Call to Worship
When God could stomp feet and yell,
God tiptoes into our hearts to whisper mercy.
When God could play favorites,
locking others out of the house,
God holds wide the arms of love
to embrace everyone.
When God could break promises,
going back on every word given,
God picks up those we trip
on the way to success,
and cradles the lonely and frightened.
Prayer of the Day
We sing glad songs to you,
God of early mornings.
Because your heart
is as broken as ours,
you tear down dividing barriers,
you bring an end to polarizing speech,
you send forth all who hold open
their arms to welcome the forgotten.
We shout from the rooftops
of our hearts this day,
Jesus who is velcroed to us.
For you are the One
who comes to rescue us,
riding in a refugee boat
on the open seas,
holding hands with children
at border crossings.
We lift our voices in praise
to you in these moments,
Spirit who is our teacher.
You are the One who
points us in the direction
of little kids at play, those
who easily change the rules
of games to include everyone,
who ignore the complexities of adults
and live out kindness, love, and grace.
Hear our voices, our songs,
our hearts, our longings,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as your Beloved Community,
(The Lord’s Prayer)
Call to Reconciliation
We know our foolishness, our hurtful words, the rejection we offer to others. And we think God wants nothing to do with us. But in Jesus, God holds our hands and will never let go, as we journey together through life into grace and forgiveness. Let us pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
Why do we keep messing up, O God? We know what is right but keep choosing the wrong. We wrestle with our consciences but get pinned to the mat every time. We argue with our desires but they always win the debate. There’s just something inside of us that keeps us from being us, those little nudges which just get pushier, those whispers of seduction getting louder and louder.
But just when we think we are lost, Jesus comes along and says, ‘let me show you what I have learned.’ And, by your grace, Forgiving God, we find our way home, no longer burdened by our foolishness, no longer distracted by the trolls of life, no longer alone as we walk with the One who came to rescue us from ourselves, Jesus our beloved sibling. Amen.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
God promises us life, grace, forgiveness, and hope. And God never goes back on any promises. This, my friends, is our good news.
Thanks be to God, who never gives up on us, but whose love is always wrapped around us. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May the forgotten know they are not alone, may the hungry be fed with food and hope, may the lonely find a friend in us, as we offer our gifts to you, O God. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May our promise keeping God be with you.
And with you as well.
Though weary, broken, fearful,
let us offer our hearts to God.
For God will heal our hearts,
strengthen them, fill them with hope.
Come now and join all creation
in singing glad songs to God.
Our voices join with morning songbirds
and crickets chirping in the night.
You lifted your voices,
God of incredible harmony,
singing into the silence of chaos
and bringing forth wonder and beauty.
Herons standing on one leg,
bullfrogs echoing across ponds,
bat flying through evening shadows,
all were the gifts you shared
with those who were crafted in your image.
We could have lived in your garden,
but we just kept making the wrong choices,
listening more to the whispers of temptation
then to your songs of compassion.
More times than you can count,
you sent women and men
to sing your songs,
tell of your hopes,
shout your invitation to return,
but we constantly choose the wrong paths,
rather than following your heart.
And so, you sent your Child,
the One who would experience our lives,
know our struggles,
and stay with us in every moment.
With all who seem to have their act together,
with those who keep making the same foolish choices,
we sing our praises to God:
You are holy, God who does not play favorites.
We join all creation in forever singing your praises.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One whose life
is ever interwoven with ours.
Hosanna in the highest!
While you alone are holy,
God of all space and time,
you are never afraid to get your hands dirty,
as seen in your creation.
Your beloved Child chose
to become one of us, in every way.
In him, the vulnerable
find an ally to defend them
from the bullies of wealth.
In him, frightened little children
hear lullabies of grace
so they can sleep at night.
In him, transgendered kids
are told over and over again
how much they are loved.
In him, seduction’s grip is broken,
death’s power is shattered,
and his siblings are gifted
with the promise of resurrection life.
As we remember his life, love, and grace,
as we are bound together in life and death,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:
Gathering up his fears,
Jesus forged them into faith.
Gathering up his brokenness,
Jesus walked into new life.
Gathering us into his heart,
Jesus will journey home with us.
Pour out your Spirit, Loving God,
upon the gifts of the Table
and upon your children gathered here.
As we eat of the broken bread,
may we be made whole, so we can
open up schools of peace,
welcome the forgotten,
seek justice for all people.
As we drink from the cup of grace,
may our thirst for reconciliation
never be quenched,
may our longing for hope be satisfied,
may our love be shared with everyone we meet.
And when all time comes to an end,
gather us with our siblings
from every moment and every space,
feeding us at the Table
which has room for everyone,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
Sending
We have sung songs of praises to our God.
We will now go to speak of justice
to all who hold power.
We have learned how Jesus would have us serve.
We will go to turn our thoughts into action,
and our prayers into caring for others.
We have been filled with the Spirit’s hope.
We will go into our neighborhoods
To share peace with everyone.
© 2023 Thom M. Shuman
