Fourth Sunday in Lent - C

Texts:  Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Call to Worship
Do you feel it? God's kingdom is beneath our feet.
We live in the new creation shaped by God out of our brokenness.
Do you know it? God's reconciling love in Christ has shattered our ways of viewing people.
No longer do we label our sisters and brothers, we welcome them with open arms.
Do you believe it? God has made everything, including us, new,
and sends us forth to share this good news with everyone!

Prayer of the Day
Holy God, Word Shaper:
you are not our accountant,
     but our lover;
you are not angry at us,
     but you forgive us;
you are not our enemy,
     but the One who runs towards us
     with wide open arms,
throwing steaks on the grill
to celebrate our newness!

Jesus Christ, Shaper of our story:
you travel to that distant country called our sin
     to bring us home once again;
you share your inheritance with us
     so we might be blessed;
you know the famine of our spirits
     and fill it with your hope.

Holy Spirit, Life Shaper:
surrounded by your grace,
     we offer glad cries of salvation;
encircled by your constant love,
     we shout for joy;
enclosed in your comforting arms,
     nothing can overwhelm us.

God in Community, Holy in One,
from now on we will remember our life in you,
even as we pray as Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We know our faults -- the way we have treated others, our alienation from God, our unwillingness to be faithful people. We will not hide our sin or remain silent, but confess them to the One who surrounds us with steadfast love. Please join me as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   On this very day, Waiting God, we admit all the lengths to which we go so we might avoid you. You offer us that kingdom of joy and wonder, yet we would hide in places where temptation waits. You invite us to feast on your grace and peace, but we stubbornly refuse, because you also welcome those we call 'outsiders.' We are quick to see all the mistakes that those around us make, but hope you will ignore our foolish choices.
   Celebrating God, before we come to our senses, we find you running towards us, sweeping us up in your arms, tears of grace mingling with our cries of confession, a mighty river washing away our sinful ways to restore us to new life.  In Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we find no limitations on your grace, no reservations about your love, but a feast that overflows with wonder, a place we can finally call home.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
God rolls away everything that stands in our way - our past, our sin, our pain, our hesitation, and reshapes us into new people living in the new creation. What wonderful grace. We are forgiven!
Broken, we are made whole;
lost, we are brought home;
empty, we are filled with songs of gladness.
We rejoice and give thanks to God who has graced us with mercy. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May Abba our God be with you!
And also with you!
Lift your hearts to the One who welcomes you home.
We open them to our God, who runs to embrace us with grace.
Sing glad songs to the One who provides this feast.
We join in singing to God, who throws a party for us in this place.

On those days you called creation
from the hiding places of your imagination,
     mighty rivers rushed down to the seas,
     a rainbow of produce sprang up in fields,
     day and night rippled with your beauty.
All this was from you, God of Wonder,
gifts for those created in your image.
But we demanded our share,
     traveling to that far country called death,
     squandering everything in sin's hidden shadows.
Longing for us to come home,
you sent the prophets to surround us
with glad songs of deliverance,
     but we regarded their words as empty husks,
     continuing to waste away all our days.
So you sent Jesus, your Son,
to lead us back from the dead
so we might celebrate your life.

With all the prodigals as well as the pious,
with all the saints as well as the sinners,
with all the faithful, we sing to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God who reconciles us to yourself.
All creation is glad and rejoices.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who finds the lost and guides them home.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of prodigals,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, in whom there is no deceit.
Coming to that far country we call life,
     he shared the gifts of grace and peace;
telling us stories of families reunited,
     he points us to you sitting by the kingdom's window;
seeing us green-eyed with jealousy,
     he hands us the glasses of reconciliation
          so we might see others in a new way;
going to the cross and dying,
     he comes to life in joy,
          surrounded by your glad cries of resurrection.

As we remember how he welcomed those we overlook,
as we celebrate at the feast which is offered in his name,
we would reflect on that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, to be our salvation;
Christ rose, to be our reconciliation;
Christ will return, to lead us home.

On this day, Parenting God,
pour out your Spirit
on the gifts of the bread and the cup,
the celebration of our new life with you.
In this feast you provide,
     we find the healing we hunger for
     in the bread which is broken for us.
At this table of peace and joy,
in the deep richness of grace's cup,
we receive new sight,
so we can see our sisters and brothers in a new way,
not strangers,
     but siblings,
not outsiders,
     but members of the family.
And on the very day when all time will end,
we will gather with your family around your table,
our voices singing through all eternity glad songs to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

© Thom M. Shuman

Third Sunday in lent - C

Texts:  Isaiah 55:1-9; Psalm 63:1-8; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9

Call to Worship
When our pockets are empty, God allows us to purchase what we need,
     charging it to grace's account.
God thinks differently than we do.
When our souls are parched, God hands us a glass of living water.
God's ways are different from ours.
When we grow weary of searching, God takes our hand and leads us home.
God's love is different from ours.

Prayer of the Day
God of Grace:
we would max out every credit card
and empty our bank accounts
if we thought we could buy
that peace, that hope,
that mercy, that joy
which always seem to elude us.
     Yet you wrap them up and hand them to us,
     with no price tag attached.

We hold our empty lives
out to the world,
begging to be filled to the brim
with all that will only disappoint us.
     Yet you would grace us with living waters,
     which never run dry.
We lie awake at night
from the insomnia of our stress,
whispering of our fears.
     Yet you would lullaby us
     with your love which never ends.

We would lift our hearts to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
trusting that you will listen to us,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Gifted beyond measure, we grumble that we don't have enough. Seeking to get our own way, we do not see the ways God wants to forgive us and restore us to new life. In this season of reflection and repentance, let us turn to the One who waits for us with hope.

Unison Prayer of Confession
   We continue to be tempted, Faithful God.  We are blessed with gifts to use for others, but we want to keep them for ourselves. We easily notice the mistakes of those around us, but do not want to look in the mirror at our lives. We turn our desires into idols, so we do not have to recognize how they can damage us.
   Forgive us, Steadfast God. Fill the poverty of our spirits with the richness of your grace; feed our selfish hunger with the bread of compassion for the world; pour the living waters of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, into our hearts until they overflow with love.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
God is faithful. God's love is an eternal bargain which will not be broken, God's grace is the gift which will not be taken back.
Such abundant mercy, such extravagant grace!  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of everlasting covenants be with you!
And also with you!
Lift up your thirsty hearts to God.
We long for the waters of grace to fill us.
Sing praises to the One who feeds us with wonder.
Our mouths praise God with joy on our lips.

Your ways were not the ways of chaos,
God of Wonder and Delight,
and so with thoughts beyond understanding
you spoke,
     and waters rushed through weary lands;
you listened,
     and songbirds composed anthems for you.
You crafted humanity in your image,
     your steadfast love a promise to us for all time,
but we did not listen carefully to all you spoke,
and so spent your blessings on those temptations
which never could keep us satisfied.
So we would not be unaware
of your continued love for us,
     prophets came, calling us to stop
     and to listen to your longing heart.
When we would not forsake our foolish ways,
Jesus came, your eternal covenant of salvation.

So, we join our voices with all those
who seek you in every time and place,
calling upon you with hope and joy.

Holy, holy, holy, God our God.
Heaven and earth behold your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who provides the way out of sin and death.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, O God, our God,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your song of joy.
When we had lost our way
in the weary land of sin,
     he came to lead us to the waters of hope.
When we could not hear your voice
amid the jumbled thoughts of temptation,
     he came to witness of the good news
          first sung in the broken places of your heart.
When our ways, fertilized by fear and doubt,
were unable to produce any life for us,
     he dug up the roots of death,
          that resurrection might be planted
          deep within us, blooming forever.

As we draw closer to that week we call Holy,
as we remember the One we call Savior,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, witnessing to the world;
Christ rose, destroying the destroyer;
Christ will come, blessing us forever.

From the generosity of your heart you provide
the gifts of the bread and the cup,
charging us nothing, as your Spirit
pours out love and grace on all
who gather at the feast of remembrance.
Here, we are fed with that which
is not bread, but the very life we need,
     so we con go forth to serve your people.
Here, our thirsty souls are refreshed
by the taste of peace and hope,
     so we might speak out for all
     who are ignored by the world.

And when we know no thoughts but yours,
when we are gathered with our sisters and brothers
in that place which you have prepared,
we will sing for joy in the shelter of your heart,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2013

Second Sunday in Lent - C

Texts:  Genesis 15:1-12, 17-19; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17 – 4:1; Luke 13:31-35

Call to Worship
How are we to know we are loved by God, as deeply as Sarah and Abraham were?
At the center of the covenant is God's promise, as well as God's honor.
How are we to know that when we cry out to God, that we will be heard?
At the center of our relationship with God is love and trust.
How are we to trust that what people like Paul and Jesus tell us is true?
At the center of Scripture we find God, full of grace and wonder.

Prayer of the Day
One thing we ask of you,
Sheltering God:
that when we are afraid
     you would bring us into your heart;
that when we lose our way,
     you would give us gentle guides;
that when we cry out to you,
     you would grace us with your presence.

One thing we ask of you,
Mothering Christ:
that you gather up our doubts
     and transform them into confidence;
that you surround our fears
     and transform them into faithfulness;
that you pick up our broken lives
     and transform us into your body.

One thing we ask of you,
Spirit of Light:
that you hold so fast to us,
     we can stand firm in the Lord;
that you stick by us
     so we can wait for the Lord
     through the long hours of life;
that you fill us with your gifts,
     so we can see the goodness
     of the One who comes.

One thing we ask of you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
that you hear us as we pray, as we are taught,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
In the moments when no one else will look at us, God's face is turned towards us full of love and hope.  God does not recoil in horror from our words or actions but, with forgiveness and grace, gathers us up as beloved children, touching us with healing power, so we might turn to face all we have hurt.  Let us trust such a God as we offer our prayers of confession, saying together,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   Refuge of our hearts, we must admit that all too often you are not the center of our lives.  We find shelter in all the false securities the world offers, rather than grounding ourselves in your promises. Our emotions drive our fears, and so we end up making foolish choices,
rather than being guided by your word and heart. We turn to the politicians, the celebrities, the commentators to give us guidelines for living, rather than following the One who comes in your name.
   We ask one thing of you, our God, that you not hide your face from us, but turn to us with forgiveness and hope. Be gracious to us, so we might share such grace with those around us. Fill our emptiness with your love, so we might become more loving. Open
our hearts, as well as our eyes, to see the One who comes to gather us up and lead us into your kingdom, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
The good news is that at the very moment we discover that the temptations of the world provide no true home for us, we find God sheltering us with love, with grace, with joy.
Gathered up in God's grace, we become forgiven and whole. We can lift glad songs of joy to the One who makes us new. Thanks be to God! Amen.

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
And also with you.
Beloved of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One who knows us and loves us.
Beloved of God, give thanks to our God.
It is right to give both thanks and praise.

It is indeed right to give you praise,
Star Maker.
From the depths of the terror of chaos,
you created all that is beautiful and good.
Our grandparents in the faith
could have contemplated the heavens,
     but gazed instead into
     the shadowed corners of the world,
     choosing rebellion, sin and death.
You sent prophets to call us back
into your glory and grace,
     but we ignored their witness,
     scoffing at their words.
Yet you would not let us remain broken,
but sent the Bread which could make us whole.

Therefore we gladly join our voices
with the songs of your people
in both heaven and on earth:

Holy, holy, holy, God our Light, our Salvation.
All creation beholds your glory and beauty.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of Grace,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
Choosing to leave the shelter of heaven,
     he comes to gather us into your kingdom.
sharing our life in every way,
     he knows our struggles and our doubts;
taking the weight of sin upon his shoulders,
     he carries us into the joy of your grace;
broken and dying for our sake,
     he delivers us from sin and death,
          creating the new covenant of your heart.

As we remember his life, his death, his rising,
we would proclaim that mystery we call faith:

Dying, Christ believed God's word;
rising, Christ finished his work;
returning, Christ will gather us together in glory.
God of mystery:
pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
and on the bread we break
and the cup we share.
Make us one with the Risen Christ
and send us forth to be
     sisters and brothers to the world.
Calm the worries and fears of our hearts,
     so we might be bearers of your peace;
fill our emptiness with the Bread of life,
     so we might feed the hungry around us;
cool our thirst with the cup of grace,
     so we might reach out to all
     who travel through the desert of life;
walk with us through the streets of the kingdom,
     until we reach our journey's end,
seated around the Table you have prepared
for the redeemed of every time and place.

Then we will merge our shouts of joy
with those who have modeled for us
trust and obedience in you,
singing our praise to you, God of the Covenant,
through Jesus Christ, our joy and crown,
and in the oneness of the Holy Sprit,
now and forever. Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

1st Sunday in Lent - C

Texts: Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16; Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13

Call to Worship
Led by the Holy Spirit, we come to this place.
God has given us this haven where we may bring
our hopes, our fears, our doubts, our wonder.
Led by the Holy Spirit, we will gather at the Table.
Jesus has come to be with us in our lives,
to feed us with grace and peace.
Led by the Holy Spirit, we will go to serve God's people.
There is no distinction between 'us' and 'them,'
between Presbyterians* and other believers;
we are sisters and brothers in God's family.

Prayer of the Day
Holy God,
Refuge of desert wanderers:
as the seeds of grace
you have planted within us
bear an abundant harvest,
     we would offer the first fruits
     in thanksgiving to you
          and in service to others.

Jesus Christ, Companion of Lenten pilgrims:
you understood
that God alone feeds us,
     and so became the broken Bread;
you knew that the power
to transform our lives
comes from God alone,
     and so became our Servant;
you did not ignore
the warning not to test God,
     and so became our Hope.

Holy Spirit, Leader of Christ's apprentices:
you fill the hungry
     with the Bread of hope;
you fill the arrogant
     with the Servant's humility;
you fill the hopeless
     with that trust which endures.

God in Community, Holy in One,
in our hearts, and on our lips,
we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Too many times, what is found on our lips are words of hurt and anger. Too often, what is found in our hearts is bitterness and fear. And so we end up testing God with our foolish lives, rather than trusting God to lead us in the way we long to go. Let us bring our words of confession, as well as our brokenness, to the One who hears us and makes us whole. Please join me as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   God of our ancestors, we confess that we can become so obsessed with all that is new, we ignore the past which is filled with wisdom. We prefer to wander down streets to all the places we know so well, yet are reluctant to be led by your Spirit into unfamiliar neighborhoods.  We sometimes are in such a hurry to get our heart's desires, we stumble past the grace you are longing to give us.
   Hear our hearts and see our brokenness, God of our days, and forgive us. May we grow in our trust of you, rather than continuing to test you. Gather us up and bring us into the presence of Jesus Christ, our Servant, our Savior, that we might follow him to Jerusalem, and beyond - into that place of hope and peace you are giving to us.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
This is our good news: hearing our prayers and our silence, God forgives us! God is giving to us a marvelous inheritance - hope and grace, peace and joy.
On our lips are cries of gratitude, in our hearts is the trust in the One who loves us. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God who shelters us be with you!
And also with you!
People of God’s inheritance, lift up your hearts.
Our hearts filled with hope are offered to our God.
Those whom God has brought to this place, offer your gratitude to God.
With glad songs, we celebrate the bounty of this Table God provides for us.

Full of the Holy Spirit,
you spoke, God our strength,
and with signs of light and water,
with the wonders of earth blossoming,
     you gave the first fruits of creation
     to our ancestors long ago.
But refusing to dwell in the shadows
of your love and grace,
     we stumbled after sin, trampling underfoot
     your dreams and hopes for us.
You sent psalmists and prophets,
your word on their lips and in their hearts
to call us back to you,
     but we chose to live by sin alone.
You sent your Child to us,
so we might celebrate the bounty
of your love and salvation.

As we gather in this place given to us,
as we draw near to your Table prepared for us,
we join our voices with all our ancestors
in faith from every time and place:

Holy, holy, holy, God of signs and wonders.
All creation flows with your love and joy.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to share your inheritance.
Hosanna in the Highest!

Holy are you, God our Refuge and Hope,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Sign and Wonder of your love.
Led by the Holy Spirit,
he came to the wilderness of our lives
     so we might be brought to
     your kingdom of peace and joy.
Hearing our cries of loneliness,
he came to bring us
     our inheritance of life with you.
Seeing how harshly sin and death
treated us, he opened his scarred hands
     to show us our salvation.

As we follow him to Jerusalem,
as we come to the Table he has prepared,
we proclaim that mystery of faith:

Christ died, salvation for all.
Christ is risen, generous to all.
Christ will come again, Lord of all.

Pour out your Holy Spirit
upon those who have gathered in this place
and upon the bread and the cup
which you are giving to us.
In the broken bread, may we find
that word of faith

     we can proclaim with our lips.
In the cup of grace poured for us,
may we find that life of faith
     we can proclaim with our actions.
And filled with the Holy Spirit,
may we be led into the world,
     to be a refuge for the searching,
     to be hope for the despairing,
     to be with those in trouble,
      to be a friend to the lonely.

And when these days are over
and we are gathered in that
inheritance you are giving to us,
we will join with our sisters and brothers
in proclaiming with our lips and our hearts
that you are indeed, forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

* Feel free to substitute your denomination for 'Presbyterian'

(c) Thom M. Shuman

 

 

Lenten and Easter Nudges | Wild Goose Publications

Lenten and Easter Nudges | Wild Goose Publications

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany - C

Texts:  Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 4:21-30

Call to Worship
Today, the words of God come to us, in love,
inviting us to not be afraid, but to place our faith in God.
Today, the word of God comes to us, in faith,
inviting us to trust in the One who knows us,
to place our hope in the One who saves us.
Today, the Word of God comes to us, in hope,
inviting us to be gracious in our love and in our service to others.

Prayer of the Day
Rescuing God:
your wall of hope
     surrounds us in our despair;
your haven of faith
     welcomes us in our unbelief;
your citadel of love
     protects us from our anger.

Gracious Word:
you reach out to those
     we would dare not touch;
you greet those
     we ignore on a daily basis;
you welcome those
     we would close our hearts to.
 
Holy Spirit:
rest gently upon us,
     so we might become kinder people;
caress us with your humility,
     so we could let go of our pride;
show us your Way,
     so we would not demand ours.

God in Community, Holy in One,
our hope, our faith, our love,
hear us as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We hide them deep in the closets of our hearts, but God knows our secret failings. We sit in the shadows of our lives, but God sees the possibility we can become. We mumble our words, but God bends down to listen, and whisper grace and hope to us. Let us confess our sins to the One who loves us, as we pray together,

Unison Prayer of Confession
     God of incredible patience, we must confess that our love is not always what we might hope it would be. We focus so much on ourselves, the needs of others pale in significance. Too often, we find ourselves rejoicing in the miseries of others, believing they must have done something to deserve what comes their way. We continually push our families and friends away from us, simply by insisting that everything be done our way.
     Faithful Deliverer of our foolish lives, forgive us and have mercy on us. As you rescue us from ourselves, may we become your people. As you touch us with faith, may we be witnesses to the world of your dreams. As you pour out hope upon us, may we be your compassion to those who hurt. As you drench us with your love which comes to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, may we be made whole.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
God's love never ends! With this good news, we know we are forgiven; with this blessing, we know that we are healed.
Now, we can bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you!
And also with you!
Beloved of God, lift up your hearts.
We open them to the One who knows us and who loves us.
Children of God, give thanks to the One who is our hope.
Our praise will always be offered to our Love, our Trust, our God.
 
When there was nothing but your love,
     you shaped all that is beautiful and good;
when there was nothing but your faith,
     you formed us from the dust,
          and breathed Spirit into our lungs;
when there was nothing but your hope,
     you called us to be your people,
               Creator of all.
But when we looked in the mirror
which the world held before us,
     we saw only ourselves,
     our desires, our wisdom.
We turned away from you,
insisting on our own way,
     growing irritable and rebellious
     when you would not give in to us.
Yet you did not leave us
in the grasp of sin and death,
trusting that if we met you face to face,
we would turn to you in joy.
 
So today, believing that your Word
has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ,
we join our voices with those
who now know you fully,
offering our songs of grateful praise:
 
Holy, holy, holy, Refuge and hope of the world.
All creation resounds with your praise.
Hosanna in the highest!
 
Blessed is the One who comes with words of grace.
Hosanna in the highest!
 
Holy are you, Anchorage of our hearts,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, graced Word of joy.
The Fullness of your hope came
     so the famine of our spirits might be fed;
the faithful son of Joseph knew rejection,
     so we might find refuge in your kingdom;
the epitome of your love endured hate and terror
     that we need not fear death and sin.

While we can only dimly understand
the mysteries of your faith, hope, and love,
we celebrate the One who came to reveal them to us.
 
Christ died, so we might have faith;
Christ rose, so we might see hope;
Christ will come again, so we will be with you in love.
 
Holy Spirit,
may the bread which is broken
     become the means of our healing;
may the cup which is poured
     become the fountain of our servanthood.
Touch us with faith,
that we might believe
     your justice and peace
     are to be shared with all people.
Fill us with hope,
     so we could dare to bear
     the burdens of those around us.
Grace us with love,
     so we could be that healing
     which the hurting and lonely need.
 
And when we are rescued from the bonds of time,
when we find refuge with our sisters and brothers
around the feast prepared for us in glory,
we will join our voices in singing to you
our faith, our hope, our love forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Third Sunday after the Epiphany - C

Texts:  Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19;  1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21

Call to Worship
On this day, which is holy, we gather,
not alone, but as Christ's Body;
as ones who would suffer together, we gather.
On this day of wonder and hope, we gather,
not in isolation, but in community;
as those who would care for one another, we gather.
On this day of prayer and praise, of silence and song, we gather,
not with empty hands, or emptier hearts;
as those baptized in grace's tears, we gather.

Prayer of the Day
Holy God, Word-Giver:
in soft falling snow,
     we hear your joy;
in the whisper of the wind,
     we hear your dreams for us;
in the silence of a winter's night,
     we eavesdrop on your grace;
in the cries of the poor,
     we hear your call to lives of compassion.

Jesus Christ, Word made Perfect:
as you overcome our obsession
with our selves, our desires,
     gift us to serve others;
as you simplify our souls
with the grace of your good news,
     make us wise enough to live it;
as you enchant our hopes
with the wonder of your love,
     break our hearts so we might
     weep with those around us.

Holy Spirit, Cup of Living Water:
if we are to suffer together,
     may we drink deeply
     from your tender tears;
if we are to rejoice together,
     may we taste the strength
     of your hope and peace;
if we are to pray together,
     may we feast on your love;
if we are to worship together,
     may we join in listening to that Word
     which will transform us forever.

God in Community, Holy in One,
in these moments, in every moment,
be with us, even as we pray as we are taught,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We are baptized as individuals, yet are called to live and serve together. We know, and need to confess, how we have sought to live for ourselves, not reaching out to others, or seeing them as parts of Christ's Body.  Please join me as we pray together, saying,


Unison Prayer of Confession
     Rock of our salvation, we know the faults we try to hide from you and those around us. We have not cared for people in the same way. We do think some are more gifted, or better, or lovelier. We would much rather celebrate with someone, than to bear the suffering of another. We are really not that sure that prisoners should be set free, or the poor given hope, or the outcast a seat at the table.
   Redeemer of all people, including us, grant us your mercy.  Anoint us with the power of your Spirit, so that our eyes might be opened to see how others truly live. Enlarge our hearts with the gentleness of your touch, so we might embrace the opportunities we will have to serve. Open our ears so we can listen to what Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, teaches us about your love and grace for our lives.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
God's Spirit is upon us: that Spirit of forgiveness, that Spirit of grace, that Spirit of unity with all people.
Today, and in all the days to come, God's Spirit is with us. Thanks be to the One who is our joy, our strength, our hope. Praise God! We are forgiven! Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the Spirit of the Lord be upon you!
And also upon you!
Offer your hearts to the One who proclaims God’s grace.
Our hearts are open to God, who brings us good news.
Join in declaring the glory of God to all the world.
Day to day, our lips proclaim the wonders of our God.
 
On that first day, Word-Speaker,
the heavens sang of your glory:
     valleys reverberated with the bass line,
     soaring mountains sang the high notes,
     cicadas and crickets thrummed the melody.
Your voice whispered, and the dust
was shaped in your holy image,
     a garden of wonder for our home.
But we gather in seduction's square,
listening as temptation reads to us
     of all the wonders we might discover
     if we only obeyed sin and death.
You sent prophets, speaking simple words,
to shatter our false wisdom,
but we turned a hard heart to them.
So, you sent Jesus to live among us,
to live out the words we only read,
to be our strength and salvation.

So, with those who stood before the Water Gate,
and those who wander far from the living waters,
we would sing our songs of thanksgiving to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God of glory and grace.
The voice of all creation runs through the heavens and earth,   
     singing your praise.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes filled with the Spirit.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holiness is who you are, God of wonder,
and salvation is the gift in Christ Jesus, our Brother.
He came,
     in the moments of our deepest despair,
          so that each day might be made holy
          in your grace and wonder.
He came,
     so that we would no longer be spare parts,
          but knit together as the Body, which is his.
He came,
     going into the cold temple of death
     on the day of crucifixion,
          so he might fulfill the promises
          of new life and hope for all your children.

We gather as one, though we are many,
opening our hearts to the resurrection which is ours,
and proclaiming that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, that we might be cleared of our sins;
Christ is risen, that we might have the gift of the Spirit;
Christ will come again, so we might be set free forever.

As we gather together before your Table,
pour out your Spirit upon these gifts
of the bread and the cup,
and all who have come to be fed.
Just as the bread is broken into many parts,
so your grace makes us into one people,
our hearts open to serve all in need,
our lives offered so that others might be healed.
Just as the cup is filled to overflowing
with the sweet taste of hope,
so our gifts are emptied so that all might be blessed,
our joy shared with the despairing of our word.

And when you gather us together at the Feast to come,
when we sit down at the Table with our sisters and brothers,
we will bow our heads and worship you forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Second Sundary after the Epiphany - C

Texts:  Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 36:5-10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11

Call to Worship
When we are lonely, feeling forsaken,
there is One who knows how we feel:
our God who gathers us up,
pulling us close to the heart of love.
When we sit at the table of despair,
when we nibble at life's stale crusts,
there is One who throws a party for us:
our God who loves to celebrate,
who fills our lives with goodness.
When we are mired in the muck of life,
when every day seems the same as yesterday,
there is One who comes to us:
our God who changes our names,
our God who transforms our lives.

Prayer of the Day
When we stand at the edge of desolation,
staring down into our emptiness,
     you reach out to keep us from falling.
When we fumble and stumble
throw the shadows of our world,
     you offer us a little light,
          which is all we need until our eyes
          grow accustomed to the bright dawn
          of your grace and wonder.
When we are worn down
by the rough edges of life,
     you polish us until we gleam with hope.
When we feel deserted,
     you adopt us as your very own.
When the world files a bill
of divorce against us, turning its back,
     you slip the ring
     of joy on our finger,
     clasping our hands in yours,
          as you whisper vows of love
          which will remain longer
          than the stars will burn.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we give you praise for your presence,
even as we pray as we are taught,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We plead ignorance, but we know. We know the hurt we have caused, the names we have called other people, the love we hold back from family and friends. Let us confess our shadowed lives, so the light of God's mercy might illumine us. Please join me as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
     If we are to have any hope, Transforming God, we must face the reality of our lives, putting a name to our failings. You hand us a bouquet of gifts, but we let them wither by not placing them in your living water. You call us to speak out for those who live in the corners and cupboards of our world, but we believe our silence is the best way to help them. We listen to those who tell us that to trust in you is a sign of weakness, rather than listening to your invitation to hope in your always.
     You will not rest until we are one with you, God of Peace, so forgive us and fill us with your mercy. Gift us, so we may respond to those opportunities to serve your people. May your Spirit teach us the new language of faith, so we might confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news: you are God's delight, you are God's joy, you are God's beloved. God will not remain silent, but will call you by name.
From the farthest corners of heaven to this very place, from God's heart to ours - we are forgiven.  Thanks be to God! Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of all gifts be with you!
And also with you!
People of God, come to the Wedding Feast prepared for you!
We come, our hearts dancing in delight to the Table.
God’s beloved community, do not keep silent in this moment.
We will sing songs of wonder and praise
    to the One who rejoices over us.

On the first day of creation,
your steadfast love spanned the heavens,
Upright Heart of Wonder.
Mountains capped with righteousness
     dipped their toes in the fountain of glory;
faithfulness stretched its arms to the stars,
     reaching beyond all limitations.
Created in your loving image,
we were gifted beyond measure,
but enticed by sin's sparkle,
     we were led astray, following
     the pied piper of temptation.
For our sake, you did not keep silent,
filling the prophets' hearts with hope,
     using their words to call us home.
When we were rigid in our rebellion,
you saved the best for last,
sending Jesus to draw us back to you.

So, with the forsaken of every age,
and with the delighted of every place,
we join our voices, praising you:

Holy, holy, holy, God of constant love.
All creation drinks from the rivers of delight.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to change our bitter tears
     into the wine of hope.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God who gathers us home,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your true Joy.
When silence would not save us,
     he came, calling our names out loud,
     inviting us to feast at the wedding.
When our name suffered a desolate death,
     he came, renaming us as your delight.
When the best and brightest of our hopes
had been carried into sin's exile,
     he came, to gather us up and bring us home
     from the borders of death.

As we remember that his time had come,
as we celebrate his salvation which brightens our hopes,
we proclaim that mystery we know as faith:

Christ died, so we would no longer be forsaken;
Christ rose, so we would no longer live in desolation's desert;
Christ will come, so we will become God's delight,
     drawn into the circle of love, peace, hope, joy.

Pour out your Spirit
upon the gifts of remembrance
and the people who come from the four corners of life.
Every time we eat the bread,
we are strengthened to take
the gifts from your garden of plenty,
     to share with all who hunger.
Every time we take a sip of the wine of hope,
our eyes are opened and we see
the marginalized in the shadows
     and go out to gather them up
     and bring them to your table.

And on the last day of time,
when we gather with our sisters and brothers
around the feast which never ends,
we will lift our voices in praise and delight to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

1st Sunday after Christmas - C

Texts: 1st Samuel 2:18-20; Psalm 148; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52

Call to Worship
L: Praise God! Praise the Lord, all creation!
P: Stars glittering with grace, humpback whales singing of hope:
all praise our God!
L: Praise God! Praise the Lord, all you people!
P: 12-year-olds, and 80 plus, wise and those learning to walk:
all praise our God!
L: Praise God! Praise the Lord, in every moment, in every place!
P: In church, or relaxing at home; in a class and at the doctor's office:
we will praise our God!

Prayer of the Day
Wonder of wonders,
God of creation:
you choose us
to be your people,
continuing to clothe
us in holiness,
even when we drag
the garment through
the mud of our lives;
you call us 'Beloved',
even while
we speak words about others
that would make
the Evil One blush.

Wonder of wonders,
Humble Jesus:
you ask questions
about our so-called wisdom,
revealing how foolish we are;
you wear your heart
on your sleeve
as you reach out
to embrace us
with your compassion.

Wonder of wonders,
Spirit of the old and the new:
every year
you take the old, stained clothes
of our silly lives,
and dress us in
kindness, humility,
patience, and meekness,
that we might be grow
in your love and grace.

May everything we do,
and everything we say,
be in your name,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as we have been taught,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We like to think we are wise beyond our years, but when we look at our lives
as God's people, we discover we still act too often like little children.
Let us confess how we always want our way, rather than following God's.

Unison Prayer of Confession
You set boundaries for us, Holy God, yet we continue to cross over them
into sin. Believing we are wiser than you, we are amazed that you would
question our actions and lives. Offering us the warm sweater of love, we
would rather slip our lives into the sleeves of bitterness and anger.
Challenging us to carry one another's burdens, we complain about how heave
and uncomfortable they are.
Forgive us, Searching God, and clothe us with your gifts of compassion,
humility, patience, and hope. Then, dressed as your grateful people, may we
go forth to live as sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ, our Lord and
Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: The good news is simple: God loves us so much, we are forgiven and
granted new life.
P: Praise God! As forgiven people, we will go to forgive others, and share
God's grace with them. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Babe who grew up be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: Followers of the Child, lift your hearts to God.
P: Searchers and questioners, those comfortable with the answers,
we all offer our hearts to God.
L: Let us join with all creation in praising God!
P: Our glad songs echo through the mountains and valleys,
the rivers and trees.

All creation sings your praises,
God of stunning imagination:
ice-laden trees bowing in wonder,
cattle and sheep lowing a carol of joy,
stars glittering in the bright, brittle night.
You created us in your image:
young men and women alike,
old and young together have life from you.
But we choose to wander from you,
following sin and death
into the temples of temptation.
Your prophets came to minister to us,
their searching eyes, their longing words
calling us back to you;
but we refused to listen.
So, you came searching for us,
sending Jesus among us,
that the peace of Christ
might rule in our hearts.

So, with all God's chosen ones,
the holy and the hungry,
the peaceful and the persistent,
we join our voices in praise to you:

P: Holy, holy, holy, Lord of wonder and glory.
All creation praises you with song.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who came to astonish us.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Creator of peace and beauty,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Joyous Love.
He came, to listen to our hearts,
so we might see your broken one;
he came, asking those questions
which reveal our true longings.
Clothed in compassion and humility,
he was stripped, beaten, crucified, buried.
He went down into death,
so we might have life,
so we could be swaddled
in God's bands of grace and peace.

As we remember the wonder of his birth,
as we celebrate the astonishing surprise of resurrection,
we praise that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ was born, so we might grow in love;
Christ died, so we might grow in life;
Christ will come, so we might be with God forever.

Here in this place
with family and friends,
beside strangers and neighbors,
we gather at your banquet,
God whose glory is above earth and heaven.
As your Spirit enlivens the Bread,
as we break and share it,
may your Spirit flow into us,
strengthening and growing our resolve
to feed the hungry,
to heal your creation,
to shelter the homeless,
to live humble, gentle lives.
And when time has grown into your eternity,
when we gather with our sisters and brothers
in that perfect harmony found only in you,
we will praise your name, which alone is exalted:
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

© Thom M. Shuman