Texts: Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Psalm 19; Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46
Call to Worship
L: From where we are
sheltering in place,
from sacred spaces where
folks are socially distancing themselves,
P: we are gathered as
God’s people,
called to the Table where brokenness
nourishes us with simple grace.
L: From virtual
communities from all over the world,
with families gathered in living spaces,
P: we are gathered as
God’s faithful community,
serving, living, caring wherever we are.
L: From neighborhoods
made up of those
of every class, every race, every branch of faith,
P: we are gathered as
witnesses to God’s hope
and peace which have not disappeared
in every place, in every person in this uncertain time.
Prayer of the Day
Once, you saw your children
held bondage by fear and despair
and gathered them up to journey
with them into freedom and hope.
In these days of worry and uncertainty,
continue to walk with your children
who feel captive by a virus we cannot see
Fill our hearts and souls
with sighs more precious than
all we value, Word Speaker.
Once, you came,
not with blueprints under your arms,
but with grace cradled in your hands.
You came,
not to force us to choose side
as so many these days try to do,
but to be that voice which calls us together.
You came,
so that we would not have to worry about
what lies ahead of us on these days,
but so we could see that community
of gentleness, of justice, of life you have prepared.
Fill our hearts emptied of hope
with your grace more precious
than our deepest fears, Word Bearer.
When we long to trust those promises
offered to us by those who do not care
for anyone but themselves.
when we are tempted to believe those
who say there is nothing to worry about
and no reason to look out for others,
when we hesitate to put our trust
in those who would have us care
for the forgotten, the most vulnerable,
may we be nudged into seeking
to live out our calling to live in unity.
Fill our uneasy, shattered spirits
with your peace more precious
than the brokenness we grasp, Word of Wisdom
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear the words of our hearts
as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)
Call to Reconciliation
In these confusing days, it is easy to think that there are no
rules we need to follow, but we can live, act, do whatever we want. But Paul
reminds us that, when we gain Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we receive
exactly what we need - forgiveness, grace, hope. Let us confess our foolishness
to God, that we might know God's healing love for us!
Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
If we were to name all the gods we
have before you, Rock of Redemption, we would be here for a very long time. We elevate
politicians into saviors, though they are as broken as we are. We misuse your
name so much during the uncertain and terrifying days, we have trouble speaking
to you in prayer at night. We are so busy being worried and fearful, we do not
notice how creation witnesses to your goodness and grace.
Forgive us, God our Hope. Even in our
uncertainty, may we trust that your love never abandons us. Even in our fears,
may we know that your presence never leaves our side. Even when our faith
falters, may we know that your grace is the most valuable gift we have, and we
can open our emptiness, our hearts, our lives to the healing and loving
presence of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Amen
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: Persistently, patiently,
lovingly,
God pours out grace and joy into our
lives,
healing our brokenness, forgiving our
sin.
P: Loved, we are sent
to love those who have been forgotten.
Forgiven, we are freed to offer mercy
to those who are cruel to us.
Graced, we can offer our gifts to everyone we meet.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication/Offering
We can join in hoarding all the gifts with which you bless us, God
of generosity, or we can share them with others. May what we offer in these
moments be the very blessing, the very hope, the very peace others need. This
we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the composer
of hope be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Beloved, God has
created us to live faithfully in these times.
P: We lift our hearts
to the One
who shapes us into communities of grace and peace.
L: Join in singing to
God, who takes away all our fears.
P: We will dance with
joy to the Table of peace and hope,
even if it is the table in our kitchen or living room.
L: We tremble in
these moments
of uncertainty, of days which seem endless,
wondering if there is any word for us.
So, remind us that you spoke
into the trembling emptiness of chaos,
and your goodness and wonder
began all those days and nights
when hope raced across the sky,
when grace bubbled up from springs,
when peace wandered the meadows.
All these gifts were, and still are,
crafted for those made in your mage,
even when we grumble in wildernesses
or live in the exile of fear and worry,
or seek to have our way, not yours.
In every moment when your people
were alone, afraid, felt abandoned by all,
you sent prophets - women and men,
to remind us of your promises and point us
to all the ways you continue to love.
Even in these months of isolation,
even in these days which seem the same,
even in these moments we are alone,
you are with us, in the life, the promises
made known in the Child you sent
to point us to the way home to you.
So, with those who trembled at
the foot of your holy mountain,
and with those who press on to follow you,
we join our voices in praise to you:
P: Your Word opens
our eyes to all creation.
Your Word is the sweet taste of joy
for empty hearts.
Your Word helps us to endure through every
moment which seems unbearable.
Blessed is your Word who comes in your name.
Hosanna in the highest!
L: Though others mock
us for such trust,
we continue to believe that we know
your holiness in the hope you share, God of our hearts,
and we realize how blessed we are
by the grace we have received in your Child, Jesus.
In these times when we wonder
if anyone really cares about us,
he is the One who is your love
poured out for us, each of us.
In these days when bitter voices
would seek to seduce us with anger,
he is the gentle voice which calls
us to trust in your heart broken for us.
In the moments when people seem
not to care for the most vulnerable,
for those most at risk from this virus,
he is the living demonstration
that death has no ultimate power
but that your resurrecting love
is the final word spoken about us.
As we would seek to model his gentleness
and grace in these overwhelming times,
as we try to let his light be revealed in us,
we would speak of that mystery we call faith:
P: Setting aside all
he valued,
Christ became our treasure,
so we might know how precious we are to God.
Setting aside his own life,
Christ rescued us from all foolishness
so we might know the One who loves us.
Setting aside our doubts and fears,
we yearn for the promised of the return
of the grace, love, and hope of Christ.
L: Now, around table
and altars
in sacred spaces which echo with silence,
around nicked and initialized wooden tables
and glass topped tables in homes,
we pray, Redeemer of all creation,
that you would pour out your Spirit
on each and every place,
and on each and every person.
Whether it is bread that is broken,
or crackers that are split apart,
may these gifts remind us
that it is moments when we least expect,
for those people we usually do not notice,
that we are called
to share your grace
to listen to the lonely
to welcome the heartbroken
to embrace the vulnerable.
Whether it is a mug of tea,
a glass of wine or juice,
or even a glass of water,
may this be your grace poured into us
so that we might become
people who will not give up on justice,
people who will not let go of hope,
people who will not hoard life,
people who will trust in you always.
And when this pandemic comes to an end
and we can gather once again
with our sisters and brothers around the Table,
we will know what your promised Feast
in that place, that time, that life beyond this,
where all hurtful words silenced,
where all is pain left behind,
where hope and grace are our closest friends,
and we will join our hearts and voices
with our sisters and brothers
who forever sing of your glory,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
Sending
L: Even in this time
of pandemic,
we are a blessed people.
P: We will go to be a
blessing in the world.
L: Even when there
are so many angry people around us,
we are the face of Jesus.
P: We will go to be
love and compassion to all.
L: Even when we are
isolated, quarantined,
living in lockdowns, we are the family of God.
P: We will go to
serve our sisters and brothers
wherever we may find them.
© 2020 Thom M. Shuman
