Liturgy w/communion for Lent 5 - B in a time of pandemic (March 21, 2021)

Texts: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:30-33

Call to Worship:
L: Even in these uncertain times,
especially in these endless days,
P: God is fulfilling the promise of the new covenant.
L: Wherever we are, wherever we worship,
at home, outside, in every sacred space,
P: may our hearts be filled with love.
L: Through quarantine and lockdowns,
through lonely days and hopes that fizzled,
P: God has held tight to our hands to lead us through.
God's Word continues to shape us, to encourage us,
to challenge us to faithful lives in these times.
L: In new ways, sometimes uncomfortable, we have learned
to reach out to neighbors, friends, family, even strangers.
P: Beyond these moments and days, we remain ready
to serve all of God's people, to share in this covenant of grace.

Prayer of the Day
In these uncertain times
of empty moments and foggy brains,
we are reminded that you forget
more than we will ever remember,
you forgive so much more
than we are capable of messing up,
you crack open our hardened hearts
to write your name on them.
Redeemer of all,
we praise you.

In the blazing heat
of a summer filled
with empty backyards
you cooled us
with the shade of life.
In the fall of our fears,
when worries knocked on doors,
yelling, 'trick or treat!'
you kept us safe by your side.
In the winter of our despair,
you gathered us into
the warmth of your heart.
And now, in the spring of hope,
you plant those seeds of life and grace.
Jesus of the tears,
we praise you.

When we were afraid
to even venture outside,
you stayed at our side.
When we took those tentative walks
around our neighborhoods,
your held our hands.
When we stared at the ceiling
on those long, lonely nights,
you would point to your watch
and remind us that the hour
was coming, and waited with us.
Generous Spirit,
we praise you.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we open our mouths to sing your praise,
even as we pray as we have been taught:
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We say we want to see Jesus, but too often, we are looking in the wrong places, not listening to the right people, not noticing all the grace around us. As we reflect on our lives, join me, as we come to the One who will forgive us.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   You are the Heart which seeks ours, God of the new covenant, yet we turn away from you time and again. We have had so many chances to care for others in these days, yet know we have focused on ourselves too much. We have filled our endless days with the empty calories of fear and worry. We have paid more attention to the ramblings of politicians and celebrities, not your Word of hope.
   Now, in these moments, and especially in the silence, come and make us new people. Write the new covenant of grace on our hearts, so we become more forgiving; write mercy, so we might become more compassionate; write hospitality, so we might include all people, just as Jesus welcomes us into the company of people who try to follow him. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: A new heart with grace, mercy, hospitality, justice written upon it. That is God’s gift to us.
P: A new heart, a new spirit, restored and forgiven, we can go to share this good news with all people. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
As you write upon our hearts, soften their hardness with your love. As they become softer, may we become more aware of the needs of all around us, in every part of our world. As our eyes and ears and heart open, may we become as generous as you, loving God, in sharing from our gifts. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Lord of Lent be with you.
P: May the Lord of Lent be also with you.
L: People of God, lift up your hearts.
P: We lift our hearts to the One who writes a new covenant upon them.
L: Give thanks to the God who makes you new.
P: We open our lips to sing praises to the One who sustains us with a generous spirit.

L: Even in these continuing
days of uncertainty,
you fill our hearts with joy
Maker of covenants.
You shaped us in your image,
and like a gardener planted
seeds of love, hope, grace
deep into our very souls.
But we preferred to play
in the barren dust of the world.
you refused to give up
on your love for us, despite
our continuing rebellion and foolishness,
sending prophets to call us back,
and when we continued down
the paths of stubborn denial,
Jesus came to put us on another path.

Thus, we join our voices
in singing songs of praise,
with the faithful from every time and place,

P: Holy, holy, holy are you, Writer upon our hearts.
All creation is draws close to your side.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who has compassion on us.
Hosanna in the highest!

L: You alone are holy, Beloved God,
and Jesus is your heart of love.
Named your Beloved at baptism,
he was one of us,
choosing to share our life completely.
living in a pandemic of oppression,
he spoke truth to power
and called all to accountability.
Though uncertain as to what
might happen when his hour came,
he went to the cross.
The Word who had spoken
life into being during creation,
he was broken to make us whole,
experiencing our death, and
planted like a seed in the empty tomb,
he burst forth into resurrection life,
so, we might all know this promise.

Now, as we prepare to come to
this Table of life and hope,
we remember all that he has done
and we proclaim the mystery of our faith:

P: Christ died, lifted up for all people.
Christ was raised, called forth from death for all.
Christ will come, the source of eternal life for all.

L: In these continuing uncertain
times, wondering what lies ahead,
we come to the Table
filled with the gifts of your grace,
praying you will pour out your Spirit
upon the bread, the cup, and ourselves.
May the bread which is broken
become those seeds of life
which we can share with
those who continue to be afraid,
those whose only friend is loneliness,
those who long for an end to endless days.
As we drink from the cup,
may the nourishment of its grace,
strengthen us to care for
those who hope for work,
for teachers and students,
for those hoping to be vaccinated.

And when all time comes to an end,
and we are gathered with sisters and brothers
from every time and place,
we will be seated at the Table of grace,
where we will sing your praise forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
L: With the covenant of grace written on our hearts, let us go forth
P: to share compassion with those
who struggle in these endless days.
L: With the covenant of hope written on our hearts, let us go forth,
P: to continue to care for the hungry,
to comfort the lonely and grieving,
to become a family for the forgotten.
L: With the covenant of peace written on our hearts, let us go forth,
P: to be serenity in moments of despair,
to whisper words of gentleness to all.

(c) 2021 Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy for Fourth Sunday in Lent in a time of pandemic (March 14, 2021)

Texts:  Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21

Call to Worship
L: Taking part safely from home,
staying a safe, masked distance in church,
we are reminded of that promise:
P: God's love endures forever!
L: Despite our pandemic fatigue,
in spite of the grumbling it inspires:
P: the Light of Christ shines in our lives!
L: Unable to sing together (or to shy to sing alone),
when we wonder if we have
the energy to continue to care for others,
P: we are taught new songs by the Spirit,
who encourages us to not give up!

Prayer of the Day
For far too long,
fear has coiled itself
around our hearts,
slowly trying to squeeze out
all our love and compassion,
but you release its grip on us,
and wrap us in a
comforting shawl of grace.
Good and Generous God,
we give you thanks!

We see worries slowly crawling
toward us, slowly rattling
their tails with all which overwhelms,
but you pick them up
and set them free in
the wilderness of forgetfulness,
as you take us by the hand
leading us to the table of hope,
where we can join our
sisters and brothers.
Healing Word:
we give you thanks!

We are tempted to believe
that the end of this uncertain season
has come to an end, and
when can jump back into life
without any thought or concern.
You put your hand upon us,
to calm our too-eager impulses,
so we can remember those
still waiting for their vaccinations,
still waiting for schools to open,
still waiting for jobs to come back.
Spirit of Srenity,
we give you thanks.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we give you thanks for your presence,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
After the year we have had, how can we not be impatient, chomping at the bit to return to the way life was before the pandemic.  But our God, who has been with us, reminds us to think of how this time can be used to transform us into the people we are meant to be.  Let us open ourselves to the One who overflows with love for us, as we confess our impatience to God.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     It has been easier these last few months to be embraced by the shadows, Creating God.  Those worries that tap each night at the windows of our souls.  Those fears which follow us around like stray kittens looking for a meal.  Those doubts that you have not been with us as much as we have been told.  
Forgive us, Eternal Love,
    may the Light of the world
      lead us out of these shadows,
    may you raise us up, as your family,
       so we may go to knell by the side of the forgotten;
    may we be showered with your hope, your grace, your peace
       which has been given to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. 

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: Let those worshiping at hope say so:
P: God's love endures forever!
L: Let those safely gathered in sanctuaries say so:
P: God's love endures forever!
L: Let those scattered in all places say so:
P: God's love endures forever!
L: This is the good news for us:
P: God's love endures forever.
Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
wherever we are, however we can, may the gifts we offer in these days, bring hope to those who hunger for justice, bring healing to the grieving, bring community to those so alone in these moments.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God of uncertain times be with us.
P: May we feel God’s presence in every moment.
L: Wherever we are, may we lift our hearts to God.
P: God will fill the emptiness of our hearts and hopes.
L: Even now, in days when alleluias have disappeared,
let us sing thanksgiving to our God.
P: We sing joy, life, and peace to our God. 
L: There into the emptiness of creation

You planted the seeds of creation,

God of that first moment,

   bringing forth the beauty of daffodils,
   shining the warmth of the sun on all,
   teaching birds the songs to dispel winter.
you set out be way of creation
All was offered to those created in your image
but in our impatience,
   we dashed your dreams as we chased after
   death and its false promises.
Over the ages, you sent those women and men
to bring the words of healing,
    but we chose to listen to the siren songs
    of seduction every time.
So then you sent your Child,
to bring us from our pandemic of foolishness,
and to gather us home.

With those who are rich in your mercy,
with those who long to draw near to you,
let your redeemed sing your praises:

P: Holy, Holy, holy are you, Steadfast Love.
Your praises are sung from every corner of creation.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to save everyone and everything.
Hosanna in the highest! 

L: Into the emptiness of a people
whose hopes had been disappointed,
you came to them, God of wonder,
bring them life by becoming human.
As they lived in a time of oppression,
   Jesus came to offer them freedom,
as they lived in great uncertainty,
   Jesus came to remind them of your presence,
as they struggled to remain faithful,
   Jesus showed them the path of discipleship,
as they wondered if anything
lay beyond the death which awaited,
    Jesus went into the grave to break its power,
    your weakness becoming Resurrection strength.

As we remember his journey to the cross,
as we celebrate Jesus being raised from the grave,
we speak of that mystery that by grace we are saved:

P: Christ died, calling us back to you;
Christ was raised, so all the world might be saved;
Christ will come, lifting us up to bring us to you. 

L: Now, into the emptiness of our uncertainty,
take these gifts of bread and cup
and pour out your Spirit upon them
and those gathered together
as well as those eating the meal alone.
Though broken, your grace enables
the bread to strengthen us
   to live through these days,
   to care for others as much as ourselves,
   to remember all forgotten by so many.
Though simply a cup filled with liquid,
your peace transforms it
   into the healing we can bring the broken,
   the justice we can bring the oppressed,
   the hope we can share with those who struggle.

And when, by your grace, we are gathered
from north and south, and from east and west,
not by anything we have done, but by your love,
we will join our sisters and brothers,
the saints and sinners, the complainers and the committed,
in singing our songs of thanksgiving to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
L: Wherever you are, whoever you are,
never forget you are God’s community.
P: Share God's enduring love this week!
L: Whoever you are, wherever you might be,
know always that Christ is alive in you.
P: Share Christ’s enduring light
into the shadows of uncertainty this week!
L: Now in this moment, and in every moment to come,
remember you are gifted by the Spirit.
P: Share those gifts of grace, of hope,
of justice, of peace with everyone you meet this week!
 
© 2021 Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy with communion for March 7, 2021 (Lent 3 - B)

 Texts: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22

Call to Worship
The morning stars profess God's glory:
the waking birds harmonize a refrain of grace.
The sun warms us with God's hope,
the night sky whispers peace to our sleepy souls:
creation's voice echoes continually in our hearts,
reminding us of God's steadfast love.
Our wisdom is shattered by God's absurd love;
God's vulnerability strengthens our feeble faith:
God's words place joy in our hearts;
we follow them to peace and hope.

Prayer of the Day
You saw your children
as slaves in Egypt,
and brought them to freedom;
you see creation
held captive by our desire
for more and more,
and weep;
and so you pour out
your foolish love on us
from day to day.

All that we have learned
and think we know
has not brought meaning
to our lives;
the brokenness
of our world
needs your peace;
our pain-shattered hearts
need your healing:
and so you speak to us
through the mouth
of your Servant, Jesus.

All creation weeps
with grief,
and cries to you for comfort;
all the broken of our world
long for your wholeness;
all who hunger for hope
long for the sweetness
of your grace and joy;
and so you fill us with
the Wisdom of your Spirit.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we tell of your glory from day to day,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
At the center of the law is God's love  -  that divine nonsense shown in becoming human for our sake; that weakness for us which defeats the strongest powers.  This love, this grace is of more value to us than all the stocks in our pension funds.  Let us open ourselves to such love as we open our hearts to confess our sins to God.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     You give us your commandments, Holy One, so we may have new life, but we continue to make the same old choices.  Your love can anchor us when life threatens to overwhelm us, but we choose to cling to the slippery rocks of anger and bitterness.  Your Word can strengthen us for every moment, but we listen to the foolish promises of the world.
     Forgive us, Redeemer of our lives: may every word be shaped by your Word; may every thought be refined by your grace; may every deed be inspired by your Spirit, so we may tell everyone we meet of your work in us, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
When brokenhearted prayers replace piety, when we seek wholeness through the One broken for us, then we remember we are saved by God's powerful love.
We are healed, to bring healing to our world;
we are strengthened in faith,
     to become spent for others;
we are set free from our bondage to sin,
     so we may become servants of Christ.
Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
Make us foolish enough in our generosity, O God, that we might become wise enough to know that our gifts will bless others - the hungry, the lonely, the searching, the weak.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of holy words be with you.
May the Meditation of our hearts be with you.
People of God, open yourselves to the One who is your rock.
God fills us with foolishness, so we may be wise.
Children of God, sing songs of thanksgiving with all creation.
Our voices are lifted to the One who makes all things.

You spoke those words of creation,
God of faithfulness, and
   set the sun to run its daily course,
   filled the seas with imaginative creatures,
   planted fruits and vegetables in the earth.
All that is good and generous was intended
for your children shaped in your image,
   but we bore false witness against you,
   honoring sin and death more than you.
The prophets came to warn against our foolishness,
but we did not find their words acceptable,
   and continued to covet everything
   which did not belong to us.
So you sent your Child to us,
so we might find strength in his weakness,
we might find glory through his humiliation.

With those who have great faith,
with those who have very little,
we sing our thanksgivings to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of mountaintops.
The heavens join all creation to tell of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who is foolish for our sake.
Hosanna in the highest!

Day to day, you are holy, our God,
and Jesus Christ declares your wisdom to us.
The Word of your mouth,
   he came, to tell us of your work
   of grace and hope.
The Meditation of your heart,
   he came, to quiet our frantic spirits
   so we might rest in you.
Your foolishness,
   he was wise enough
   to take our sins to the cross.
Your weakness,
   he was strong enough
   to endure death for us,
until you brought him out of the grave.

As we remember his zeal for your heart,
as we remember his passion for us,
we would speak of that mystery we know as faith:

Christ died, the rock which broke sin's power;
Christ was raised, death conquered by our redeemer;
Christ will return, desiring us more than anything in all creation.

Here at this Table, God of love,
we set aside our power to feast
on the weakness found in the broken bread;
we let go of our wisdom,
to drink from the cup of your foolish grace.
Your Spirit blesses these gifts, as well as us,
so when we have feasted,
we will look at the world with its
injustices, oppressions, wars, and fears,
saying, 'take these things out of here!
Stop making God's creation a house of horrors!'

And when the sun has finished its course,
when the moon and stars shine no more,
we will be given the words from your mouth
so we can sing from the deeps of our hearts to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
God speaks, and sends us forth.
We will go to proclaim God's grace and glory.
Jesus speaks, and lives are changed.
We will go to set free the oppressed,
to be the voice for those never heard.
The Spirit speaks, and the world is turned inside out.
We will become as foolish as a trusting child,
as powerless as those overlooked by everyone around them.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for February 28, 2021 (Lent 2 - B)

 Texts: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:23-31; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38

Call to Worship
Lent calls us to journey, this and every day,
following Jesus wherever he leads us.
Lent calls us to journey:
to the place where God covenants with us,
to receive the new names we are given.
Lent calls us to worship together,
to tell future generations the good news.
Lent calls us to practice justice,
to bring God's hope to all people.
Lent calls us to faithful living,
to trust the One who gives us life.
Lent calls each of us to take up our cross,
to trust the One who bears it with us.
Lent calls us to journey with God.
Let us worship God, who walks with us,
this and every day.

Prayer of the Day
Choosing an aged, barren couple
to parent your holy people;
calling us to set aside ourselves
and to shoulder a cross;
showering us with love and mercy,
when we do nothing to deserve these gifts:
You always act in ways
which surprise us,
God of our parents.

In hospital rooms,
where we wait in anxious expectation;
in classrooms,
where we chew on pencils while taking tests;
in this unholy mess
we call life:
you always call us
to faithfulness and trust:
Cross Bearer for us all.

In the warmth of spring's approach,
we hear your voice;
in the moonlight of winter's last night,
we see your face;
in the silence of a child sleeping,
we are breathe in your grace:
you are always with us
in the ordinary moments of life:
Spirit of Holiness.

God in Community, Holy in One,
May we see you, hear you, and know you
as we move through this Lenten season,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Given a test on our faith, would we have a passing grade?  Looking at our lives of discipleship, would we be considered good models for others?  When we fail to trust God, we discover that we do indeed lead barren lives.  Let us be honest as we stand before our God, and bring our confessions for forgiveness and hope.
 
Unison Prayer of Confession
  God of Sarah and Abraham, in this holy place, we know how weak is our discipleship.  We can spend hours at the computer, but only give you fleeting moments of our time.  We can talk endlessly on our cell phones, but fall silent when it comes to sharing our fears, our worries, our hopes with you.  We seek quick fixes for our problems, rather than seeking your vision and future for our lives.
   God of Peter, Paul, and the psalmist, forgive us:
      for our lack of trust;
      for our faithless living;
      for our closing our ears to the call of Jesus.
Forgive us, so we may lay aside all the keeps us from you, so we may take up the life you offer to us, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news:  God does not go back on the promises made so long ago.  God does not reject us, God redeems us.  God does not withhold love, God pours it into our barren lives.
Forgiven of our sins, filled with hope, living in relationship with God and one another - we are a new people.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May these gifts represent our willingness to deny ourselves, so others might be blessed by your grace, your peace, as well as your hope, in every moment of their lives.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The God of the Lenten journey be with you.
And also with you.
Open your hearts to God, heirs of the covenant.
We open them to the One who fills them with promise.
Let us lift glad songs to our exceedingly faithful God.
Our praise will resound in this great congregation.

"Walk before me," you whispered
to creation, God of the covenant,
and wonders beyond imagination sprang forth:
  bees flitting from flower to hive,
  planets spun from the gases of space,
  dinosaurs plodding through forests.
All this exceeding fruitfulness was offered
to those you shaped in your image,
that we might live in relationship with you,
  but sin's praises weakened our faith,
  and we stood in awe of death.
Prophets came, calling us to set
our minds on all things divine,
  but we turned a deaf ear
  to their impassioned pleadings.
So you chose to send Jesus
to teach us your heart
by the way he lived and loved.

With those who find self-denial easy,
with those who find their cross too heavy,
we glorify you in these moments:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God who calls us by new names.
All creation praises your surpassing wonders.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to us for our sake.
Hosanna in the highest!

You are holy, God of every promise,
and we are blessed by your Son, Jesus Christ.
He did not act as if
he had no use for us,
  but called us his sisters and brothers.
He was not grossed out
by those sins which tormented us,
  but came to heal us.
He did not turn
a deaf ear to us,
  but listened to us in a way
  no one else ever did.
He rebuked death, declaring,
"get behind me,"
  as he walked out
  into resurrection's dawn.

As we remember Jesus' ministry and death,
as we would seek to live for him,
we proclaim that mystery we know as faith: 
 
Christ died, taking up his cross and following God;
Christ was raised, the covenant promise fulfilled;
Christ will come, declaring "God has done it!"
 
Because our faith depends on your grace,
pour out your Spirit upon this feast
and those you welcome to the Table.
As you nourish us with broken bread,
send us forth
  to feed the poor until they are filled,
  to clothe the naked until they are warm.
As you strengthen us
with the cup of grace,
  we will take the hand of searchers
    so, together, we may find you;
  we will welcome those rebuked
    by the world, so our hearts
    might live forever.
 
And when you gather your great
congregation around the Lamb's Table,
we will join our voices in proclaiming,
"You have done it,
God in Community, Holy in One!" Amen.
 
Sending
Go now with God, on your journey through Lent.
We will discover the new name given to each one we meet.
Go now with Jesus, walking wherever he leads.
We will put all our fears, as well as our longings, behind us.
Go now with the Spirit, who is always full of surprises.
We will share the good news called Jesus with everyone.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy with communion for February 21, 2021 (Lent 1 - B)

Texts:  Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-10; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15

Call to Worship

Here, at the outer limits of Lent,
we are called to walk:
to the paper-thin edges which cut us
      to the soul;
to the workplaces which weary us;
to the people who confuse us;
to the faith which threatens us.
Here, at the corner of Steadfast Love
and Faithfulness, we are called to wait:
when our clenched stomachs awaken us;
in the moments of unbearable sorrow;
with the angels who would carry us.
Here, where time is fulfilled,
where God's Kingdom is as near to us
as our neighbor, we begin Lent:
with the Beloved, whose tears wash away
     our fears,
with the God who will not let go
     of our hands.

Prayer of the Day
You love us, O God.
Like a mother
who upholds her son through
the temper tantrums,
the ball-broken windows,
the smart-alecky remarks:
you love us, O God.
Like a father
who walks his daughter through
the terrible twos,
the giggling fours,
the confusion and chaos of adolescence:
you love us, O God!

You give to us, Holy Brother.
In the tears crevassing our cheeks,
in the depths of our sighing;
in moments of exquisite joy
and the lingering days of loneliness:
you give to us - yourself.
In the chorales of morning birds,
in the silent prayers of our hearts;
in a night sky splattered with stars,
in a cross stained with blood and tears:
you give to us - yourself.

You dance with us, Gentle Spirit.
In baptismal waters soaking our knees,
when desert dust chokes our hymns:
you dance with us, Gentle Spirit.
in jail cells and courtrooms,
on the journey to death,
and striding forth from the tomb:
you dance with us, Gentle Spirit.

God in Community, Holy in One,
in any season, but especially in this Holy Season,
you love us, you give yourself to us, you dance with us;
and so we lift the prayers Jesus has taught to us, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
God looks at the most broken soul and sees an angel aching to take flight.  God sees our worst faults and washes them away in the waters of life.  God hears our prayers of confession, and whispers sweet grace in our hearts.  Let us pray together as we say,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
Forgive
    the silly sins of childhood,
    the exuberant sins of adolescence,
    the faded sins of aging;
forgive
    the sins we shout in the streets,
    the sins we whisper to ourselves;
forgive
    the sins we didn't give a second thought to,
    the sins we plot in the middle of the night;
forgive
    the flood of sins which threaten us,
    the wilderness of sin which we offer to others,
    the sin which seeks to imprison us:
forgive.

Forgive us, Good and Gentle God,
forgive us and have mercy on us,
so we might walk the path of faithfulness
with Jesus, to Jerusalem and beyond,
so we might know your steadfast love in our lives.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
What can sustain us in the days to come, what will nourish us on our Lenten journey?
Look, here is all the food we need: God's Love, God's Word, God's Hope.
Through the wilderness and into the kingdom of life, we are given daily bread for every day of the journey.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

 

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

As for us, Holy God, we offer our gifts to bring healing to the broken, hope to those in despair, light to those in shadows, and grace for all your people.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the Lord of Lent be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One who calls us 'Beloved.'
Beloved of God, give thanks and praise to the One who loves you forever.
We sing our hymns of joy to the One who leads us into the kingdom.

Hearts full of joy are lifted to you,
Crafter of Covenants.
When there was no time as we knew it,
you created Day and Night,
so we could wait for you all day long,
enjoying your grace and goodness.
   But instead of learning your ways,
   we listened to the seductive whispers of the Evil One,
   and wandered into the wilderness of rebellion and sin.
Remembering the promises
made so long ago to our ancestors,
you sent the prophets to teach us
and to show us your paths to hope,
   but we ignored their witness and their words.
Yet, you would not see us left in death's desert,
and so sent the One who could lead us back to you.

Therefore, we lift our voices
with the faithful of every time and place,
and the choirs of the kingdom,
who forever sing of your goodness and love:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God our Teacher.

All creation trusts in you.

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who leads us in truth.

Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of Faithfulness,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Steadfast Love.
In those days,
he could have remained by your side,
   but came to be by ours;
in those days,
he could have feasted on your glory,
   but came to eat and drink with sinners;
in those days,
he could have remained whole and pure,
   but died broken on a sin-stained cross,
   that we might have
   all the days of eternity with you.

As we begin that journey to Jerusalem
which will test our faith
and offer us opportunities to serve,
we remember the life, the death,
the resurrection of the One we follow.

Jesus was baptized, the Spirit resting on  him;

Jesus died, resisting the temptation to reject God;

Jesus was raised, fulfilling the time to defeat death;

Jesus will come, to fulfill God’s time for all of us.

On this day, and in this place,
God of Mystery,
pour out your Holy Spirit up us
and upon the bread we break
and the cup we share.
Through these gifts,
make us one with the Risen Christ,
and send us forth to serve the world.
Set free by the goodness of your love,
   let us proclaim liberty to the prisoners;
filled with the Bread of Life,
   let us feed the hungry of our communities;
our thirst cooled be the Cup of Grace,
   let us reach out to those
   who stumble through the desert of life;
walk with us through the wilderness of the world,
so we can gather our sister and brothers
in your love, your hope, your joy,
and journey together into your kingdom.

Then, seated around the Table you set before us,
with the Beloved of every time and of every place,
we will merge our songs of praise
with those who have shown
your steadfast love and faithfulness
to all generations,
singing our praise to you,
God of Abraham and Noah, of Rebecca and Mary;
Jesus of the poor and oppressed;
Spirit of the lost and the least:
God in Community, Holy in One.
Amen and Amen.

 

Sending

Trusting in God, let us go from this place.

Taught all we need, we will bring hope and peace to others.

Trusting in Jesus, let us go into the world.

Given all we need, we will go to serve those around us.

Trusting in the Spirit, we will not be tempted to stay, so let us go.

Baptized in hope, we will go to welcome others as God’s Beloved.

 

© Thom M. Shuman

Ash Wednesday Service in a season of pandemic

 Call to Worship

L: From the shadows of isolation and shutdowns

P: we gather to be with our God

    who brings us the light of hope.

L: From the silence of our homes

    or in socially distanced worship spaces,

P: we gather to be with Jesus,

    who will not let anything, now or ever, separate us.

L: From the hollowness of our hearts

    and the hunger for human touch,

P: we gather to be with the Spirit,

    who feeds us for the Lenten journey,

    who marks us as God’s very own.

Evening Prayer

Even if we had them

from a year ago, God of our lives,

we would not be able

to burn the palm branches,

for they would be too soaked

by the tears of loneliness, of emptiness,

of these months of so much uncertainty.

 

But we do bring ashes

in this moment, this day, this night,

Companion on our journey,

those ashes from an overwhelming year,

the ashes from dreams turned to nightmares,

the ashes of the jobs we lost,

the anniversaries, the birthdays, the graduations,

the weddings, the funerals we dared not attend.

 

So, Spirit of the silence of our days,

take these ashes of our lives

and mingle them with the dust

from our crumbled hearts

and our shattered souls, to mark us

with that hope which has never left us

even though we may not have realized

that it, like you, was as close

as the very next breath we take.

 

As we gather wherever we are,

as we hold out our empty hands

and our emptier hears and souls,

we would offer that prayer

we have been taught,

(The Lord’s Prayer)

Invitation to the Lenten life
It was not with great confidence

or that assurance which had no doubts,

which were companions with Jesus

as he journeyed to what awaited in Jerusalem.

It was the uncertainty of what might happen,

it was the loneliness of the pilgrimage

as he experienced more and more isolation,

especially from friends who stayed as far away as possible.

So, after our year of uncertainty, loneliness, distancing,

we may realize afresh what this season

called Lent is truly all about.

For we have been in the wilderness tempted,

like Jesus to trust in those who told lies,

who offered false hopes, who longed for us

to embrace their broken promises.

Not for the first time, yet fresh once more,
we accompany Jesus to Jerusalem.
We have known what it is like

to have to fast from human companionship,

and to struggle to find the words

to offer in prayer to our God.

We have struggled from endless day

to weeks that seemed as long as months

to keep the practices of faithful living

which would strengthen us to work

for justice, to offer hope, to not give up.

 

So, in these moments and in the coming days,

may we draw comfort and energy

from those timeless acts passed down to us
of silence, feasting on the word, and prayer.
As we remember our baptism into faith,
as we gather at the feast of grace,
as we are marked as Christ’s own,
we prepare ourselves to come to God,
on this holy night.

Call to Reconciliation
On this night which has seemed to last a year, we once again begin that pilgrimage toward the promised of Easter.  But, fresh as this moment and as old as the dust of the earth, we must speak of how hard it has been for us to be the faithful people God calls.  Let us pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

   We have tried, God who knows our intentions, we have tried so hard to be your people, especially in these times of confusion, fear, and worry.  We did a good job, at first, caring for those worse off than us, but now it has become easy to care more for ourselves.  We are uncomfortable seeing ourselves as people of privilege, yet quickly cashed those relief checks when they could have gone to those in true need.  We gave in, too often and too easily, to the easy lies about how this pandemic was nothing to worry about, rather than listening to the ones who knew what they were talking about.

   Yet, while we know how badly we have tried, we know that from the ashes of our foolish choices and lives, you can create new life and hope, God of broken hearts.  You mark us as your own, so we can turn from greed to generosity, so we can move from fear to faith, so we can stand with the oppressed and forgotten, to ensure that the justice we take for granted is shared with them.  You mark us as your own, so that we might follow Jesus, who models for us how to turn away from evil to live as people of hope and grace.  Amen.   

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

L: Here is the good news: God does not socially distance from us, but comes close to hear our prayers, to fill our emptiness, to walk through the ashes of uncertainty, to journey with us in this holiest of seasons.

P:  In the midst of a pandemic of uncertainty, we can trust in the comforting, the forgiving, the restoring heart of the God who loves us.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Imposition of the ashes
Perhaps we remembered to save

those palm branches from last year’s

services which had to be cancelled.

But if not, we have enough ashes,

those which come from our shriveled souls,

those which we gather up from dreams deferred,

those from the grief which is too painful to touch.

 

But, by the grace of our God

who has been with us in every moment,

we can take these ashes,

both real as well as metaphorical

mixing them with the oil of grace

so that we can touch our heads, our hands,

our hearts, our souls, our hopes

with them, whether real or virtual

reminding us that, from the dust

of a year which has crumbled around us,

God touches us with those never-ending gifts

of reconciliation and hope

of justice and restoration

of generosity and grace-filled hearts,

so that we might once again, and always,

live as the people God longs for us to become.

whether we are touched by another,

or mark ourselves as God’s own,

may we never forget that,

though we are dust and will return to dust,

God continues to create life and hope

from the dust of the stars, as well as us.  Amen.

(In these uncertain moments, some will be able to be marked with the ashes physically, while others may be reminded of their mortality, as well as their place in God’s heart, by making the sign of the cross on their foreheads or the backs of their hands)

Invitation to the Table

Whether at home or in an apartment,

in a college room or a socially distanced sanctuary,

you are invited to come to this feast.

This is the Table of our God,

it is not the church’s table, nor the ministers.

It is the table which reminds us

that in the uncertainty of our lives,

God’s grace has never departed.

It is the table where we are fed

by the justice, the hope, the life

which flows from the heart of Jesus.

It is the Table where every single

child of God is welcome, for here

the Spirit fills us with peace and community,

even though be may be apart from one another.

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: The God of ashes is with us in these moments.

P: And our God is with you, as well.
L: In the midst of our uncertain lives,

    may we offer God our hearts hungering for hope.

P: For God has promised to fill them to overflowing.

L: In the silence of these lonely days,

    may we find the words to praise our God.

P: Even though the words may not come to us,

    God knows our hearts and souls, and that is enough.

L: In the pandemic of chaos, you spoke,

 

God of amazing goodness,

   wiping out shadows with twinkling stars,   

   filling rivers and oceans with living waters,
   pouring the waters into rivers and seas,  
   sowing seeds of wonder into the fields.
You shaped us, your children,

out of the dust of the earth,

handing to us all that beauty and joy

which flows ceaselessly from your heart
   but we ground your hopes into the dirt,
   as we raced to catch up with death,

   clutching tight to temptation’s gifts.
Yet, however far we tried to go,

or wherever we thought you couldn’t find us,

you were there waiting for us,

to remind us of your great love for us,

longing to keep your promises of faithfulness.

With our sisters and brothers everywhere,
in the silence of our loneliness

and in the shadows of uncertainty,
we sing songs of praise:

 

P:  In the midst of uncertainty, your presence is constant.

     In the loneliness of isolation, you are by our side.

     In every moment, you do not leave us alone.

     All glory and praise is due to you, Holy and Loving God!

Your never-failing love is sealed

upon our empty hearts, God of holiness,

and Jesus is the One who reminds us

that we are never apart from you.

The struggles and worries which have

been velcroed to us this past year?

   They were his constant companion.

The isolation we have experienced

from those dearest to us?

   That was the loneliness which

   gnawed at his soul.  

The fear of death which has been

such a presence every day?

   That was the reality he faced

   as he journeyed to Jerusalem?

The hope that somehow, someway,

new hope, new life, new grace might appear?

   That was the wonder he realized

   as the tight grip of death

   was broken by resurrection love.

as we continue to walk through uncertainty,

as we would be marked with the ashes

of our loneliness, our isolation, our days,
we remember that mystery known as faith:

P: Christ held nothing back, especially his heart;

    Christ was raised, the voice for the forgotten;
    Christ will come to bring us to new life.

Now, at the Table of grace and life,

we pray you would pour out your Spirit,

not only on the gifts of the feast,

but on your children, God of our lives,

wherever we may be in this moment.

Like our dreams and hopes this past year,

the bread is broken and offered to us,

so, we pray that it might strengthen us

that we might continue to serve

   the most lonely in our midst

   the neighbors who grieve a death,

   the people struggling with injustice.

Though we have drunk many bitter tears,

in these moments we are given

the cup which overflows with grace,

so that we might be able to

   see you in the midst of our lives,

   feel you holding our hands on this journey,

   trust that you are bringing healing and hope.

And when this pandemic becomes history,

when we can once again gather in your house,

with our sisters and brothers around

the glad feast of hope and life,

we will sing your praises over and over,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending

L: This Ash Wednesday,

     we bear the smudges of uncertainty,

P: yet we will still trust in God’s promises.
L: This Ash Wednesday,

    we may share the Feast by ourselves,

P: yet we will join the Host at the Table

    in going to care for the vulnerable all around us.

    we will go out to share God’s forgiveness

L: This Ash Wednesday, we may continue

    to journey into an unknown future,

P: yet we will continue to walk in faith

    with the Spirit who lights the way.  

© 2021 Thom M. Shuman