when despair parches our souls;
your wonder opens our
eyes and ears
to the gifts which surround our lives.
You we praise,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as we are taught,
saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)
Call to Reconciliation
When we fail to
live as God's people, we are like flowers which give way to weeds. But God
seeks us out, not to condemn us, but to comfort, to forgive, and to bring
us home. Let us stop playing hide-and-seek with our God, as we confess
our sins together, saying,
Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
Insolently we turn against you, God of truth. When we follow those desires
that control us; when we live for ourselves, shutting off the gifts of
those around us; when we think we do not need to share love, hope, peace with
others, we show how we have joined that league of hooligans who ignore
your way of life.
Yet, you have chosen to adopt us as your
children, God-who-stands-with-us, forgiving us and making us inheritors
with Jesus of your grace and joy. So lead us by the Spirit, that we might
follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, into creation which groans for
love and healing.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
In
sorrow so deep we cannot find our way out,
God cradles us in
comfort;
in moments so shadowed we trip over our fears,
God
lights the way for us;
in joy which cascades into our
souls,
God fills us with healing.
Even when we cannot see
it, God's hope is all around us, surrounding us with peace and healing.
Thanks be to God, we are forgiven ! Amen.
Prayer of
Dedication/Offertory
Your steadfast love is but one of the many gifts
you pour into us. Our offerings are but a part of the ways in which we
can serve you and your people. Bless them, and bless us, to ministries of
healing and hope. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God
of hope be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift your
hearts to your Creator.
We offer them to the One who fills us with
wonder.
Children of God, join in glad songs of praise to God.
We
join the psalmists and prophets, the disciples and the doubters in
glorifying God.
Who is like you, whimsical God?
You could have kept
creation for yourself,
but instead you
poured light into the shadows
of chaos,
planted seeds for crops to strengthen all,
shaped
companions to journey with us.
You freely give these gifts to those
who
are made in your loving image,
but from old, we choose over and
over
to trust in sin and death,
believing their tangible
temptations
to be of more value than your unseen hope.
Prophets come
along to teach us your way,
so we might walk in your truth,
but we
consider them to be a
troupe of troublemakers
and chase them
away.
Finally Jesus came, to gather up your children,
so we might shine
like the Son in your kingdom.
With those who remain indebted to the
flesh,
with those who owe their life to the Spirit,
we join our voices in
praising you:
Holy, holy, holy are you, God of steadfast
love.
All creation groans, awaiting your redemption.
Hosanna in
the highest!
Blessed is the One who gives us listening ears.
Hosanna in the highest!
Who is like you, Story Teller?
You left the
crowds of angels
and came into our world.
With parables and simple
truths,
you opened our ears so we could listen
to words of joy and
comfort.
Grounded in that hope no one can see,
you opened our eyes so we
can glimpse
touch, taste, and live in the kingdom.
You suffered on
the cross to break
the hold sin and death have on us,
so by the grace
of your resurrection,
we become your sisters and brothers,
joint
heirs of God's constant grace.
As we wait with eager longing for
you,
as we celebrate this feast of heaven,
we declare that faith which is
a mystery:
Christ died, refusing to fall back into fear;
God
raised him, revealing glory to us;
Christ will come to gather us into
the kingdom.
Who is like you, Spirit of Creation?
You plant the seeds
that become
the grain which is turned into bread;
you warm the vines that
nurture
the grapes which are for the cup;
you transform these simple
gifts
into a meal set at the children's Table.
May the broken bread give
us strength
so we may go to serve
the vulnerable with our whole
hearts.
May the cup offered to us open our ears
so we may listen to
the oppressed
with attention focused only on them.
Then, when all
creation is gathered up at the end
and all your children from every age and
place
gather around that Table prepared from your hope,
we will spend all
eternity forever praising you,
God in Community, Holy in One.
Amen.
Sending
Go forth as God's people.
We will greet
everyone as one of the family.
Go forth as followers of Jesus.
We
will serve everyone we meet, especially those who have been thrown
aside by the world.
Go forth with the gifts of the Spirit in
you.
We will be that hope which everyone longs to see.
© 2014
Thom M. Shuman