Liturgy w/communion for August 10, 2014 (Pentecost 9/Trinity 8/Proper 14/)rdinary 19 - A)

Texts: 1 Kings 19:9-18; Psalm 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33

Call to Worship
We gather to worship our God,
who speaks the words of peace we need in chaotic times.
We gather to follow Jesus,
who encourages to never fear, for he is near.
We gather to be filled with the Spirit,
who anoints us so we can go to serve our world.

Prayer of the Day
You come as a great wind,
splitting our fears into fragments,
breaking our prejudices into
tiny pebbles that hurt no one.
   You are a summer's breeze
   that stirs the growing grass;
   you are the soft breath
   which makes us more caring.

You come as an earthquake,
knocking all our doctrines
off their neat shelves,
smashing them beyond recognition.
   You are the gentle touch
   that wakens us from
   our nightmares, whispering,
   'it's just me; don't be scared.'

You are the fire that rages
against the injustices visited
upon the poor, the broken, the vulnerable
(often in your name).
   You are the spark that lights
   the passions for your people
   so we feed the hungry, clothe the naked,
   free the oppressed, visit the sick.

As you pass by us in so many ways,
may we take notice of you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
The deepest longing of our hearts is to be forgiven and embraced by our God. As we confess our sins, God speaks peace to us and makes us whole.  Join me, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   In truth, God of silence and seas, we are more adept at making waves than calming storms.  We find it easier to push people out of the boat,  rather than make room for those who are different from us.  And our lives are such a whirlwind of  activity, that we do not notice your presence or hear your sheer silence singing your shalom to us.
   Have mercy on us, God of patience.  Grab hold of us to keep us from drowning in our oceans of temptations.  Give us the words to speak of your hope to others.  Fill our hearts with the love of Jesus Christ, which is nearer to us than we dare to imagine.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Immediately, immediately! your sins are forgiven, your life is restored, and grace becomes your guide through this life.
Thanks be to God!  We are not left alone, but take heart in the forgiving love of our God.  Amen.

Offertory/Prayer of Dedication
Not only with our lips, but with our lives and with our treasure we will proclaim that you are in our midst, Loving God.  Take these gifts, and use them so all might know that your love, your life, your hope, your healing is near to them.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
And also with you.
Let us open your hearts to God,
so they may be filled with grace.
Speak of the Word of life which is near you.
Glad songs of praise are on our lips.

At the corner of disarray and emptiness,
you came, Ingenuous God, passing by
as creation sprang forth out of the sheer silence:
   splitting valleys to push up mountains,
   breaking planets into moons,
   pouring waters into seas.
All this was for those shaped in your image,
   but we threw down your hopes,
   leaving you alone as we
   forsook you for sin and death.
Prophets came proclaiming your word
so we could hear, that in hearing
we might believe, and in believing
we could call on you,
   but we refused to listen.
Unwilling to give up on us,
you sent Jesus to us,
coming into all our broken places.

With those who confess you with their lips,
with those who believe in their hearts,
we sing our praises to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God who does not forsake us.
All creation worships and praises you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to us.
Hosanna in the highest!

At the corner of justice and kindness,
Jesus came, your child of holiness,
our brother of hope and grace.
When the world would dismiss us,
   he would put us to work
   in your kingdom.
When others would toss us overboard,
   he reaches out
   to pull us to safety.
When the forces of sin and death
threaten to overwhelm us,
   he has already overcome their power
   once and for all, by dying
   and being raised to new life.

As we gather at this Table,
we will find him in our hearts,
even as we proclaim our faith:

Christ died, following God to the very end;
God raised him, restoring him to wholeness;
Christ will return, to guide us to God.

Here at the corner of fears and doubts,
we come to your Table,
where the Spirit blessed the bread and cup,
and all those who are in this place.
The bread is the gift of life, sending us
   to plant gardens in
      craters made by bombs;
   to offer a bouquet of
      faithfulness to the ostracized.
The cup is the promise of hope,
   which we would share with all
      who wander in despair.

And when we gather in that place
where you pass by us on the way
to prepare the great feast of the Lamb,
we will sing our songs of joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
We will go into the world as God's people,
telling of God's hopes for all.
We will go to serve the world as followers of Jesus,
showing with our lives that all are part of the kingdom.
We will go to share the Spirit,
to bring peace where there is war, to share love where there is hate.

(c) 2014 Thom M. Shuman