Liturgy with communion in a time of pandemic for May 3, 2020 (Easter 4 - A)

Texts:  Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23;1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10

Call to Worship
In the laughter of children,
we hear the voice of the Gate of the Way,
and find our way home.
In the lap of a parent,
God's compassion cradles us
in the still waters of love.
The Shepherd of our lives
leads us through that door
into life with him forever.
We are baptized with living waters
which refresh us, restoring us
to follow Jesus all our days.
The Holy Spirit, Keeper of truth,
is the Light which guides us
through every shadowed moment.
The Breath of life stills our worries
and fears, as we are lead to that
peaceful place of God's heart.

Prayer of the Day
Buoyed by your living waters,
we are at peace in seas
of stress and success,
as we are tossed to and from
by waves of quarantine;

detoured onto those walkways
leading to your joy,
we find our way out of mazes
crafted by Zoom fatigue[

nourished at your picnic
provided by those who deliver
it to that garden of grace,
our shredded souls
are anointed by your healing;

you slow us down just enough,
as we try to escape
the very isolation which
we need to honor and live,
so goodness and mercy
can catch up with us
and carry everyone around
us into your heart.

God in Community, Holy in One,
may you always be with us on our journey,
these these lonely and uncertain times
as we pray as Jesus teaches us, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Day by day, God would lead us to the places of hope and healing, while moment by moment, we continue to follow sin down all the wrong paths.  Let us confess our lives, as we draw near to the One who would restore us to wholeness.  Join me as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     Gate of our lives, you know how easy it is to follow the wrong paths.  We can make the foolish choice to listen to foolish rhetoric, and not to the wisest among us.  We continue to make the mistake that we no longer need to be cautious, thus making life chancy for all around us,  we would rather stir the waters of trouble then to stay at home, safe and content.  And while we have no trouble locking the doors of our hearts, we increasingly grow weary of all this social distancing stuff.
     Forgive us, our Goodness and Mercy.  May our hearts overflow with hope for others, so others might be anointed with healing oil of grace.  May we share from our abundance of caution with all who hunger for hope.  May we follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, to the places of service and life with you forever, even if only from the interiors of our homes.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Our Comforter leads us to that place where God's Table is spread with forgiveness and overflowing with grace.  Here, we are called to life and love.
We will live as God's people: forgiven to serve, blessed to share, loved so we might care.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
As we offer our gifts this day, may we join Mercy and Goodness in being in the lives of all who long for rest, who hunger for hope, who thirst for living waters, and who ache to be part of your community of grace and peace.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of gates be with you!
And also with you!
God calls us to open our hearts to others,
for they are filled to overflowing with grace.
Every day, let us rejoice in the Restorer of our lives.
We sing glad songs to the One who leads us.

You watched over creation,
God of patience,
as it emerged out of nothingness:
     meadows where sheep could rest,
     still pools of water teeming with tadpoles,
     paths worn smooth by mountain goats.
You shaped us in your divine likeness,
anointing us with Spirit's breath of life,
so we could wander the garden by your side.
     But that thief, sin, and that bandit, death,
     climbed into Eden by another way,
     and we followed these strangers' voices.
Day by day, you sent prophets to us,
who challenged us to lead God-centered lives,
     but we devoted ourselves to that life
     which is empty and bitter.
So then you sent Jesus,
shaped in human likeness, to us,
so we would know you are with us.

With those who walk your paths,
with those who long to find their way,
we offer glad and generous hearts to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, Guardian of our souls.
All creation praises you day after day after day.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who trusted in you alone.
Hosanna in the highest!

You alone are holy, Gate of the Way,
and Jesus Christ,  your Child, is Shepherd of life.
He kept to the path of righteousness,
     so we might learn how
     to walk in his footsteps.
Knowing our voices, he followed us
     to the gate of death,
     where the keeper let him in,
     locking the gate behind him.
But you came another way
and, knowing your voice,
     Jesus followed you
     out of the tomb,
     receiving life, abundantly,
for all your children.

As we gather in prayer and worship,
as we seek to devote ourselves to following Jesus,
we sing of that mystery known as faith:

Christ bore our sins in his body on the cross;
Christ was raised by you out of death;
Christ will come, so we might live for righteousness.

You lead us to this Table
where we want for nothing,
for your Spirit transforms
everyday foods into a sacred feast.
Your bread and cup comfort us,
nourishing us so we might be together
in everything with our sisters and brothers.
The broken bread strengthens us
     to provide clean, still waters to all;
     to build shelter for those who sleep rough;
     to feed those who are hungry.
Your grace overflows into us so we may offer
     companionship to those who
          wander shadowed valleys;
     an open gate to those
          longing for a community;
     voices of compassion
          and hope to the oppressed.

When we follow goodness and mercy
to the end of time, we will find you
coming out of the kitchen,
setting dish upon dish of peace and hope
on that great table prepared for all your children,
and we will join our hearts and hands
as we sing praise and wonder to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Day by day, God will lead us:
to those pools of peace where we can
care for our friends and strangers
even from a safe disance.
Day by day, Jesus will call us:
to give ourselves in service,
to anoint others with hope,
to stay in the safe places 
for the good of all of God's people.
Day by day, the Spirit shows us:
the people we might be,
the community we might become
when once again we can gather.

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Easter 3- A Liturgy with communion for a time of pandemic (April 26, 2020)

Texts:  Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35

Call to Worship

In these moments of isolation

and wondering what tomorrow might bring,

let us lift our voices to God.

We will call on the One who promises to hear us,

and better – to listen to our hearts and souls.

In days of uncertainty, when the future seems unclear,

in life, in death, in every moment, God deals graciously with us.

We will rejoice in the One who is with us

walking with us, opening our eyes, touching our heart.

As God’s people, we know that the Bread of life is for us,

even as we hunger for hope, life, joy, healing for our brokenness.

Just as we do with the cup of salvation,

we will lift our hearts in thanksgiving to our God.

Prayer of the Day

When every day seems the same,

with no one listening to our dreams,

our hopes, our fears, and worries,

you pause, God our Baker,

turning your head

so that you can read our lips.

When every road seems the same,

filled with despair's potholes,

littered with pain's detritus,

you come alongside us, God our Lover,

pointing out that side road

that will take us to Abba's Fine Eats.

When every step trips us,

when every loss weighs us down,

when every grief breaks our heart,

you come, God our Keeper,

with your book of grace

filled with easy words

and lots of pictures

to teach us hope.

When everyone ignores us,

when everything disappoints us,

you walk with us, you talk with us,

you refuse to abandon us,

God in Community, Holy in One,

so hear us as we pray as we are taught,

(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation

When we confess our lives, we are calling on God who promises, not only to hear us, but to heal us with forgiveness and hope.  Join me, as we pray together saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     We cut you to the heart, Loving God, with the silly choices we make.  Given the chance to reflect your love and grace in our lives, do those around us see these gifts? We can offer words of healing and hope but tend to hold them close to us in these times. We had hoped to find Jesus but often never notice him in the folks driving trucks, stocking shelves, and others we overlook.
     Oh, how foolish we are to think we can go on without your mercy, Lord God.  Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, you judge us impartially from the depths of your heart, so we may be born anew by your grace, to continue the journey into your future.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

This we know for certain - we are forgiven by our gracious God.  This good news never ceases to astound us!

This promise is passed on to us, so we may share it with everyone we meet.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

As we offer our treasure and hearts to you, O God, may they be used to pass on the promise of hope, of peace, of life, of community to all in need of your gifts and presence in their lives.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the God of Emmaus roads be with you.

And also with you.

Fellow pilgrims, give your hearts to God.

We offer our cold hearts to the One who will set them on fire.

Alleluia!  Sing songs of glad praise.

Alleluia!  We will sing of the risen Lord.

Before the foundation of creation

was poured out of your heart,

God of astounding imagination,

your Word whispered and

     elephants trumpeted in the veldt,

     whales sang in the ocean deeps,

     gases whirled and swirled into galaxies.

The Spirit moved upon those shaped

in your image, breathing life into us

so we might live within your grace,

     but we put out our hands,

     letting death handcuff us

     and lead us away from you.

Prophets came, interpreting your love

and hope for us with words and deeds,

     but we did not recognize them,

     going on our way without them.

So you sent Jesus to us,

to astound us with the news

that you would never give up on us.

With those who are far away,

with those who are right next to us,

we offer our thanksgivings to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God our listener.
All creation is made new by your Word.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the Bread of heaven who opens our eyes.
Hosanna in the highest!

Because you are holy, you are gracious,

God of our every moment,

and being Grace itself, your Child

was willing to become one of us.

He took on our humanity,

     so your love might be seen

     face-to-face.

He blessed us, when the rest

     of the world cursed us

     and tossed us aside.

He broke the power of sin

     by dying on the cross,

and he gave death its notice,

     as he walked out of the tomb

     from which you raised

     him to new life.

Baptized at the font as your beloved children,

sustained by the feast of the Lamb of life,

we speak of that faith which seems so familiar,

     yet is still a mystery:

Christ died, suffering those things for us;
Christ was raised by God, walking side by side;
Christ will come, and our eyes will be opened so we can recognize him.

We act as if we are going on,

but you urge us to stay,

inviting us to this Table

where your Spirit blesses

the bread and the cup,

and your children gathered together.

We take the bread you have blessed

and in its breaking, our eyes are opened

     to see the despair around us,

     to glimpse the grief of our friends,

     to witness to the suffering in our midst.

We take the cup you give us,

and as we drink from it, our hearts burn

     for the oppressed in our world,

     for those we walk past,

     for the hungry and homeless.

And at the same hour when all time ends,

we will return to your heart,

finding our sisters and brothers gathered

together around the Table of glory,

and join forever in singing your praises,

God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending

The stone has been rolled away!

We will go to share this good news!

Jesus walks with us on our journey.

We will go with him wherever the road takes us.

Jesus has opened our eyes.

We will go to serve everyone we see.

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

liturgy for Easter 2 - A in a time of pandemic (April 19, 2020)

Texts:  Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31

Call to Worship

Christ is risen! 

Christ is risen indeed!

Though we find ourselves isolated

in homes, apartments, and residential places,

yet, we would listen to the birds singing,

reminding us that the whole creation

rejoices in the love of our God.

Though we cannot reach out and touch

our friends and neighbors,

we would rejoice that Jesus is in our midst,

holding out hands of grace and hope to us!

Though we have to stand at a safe distance

from others, whispering hello through masks,

we know that the Spirit is all around us,

breathing peace on us in these moments,

surrounding us with grace and hope.

Prayer of the Day

Though our lives seem

so lonely and empty these days,

yet there is the sun in the morning,

the moon and stars at night,

the wonder of creation unfolding

before our eyes and hearts, reminding us

that we have nothing apart

from you, God of Easter.

When we need to maintain

boundaries and safe distancing,

when we realize how much

we miss human touch (yes,

even us introverts),

you invite us to touch your

loneliness with our own,

your sorrow and scars

with our own, Brother of our souls.

When we find ourselves huddling

in the locked rooms of our hearts,

the doors and shutters of our souls

securing us from the fears that are outside,

you come, Spirit of hope,

to breathe peace upon us,

to always surround us with hope,

to never abandon us to our loneliness.

God in Community, Holy in One,

remind us we are never, ever, apart from you,

even as we pray as we are taught,

(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation

Like those disciples of long ago, we are filled with uncertainty, wondering what the next piece of news will bring, what awaits us today, tonight, tomorrow.  Let us confess how hard it is to believe in the resurrection life and hope offered to us, by the One who offers us peace and healing, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

     Hear the echoes of our locked hearts, Path of Life.  We isolate ourselves from the struggles of the world and wonder if we will ever find our way back.  Even in these moments, we could do more for others, but multiply their sorrows by our focusing more on ourselves and our needs. We see the ones who are risking their lives to care for those they don’t even know, and grumble that they could be doing more.

     Have mercy on us, God whose Breath gives us life.  Walk through the closed doors of our worries and doubts to stand in our midst, offering us that grace which can heal us, that hope which can enliven us, and that faith which enables us to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

It is God's great mercy through the resurrection of Jesus which gives us that hope which lives within us.

Thanks be to God for this precious gift by which we are able to believe and rejoice in our inheritance.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

May the gifts we offer be used to open doors closed to strangers, hands shut tight against generous giving, and hearts frozen by fears of the unknown.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the God of mornings be with you.

May the God of evenings be with you.

Do not fear but open your hearts to God.

We offer them to the One who is our living hope.

Rejoice!  The Lord of life is always with us.

We sing glad thanksgivings to our God.

In the evenings of creation,

Loving God, you looked and saw

all that was good and beautiful:

     loblolly pines reaching to the sky,

     lochs and glens brimming with life,

     chains of islands in the warm seas.

The Holy Spirit breathed upon us,

whispering, 'receive creation,' as your gifts

were entrusted to our care,

     but sin enticed us into its

     closed room of fears, turning

     the key of death in the lock.

Prophets came, standing among us,

speaking of your invitation to come home,

     but we refused to listen

     to what they had to say.

Determined never to abandon us,

you sent Jesus, to make known to us

the ways of life which your offer.

With those who saw and witnessed,

with those who have not seen, yet believe,

we sing with glad hearts to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of our evenings.

All creation rejoices in the good news of Easter.

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who stands among us.

Hosanna in the highest!

In the evenings, your holiness never rests,

and Jesus Christ, the risen One, is ever with us.

Into the closed rooms of our lives, he comes,

     breathing Spirit's peace;

using grace and hope, he picks

     the locked doors of our hearts

     that he might be with us;

showing us his hands and side, he reminds

     us that death can no more cling

     to us, than it did to him,

for you will never abandon us.

As we believe, though we have not seem;

as we rejoice in that living hope which is ours;

we speak of faith, that mystery more precious than gold:

Christ died, believing what he could not see.

Christ was raised, becoming our living hope.

Christ will come, bringing our inheritance kept for us.

In the evenings of our lives,

you send the Spirit to fill us with peace,

as the bread and the cup

are filled with the life and grace of Jesus.

Cradling the broken bread

in his nail-scarred hands,

Jesus shows us

     his grieving brothers,

     his hungry sisters,

           so we may go to serve them.

Handing us the cup of living hope,

we are invited to drink deeply

and then go into the world

     to offer peace to those wearied by war,

     to give freedom to all who are oppressed,

     to share grace with those who need it most.

And when the last evening comes, you will

gather us in that upper room called your heart,

where we will feast with all your children,

forever singing our praises to you,

God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending

Go forth in the love of God.

We will take this love into unlovely parts of the world

even while we stay isolated at home.

Go forth in the grace of Jesus Christ.

We will look for him in the faces of every person we meet,

even at a distance, even through social media.

Go forth in the peace of the Spirit.

We will share this hope with the brokenness all around us,

that we might offer healing to everyone.

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Easter worship in a time of pandemic (April 12, 2020)

Texts:  Jeremiah 31:1-6; Psalm 118:1-2, 18-24; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-18

Call to Worship

We are still isolated,
still feeling like we have been
left alone in a shadowed place,
but this is the day:
hope tiptoes us awake;
light guides us through the shadows.
We are keeping a safe distance from others,
we are quarantining ourselves,
we are not gathering as God's people,
but this is the day the Lord:
plants joy in our winter hearts;
drowns out despair’s cries with laughter.
This is a time of uncertainty and fear,
we wonder what today will bring,
we worry about the coming tomorrow,
but this is the day the Lord has made
the day grace does cartwheels in graveyards;
resurrection wonder outshines the brightest sun;
an empty tomb fills us with good news.

Prayer of the Day
Each morning,
we are putting on those
   comfortable garments
   of burdens and worries,
but now they we are dressed
in joy and wonder, 
which we will wear every day!

Each day,
we walk through life,
alone, apart, afraid,
our good and faithful
friend, death, at our side,
   constantly whispering
   in our ears,
but now death has lost its power,
now a new Friend walks with us!

Each evening,
we empty our worries
out of our pockets, leaving
   them on top of the dresser,
but now, the dresser has been wiped down,
everything has been sanitized with joy!

We could continue to live
in the same old ways, the same old days,
but now, resurrection life is ours,
and we can sing, dance, and rejoice with you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we pray together, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We find ourselves living in the shadows these days, afraid to follow the light.  We wander in our backyards, alone, looking for God in these days.  Yet we are still, we will be again, we are always Easter people!  Let us speak of our fears of having the resurrection promise wiped away by the virus of fear and panic, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

   Unable to gather together, still on this day, as we walk through the shadows of our lives, we come to you, God who dispels our fears.  Too often, we believe our foolishness is hidden from you; too often, we stand before the open door of hope, wondering if we dare enter.  Uncertain of the good news offered to us, we would rather return to the comfort of our familiar ways rather than trusting in you.
   Yet you come, as persistent as Mary at the tomb,
   Joy of our hearts,
   to open the gates of hope,
      so we might walk in the gardens of hope;
   you come, to open the gates of grace,
      so we might plant peace in the wilderness of the world;
   you come, to open the gates of resurrection,
      so we might know our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

This is the day of resurrection and new life.  This is the day God offers us steadfast hope and love which will never end.
We will sing and dance on this day!  We we are still, we will be again, we are always Easter people! We will rejoice and give thanks to the God who saves us.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

Though alone, separated from others, we can still we offer our gifts on this joyous morning, praying that they may the bring light to those in the shadows, laughter to all who mourn, and hope to those longing for life anew.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May resurrection’s God be with you!
And also with you!
This is the day to offer yourselves to God.
We open our hearts to the One who fills them with grace.
Join in the glad songs of all creation this day.
Our voices praise the One who opens wide the gates of life.

When only emptiness stretched out,
you spoke at that time, Joyous God,
and goodness and beauty sprang forth:
   swallows darting in the skies,
   young rabbits scampering in the grass,
   hippos splashing in rivers.
All this wonder and joy was your gift
to your children created in your image,
   but we ran to play with death,
   when sin opened the gates of seduction.
Time after time after time,
you sent the prophets to remind us
of your never-ending love, but
   we chose to remain in sin’s tomb,
   the stone of our rebellion locking us away.
So you sent your Hopeful heart,
your grace made flesh so
we might not be given over to death.

With those who see and believe,
with those who stand and question,
we lift our Easter songs to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God who has made this day!
All creation celebrates your constant love.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who is revealed on this morning.
Hosanna in the highest!

When he could have clung to your glory,
God who alone is holy,
Jesus chose to become human at that time,
so we might be filled with your grace.
When we stood against the wall
wondering if anyone noticed us,
  he came to take us by the hand
   to teach us new dance steps.
When our lives crumble around us
and we lie scattered on the ground,
   he gathers us up, reshaping us
   into your beloved community.
When we were unable to break
the power of evil over us,
   he allowed sin to toss him
   aside like a pebble in a shoe,
   until he was raised from the tomb
   because you refuse to give us
   over to death.

As we stand before the empty tomb,
celebrating the great news of this day,
we would have that faith which is a mystery:

Christ died, so sin could not hold on to us;
Christ was raised, so death could not hold on to him;
Christ will come, to hold us in steadfast love and hope.

At this time, wherever we find ourselves,
at home, in apartments, in care facilities,
pour out your Spirit upon your people
and on the gifts of the feast of the resurrection.
May the bread which is broken open like the tomb,
strengthen us so we may go
   to rebuild shattered hopes,
   to bind up the hurts of the world.
May the cup which is filled
with the fruits of your steadfast love,
nourish us to leave the shadows
of our fears and doubts
   to stand with the lonely and forgotten,
   to listen to the cries of the world.

And in that time to come,
when we will be gathered
with our sisters and brothers
of every place and of every moment,
we will sing your praises,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as you hold on to us forever.  Amen.

Sending
Scattered from one another, 
we can still go with God into the world.
We will offer healing and hope to all
who wander in the shadows of life.
Separated from one another,
we can still go with Jesus to serve others.
We will listen to the ignored;
we will speak out for the forgotten.
Alone, stuck wherever we live,
we can still join the Spirit in offering steadfast love.
We will hold on to the fallen;
we will rebuild shattered communities.

© 2020 Thom M. Shuman