Liturgy w/communion for January 18, 2026 (Epiphany/Ordinary 2-A)

  Texts:  Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-11; 1st Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42

Call to Worship
We wait patiently for our God.
We will sing, we will sing new songs
of the One who calls us here.
We will not chase after other gods.
We will sing, we will sing new songs
of the One in whom we can trust.
We will tell of all God has done for us.
We will sing, we will sing new songs
of the One whose salvation is for all.

Prayer of the Day
There is none like you,
God of infinite patience.
You promise to listen to us,
     always.
You speak more words
     of hope and grace
and offer more acts
     of mercy and hope
then we can count
on the fingers and toes
of every person who ever lived.

There is none like you,
Shaper of servants.
Gathering up all the words
     we should never have spoken,
  you rearrange them into
     stories of peace and reconciliation.
Sweeping up the messes
      we leave littered behind us,
   you recycle them into gifts
      which soften the hardest hearts.

There is none like you,
Ever-listening Spirit.
You gather up all our cousins
      scattered throughout the earth,
   bringing us to the Table of life.
You point the way to Jesus
      when we have lost sight of him
   on the fog-filled days of our souls.

There is none like you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and our hearts will sing new songs
even as we pray, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
It is clear that God wants to hear our prayers and forgive us, for God is willing to lean close to our hearts to listen to our failures, our poor choices, all the things we have done wrong.  Please join me, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   You are faithful, Patient God, even as we continue to live in the shadows of life.  We could delight in your hopes for us, but choose to do things our way.  We could serve the most vulnerable around us, but long to pal around with the powerful.  We could share the glad news of deliverance, but prefer to swap stories and gossip.
   There is none like you, Redeemer of all your children.  You lean over to listen to our prayers, and whisper forgiveness to our souls. You lift us out of the holes we dig for ourselves, and set us on hope's solid ground.  You strengthen our weak faith with the life, grace, and love of Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace
Come, dear friends and receive God's grace; see all the God is doing for you; follow Jesus, as he leads you closer to God.
I will sing of God's love for me;
I will sing a new song of hope and wonder.
Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May these gifts we offer, God of new ways, bring comfort to those who grieve; hope to those who live on the streets of despair; peace to all the broken places; and grace to all who long to draw closer to you.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of patience be with you.
And also with you.
Offer your hearts to the One who waits for you.
We open them to God, who is our Life.
Come and sing new songs to our God.
We will praise the One who dwells in our hearts.

You saw the emptiness of chaos,
God of before-time,
and so the Spirit and Word came
bearing the gifts of creation:
   coastlands lapped by ocean waves;
   goats playing king of the mountains;
   children laughing in summer showers.
You shaped us in your image, hoping
we would see you wonders,
and stand up to walk with you.
     But we chose to follow
     those false gods, sin and death.
Women and men came trying
to call your children back home,
     but we would not listen to them.
Then you sent Jesus to us,
the Faithful One pointing
out the way for us.

Together with all around us,
with those in every place, from every time,
we will sing our songs to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, Redeemer of all.
Creation joins in praising your name.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who invites us to 'come and see.'
Hosanna in the highest!

You are the Holy One of all time,
and Jesus is the Lamb who takes
     away the sins of the world.
He would not remain in glory,
     but came to gather us up
     and bring us home to you.
He would not hoard,
     but poured out your grace
     on everyone he met.
He would not remain silent,
     but told us of your kingdom
     in our midst.
Despised by evil, abhorred by death,
     he defeated their power
     by dying on the cross and
     being raised to new life for us.

Called to be faithful as he was,
sanctified by his grace and love,
we sing a new song of the mystery called faith:

Christ died, blameless in God's eyes;
Christ was raised, honored in God's sight;
Christ will return, so we will be seen as without fault.

Here your children are gathered, where
the gifts of the Table are offered for all.
Here  you bring us together
from every place on earth,
where the Spirit transforms
simple gifts into sacred us.
Here where the bread is broken,
     we are strengthened to go
     and bring the good news to all.
Here where salvation is poured out,
     we are called into fellowship
     with those despised by the world,
     with those who live in the shadows,
     with those who long for someone
          to listen to their pain.

And when you have brought all time to an end,
when you gather your children home,
seating us around the great Feast of the Lamb,
we will sing that new, new song of praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Having learned new words from our God,
we will go to warm others in the bleak midwinter of life,
to whisper to them of grace and hope.
Having learned new ways to serve from Jesus,
we will go to clear paths for those lost in oppression,
to wait with those in hospital rooms and job lines.
Having learned new songs from the Spirit,
we will go to sing of peace in all the broken places,
to light the way out of the shadows of injustice.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for January 11, 2026 (Baptism of the Lord - A)

Texts: Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17

Call to Worship
Come to the waters, beloved—
where Spirit moved over at creation,
where Jesus was immersed in justice,
where God leaned close to us.
We splash in the river of God’s joy.
Come to the waters, beloved—
where God’s voice thunders,
where God whispers kindness.
We watch as Jesus steps
into the muddy mess of our lives.
Come to the waters, beloved—
where the Spirit gifts us so
we can stand side by side
with the broken and forgotten.
We come because we are indeed
God’s beloved children.

Prayer of the Day
In the beginning,
you whispered for light
to glow in the chaos,
in the blessing,
you spoke justice into
all the places of hopelessness,
into the deep water
of our lives, God of Imagination,
you sang grace.

as he stepped into the Jordan
you called Jesus your beloved,
filling him with hope
frightened people needed,
sustaining him with courage
to walk the dusty road to death,
resting your life on his shoulders
like the gentle touch of a dove.

as we gather to remember
those waters which touched us
with your grace, love, life,
we pray you will continue
to pour the Spirit’s peace
and passion into our lives.

God in Community, Holy in One,
silence those whispers which
tell us that we are not enough,
cleanse us of our dusty worries,
send us out as servants of the Beloved—
carrying the good news,
setting people free,
shining your light
into the corners of the world,
even as we pray as we have been taught
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We cannot be reminded enough that God claims us as beloved children even before we are perfect people. As we remember our baptisms, let us confess those foolish choices which keep us from jumping feet first into that river of grace, where God meets us in the waters of life.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   We know we prefer to stand on the shore, gentle God, scared to run barefoot into the waters of faith. We take small sips of the living water of grace you offer but go on binges with the mixed drinks of anger and fear. We have trouble seeing some neighbors, much less strangers, as your beloved and believe our privilege means all are as comfortable as we are.
   As we draw near to the waters of baptism, God of grace, have mercy on us. Whenever we forget who we are, send us to serve the vulnerable. Whenever we forget what we are, challenge us to be more gracious and just. Whenever we forget whose we are, wash us again in that forgiveness deeper than our shallow lives, and fill us with new life in Christ. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace
This is our good news, friends. The Spirit descends upon us, the heavens open, and God speaks – not with judgment, punishment, or condemnation, but with joy, grace, hope, love.
We are God’s beloved children – forgiven, claimed, named, baptized. Thanks be to God. Amen!

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
As a river carries life to land, take our gifts and carry them into the world, God of waters. There, may they set people free, open closed eyes and clenched fists, proclaim faith instead of fear, share peace instead of platitudes. This we pray in the name of the Beloved. Amen.

Affirmation
God is the creator of wind
which stirs us to compassion
and the mover of wind
which carries God’s cries for justice
into every corner of creation.

Jesus is the Beloved
who stepped out of Glory
into the water of baptism,
who muddied his feet
walking the dusty road to death,
who was raised to make us new.

The Spirit still comes,
resting upon us like a dove,
transforming our ordinary lives
into gifts of peace and reconciliation,
sending us into a broken world
to bring healing and hope.

God in Community, Holy in One,
you are our faith, our hope,
our life, our love.
This we believe. Amen.

The Sacrament of Communion

Invitation to the Table
You do not need to be worthy
to be fed at this Table,
only hungry.
you do not need to be perfect
to drink from the cup of grace,
only thirsty.
for here at this Table,
heaven opens
the Spirit descends to bless
the bread and the cup
and all who are here,
and Jesus meets us
with open arms,
just as he met us
in the waters of baptism.

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May you be showered with grace.
May the Creator of water be with you.
Come, dare to step into the waters of life.
Like little children, we laugh with joy
as we run into the waters of baptism.
Let us sing songs of wonder at this Table.
May the waters teach us songs of thanksgiving.

You soaked that desert called chaos,
God of wonder and work,
with waters of life and grace
droplets of rain cupped in flowers,
rivers which teemed with fish,
oceans where dolphins whistled
and whales leaped to touch the sky.
Your Spirit moved upon all these waters,
your spoken Word caused mountains to tremble,
your love longed to hold us forever.
Though created in your image,
we chose lives dehydrated from grace,
we thought we could grow planted
deep in the barren soil of temptation.
You continued to send prophets to us,
men and women who showed us the way,
but we continued to stand on the shore
watching living water flow by.
When hope seemed in short supply,
when just seemed all but lost,
you sent your Child to us,
to lead us to the waters of baptism.

So, with the dove and open skies
with dunkers, immersers, and sprinklers,
we sing your praises:

Holy are you, God of living waters.
All creation drinks from your grace
and offers thanksgiving to you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who stepped
into the waters of the Jordan.
Hosanna in the highest!

Glory could have stayed on the shore
but stepped into the waters muddied
from the dirt of our foolish lives.
Grace could have watched from a distance,
but dove headfirst to pull us out
of the deep end of our mistakes.
Love could have turned around
and headed back home,
but allowed the riptide of fear
to pull it under the surface of hate.
Jesus could have been left
in the arctic like waters of death,
but Love jumped in, breathing
resurrection into his lungs,
as the heavens opened
and all creation rejoiced.

As we remember the life, death, and resurrection,
as we renew those promises of our baptism
we speak of that faith which is such a mystery:

Jesus died, stepping into the cold waters of death.
Jesus was raised, the heavens opening,
a voice whispering, ‘my Beloved.’
Jesus will come, calling us to rest
in the waters of life which never evaporate.

Just like moving over creation’s waters,
may the Spirit move over the Table,
transforming the ordinary into sacred,
calling everyday people God’s beloved.
As we eat of this bread,
may we hear the voices
of the marginalized,
of the forgotten,
of the lonely and grieving.
As we drink from the cup,
may the dove of peace rest on us,
so we will work for justice,
so we will challenge cruelty,
so we will stand up to bullies.

And when all time ends
and the waters of life carry us to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
we will join with our siblings
singing your praises forever. Amen.

Sending
The heavens have opened
and we have heard God’s voice.
Let us go to speak up for all
whom the world ignores.
We have stood in the waters of baptism
gathered into the welcoming arms of Jesus.
Let us go to embrace everyone who finds
the doors of hope, justice, life
slammed in their faces.
We have felt the touch of the Spirit
resting upon us like a gentle dove.
Let us go to be light in the shadows
cast by the privileged and powerful,
and bring peace to the broken places.

© 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for Day of Epiphany - A

   Texts: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12

Call to Worship
We gather wondering,
'Where will we find the Babe
born in Bethlehem?'
We will find the Babe
     in the laughter of children,
     in the wisdom of grandparents.
We gather asking,
'where will we find
the Child of Christmas?'
We will find the Child
     where the needy are gifted with hope,
     where the oppressed are set free.
We gather wanting to know,
'where will we find the Christ
who has come for us?'
We will find our Hope
     where fear is overwhelmed by grace,
     where hatred is overwhelmed by love,
     where all people are overwhelmed by joy.

Prayer of the Day
We have heard
of your grace,
Shaper of stars;
from those set free
     from injustice;
from our children
     who whisper of your joy;
from greeters
     of dawn's fresh start;
from late risers
     who listen to the stories
     of the needy.

We have heard
of your Light,
Bright Star of the morning:
which can illumine
     the shadows of our lives;
which can show
     the path to God's heart;
which can point the way
     to where we become
     servants of the gospel.

We have heard
of your promised peace,
Wisdom's Radiance:
that peace
     which can end war,
     as well as heal our hearts;
that peace
     which can conquer our fears,
     and flood us with faith;
that peace      which can enter our lives
     and overwhelm us with hope.

We have heard of you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and will proclaim your glory to all,
even as we pray, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Why do we huddle in the shadowed corners of life, rather than running to the Light of life? Why do we love the wrong we do rather than grasping the good news offered to us? As we struggle with such questions, let us speak to God of all we have failed to do, seeking hope and grace as we pray,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     We search for your light, Star Caster, but too often end up settling for the dimness of temptation. Our motives for seeking to find Christ are not always pure, for we expect him to fulfill our desires, rather than your hopes for us. We want the gifts of wealth, health, success, fulfillment, rather than those of servanthood, of compassion, of peace.      Forgive us, Shaper of our lives, that we are so foolish to put our needs ahead of your grace. Help us to be like those wise people of so long ago, who found hope, instead of a destination; who found grace, instead of gratitude; who found salvation, instead of a sign. As we journey with your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, fill us with the light of your joy and love.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Up, on your feet! Grace has been poured into our hearts, love has flooded our souls, the light of hope shines in us.
This is the light which has come to all, the light we will carry and give to everyone we meet. Thanks be to God.  Amen.

 
Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May the gifts we offer bring food to the hungry, healing to the broken, community to the lonely, and hope to those who live in the shadows of our time.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
People of Advent: the Lord be with you!
And also with you!
People of Christmas, lift up your hearts.
We lift our hearts overwhelmed with grace to the One who was born for us.
People of the Star, offer your songs of joy and thanksgiving to God.
We will sing our praises to the One
who has revealed glory and hope in the Babe of Bethlehem.

In that first moment, you spoke,
Radiant God,
     and the light of creation
     dispelled the thick darkness of chaos.
You whispered,
     and your glory filled the skies.
You sang,
     and the dust of the earth
     was shaped into your image,
as you breathed life into us.
We could have lived
in grace and peace with you
     for as long as the sun endures,
     for as long as the moon hangs in the night sky.
But we were tempted
by the sweet taste of sin,
     and overwhelmed with temptation's
      wealth of cheap gifts and thrills.
The prophets were sent
to tell of your gifts of joy and peace,
but we listened to the world's news
of success, power, achievement.
Finally, in that dark time of despair,
you sent Jesus,
your servant of salvation.

Therefore, we will join our voices
with the wise ones, as well as the foolish,
of every time and place
who forever sing of your grace:

Holy, holy, holy, God of bright dawns!
All creation renders tributes of praise to you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who saves the lives of the needy.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of redemption,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Overwhelmed with compassion,
he left the glory of heaven,
     to become a prisoner of sin,
          so we could be set free.
Overwhelmed with hope,
he entered death's house,
     to break its dark power forever.
Overwhelmed with love,
     he travelled another road,
     walking to Calvary,
          so we might run with joy
          into your waiting arms.

So, as we remember his birth,
as we prepare to journey with him this year,
we speak of that mystery called faith,
which is revealed to us through Christ:

Christ came, the morning star of love;
Christ died, the night star of salvation;
Christ arose, the radiant star of resurrection;
Christ will come again, the constellation of hope.

Holy One of stars and sinners,
send down your Spirit of hope
upon those gathered around this Table,
and on the gifts of the bread and the cup,
that they might make us 
your faithful and loving children.
Feed us with the bread of hope,
so when we leave,
we will travel another road,
     to defend the weak,
     to speak for the voiceless,
     to assist those cast aside.
Refresh us with the sweet nectar of grace,
so we, overwhelmed with joy,
would go forth
     to enter the houses
          of the strangers in our midst;
     to enter the despair
          of the lonely and forgotten;
     to enter the hearts
          of everyone we meet.

And when eternity's time begins
and we are gathered around your Table,
with friends and family we loved,
with those we ignored and mistreated,
with all our sisters and brothers of grace,
we will lift our songs of glad joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
Now, God sends us out by a different road.
So we may find those who have been left by the side of the world.
Now, Jesus walks with us down a different road.
So we may serve those who are lonely and frightened.
Now, the Spirit illumines a different road.
So we may take our sisters and brothers by the hand
to walk in wonder and grace.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for January 4, 2026 (Second Sunday after Christmas - A)

 Texts:  Jeremiah 31: 7-14; Psalm 147:12-20; Ephesians 1:3-14; John 1:1-18

Call to Worship
On this day, we remember the gift of God's Word,
who gathers us together from the farthest parts of the world
to worship in joy and hope.
On this day, we remember the simple graces of the bread and the cup,
those plain gifts shaped by God's love into nourishing hope.
On this day, we remember the gifts of water and oil,
cleansing us in the baptismal pools, anointing us as God's children.

Prayer of the Day
You could let us continue to shuffle
through the world's deserts,
God of Christmas,
     but you choose to walk with us
     beside the rivers of life.
You could forget who we are,
     but you adopt us into your family,
     your children of hope and joy.
You could decide we are not worth all the love
or all the agony of caring,
     but your redeem us and make us whole.
Blessed are you!

It was only the other day
the angels were singing of your birth,
Tiny One of Bethlehem,
and now, here you are,
running swiftly toward us:
     to melt our frozen faith,
     to comfort us in our loneliness,
     to lead us into life in your kingdom.
Blessed are you!

At the edge of a new year,
we wonder what life will be life,
and what do you do,
Gathering Spirit?
     You water our parched souls with laughter;
     you teach dance steps to those
          too weary to tap their toes;
     you fill our emptiness
          with overflowing gladness!
Blessed are you!

Blessed are we,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we lift the prayer Jesus has taught us, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Have we really been to Bethlehem? Have we worshiped at the manger? Have we changed, for the better? Or have we simply gone back to being the people we were before the joy, the peace, the gifts of Christmas? Let us confess how we have not lived as those who have seen the Baby, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
God of Christmas:
we still are playing with our new toys,
     the creche figures have not been put away;
we have the stacks of Christmas cards,
     but we memorize the words sin has taught us;
we set limits on who we will love,
     we make promises we cannot keep,
we fail to see the pain and hurt we cause.

God of the angels and shepherds, forgive us.
     Your Word has come to reshape our lives;
     your Light has come to show us the way home;
     your Son has come to make us your family.
Have mercy and make us new people. This we pray
in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Like the Baby of Bethlehem, we are born anew. God's forgiveness cradles us; God's love is poured out on us.
What a marvelous gift - forgiveness! Filled with hope and new life, we can sing God's praises forever. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
Blessed are we, O God, for you came to be with us, to walk with us, and to share our lives.  As we offer our gifts to you, may we be willing to share in the lives of those around us, to share in their journeys, and to be your presence and spirit in their lives.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of newness be with you.
And also with you.
People of Christmas, offer your hearts to God.
We lift them to the One who comes,
new hope and life cradled in loving hands.
People of the Holy One of Bethlehem, sing glad praises to our God.
We come, for we have received the good news,
we have believed the Word, we are given joyful songs to sing.

When chaos thought there was no end,
you began, Fullness of all time.
Your Word ran sprints through creation,
     scattering the seeds which sprang forth
     into fruit, flowers, mountains and molehills.
Your Spirit sang songs of wonder and hope,
     that Breath which gave your children life.
We were as close to your heart
as the blood which flows through ours,
but the soft, insistent whispers of sin
grew louder and louder in our ears,
     and we ran off, letting the shadows
     of seduction overwhelm us.
Time and again, every time you could,
you sent your messengers to us,
crying out in love and hope, 'return!'
     but we did not recognize them
     nor listen to their words.
So turning to the angels,
you said, 'Watch!' as you
sent Jesus to bring us home to you.

So, with those in every place,
and with those from every time,
we join our voices, singing to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God of every blessing.
All creation lavishes praise on you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to live among us.
Hosanna in the highest!

You could have kept us scattered
to the limits of loneliness, God of Wonder,
but you sent Jesus, your Glory,
to become the Gatherer of those
who had wandered far from you.
Peering into the shadows of our lives,
     he is the Light which overcomes
     all our fears, our doubts, our worries.
Speaking into the hollows of our hearts,
     he is the Word who teaches us
     new songs of gratitude and awe.
Gathering the cross into his arms,
     he is the Deliverer who breaks
     sin's death grip on us,
          walking with us by the brooks of water,
           into the kingdom of life eternal.

As we begin this year with hope,
we remember his promise to be with us always,
even as we tell of that mystery we call faith:

At the beginning of time, Christ was the Word of creation;
at the right time, Christ was the Word of redemption;
at the end of time, Christ will be the Word who brings us home.

And in this time, in this place,
with these people, we come to your Table,
     Gatherer of your children.
The simple gifts we take for granted,
the bread which has been a staple of life,
the cup which refreshes us when we thirst,
     you transform into imaginative grace,
     the Meal which is blessed by the presence
     of your Spirit of power and peace.
You bring us from every point on the compass -
     young and old, the mother with her son,
     the grandfather balancing the girl on his knee,
     those who run circles around us,
     and those who point the way with their canes -
welcoming that great parade of your children
who come with outstretched hearts
to receive every blessing imaginable.

And when our beginning has come to your fullness,
when we come, our faces glowing with wonder,
our voices ringing with the songs of freedom,
we will gather around your Table in heaven,
comfort and gladness our eternal inheritance from you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
Go forth now, with God's Word echoing in your hearts.
We will go to share God's hope with all who are empty.
Go forth now, with the grace of Jesus filling your souls.
We will go to share the justice of Jesus with all who are forgotten.
Go forth now, with the Spirit's peace resting on you.
We will go to share this peace, placing it like a shawl
around the broken, the grieving, the lonely.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Holy Name of Jesus

Texts: Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 8; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 2:15-21

Call to Worship
We come, in need of blessings;
we come, seeking closeness with God.
Let us go, to find our God.
We come, from the shadows of our lives,
seeking light and hope.
Hurry, let us go to find the One we have heard about.
We come to God, seeking peace
for our lives, for our world.
Come, let us go, believing the Word we have seen.

Prayer of the Day
Majestic God,
we cannot begin to imagine you,
yet you have made us in your image;
we wonder why you notice us,
when we are surrounded by creation's glory;
we have been made stewards of life,
and you choose to share your own with us.

Name above all names:
you call us 'sister' and 'brother'
claiming us to share in your work;
exalted above all creation,
you humbled yourself for our sake;
able to do all things,
you choose to work through us.

Spirit of Grace:
when we look for majesty,
you bring us to a manger;
when we yearn for glory,
you hand us a mop;
when we want to exalt ourselves,
you point us to the Cross.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we pray to you as Jesus has taught us,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We've been to the stable, and met the Babe. But tomorrow, when we go back to work, or school - will others know where we have been? Let us admit to God our reluctance to reflect transformed lives.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
God of Bethlehem:
you bless us richly,
forgive our reluctance to share;
you hold us close to your heart,
forgive us for keeping others at arm's length;
you shine in the shadows of our soul,
forgive us for not sharing the Light;
you lift us from where we have fallen,
forgive us for not offering a helping hand;
you grace us with Joy,
forgive us when we worship fear.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace
If we believe the songs of the angels, and have seen the Child in the manger, then we must go out and tell others this good news.
We will go: glorifying God, praising the Lord, and confessing to everyone we meet how God has richly blessed us. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

Your name is love, so we offer our gifts in love;

your name is justice, so we pray our gifts will bless the forgotten;

your name is hope, so may we share hope with those who despair;

your name is grace, so may we be as merciful as you are;

your name is inclusion, so may we welcome everyone we meet.

You are Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and we offer our gifts in your name.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to our God.
Sisters and brothers of Christ, give thanks to our God.
We lift our songs of praise to the One who loves us.

We will indeed sing your praises,
God of Blessings,
creator of heaven and earth.
You brought forth all that is good and beautiful,
so chaos could not keep hold of us.
You lifted up the dust of creation,
shaping it into your likeness,
breathing your life into our lungs.
When we fell into sin,
you did not turn away from us,
but kept your promises.
You sent prophets to remind us
of our covenant with you,
but we continued to bow down
to death's idols.
Finally, you sent your Beloved
Jesus, the Babe of Bethlehem,
to become one of us,
so we could be made one with you.

So, we join our voices
with the angels in heaven and the beasts in the field,
with those who have gone before us,
and those who will follow,
glorifying you forever:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of blessings.
All creation glorifies and praises you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to redeem us.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Shining God,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son.
Emptying himself of glory,
we are filled with grace;
reviled and cursed by coarse humanity,
he is given the Name above all names;
dying a criminal's death
and cast into death's cold arms,
he is lifted to your Heart
to rule over all creation.

As we come to this Table,
we speak of that mystery
we cannot explain:

Christ was obedient to God, even to death;
Christ was exalted by God, raised to new life;
Christ will be proclaimed by all as Lord and Savior.

Come, Spirit of Blessing
upon these gifts of the bread and cup,
and those who come to receive them.
As we bow to receive the Bread of Heaven,
we would stoop to lift up the fallen;
as we bend to take the Cup,
we would kneel to comfort your children;
as we worship you,
we would serve your people.

Then, when all are gathered for your Feast in heaven,
we will sing our glory to you:
God in Community, Holy and One,
now and forever. Amen.

Blessing
The One who blesses you will keep you close:
we will go,
not keeping the blessing for ourselves, but to share it with others.
The One who is gracious to you, shines the Spirit upon you:
we will go,
To reflect the Light of Christ in gracious words and deeds.
The One who turns towards you gives you peace:
we will go,
turning to everyone we meet, saying,
"The peace of God be with you."

(c) Thom M. Shuman

New Years Day ABC

 Texts: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13; Psalm 8; Revelation 21:1-6a; Matthew 25:31-46

Call to Worship
We wake up in the morning
and see the sunrise:
how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
We are warmed by the sun;
the rain cleanses all creation:
how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
We watch the moon light up the night,
we fall asleep to the lullabies of the stars:
how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Prayer of the Day
You call us
     to be Your children;
You gift us
     to serve all people;
You send us to proclaim
     Your good news to all:
Glory to You,
Creator of all that is new!

When you are lonely,
     we have a chance to visit you;
when you are hungry,
     we can share our food with you;
when you are naked,
     we can give you
          the clothes off our backs;
when you are sick,
     we can nurse you back to health:
Glory to You,
Savior of the world!
 
You whisper in our ears,
     so we may praise You;
You fill our souls,
     so we may serve You;
You lead us into the kingdom,
     so we may live with You:
Glory to You,
Spirit of Gentleness!
 
Glory to You,
God in Community, Holy in One!
Hear us as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Will this year be a time of new life, new ways for us - or will we continue to live the same old way? Let us confess to our God our failures, as well as our hopes, as we begin this year.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     We admit that we always find the time to fill our stomachs, God of every moment, but not our souls. We spend hours watching television, but not the wonders of Your creation. We arrange outings with our friends, yet ignore Your invitation to sit and talk. We make resolutions to change every aspect of our lives, except for that which pertains to You.
     Forgive us, God of Glory, and make us new. In the moments to come this year, remind us that if there is a time for everything, than we do have those moments for grace, for hope, for joy, for a relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
It's over - last year is gone. Our words, our thoughts, our deeds are in the past. Today, we begin anew. Today, and every day, God offers us life and hope.
Here, now, forever - we are forgiven and healed. This year, let us live as such people. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May we not keep our blessings, but give them away, so that others might learn new dance steps, so children might be fed, so bridges might be built, and so grace may flow to all in Your world.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of new beginnings be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One who makes all things, including us, new.
Children of God, sing praises to the One who gives you new life.
We praise the One who continues to surprise us with hope and grace.
 
Before there was time,
Hope of Eternity,
You took a moment
     to bring creation out of chaos.
You took time to create mountains,
     and carve deep canyons;
You made the time to fill the oceans
     and to plant food for all creatures;
You found the time to plow rivers
     to water a Garden,
     and to shape us in Your image.
But we did not have time for You,
          preferring to spend our days chasing sin,
     and our nights seeking death.
You always made time for us,
speaking of Your hopes
     through the prophets,
sharing Your dreams
     through the angels.
Then, one day You decided
to do a new thing,
becoming one of us
as Jesus become human
to bring hope and grace to us.
 
So we join with the saints in heaven,
and our siblings on earth,
who sing of Your glory:
 
Holy, holy, holy, God of every time and space.
All creation sings of Your majesty and glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
 
Blessed is the One who gives us the water of life.
Hosanna in the highest!
 
Holy are You, Keeper of our days,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
who is with us in every season of life.
He comes, not to judge us,
     but to forgive us;
He comes, not to cast us out,
     but to gather us into
     the new Jerusalem;
He comes, not to watch us suffer,
     but to die on the cross,
           that we might live with You.
 
As we give thanks for his life,
and remember his death and resurrection,
we would talk of that mystery which is our faith:
 
Christ died, so sin would have no more power over us;
Christ was raised, destroying death's grip on us;
when the new heaven and new earth come,
     Christ will make all things, including us, new.

In these sacred moments,
send Your Spirit
to sanctify the bread and the cup,
and to open the hearts
of those who approach the Table.
As the Bread of life touches our lips,
     may we be strengthened to serve
     those whom the world has forgotten.
As the Cup of salvation quenches our thirst for You,
     may we be enabled to bring relief
     to those who wander
     the desert wastes of our society.
 
And when all time ends,
and all people are gathered
around Your Table in Heaven,
we will rejoice in Your presence,
and sing your praises forever:
One God, Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, now and forever.  Amen.

Sending
Let us go from this time of silence and song, to be God's voice,
to speak out for the oppressed of our communities and world.
Let us go from this time of community, to be Jesus' faithful,
to feed the hungry, to visit the sick, to be a friend to the prisoner.
Let us go from this sacred space, to share the peace of the Spirit,
to work for reconciliation in our neighborhoods,
to put an end to violence and death as solutions for fear.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for December 28, 2025 (First Sunday after Christmas - A)

 Texts:  Isaiah 63:7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2:10-18; Matthew 2:13-23

Call to Worship
All creation, all people: praise the Lord!
stars shooting across the sky,
sing glad songs to our God!
Snow clouds approaching, birds sitting on a branch:
praise the Lord!
Sleeping cats and barking dogs,
sing new choruses of praise!
Rich and poor, leaders and followers:

praise the Lord!
Old and young, families and singles,
we will lift our joy to our God!

Prayer of the Day
On that not so silent night,
you came to us, Mothering God,
     like a night nurse
     on the pediatric floor,
     to gather us in your arms
     and swaddle us in your hope.

On that not so silent night,
you came to us, Child of humanity,
     to be cradled with the lost,
     to share a stable with outsiders,
     to confront the bullies who
          threaten our children.

On that not so silent night,
you came to us, Spirit of joy,
     to lift us up and carry us to salvation,
     to help us persist in praising God,
     to share our lives with us.

Be with us in all the nights and days to come,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as you taught us, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We know all that God has done for us, as well as all we could have done for others.  Let us confess to God our failures and foibles, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   We could proclaim your name, God of this holy season, but we spend too much time talking about celebrities.  We could tell others about all your gracious deeds, but are comparing notes about the exploits of our favorite athletes.  We could let your Word guide our lives, but instead we do what the politicians think is best.
   Why?  Because we forget who we are called to be.  But you remember, Faithful God.  You
remember that we put our trust in others, not you; you remember how we chase after idols,
not follow you; you remember to save us in our distress, which is why you sent Jesus to
us, our Lord, our Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
In the silence, in the dreams, in the wonder, in the words, God comes to save us and have mercy on us.
It is fitting that we offer our thanks and praise to the One who forgives us.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offertory
As we offer our gifts to you, Holy One, may they join all creation in blessing and serving your people.  Called to be your people, may we notice those who are forgotten and offer our lives and hearts to them.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of Christmas be with you!
And also with you!
Put your trust in the One who has come.
We offer our hearts willingly to our God.
Join all creation in praising God.
We join in the chorus of glad songs to God.

In that not so silent
moment, you spoke to creation,
God of our dreams and hopes,
     and birds warbled in the morning,
     thunder rumbled over the waters,
     cows lowed in the meadows.
For us, those shaped in your image,
were these gifts imagined and formed,
     but we took up after death,
     getting up to follow sin.
Prophets came to praise your name,
and to bring us back to you,
     but we thought they were
     trying to trick us.
Then you sent Jesus, Pioneer of salvation,
to proclaim your name to us.

With those who are shy and silent,
with those who persist in glorifying you,
we offer our thanksgiving songs:

Holy, holy, holy are you, ever-loving God.
All creation praises your name.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who put his trust in you.
Hosanna in the highest!

In the silence of the night,
your holiness became human, our God,
and you blessed us with Jesus, Child of grace.
When he could have stayed with you,
     he came to offer us help.
When he could have remained in Nazareth,
     he got up to bring us the good news.
When he could have played it safe,
     he shared his flesh and blood on the cross,
     so we might have life through the resurrection.

As we celebrate the gift of his life,
as we remember his death and rising to new life,
we proclaim that mystery called faith:

Christ died, putting his trust in you;
Christ rose, taking on the resurrection life;
Christ will come, to carry us home to you.

Into these moments of silence
and sacrament, send your Spirit
upon those gathered in this place,
and on the gifts of the Bread and Cup.
As we eat of the Bread,
send us out to serve
     the hungry and the homeless,
     the lost and forgotten,
     the broken and battered -
all whose hopes have disappeared.
As we drink from the Cup,
may we see the
     lonely and forsaken,
     the hurting and ridiculed,
     the oppressed and imprisoned -
all whose dreams have become nightmares.

And when we are gathered to your side,
we will proclaim your glory to
our siblings around the Table,
our praises being offered to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Praising God is not enough.
And so we will go to offer practical help to our siblings.
Joyful noises do not feed those around us.
And so we will go with Jesus to the food pantries and shelters,
to care for those forgotten by our society.
Songs of thanksgiving do not replace service.
And so we will go to share the peace of the Spirit
with a broken, yet hopeful world.

(c) Thom M. Shuman