Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
We glorify our
God with songs of thanksgiving and joy.
God has done
great things for us, filling us with grace.
God fed our
ancestors in the wilderness, God clothes us with hope.
We will offer our
hearts to God, always saying, 'Thank you!'
to the One who
loves us.
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,
(The Lord’s Prayer)
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 for
Forgiveness
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
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.
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.
Prayer of Dedication/Offering
Our tables groan with too much food, so may our gifts feed the hungry;
we welcome family into our homes, so may we embrace the lonely;
we sleep in warm beds at night, so may we shelter the homeless;
we are blessed with more than we need, so may our gifts fill the emptiness of our sisters and brothers in need. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Great Prayer of
Thanksgiving
The Lord of
blessings be with you.
The Lord be with
you, also.
Be glad and
rejoice, God's people,
lifting your
hearts to the restorer of lives.
We offer them to
the God who clothes us in grace.
People of God,
come to the Table where you shall eat and be satisfied.
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:
Holy, holy, holy
are you, 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:
Christ died, the
righteousness for all.
Christ was raised,
the resurrection for all.
Christ will
return, the fulfillment for all.
Pour out your
Spirit
doing great things
with the bread 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.
Sending
The Creator of heaven and earth sends us out,
may we go to being help to all around us.
The Bringer of grace sends us out,
may we go to offer hope and healing to the broken.
The Spirit of peace sends us out,
may we go to bring reconciliation in all the broken places.
(c) 2016 Thom M. Shuman
