Liturgy w/communion for September 20, 2026 (Pentecost 17/Trinity 16/Proper 20/Ordinary 25 - A)

Texts:  Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1: 21-30; Matthew 20:1-16

Call to Worship
In the prayers and the praise,
in the words and the wonder:
we are given enough joy to live each day.
In the justice for the oppressed,
in the unexpected generosity for the lost:
we are given enough compassion
to use in service each day.
In the promises made to all,
in the mercy offered to each:
we are given enough grace to share each day.

Prayer of the Day
Fresh as each morning
you come to us,
Crafter of manna.
     Your grace rests
     gently upon us,
          waiting to be gathered,
          to become the bread of life
we share throughout the day.

Fresh as compassion's justice,
you come to us,
Servant of the poor.
Choosing to give
as you desire,
you show us the last,
     so we can make them first
     in our hearts and hopes.
Doing no wrong,
     you make us right
     with God for all time.

Fresh as the water
which turns a desert
into a meadowland of flowers,
Spirit of uninterrupted grace,
you come to us.
When we would grumble,
     you give us the gospel to live out;
when we would protest,
     you teach us songs of praise;
when we would utter laments,
     you fill us with God's laughter.

God in Community, Holy in One,
refresh us with your presence
as we pray as Jesus taught, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We continue to believe that we must earn our way into God's heart. But God's grace is given to each of us, for all of us, freely, unconditionally, always. Let us open our lives to this mercy as we pray saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     It seems we cannot decide, Cloud of Glory.  We say we will live to serve others, but end up meeting only our needs. We claim to live in a way that honors Christ, but we do not take him to work, school, home.  We believe that the gospel can transform lives, (at least, for those who need it – but surely, not us).

Forgive us, Presence of Peace.
Instead of grumblers,
     may we be ambassadors of grace.
Instead of continual complaining,
     may we carry compassion to the hurting.
Instead of whiners,
     may we be workers with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, 
to reach out and bring the kingdom of God to everyone we meet. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace
This is the good news: there is no ranking in God's kingdom. God graces everyone with the same gifts: mercy, restoration, new life.
God has kept the covenant. We have been forgiven, we have been made new people.  Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
With hope in our hearts, we offer our gifts to you, O God, trusting you will use them in the work of your kingdom which welcomes all, loves all, needs all, and serves all.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of all mornings be with you!
And also with you!
Children of God, welcome the One who shares
grace with childlike abandon.
We open our hearts so we might savor the
sweet taste of joy and wonder.
People of God, bring your emptiness to
this Table of hope and peace.
We sing praises to One who fills us with
Christ's presence for service to others.

On that first morning,
when chaos saw your glory,
you brought out creation,
     with stars and planets
          swimming in the skies,
     gazelles and giraffes dancing
           through the fields of goodness.
You shaped humankind in your mercy,
and fed us with grace, enough for each day.
Jealous that you were so gracious to all of creation,
     we grumbled that it wasn't enough,
     and went searching for sin and death.
Prophets came, telling the stories
of your wonder and presence,
     but for us, these were foolish words.
Finally, you sent Jesus
to come looking for us,
to show us your kingdom.

So, we join our voices with
wilderness wanderers and urban dwellers,
those who, in every time and place,
sing of your glory:

Holy! Holy! Holy! Glory to God's holy name!
Our hearts will seek God,
rejoicing in God's gentleness and grace.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes looking for us.
Hosanna in the highest!

You are holy, Cloud of Compassion,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Joy, our Hope.
Child of glory and grace,
he chose to come to us,
     working in the fields of despair.
Hearing our complaints,
he came to speak
     of your dreams for us.
Firstborn of all creation,
he came to defeat
     that last enemy, death. 

As we remember his life and death,
as we come to the Table he has prepared,
we sing of that mystery called faith:

This is the bread God gives us to eat.
This is the life Christ calls us to offer to others.
This is the journey the Spirit takes with us.

Pour out your Spirit
upon your children gathered,
and upon the bread and the cup
you have provided for us.
As you feed us with the bread,
so flood us with compassion,
     that we may go to serve
     all who are lost and broken.
As you open your heart
so that the cup of grace
might be filled with your hopes,
     send us out to bring the last
     home to your kingdom,
where they will be first in your joy.

And when all time has ended
and the whole family of God
is gathered around your Table,
we will join our voices together,
praising you forever:
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
Go now to share the love of God.
We will share it with childish abandon.
Go now to share the grace of Jesus.
We will offer this gift, fresh every morning, to all we meet.
Go now to share the generosity of the Holy Spirit.
We will hold nothing back as we embrace each person this week.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Alternate texts liturgy w/communion for September 20, 2026 (Pentecost 17/Trinity 16/Proper 20/Ordinary 25 - A)

Texts:  Jonah 3:10 - 4:11; Psalm 145:1-8; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20:1-16

Call to Worship
We come to praise our God,
whose steadfast love is always with us.
God does not stand by idly,
but fills us with grace to share.
We are here to praise Jesus,
who chooses to be gracious with all.
Jesus does not stand by idly,
but brings justice to all treated unfairly.
We will praise the Spirit in these moments,
who is always at our side.
The Spirit is with us now and always,
so we may live as faithful people.

Prayer of the Day
All generations praise you,
Mind Changer, for every day
   your unbounded love surrounds us,
   your grace is shared abundantly,
   your unsearchable nature is revealed
      through all of creation.

All generations praise you,
Justice Singer, for in every place,
you show us the kingdom
   standing by the side of the oppressed,
   showing your concern for the last,
   always with us wherever we are.

All generations praise you,
Peace Giver, for in every time,
you do not stand idle, but
   share our struggles to be faithful,
   heal all who have been wronged,
   declare God's hopes for us.

All generations praise you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as we are taught,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We think we know how God will react if we confess our lives - a rap on the knuckles, sending us to our rooms without dessert, or even an eternal time-out.  But instead, we receive forgiveness, constant love, gracious justice.  Let us lift our prayers to the One who always surprises us, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   It is true that we grumble too much, Patient God.  We are easily stampeded by the promises of those around us, only to wonder how we end up where we find ourselves.  We see so much of everything on our devices, and become convinced we deserve more.  Though we know others have the same struggles, we have trouble standing by their side.
   Forgive us, Unpredictable God, as you continue to shower us with your steadfast love.  You as so slow to get mad, yet rush to share your grace with us.  May we continue to seek to live in the way of justice, hope, and peace shown to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Unlike us, God chooses not anger, but mercy; not punishment, but peace; not just what we earn, but more grace than we can begin to imagine.
Now we know what the kingdom of heaven is like - steadfast love, joy and laughter, the life for which we have yearned.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May we offer our gifts, not with grumbling under our breath about what you might do with them, but with thanks that you will use them to bring healing, hope, grace, and peace to all whose lives are empty of such needs.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the unpredictable God be with you.
And also with you.
Let us open our hearts to God.
We will welcome the constant love of our God.
Let us not stand idly by, but rejoice in the grace of God.
We will sing glad songs of praise forever.

When you saw chaos standing idle,
you chose to give us creation,
Imaginative God:
   squirrels chittering in trees,
   luminous rings around planets,
   glaciers carving out lochs and fjords,
   towering trees shading toadstools.
You did all this to show those created in your image
what the kingdom of heaven is like,
   but we thought we should receive more,
   so went to work in temptation's junkyards.
Prophets, both reluctant and willing,
came so we might know how gracious you are,
   yet we chose to stand side by side
   with death, grumbling every moment.
Given the chance to respond in anger,
you did not do it, but sent
your steadfast love to us in Jesus.

So with those eager to serve you,
and those pouting because of your generosity,
we bless you forever and ever:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God who cannot be predicted.
All creation sings of your justice and grace.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who continues to be with us.
Hosanna in the highest!

When you saw us standing idly by the world's side,
in your holiness, you chose to give us your heart,
Jesus, who shows us what the kingdom  of heaven is like.
When we would hoard all we have,
   he shows us how to share abundantly.
When we would mumble about life,
   he calls us to serve all
   oppressed by fear and hate.
When we would whisper behind the backs of others,
   he turns us to face them
   so we can see you staring back at us.
When we would mutter 
of how little you have done for us,
   he went into death's foul depths,
   so we might receive resurrection
   from our unpredictable God.

As we reflect on Jesus' works and words,
as we would live according to his way, 
we proclaim that mystery revealed in faith:

Living, Christ showed us how to live;
dying, Christ showed us how to trust;
raised, Christ revealed resurrection hope for all;
now and always, Christ is with us.

We would not be idle by-standers
but come eagerly to the Table
which you have prepared for us.
Here, the Spirit is poured out
on the bread and the cup
and those gathered for this feast.
Here, the bread which is broken
strengthens us so
   we may proclaim your grace
   to those forgotten by others.
Here, the cup which overflows with grace
enables us
   to give honor and hope to all
   pushed to the back of the line.

And when the evening of all time comes,
we will gather with our sisters and brothers
at your Table of eternal joy,
each receiving the same as everyone else -
the grace, the love, the peace of
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Now go to be with those forgotten by the world.
We will share God's constant love with everyone.
Now go to be generous with those around you
as well as those far away.
We will share Jesus' justice and hope 
with all who need it.
Now go to live as faithful people.
We will join the Spirit in standing side by side
with those who are lonely and afraid.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for September 13, 2026 (Pentecost 16/Trinity 15/Proper 19/Ordinary 24 - A)

 Texts: Exodus 14:19-31; Psalm 114; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35

Call to Worship
In sacred times of word, wonder, and awe,
in ordinary days of work and play:
in every moment, God is with us.
Whether we are stuck in doubt's mud,
or standing on faith's shoreline:
in every place, God is with us.
In those who teach us
and those who trouble us;
in those who surprise us,
and those who forgive us:
in every person, God is with us.

Prayer of the Day
When we look over our shoulders
at fear shadowing us today,
you go before us into tomorrow,
making a path through
the sea of yesterday's doubts.
When our legs tremble
from the effort of standing up
for what you hope for all creation,
you are at our side,
offering your heart's strength.
Cloud of Grace,
we offer our love to you.

When we turn our hearts
into deserts of stony bitterness,
you transform them
into oases of joy.
When we come up
with all sorts of rules
for those who come to us
seeking to find you,
you tear up the list,
stretching wide your arms
in welcoming grace.
Servant of all,
we offer our lives to you.

When we would clasp
old worries to our hearts,
you open our eyes to that hope
which paves the path ahead of us.
When we spend each day
consumed with doubts and fears,
you remind us that this day
is the time to honor God,
by serving God's children.
Mist of Mercy,
we offer our hearts to you.

God in Community, Holy in One,
as you are all to us,
so we would offer all we are to you,
even as we pray as Jesus taught us,

(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
As we stand before God, we think of all the ways we bicker with others, all those times we have not shown mercy and grace to those around us. Let us bow our hearts and confess our sin to God, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
It is never easy for us to confess
but deep down inside, we know that
graced,
we have trouble
being grace-full to others;
forgiven,
we are eager to judge
and punish all who hurt us;
freed,
we find ways to put restrictions
on people we fear.

Forgive us, Servant God. You show mercy more often than we deserve; you pardon us more times than we can count. And why? Because we are the Lord's - siblings of Jesus Christ, who died and lived again, so we might live beyond death with you.  Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace
God's hand of mercy is stretched out to us, making a way through all that
threatens us, to touch us with grace and hope.
We stand before our God, singing praise to the One who turns our despair into joy, our fears into faith. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

We are all different, yet the gifts you give us are all the same - grace, hope, love, kindness, and so much more.  May we not hoard them, but be as generous with sharing them as you are in offering them to us in the first place.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of hope be with you!
And also with you!
God, our God, leads us through the flood of fears
into the future of wonder and hope.
We open our hearts to the One who journeys
with us, in the past, in the present, into tomorrow.
God goes before us, preparing the Table piled high
with grace and peace.
We sing songs of glad thanksgiving to the One
who fills us with goodness and mercy.

You stretched out your hand,
Cloud of Glory,
parting a way through chaos,
so your goodness might come forth.
You looked, and laughed out loud,
as seas ran forth in joy,
mountains played leapfrog,
and hills hopscotched with valleys.
Creation became a sanctuary
for those created in your image.
But we decided to live for ourselves,
every day becoming one in which
we could turn your dreams to ashes,
your overflowing love into
dust bowls of despair.
Out of pity, you sent the prophets,
those pillars of faithfulness,
but we wrangled with their gentle words.
So, you sent Jesus,
to lead us through evil's deeps,
to that freedom found only
in your kingdom of life.

Therefore, on this day,
when we stand in your grace
around your Table of life,
we join our voices with all
who offer praise to the One who saves:

Living, we serve others in God's name;
serving, we die unto ourselves;
dying, we are given life eternal with God.

Blessed is the One who comes forgiving us
more times than we can count.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Cloud of Joy,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Servant.
When we were weak in faith,
he came to strengthen us
with your everlasting hope;
when we were slaves to sin,
he came to lead us into
the promised land of mercy;
when our hearts became like flint,
he softened them with compassion;
when we could only focus on ourselves,
he came to die for us.

As we gather at your Table,
we remember his love for us,
his patience with our failings,
his hope in our willingness to follow,
his trust in that mystery we call faith:

Baptized in Christ, we would live for him;
forgiven through Christ, we would emulate him;
putting on Christ, we wait for his return.
Alleluia! Amen!

Creator God,
send your Spirit in peace
upon us and these simple gifts
of the bread and of the cup.
As we share the bread,
we share the presence of Christ,
strengthened to go out
with forgiveness in our hearts.
As we pass the cup,
we share Christ's Spirit
with our neighbors,
and are called to welcome all
as our sisters and brothers,
especially those held captive
by the bitterness of the world.

As you gathered your children
to lead them to that promised land,
so you will bring all your children
from the very ends of time itself,
to seat us around your heart,
where we will feast on your grace,
lifting our hearts to praise you forever:
God our Maker,
Christ our Brother,
Spirit our Compassion,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Sending

We could stay here, ready to argue

with God about the unfairness of grace.

But we will go out to share ours 

with those who have waited for it

for so long while we ignored them.

We could want to start a debate

with Jesus over logic of his story.

But we will go to listen to the empty

hearts and souls of those longing

to be heard by the privileged.

We could hold our breath until 

the Spirit realizes what real life is like.

But we will go to bring peace

to the brokenness of the world

and to welcome te forgotten as family.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Alternate texts liturgy w/communion for September 13, 2026 (Pentecost 16/Trinity 15/Proper 19/Ordinary 24 - A)

 Texts: Genesis 50:15-21; Psalm 103:1-13; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35

Call to Worship
Disciples and doubters,
faithful and feckless,
we are God's, 
who welcomes us all.
Followers and those who lag behind,
open-hearted and close-minded,
we are the Lord's,
who is always patient with us.
Reconcilers and rabble-rousers,
foolish and fearless,
we are the Spirit's,
who encourages us in every moment.

Prayer of the Day
You are our forgiveness,
Gracious God,
not because you should,
but because it is what you desire:
   to offer us that compassion
   which welcomes all 
   who have been tossed aside.

You are our justice,
Brother of the forgotten,
welcoming all those
   weakened by oppression,
   hungering for hope,
   who have been judged but never heard.

You are our healing,
Spirit of comfort,
bringing peace where
   we would do violence;
offering hope to all
   we choose to despise;
remembering everyone
   we have forgotten.

God in Community, Holy in One,
our Forgiveness, our Justice, our Healing,
hear us as we lift our prayer
as we have been taught,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We do not have to beg God to forgive us, but simply confess our foolish words, our mistaken acts, our grudging hearts.  Please join me as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   We could have mercy, Compassion's heart, but we judge others by those standards we cannot even meet.  We could welcome all around us as siblings in God's grace, but hold them at contempt's length away from us.  We could have patience with family and friends, but tap our feet and drum our fingers until they do what we want.
   In your forgiveness, Tender God, you wipe the board clean of all our poor accounting.  You don't deal off the bottom of the deck to us, but turn up the ace of grace for us.  You gather up all our foolishness and hurl it beyond the edge of the universe, so the healing you intend for us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, will take place.  Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace
Here is the good news.  God does not hold a grudge against us.  God lets go of anger to welcome us as siblings of Jesus.
We will not be afraid, but will open our hearts and lives to God's compassionate grace.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May these simple gifts offer a welcome to the friendless, a meal for the hungry, shelter for those in disasters, and hope for all who are despised in our times.  In the name of Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of compassion be with you.
And also with you.
Children of grace, lift your hearts to God.
We bring them to the One who has mercy on us.
Join in glad songs of thanksgiving, God's people.
We lift our voices in praise and hope.

We bless you, O God,
for you would not welcome chaos,
but brought forth all creation:
   summer breezes over beaches,
   leaves changing colors in autumn,
   brittle stars for crisp winter nights,
   butterflies over spring's flowers.
You crowned all this goodness
with those created in your image,
so we could be with you forever,
   but we had no patience for your hopes,
   choosing the gifts offered by temptation.
You sent the prophets to us,
hoping their words would help us
to realize the harm our lives caused,
   but we continued to despise
   your steadfast love and mercy.
So you came to us in Jesus,
that we might not live for ourselves,
but live for your and others.

Realizing your intentions for us
are compassion and grace,
we lift glad songs of praise:

Living, we seek to follow you;
following, we share our lives with others;
sharing, we receive unexpected gifts.

Blessed is the One who is patient with us.
Hosanna in the highest!

We bless you, O God, for your
compassion flows from your holiness
and is shared with us
through Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Living,
   he showed us how to serve others;
speaking,
   he poured your words of hope
   into those despised by others;
serving,
   he gave us the model
   for all who would be faithful;
dying,
   he revealed your compassion
   for all of you children
   as he was brought out of
   the desperate grasp of death.

As we gather at your Table of mercy
to feast on your steadfast love,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, trusting in your love;
Christ was raised, your resurrection grace
   entrusted with him;
Christ will come, so where we live or die,
   we are yours forever.

We bless you, O God, for you
pour out your Spirit on
the gifts of the bread and the cup
and on your children in this place.
Here, may the broken bread
heal us so we may
   forgive those who hurt us,
   even as we are forgiven by you.
Here, may the cup of compassion
humble us so we may
   serve everyone we meet
   with grace and hope.

And when all time has ended
and you gather us at the Lamb's Table
with our siblings from every place and moment,
we will sing of your love and mercy forever,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Whether we believe or whether we struggle,
we are God's.
Let us go out to welcome
the doubters and disciples around us.
Whether we live or whether we die,
we are the Lord's.
Let us go to embrace all
who have been abandoned by the world.
Whether we are brave or quake at the knees,
we are the Spirit's.
Let us go to encourage
our sisters and brothers who struggle.

(c) Thom M. Shuman