Texts:
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15; Psalm 90:12-17; Hebrews 4:12-16; Mark 10:17-31
Call to Worship
What
can we do to have life?
We can seek God, who
gives us live in every moment.
What
can we do to serve justice in our world?
We can set aside that
which keeps us
from following Jesus –
wealth, pride, power, whatever.
What
can we do to share the good news with others?
We can open ourselves
to the Spirit,
so people can see God
at work in us.
Prayer of the Day
Each
morning, at the table,
you
offer a serving of love,
not
so we will scarf it down
and
rush out the door, but
so
that we have more than enough
to
share with everyone we meet,
God
who cares for us.
Each
day, when our courage
begins
to lag and we think
we
just cannot
listen
to one more lie,
watch
the powerful ridicule the vulnerable,
have
the courage to confront evil,
you
offer a serving of justice,
so
that we can continue to follow,
Jesus
who has given up everything for us.
Each
evening, as we check
social
media, turn on the news,
listen
to the voices on the radio,
and
are tempted to simply believe
there
is nothing to do but
fall
into the arms of despair for comfort,
you
offer us a cup of peace,
with
lots of mercy and hope stirred in,
so
we can rest in you,
Spirit
who is always with us.
Each
moment, and every moment,
you
serve us with all we need,
God
in Community, Holy in One,
and
so we pray as we are taught,
(The Lord’s Prayer)
Call to Reconciliation
We
have failed, we have not lived as God’s people.
And while we think we should hide, God invites us to come, to confess
our lives, and to be restored to wholeness.
Let us pray, using these words,
Unison Prayer for
Forgiveness
There are so many things, Wise God, which
keeps us from following Jesus. We try to
turn justice into a bitter pill for others.
We push righteousness out of the way, so we can seek those who tell
lies. We know, deep down inside, that
one thing which keeps us from faithful living, but just can’t loosen our grip
on it.
We can’t seem to do it, God who remembers
us, but because everything is possible with you, give us the wisdom to know
what that one thing might be; the grace to let go and leave it behind us; and
the courage to follow Jesus wherever he might lead us, especially into that
life which you offer in love and hope.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Here
at the seat of grace, we are forgiven, and can climb up and find the love of
God comforting and restoring us to new life.
Every moment, God
offers us a serving of love and mercy, so we can continue to live as God intends. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.
Prayer of
Dedication/Offering
We
think what we offer in these moments is not that much, or can accomplish
anything of worth, but with you, Holy God, all things are possible. So we trust you will use them, multiply them,
offer them to those who need hope, healing, grace, and peace in their
lives. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Great Prayer of
Thanksgiving
May
the welcoming God be with you.
And also with you.
Let
us lift our hearts to our God.
We offer them to the
One who shares grace with us.
Let
us lift our voices to our God.
We will glad songs to
the One who loves us.
In
the cold, dead silence of chaos,
your
Word, God of wonder,
was
active and moving with the Spirit,
breathing life into creatures,
planting seeds of justice in hearts,
bringing beauty and goodness into everything.
All
that was wonderful, and that was gracious,
was
offered to those formed in your image,
but we chose to live in sin’s glass houses,
and to drink the fine wines of death.
You
sent prophets and psalmists
to
offer your love and hope to us
and
to call us back to you,
yet we continued to pocket the bribes
temptation offered to us over and over.
Then
you sent Jesus into our lives,
so
we would know that you long
to
be with us in every moment.
With
those who see you at work among us,
with
those who try to hide from you,
we
lift our voices in praise:
Holy, holy, holy are
you, god who shares grace freely.
All creation shares in
the wonders you have given.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who is
our high priest.
Hosanna in the highest!
You
alone are holy, God of grace,
and
Jesus is our hope, our peace.
Advocate
for the poor,
he teaches us not to walk over them,
but to lift them to their feet.
Speaker
of your truth,
he reminds us of the hope
which is ours if we but reach out.
Challenger
of our easy faith,
he calls us to let go of the very things
which we cannot set aside.
Trusting
that you indeed can,
and
will do, anything,
he gives it all up on the cross,
being raised to new life,
as death and sin are defeated.
As
we seek to remember his life and teachings,
as
we celebrate the resurrection given to us,
we
proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Jesus died, looking
past evil;
Jesus was raised, your
love turning death into life;
Jesus will come, to
remind us God has not forgotten us.
Here
at the Table we are reminded
that
you alone are good, Generous God,
and
so, we pray you pour out your Spirit
on
your children and on the gifts of the Feast.
As
we taste the bread which is broken,
may
it give us the strength
to build bridges, not walls;
to care for the vulnerable;
to listen to the victimized.
As
we drink from cup,
may
it nourish us with grace,
so we can share hope with the broken,
so we can plant peace in war-torn fields,
so we can share from our abundance.
And
when you gather us around
the
throne of grace to feed us
at
your Table with our sisters and brothers,
we
sing our praises to you forever,
God
in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
Sending
Let
us go with God into the world.
We will share all the
wonders God has given us.
Let
us go with Jesus to care for others.
We will build justice
for all who need it.
Let
us go with the Spirit to search for good.
We will speak truth to a
world which needs it.
©
2018 Thom M. Shuman
