Texts: Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 149; Romans 13:8-14;
Matthew 18:15-20
Call
to Worship
When
two or three gather, Christ lives in every moment,
where
two or three gather,
Christ
is present with them.
Where
two or three gather to worship God,
glad
songs of praise are lifted,
hearts
are filled with hope.
When
two or three gather to serve God's creation,
Christ
is feeding the hungry,
Christ
is building shelters of peace.
Prayer
of the Day
When
we hold out our hands
to
be cuffed by loneliness,
you
clasp our wrists
to
pull us into your heart.
When
our lives are shattered
by
the injustices done to those
passed
over by the world,
your
love puts us back together,
so
we can serve them with your hope.
Emancipating
God,
we
praise you!
When
we would build walls
between
us and our neighbors,
you
come to be the welcoming gate.
When
we would curse someone
who
has hurt us in our souls,
you
sing us songs of blessing.
When
we would focus only
on
our needs and our desires,
you
hand us the dinnerware
and
ask us to set the Table.
Ever-near
Salvation,
we
would follow you!
When
we would feed on
our
bitter brokenness,
you
would offer us
the
Bread of reconciliation.
When
we would grasp
the
Cup of peace,
and
drink it to the last drop,
you
whisper, 'offer some
to
those you don't like.'
Liberating
Spirit,
we
would be filled with you!
God
in Community, Holy in One,
free
us of all fears and doubts,
as
we pray as Jesus has taught us,
(The
Lord’s Supper)
Call
to Reconciliation
All
we are called to do is to love - everyone.
Yet, as simple as it sounds, by our actions and our words, we show how
difficult a task it is. Let us confess
our failings as we pray together, saying,
Unison
Prayer for Forgiveness
You do not ask much of us, Guardian of hope -
to love, to serve, to welcome. Yet, too
often, it is words of bitterness we speak to friends and family. It is our stiff-with-judgment backs we offer
to those looking for help. It is our
hardened hearts people find, when they reach out, hoping to touch grace.
Love lived as Compassion, forgive us. We are broken, so make us whole through the
life of Christ. We are empty of peace,
so fill us the reconciling Spirit of Christ.
We are alone, so take us by the hand and lead us into your kingdom of
joy and grace, brought to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence
is kept
Assurance
of Pardon
Gathered
as God's people, we hear the good news:
God has forgiven us, God has made us whole, God sends us to serve.
We
will not wear jealousy or resentment but put on the garments of peace and hope. We are forgiven by our God. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May
our gifts go forth into our world, so that where people hunger, they may be
fed; where there is war, peace might be welcomed; where families are broken,
they may be made whole. Then others will be as blessed as we have
been by your love, grace, and compassion. In Jesus' name, we offer our
gifts and this prayer of gratitude. Amen.
Great
Prayer of Thanksgiving
May
God be with you!
And
also with you!
People
of God, open your hearts.
We
open them to the One who feeds
us with freedom and hope.
Children
of God, sings songs of thanksgiving
to the One who journeys with you.
Graced
with abundant life, we join our hearts
and voices in praise to our loving God!
The
moment you spoke
and
liberated chaos, Holy God,
time
marked the beginning
of
created beauty and glory.
You
watered earth with tears of joy,
planting
those seeds of hope and peace
so
we might be fed by your heart.
But
asked to simply be your children,
we
could not obey that request,
but
wandered off to feast
at
the table groaning with lies and curses.
Your
gracious word was sung
in
new ways by the prophets,
but
we tuned them out,
so
we could listen
to
the seductive songs of sin.
You
sent us your hope
in
Jesus Christ,
who
came to set us free
and
bring us home from
our
exile in rebellion.
So,
with those who longed for your coming,
packed
and ready to journey into freedom,
we
sing our praises in the company of our
sisters
and brothers from every time:
Holy!
Holy! Holy! Living God of grace!
All
creation echoes your praise:
creatures roaming the fields,
dolphins splashing in the seas,
eagles soaring in the bright sky.
Glory
to you forever and ever,
God
of the captives!
You
are righteousness, God our Deliverer,
and
blessed is Jesus Christ, your Child, our Brother.
Because
we break your heart
with
our words and deeds,
he
came to shatter the chains
of
our arrogance and selfishness.
Because
we have become gluttons,
feasting
on bitterness and fear,
he
came to be the sweet Bread
of
healing and hope.
Because
we become drunk
on
sin's soured wine,
he
came to be salvation
poured
into our parched souls.
Because
death smiles at us,
waiting
with open arms,
he
came to gather us up
in
the embrace of grace and life,
carrying
us out of the empty tomb
into
your life of joy forever.
As
you have prepared this Table for us,
gather
us as your children,
so
we might remember all the promises fulfilled
to
us in Christ our Lord:
When
we eat of the Bread,
Christ's life strengthens us;
when
we drink from the Cup,
Christ's Spirit nourishes us;
when
we go to serve others,
we proclaim Christ's death
until he returns in glory.
As
you bless the gifts
of
the Bread and the Cup,
anoint
us with your Spirit
which
brings us together.
As
your grace touches our lips
with
hope and healing,
may
we reach out our hands
to
set free those captive to injustice.
As
your peace is poured
into
the empty corners of our hearts,
may
we go forth to love
others
as much as we love ourselves,
and
to serve them
as
we show our love for you.
And
when time has marked the end of history,
and
we gather with all our sisters and brothers,
all
division done away with, all brokenness healed,
all
barriers pulled down, and all your children set free from despair,
we
will join our hands and hearts around your Table of eternity,
singing
praise through forever:
Glory
to you, Liberating God!
Alleluia
to you, Christ our Servant!
Thanks
to you, Spirit of Peace!
Now
and forever. Amen.
Sending
Go
now to the people who are overwhelmed by despair.
We will take the hope which has been given to us and share it
with all.
Go
now to those who are at odds with neighbors.
We will offer the peace and reconciliation which God has
poured into our lives.
Go
now to those who are the most vulnerable in our world.
We will bring the healing, the grace, the love of our God.
(c)
Thom M. Shuman
