Liturgy w/communion for June 14, 2026 (Pentecost 3/Trinity 2/Proper 6/Ordinary 11 - A)

 Texts: Genesis 18:1-15 (21:1-7); Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35 – 10:8 (9-23)

Call to Worship

On an ordinary Sunday,

we come to worship God:

we come, trusting God will speak to us;
we come, hoping God will surprise us.
On this day, like every other day,

we seek to follow Jesus:

we follow, believing Jesus will be with us;
we follow, hoping Jesus will work through us.

On this day, we lift our souls to God's Spirit:

we open our hearts, that the Spirit may fill us;
we open our hands, that we might be a gift to others.

Prayer of the Day
The mother watching

her son packing for camp,

the father teaching

his daughter how to drive;

the spouse worrying

over their spouse's addiction to work,

the child closing

her ears to her parents' arguing:

     each is precious in your sight,

     Compassion of Creation.

The grandmother hoping

for a telephone call,

the neighbor frantic

about selling his house;

the teenager struggling

with choices she cannot share,

the retiree wandering

the empty hours of daytime:

     each is welcomed into your heart,

     Haven for the hopeless.

The kids on the corner selling

lemonade to help a classmate,

the teacher already preparing

for next year's classes;

the parent wondering

how to pay for groceries,

the unemployed hoping

for good news this week:

     each is cradled in your peace,

     Spirit of Serenity.

God in Community, Holy in One,

each of us, all of us,

lift our prayers to you, as Jesus taught us,

(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
If you are looking for proof of God's love, here it is: at the very moment we realize we cannot help ourselves, that is the time we discover God has saved us in Christ Jesus. Join me as we pray to our God, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
    How easily we pat ourselves on the back, Listening Love, for the lives we lead. We welcome the praise of others, but have little compassion for those who have failed us. We assume that a comfortable life is our birthright, yet believe poor choices produce suffering for those around us. We boast of the good we do, but forget to thank you for all that you have given to us. 

     Forgive us, Companion of Compassion, for breaking your heart, and disappointing your hopes for us. As we seek to follow your Child, may we be found with those whose lives are barren, with those who know little laughter in their day, with those who have received no love from others - for in their presence, we will find Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

Listen to the good news - the kingdom of God is very near. As close as a child's laughter, as embracing as a father's love, as enfolding as a mother's caress.

We are God's people:
called, that we may follow;
gifted, that we may serve;
forgiven, that we might bring hope.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

Where the broken are, may we bring them healing. Where the lonely are, may we be their family. Where the hungry are, may we offer them hope. Wherever, and however, we find your people, O God, may we go to share the gifts you have given to us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the gracious God be with you!

And also with you!

In the presence of God’s people, lift up your hearts.

We call on God’s name with joy in our hearts.

Offer God songs of thanksgiving this day.

We love God, who hears our voices of praise.

When there was no time,

when there was only chaos,

you knew it was the right moment,

Ingenious Love,

to bring forth creation

in all of its glory.

     Butterflies dancing from

          flower to flower,

     birds harmonizing in praise,

     gentle breezes caressing grass,

          kittens chasing bugs they will never catch.

Given this bounty of goodness,

we returned your graciousness

with blatant betrayal,

     tossing aside your hopes for us,

     proclaiming sin and death

     as the authorities for our lives.

Heart-broken,

you sought to provide a way

for us back to your grace

through the words of the prophets,

     but we laughed to ourselves

     as we continued skipping down

     that never-ending road of rebellion.

But you proved your love for us

by sending Jesus to die for us,

an act we would not do

even for those we loved.

So, with those of every time and place,

with those in this place, and in this moment,

we will sing our praises to you

knowing you incline your ear to listen:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of mercy.

Your servants join all creation in praising you.

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who tells us of the kingdom’s nearness.

Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Compassion's Heart,

and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior.

You sent him to travel

our cities, our lives, our hearts

     to teach us of your hopes for us.

He did not laugh

at our foolish ways,

     but, with great compassion,

     he reached out to help us.

Asking no payment,

he gave himself to death,

dying for all of us sinners,

     that we might discover

     the kingdom of heaven

     which is nearer to us

     than we would ever imagine.

As we remember his life and death,

as we seek to respond to his calling for us,

we would proclaim that mystery called faith:

Taking nothing but his faith, Christ went to the cross;

precious in God’s sight, Christ was raised from the grave;

keeping faith, Christ will deliver us from death. 

Here, in these moments

as we prepare to feast on your love,

pour out your Spirit

upon the bounty of your grace,

this bread and this cup,

and upon those for whom they are given.

You would feed us

on the Bread of life,

     so we might go out

     to bring hope to all

     whom the world has disappointed.

You offer us the cup of grace,

so, as your love is poured

deep within our parched souls,

     we can become that offering

     of peace and reconciliation

     for which all creation longs.

And when time has come to an end,

and we are all one with you,

we will call on your name,

God in Community, Holy in One,

offering our thanks forever and ever. Amen.

Sending

On this ordinary Sunday,

we have worshiped our God.

Now, we will go to speak for the voiceless,

to surprise our communities with grace.

On this day, and every day,

we try our best to follow Jesus.

Now, we will go to be with those Jesus loves,

to let Jesus' justice work through us.

On this day, our souls have been filled

with the peace and passion of the Spirit.

Now, we will go to empty ourselves for others,

to share the gifts of the Spirit with all.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Alternate texts liturgy w/communion for June 14, 2026 (Pentecost 3/Trinity 2/Proper 6/Ordinary 11 - A)

 Texts:  Exodus 19:2-8a; Psalm 100; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35 – 10:23

Call to Worship

We come to worship our God,
who has done wonders in our lives.
God anoints us with joy and light,
gifts from the treasures of God’s heart.
We come to follow Jesus,
who bears our lives with grace and hope.
Jesus would send us into the brokenness
of the world to bring healing.
We come to be touched by the Spirit,
who brings gentleness and peace for all.
The Spirit would enable us to offer
reconciliation and justice to everyone we meet.  

Prayer of the Day

We would sing glad songs
to you, Commissioning God,
   as we enter your heart
   with thanksgiving on our lips,
for you are
   that love which never ends;
   that joy which overflows;
   that faith which is always full.

We would proclaim our praise

to you, Voice of compassion,
   as you would send us
   into the world in which we live,
for you are
   the Word we can speak to power;
   the healing we can offer to the broken;
   the justice which can replace oppression.
 
We would offer our hands and hearts
to you, Imaginative Spirit,
   as you teach us new steps
   in this dance we call life,
for you are
   the cleanser of our messy hearts,
   the breath of hope for shallow lungs,
   the password for access to grace.
 
With our hearts, voices, bodies, souls,
we offer joyful noise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as taught by you,
(The Lord’s Prayer)
 
Call to Reconciliation
We hunt for those links which offer life, but they are all broken.  We keep searching for hope, only to be sent from one false site to another.  But God, freely and faithfully, offers us the access to grace we need, through Jesus Christ.  Let us join in offering our prayers to the One who is our hope, our life, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness 

   Of course, we will do everything you ask, Faithfulness of creation, even as we cross our souls behind our backs.  Yes, we could go where people are suffering, but we like the comfort of our homes.  Yes, we could be with others as they seek to endure life, but compassion is often hard to share.  Yes, we could offer hope to the hungry and homeless, but we barely have enough for ourselves.
   Forgive us, Steadfast Love, and have mercy on us.  Remind us that is was when we were most foolish, that you became fallible; it was when we were vile, that you became so vulnerable; when the world would not welcome us, that Jesus came – to listen to our emptiness, to comfort our grieving hearts, and to cast out death’s power over us.  Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of PGrace

God as done it!  God has carried away our foolishness.  God has brought us out of despair and hope, and made us God’s precious treasure.
We give thanks to our God, whose love is fresh and new in every moment, whose faithfulness is forever.  Amen.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

We could be the healing for those who suffer;
we could be the strength for those who long to endure;
we could be the hope for those buffeted by the world, and so,
we offer ourselves, as well as our gifts,
in hopes that you will bless others who are in your heart.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.
 
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of faithfulness be with you.
And also with you.
Let us open our hearts to God in this moment.
We offer our hearts to the One who does all things for us.
People of God, lift your voices in songs of praise.
We will make a joyful noise to the One who is our life.
 
Before time began, your faithfulness  
was ever present, God of Grace,
and your never-ending love
poured out beauty and goodness,
transforming chaos into
   full moons treading across the night,
   dinosaurs lumbering through valleys,
   bees pollinating flowers and making honey.
All this – the earth, the rivers, the wonders –
were for those you formed in your image,
   but when we could go anywhere,
   we chose the comforts of sin and death.
You called women and men as prophets,
sending them out with only your hopes in hand,
   but we turned away from them, offering contempt,
   not compassion, when we saw them.
So, you sent your precious Treasure
to become one of us that
we might become your holy people.
 
With all those who make a joyful noise,
and those who only rumble the notes,
we sing glad songs of praise to you:
 
Holy, holy, holy, are you, God of steadfast love.
Not only we, but all creation sings of your faithfulness.
Hosanna in the highest!
 
Blessed is the One who comes to everyone, everywhere.
Hosanna in the highest!
 
When the time was right, Heart of holiness,
you looked with compassion on us,
and sent your Child to be our hope and blessings.
He came, not with judgment on his lips,
   but proclaiming your grace;
he came, not to aggravate us,
   but to palliate our foolishness;
he came, not to knock us down,
   but to lift us when we stumble;
he came, not to watch us die,
   but to stand at the emptiness of death,
   pointing and proclaiming we have nothing to fear,
because of your steadfast love
which became our resurrection hope.
 
As we would seek to see others through his compassionate eyes,
as we would go to serve his people,
we would speak of that mystery we call faith:
 
Christ suffered for us, so we might endure;
Christ died for us, showing us the character of grace;
Christ was raised for us, resurrection bringing us hope;
Christ will come for us, and we will not be disappointed.
 
At this time, ever faithful God,
pour out your Spirit upon
the gifts of the bread and the cup
and all your children gathered here.
May the bread of broken life
strengthen us so we may
   go wherever there is need,
   feed whoever is hungry,
   cleanse the world of fear and worry.
As we drink from the cup of grace,
may we be nourished
   to offer access to grace to everyone,
   to bring healing to the lonely,
   to mourn with those who grieve.
 
Then, beyond the end of time, gather us
with our siblings from all places
around your Feast of faithfulness,
as we sing of your steadfast love forever,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.
 
Sending
God sends us out to bear witness to grace.
We will speak of all God has done.
Jesus sends us out into every neighborhood and community.
We will go to bear the burdens of everyone we meet.
The Spirit sends us out on a journey of faithfulness.
We will go to see everyone through the eyes of compassion.
 
© Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for June 7, 2026 (Pentecost 2/Trinity 1/Proper 5/Ordinary 10 - A)

 Genesis 12:1-9; Psalm 33:1-12; Romans 4:13-25; Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

Call to Worship
The sinners, the saints,
the broken, the whole:
we all come seeking the One
who offers grace and hope.
The doubters, the devout,
the wonderers, the wanderers:
we all seek to follow the One
who works for justice and hope
for all of God's people.
The hesitant, the heroic,
the grandparents, the little children:
we all listen for the songs of joy
all creation sings to the One
who gives life and peace.

Prayer of the Day
When we begin
our journey of faith,
you are there,
Constant Love,
pointing the way
to the promises you offer.

When we stumble
over our own silliness,
and skin our knees
on the hardened pavement
of our pride,
you are there,
Companion of the world's riffraff,
to take us by the hand,
to lift us to our feet,
to bandage our bleeding egos.

And you continue to call us,
Breath of life:
to follow,
even when our faith falters.
to drink
the living waters bottled
with your grace.
to serve
those whom the world
easily discounts.
to see
you waiting at the end
of our pilgrimage.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we will seek to follow you always,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
In this place, in this moment, we wonder, "is it true?" God's hopes, God's promises, God's grace - are they really for you, for me, for us? God invites us to bring our questions, as well as our fears and failures, so we might discover the truth for ourselves, as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   When we look for our place cards at the table of honor, do we see you standing at the back of the room with the servers? When we walk around the homeless on the way to the ballgame, do we see you sitting in the doorway with the hungry children? When we tell others to pull themselves up, have we forgotten how many people reached out their hands to us along the way?
   Forgive us, God who offers mercy to us, and desires that we share grace with others. If we would truly follow, we must be willing to take off our Sunday best and put on the aprons of service, offering everyone we meet the bread of life and cup of hope which have come to us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Here is the good news: it is not up to us. God has not wavered in keeping the covenant of grace, of hope, of mercy, of life.
By God's grace, we are forgiven;
by God's healing, we are made whole;
by God's constant love, we are restored to life.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
We could not do it on our own – stepping out in faith, embarking on journeys to unknown places, trusting in you above everything else. So, bless us with your gifts as we continue to follow you, seeking the lonely, helping the broken, and bringing hope to our world. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God who gives life to the dead be with you.
And also with you.
Open your hearts to God’s steadfast love.
Hoping against hope, our hearts are glad in God.
Let joyous melodies be offered to our God.
Loving righteousness and justice, we rejoice in God.

You saw the well-laid plans
chaos had devised, Faithful Worker,
and laughed out loud,
the heavens bursting forth
with each great guffaw,
the stars spilling into places
with each breath of joy.
Filling the earth with
that love which never ends,
you created us so we might
live in your garden of grace.
But we reached out to grasp
the garment of sin,
letting it drag us through
the mud of despair and death.
Even then, you sent those
who spoke in your name
to remind us of the promises
made so long ago.
When we continued to cling
to trying to save ourselves,
you sent Jesus to us,
knowing his faith in you
would never weaken.

So, knowing praise is the only response
which we can make to such love,
we join our voices in this place and moment
with those in every time and place
who forever sing your joy:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God who desires mercy.
All creation sings new songs of thanksgiving.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who eats with people like us.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of Grace,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Desirer of mercy.
He walked among us,
calling us to follow
that we might know
the way to your heart.
Sitting with the outsiders,
he fed them with that love
which welcomed and embraced them
as siblings from different parents.
Following your hopes,
he went into the grave
where death was waiting,
so he might take us
by the hand and lead us
into life forever with you.

As we remember your ancient promises
fulfilled in the One who will never die,
we would sing of that faith which is ours:

Trusting God’s faithfulness, Christ died on the cross.
Giving God the glory, Christ was raised from the grave.
Calling us to follow, Christ leads us into God’s kingdom.

Pour out your Spirit
upon these simple,
yet so very precious, gifts
of the bread and of the cup.
By your grace,
when we would sanitize
our hands with piety,
the bread transforms us
so we would reach out
to the untouchables of our time.
By your compassion,
when we would sit at home,
at ease, in comfort, with plenty,
the cup alters our attitude
so we will get up
and follow Jesus into
the brokenness of our world.

And when we are gathered
around the great Table in heaven,
seated beside Abraham and Sarah,
Paul and the psalmists, Jesus and Joanna,
we will lift our voices together,
praising you forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
Like Sarah and Mary, Abraham ad Aaron,
we take those steps of faith offered by our God.
With Jesus, as well as foolish and fallible followers,
we dare go into those unknown places
where hope is absent, where grace is empty.
With Paul, with Phoebe, with people we know,
we are willing to follow the Spirit
on adventures into justice and compassion.

© Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for May 31, 2026 (Trinity Sunday - A)

 Texts:  Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a; Psalm 8; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; Matthew 28:16-20

Call to Worship

God, whose imagination saw all
that is good, beautiful, and loving,
continues to see us as beloved
children in the divine family.
The Word which called forth
the stars in every universe,
speaks to us of giving ourselves
through the baptismal life.
The Spirit, which moved over creation,
breathing life into all things,
fills us with peace and patience,
with hope and healing to share.

Prayer of the Day
Like creation on that first morning,
may we tingle with anticipation
of your goodness and wonder
flowing into our lives,
God who shapes all things.
May we join all creation
in worshiping you,
who is as close as a heartbeat.

As God whispered into the silence,
you ran forth with creatures
of every size and shape at your side,
Word of wonder,
as river filled the valleys and ran to seas,
as flowers sprang forth in meadows,
as grace unfathomable sprang forth.
May we join all creation
in emulating you,
who is as close as our flesh
which you wore.

As God’s mind overflowed with dreams,

you brooded over the waters,
stirred the clouds with your wind,
breathed life into all that is,
Spirit of fanciful faith,
planting the seeds of peace.
May we join all creation
in dancing with you,
who is as close to us
as every breath we take.

May we join all creation
in worshiping, emulating, dancing
as we offer our prayer to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we have been taught, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We know too well our foolishness, our brokenness, our human ways of doing things.  But God knows our hearts, our hopes, our desire to be made new.  As we offer our prayers of confession, let us open ourselves to God, who will forgive us and give us new life.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

   We have been created for goodness by you, Artist of all things, but we continue to be filled with bitterness.  Your Word would enable us to speak of joy to others, but we offer only judgment.  The Spirit which breathes hope into us could be shared with everyone we meet, but we are tempted to hold our breath until we turn blue, rather than giving peace to those around us.
   But you have said that everything created is good, even we foolish children of yours, God of wonder and grace.  With the Spirit as our sister, we know we can bring healing and hope to those who need it most.  With your Word, Jesus Christ, as our brother, we know we can tell others of your mercy and of our love for them in every moment. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace

By God’s grace, our chaotic choices become creative grace for others; our foolishness can be transformed by God’s goodness; our lives can become new by the Spirit of our God.
The good news is as true as it was on creation’s first morning: Creator God is the redeeming Word who is the Breath of life for all people, even us.  Thanks be to God for forgiveness and grace in our lives.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

Like the gifts of creation, we are but steward of all we possess.  And like the gifts of creation, they are not to be hoarded, but shared with the hungry, the lonely, the lost, the struggling.  As we offer our gifts, receive our thanks and praise in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

I pray God in Community be with you!
And also with you!
May the Holy Three who are One be in your hearts.
May we be filled with imagination, with words, with life itself.
Let us sing our praises to God who makes us one with all people.
We join all creation in singing glad songs to our God.

You poured your imagination into chaos,
stirring all your dreams and hopes and,
placing them on that palette called your heart,
began to paint on the blank canvas of creation,
   azure for clear morning skies,
   bright yellows for marigolds,
   deep green for grass in the meadows,
   red and orange tickling lazy sunsets.
Simply, faithfully, graciously, all
was offered to those created in your image,
   but we preferred the absence of color in sin,
   and would paint our lives in death’s greyness.
You sent prophets and artists,
singers and poets, to point up
back to your beauty and art,
   but we preferred the bleak mirages
   offered by temptation and foolishness.
Finally, you appealed to your Word
to bring us the good news
of your salvific heart.

With those who see and worship,
as well as those who doubt and despair,
we offer our songs of praise to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, Majestic Name.
All creation joins in praising your goodness and wonder.
Hosanna in the highest!

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

Word of justice and love,
you pointed to the Holy One
in every word and deed, even
as God blessed your every step and breath.
A baby,
   you showed us God’s vulnerability;
a young child,
   you taught us to draw closer to God;
a storyteller,
   you reminded us of the One
   who would run to scoop us up
   in arms of love and welcome;
a lover,
   you enter into sin’s embrace,
   taking the kiss death intends for us,
   so that, as resurrection’s hope,
      you offer us life with you forever.

As we struggle to understand such a gift,
as we seek to live such faithfulness,
we live in that mystery called faith:

Christ died, your Word silenced by the world;
Christ was raised, your Word singing of resurrection joy;
Christ will come, the Word which will call us home to you.

Like a storm, you blew over creation’s oceans;
with a gust, you blow open our shuttered souls;
with a light breath, you give us life, so now,
Breath of God, Spirit of all that exists,
touch the simple gifts of the bread and the cup
with the sacredness of your peace,
and stir us all from our fear and apathy.
The bread which is broken is filled with your strength,
   so that we can go and offer freedom to the prisoner,
   so that we can breathe hope into our dying neighborhoods,
   so that we can be peace for an angry world.
The cup is never drained of your grace,
   so that we may silence all hatred,
   so that we might put evil in the past,
   so that we might renew your fragile creation.

And when we are gathered in that place
to which you will direct us at the end of time,
we will join with our siblings 
in forever praising your glory, your love,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Created and called to be faithful stewards,
we are sent forth by our God.
We will take all that is good to places of brokenness,
all that is beautiful to those who live in despair.
Called and commissioned to be faithful disciples,
we are sent forth by Jesus, Word of hope.
We follow Jesus to every place he would lead us,
to every person who will bless us.
Called and filled with the very breath of peace,
we are sent forth by the Spirit, God’s grace.
We will join the Spirit in bring life where there is fear,
in offering love where hate seeks to take hold.
And now,
may the peace of creation’s Imagination,
the peace of grace’s Word,
the peace of hope’s Spirit,
and the deep, deep peace
of God in Community, Holy in One,
be with you this day and for always.  Amen.

©  Thom M. Shuman