Texts:
Jeremiah 15:15-21; Psalm 26:1-8; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28
Call to Worship
Even when we encounter folks
who
are mean, dishonest, hateful,
we are called to
respond with
that love which is true and sincere.
that love which is true and sincere.
God calls us to love all people
as if
they were our siblings,
for God seeks to weave
us into one family,
tearing down all the barriers between us.
tearing down all the barriers between us.
No matter how weary we become
from our loneliness, our struggles,
our service,
God challenges us to be
patient,
to rejoice, and to never stop praying.
to rejoice, and to never stop praying.
Why should we do all things?
Because we are God's
people,
called to lives which are different,
and which make a difference!
called to lives which are different,
and which make a difference!
Prayer of the Day
God our Creator,
you are alive:
in the
singing of geese flying south,
in the
leaves gently stirring in the breeze,
in the
stars that dance at night.
Jesus, Brother to the poor,
you are in our midst:
in the
lap of a grandmother,
in the
cries of a newborn,
in the
stillness of dawn.
Spirit of God,
you make all our places holy:
the
classrooms where we fidget,
the
sidewalks where we meet neighbors,
the
grass in our backyards.
God in Community, Holy in One,
make us aware of your presence
in every moment,
even as we pray as we are
taught, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)
Call to Reconciliation
If God is in every person we
meet, what does that say about the harmful words we speak, the hurt we cause to
others in our lives? We are invited to bring our faults and foolishness,
our brokenness and bitterness to our God, confessing such lives, so we might be
made new. Join me, as we pray together saying,
Unison Prayer for
Forgiveness
You know us, Watching God. You know who we are, people who find it easier to hold on to all we do that is wrong, rather that clinging to goodness. You know what we do, when we ignore the poor, or refuse to live at peace with others. You know why we do all these things, for we continue to set our minds on all those temptations which insinuate themselves into our lives.
You do indeed know us all too well, Steadfast Love. Yet, you continue to be patient with us and forgiving towards us. Yet, you would embrace as we turn towards you in repentance, rather than washing your hands of us. Yet, you would continue to call us to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, so we might find our life with you. Amen.
You know us, Watching God. You know who we are, people who find it easier to hold on to all we do that is wrong, rather that clinging to goodness. You know what we do, when we ignore the poor, or refuse to live at peace with others. You know why we do all these things, for we continue to set our minds on all those temptations which insinuate themselves into our lives.
You do indeed know us all too well, Steadfast Love. Yet, you continue to be patient with us and forgiving towards us. Yet, you would embrace as we turn towards you in repentance, rather than washing your hands of us. Yet, you would continue to call us to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, so we might find our life with you. Amen.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news for us,
my friends. God remembers us and forgives us, so we might live as
people of love and hope.
We will sing our
praises to the One who has made us whole. Thanks be to God!
Amen.
Prayer of
Dedication/Offering
May the gifts we offer, Loving
God, feed those who are hungry, as you have fed us with your Word. May
these gifts give those who thirst for hope a cup which is overflowing.
May our gifts be used to welcome all those who are your children, our siblings in this life. Amen.
Great Prayer of
Thanksgiving
May our God of goodness be with
you.
And also with you.
Offer your hearts to God and
rejoice in hope.
We bring them to the
One who blesses us with love.
Join in singing thanksgivings
to the One who calls us to this feast.
We praise our God who
feeds us with peace.
Reaching into your imagination,
God of wonder,
you wove that community we call
creation:
your
steadfast love swimming in the waters,
your
joy teaching songs to the birds,
your
peace placing stars in the skies.
You made ready your guest room
for those shaped in your
likeness,
but we
set our minds on sin's things,
wanting to walk down the road to death.
You sent prophets to offer us
your words
so that they might delight our
hearts,
but we
would not even try a taste,
preferring to party with hypocritical temptation.
You would not wash your sins of
us,
but sent your Child into our
world,
to be with us, to save us.
With all those who cling to
goodness,
with those who long to live in
harmony,
we sing aloud our
thanksgivings:
Holy, holy, holy are
you, God who knows us.
All creation rejoices in your hope.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who walks in integrity.
Hosanna in the highest!
All creation rejoices in your hope.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who walks in integrity.
Hosanna in the highest!
In Jesus, you walked faithfully
toward us, God of holiness,
so we
might see your love
wherever and whenever we looked.
In Jesus, you sat down with
those
considered worthless in the
world's eyes,
so we
might feast on your words
of
mercy and hope.
In Jesus, your reached out
to pry
us out of Wicked's hands,
to
break Ruthless's grip on us.
In Jesus, you showed us the
cost
of delivering us, as he lost
his life
so we might be saved by grace.
Because we want to follow
Jesus,
because we want to be your
people,
we would proclaim our faith:
Taking up his cross,
Christ died for us;
overcoming death with life, you raised Christ from the grave;
Christ will come with the angels, to reveal your glory.
overcoming death with life, you raised Christ from the grave;
Christ will come with the angels, to reveal your glory.
Pour out your Spirit upon
the gifts of the Table,
and on the people being woven
into your community in this
place.
As we eat of the bread,
may we find that life of
serving
the
poor, the hungry,
the
lost, the hopeless.
As we drink from the cup,
may we find the strength
to lose our selves
in
sharing your peace,
in
giving water to the thirsty,
in
becoming friends with the oppressed.
When this journey through life
has ended,
and we gather in your house
around your table
with those of every place, and
of every time,
we will sing your praises
forever,
God in Community, Holy in
One. Amen.
Sending
Take the love of God into the
world.
We will be genuine in
sharing this
with everyone we meet.
Take the grace of Jesus into
your communities.
We will share the joy
of those who rejoice,
we will mingle our tears with those who weep.
Share the Spirit's community
with all this week.
We will welcome
everyone,
especially those who feel alone and afraid.
(c) Thom M. Shuman
