Liturgy w/communion for June 22, 2025 (Pentecost 2/Trinity 1/Proper 7/Ordinary 12 - C)

  Texts: 1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a; Psalms 42 and 43; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 8:26-39

Call to Worship
When we long for the special effects we think life should offer:
it is enough, for us, that God comes in a soft, summer shower.
When we our hearts are cracked by the drought of doubt:
it is enough, for us, that God opens up the fountains of faith for us.
When our senses are deadened by the sales pitches of our culture:
it is enough, for us, that God wraps us in the silence of grace.

Prayer of the Day 
When we feel compelled
to push everything to its limits,
especially you,
it is enough, Holy One,
     that your grace
     can slow us down.

When we stand naked and exposed
to the buffeting winds
of our doubts and questions.
it is enough, Healing Servant,
     that you clothe us in your peace,
     and put our minds at ease.

When we are entangled
in that legion of worries and fears
which consume our lives,
it is enough, Spirit of Silence,
     that you untie the knots
     and set us free.

It is enough,
God in Community, Holy in One,
that you are with us
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We long to be set free from those 'powers' which control our lives; to let go of our fears of 'them;' to stop trying to build fences between us and those who are not like us. That is why our longing brings us to the living waters offered by our God, who allows us to fill our parched souls with a refreshing drink of forgiveness.  Let us confess our sins, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     Like children, we fear that if we tell you what we have done, God of Justice, you might not love us anymore.  We can kill the dreams of those around us with a word, spoken or withheld. We can make the lives of our friends miserable, instead of sharing a miracle. We are filled with that legion of temptations which only leave us empty and wanting more.
     Forgive us, Gracious Father. Remind us that we are no longer sinners, but your children.  Baptized, we are clothed in the graciousness and faithfulness of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who came that we might be set free of all that imprisons us.


Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
God forgives us, so we might be new people. God equips us, so we might serve others. God sends us forth, so we might be a witness to everyone we meet.
No one is the same: enemies are now our friends; those we could not trust now become our confidants; those we could not hear now speak to us of God's hope and joy. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
You have given us more than enough, Loving God, and so we take from the abundance which is ours, so that others might be blessed: with grace which cools fevered souls, with love which melts frozen hearts, and with hope which can feed and house and renew so many.  In Jesus’ name, we give and we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God who makes us one in Christ be with you!
And also with you!
God speaks to us in the still, small whispers of grace.
May our hearts resound with the thunder of God’s hope.
Heirs of wonder and peace, rejoice in the One who sends you out to serve.
Our voices echo the glad songs of those
who are our siblings in faith.

You split the emptiness of chaos,
Living God, breaking it into pieces
used to shape the foundation of creation.
Your spirit moved upon the waters,
     carving flowing streams where deer could drink,
     your words crafting those calm pools
          where your longing children could be baptized
          in your love, your joy, your grace.
But sin called to sin, catching our imagination,
the waves of death carrying us away from you.
Our help, our hope, our essence,
you continued to call to us,
     but we responded to your words
     with the sheer silence of stubbornness.
So, rather than sending great storms,
earthquakes, fires, or floods,
Jesus came, to invite us to return
and discover how much you do for us.

As we stand before the Table of grace,
as we greet our siblings in Christ,
we lift our voices in songs of thanksgiving:

Holy, holy, holy, God of sheer wonder and joy.
All creation praises you, our help, our Maker!
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to justify us by his faithfulness.
Hosanna in the highest!

You alone are holy, God of delight and beauty,
and your Son, our Brother Jesus Christ, is blessed.
When we felt forgotten and on our own,
     he came to stand beside us,
          so we are never alone.
When the bullies of our lives
taunted us and made us miserable,
     he came to wrap us in the mantle of compassion.
When our souls were down in the dumps,
     he lifted us up, so we might
          behold your face in glory forever.
Imprisoned in the tomb,
his guards, sin and death,
had no power over him
     as he arose from the dead
     striding forth into resurrection's dawn.

As we come to the feast he shares with friends,
as we celebrate the joy which is ours through him,
we would speak of that mystery called faith:

Christ died, emptying himself for all people;
Christ was raised, so we might empty ourselves for all around us;
Christ will come again, to lead us home to you,
     where we will be filled with life forever.

You are our help and hope,
God of silence and sacrament,
so we pray that as you pour out
your Spirit upon the gifts of the Table,
that your gathered people might hear hope
     in the breaking of the bread into pieces,
that we might listen for your grace
     in the sheer silence of the cup.
And when we are transformed
in the strength of the bread and the cup,
may we go to serve your people as well as all creation,
      working for justice, peace,
     joy, and life until there is no longer
          the haves and the haven't-anything,
          the insiders and the thrown-away,
          the know-it-alls and the drop-outs,
          the legalists and the libertarians,
but only your children, equal in your sight,
clothed with the compassion and life of Jesus Christ.

And when we are gathered with the legion of the faithful,
the saints and sinners from every age, and from every place,
around the festive Table which awaits us in eternity,
we will join our voices in forever singing your grace,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
God gives us enough grace,
so we may go to stand with all rejected by the world.
Jesus gives us enough hope,
so we may fill those emptied by despair.
The Spirit gives us enough peace,
so we may set free all imprisoned by fears and hate.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Alternate texts liturgy w/communion for June 22, 2025 (Pentecost 2/Trinity 1/Proper 7/Ordinary 12 - C)

Texts: Isaiah 65:1-9; Psalm 22:19-28; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 8:26-39

Call to Worship
With the faithful, as well as the foolish;
with the voiceless, and those who talk too much:
we gather to praise our God.
With those who find it easy to follow,
with those who stumble along the Way:
we rejoice in Jesus, who makes us whole,
and calls us siblings in the same family.
With all who are heirs to the promises of grace,
with all who share hope with others:
we give thanks to the Spirit of peace,
who cradles us in the arms of hope.

Prayer of the Day
What have you to do with us,
Holy God?
When others would push us away,
you cradle us in your heart;
when we have lost our directions,
you hand us your map;
when others would chain us
to the fears and prejudices,
you rush to rescue us.

What have you to do with us,
Brother of the outsiders?
When the powerful would 
put up walls to separate us,
you tear down all barriers;
when the angry would torment us
with their hurtful names,
you call us your siblings.

What have you to do with us,
Spirit of grace and hope?
When worries hassle us,
you would send them away;
when the world would damage
our souls beyond recognition,
you gather us up in your arms,
healing every broken place.

What have you to do with us,
God in Community, Holy in One?
Only everything.  Only everything.
And so, we join our voices in praying
as we have been taught, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
With the angry words we use, with the things we do to others, it is as if we are saying to those around us, as well as our God, to keep away from us!  But God is always ready for us to find the grace, the hope, the forgiveness being offered to us.  Let us come, to tell of our lives, trusting the One who comes to be with us and save us.  Join me, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   We do not call them demons anymore, God who listens to us, but there are those words which chain our hearts to them - words which shame others,  There are those actions which bind our lives to them - those fears which grab our hands, that anger which pushes away those around us.  There are those thoughts which draw us into the shadows, where we seek to hide from you, hoping you do not see the lives we lead.
   Yet, you refuse to stay away but come to closer to us in every moment, God who makes us whole.  You would clothe us with grace, so we might be your people in this world.  You would tear down all that separates us from others, so we might be one.  You would make us heirs to the promise of life and hope with our Brother, Jesus the Christ, who comes to heal us and make us your children.  Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Hear the good news, dear friends.  Our God comes, not to torment us, but to release us from all that keeps us from being God's beloved children.  We are siblings of Jesus, those who have been blessed, forgiven, transformed.
Thanks be to God, who reaches out to us and shows us the way of of the shadows, pointing to the path of mercy and hope.  We are forgiven!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
What have we to do with those who are hungry, who are lonely, who are afraid, who are hurt?  Only everything.  Yet you ask that we offer back but a portion of our blessings, so that others might know of your presence, your healing, your grace in their lives.  So, in Jesus' name, we present our gifts.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the God who has everything 

to do with us be with you.

And also with you.

Beloved of God, open your hearts

to the One who loves you.

We offer them to the God

who offers us grace and hope.

Let us sing songs of praise to God.

We join our voices as one

in loud thanksgivings to God.

You tore down that barrier called chaos,
God who spoke with the Word
and caused the Spirit to give life
   to the lizards that sun themselves on porches,
   to the frogs that serenade us on summer nights,
   to the reindeer who prance in the snow.
All creation was called forth by you,
and shared with those shaped in your image,
but rather than the sun-dappled fields of Eden,
   we preferred the shadows of temptation;
rather than life in your embrace,
   we let death wrap its cold arms around us.
You would not leave us alone, 
but came close to us in the words
of the women and men 
who called us back to you
   but we pushed them as far away
   from us as we could, putting up walls
   of indifference between them and us.
So, you chose to send your Child to us,
the one who came to that distant country
of rebellion to your love and hopes,
that we might find the path home to you.

And so, with those who are made whole,
and those who bring their brokenness to this Table,
we sing our songs of praise to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God who frees us from the shadows.
The furthest corners of the farthest universes remember you.
Hosanna in the Highest!

Blessed is the One who makes us whole.
Hosanna in the highest!

Though you are holy, God of our lives,
you are always ready to be found,
and Jesus is the One who comes
to gather us back into your arms of grace.
When he could have remained in glory,
   he chose to come to that distant country
   where we wandered in the shadows;
when we could have turned his back on us,
   he chose to have everything to do with us,
   tearing down the barriers we had built;
when he could have left us in death's clutches,
   he went into the very grave itself
   to defeat its powers and offer us 
   new life in the resurrection.

As we prepare to come to the Table of grace,
as we gather with our siblings,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

Jesus died, choosing to have everything to do with us;
Jesus was raised, as you chose life over death;
Jesus will come, choosing to take us with him to eternity.

As you pour out your Spirit 
on the gifts of the bread and cup
and on Jesus' siblings
who have gathered in these moment,
we hear you whispering 'here I am; here I am."
In the bread which is broken,
you draw us closer to your shattered heart,
so we might go forth 
   to feed the hungry,
   to cradle the most vulnerable,
   to give hugs to those who live in shadow.
In the cup which is poured,
you draw us closer to your sighing soul,
so we might be able
   to listen to the cries of those named 'Legion,'
   to hear the whispers of the lonely,
   to learn the stories of those who tell 
      them over and over.

And when all time and history comes to an end,
we will join our siblings
from every place, every generation who,
with the furthest corners of the universes
remember your love and grace, and will
call on your name as we come to the Feast,
joining in singing your praises forever,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
What have we to do with the forgotten 
around us, we ask?
And so, God sends us to welcome with love
our siblings we do not notice.
What have we to do with the injustices
which others must bear, we ask?
And so, Jesus calls to stay with those
whom the powerful ignore, and challenge those
who could bring about the changes that are needed.
What have we to do with the silence
which greets the cries of those in the shadows, we ask?
And so, the Spirit gives us the light, the peace, the hope
we can share with others in a world chained
by fears, prejudices, and hate.

(c)  Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for June 15, 2025 (Trinity - C)

 Texts: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15

Call to Worship
L: God, who created the fields of Eden,
takes delight in all things, including us!
P: God of glory, God of grace,
your name is exalted in all the earth!
L: Christ, who walked the streets of our world,
gives hope to all people, including us!
P: God of glory, God of grace,
your Son is Savior of all creation!
L: God's Spirit, who stays in our hearts,
bears truth and peace to us!
P: God of glory, God of grace,
your love surrounds our every moment.

Prayer of the Day
Holy God, Creation's Artist:
tiny infants
babble your praises,
as you reach out
and heal us with
the touch of your fingertips.
We worship you.

Jesus Christ, Gateway to grace:
you make right
what we have messed up;
you build your kingdom
on the foundation of our faltering faith;
you stand with us
in the midst of our suffering.
We adore you.

Holy Spirit, Playmate of justice:
you splash through
the sea-puddles
in Eden's backyard,
tracking the mud
into Kingdom's kitchen,
leading us to the Table.
We open our hearts to you.

God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Created as stewards of all creation, we know how often we have sunk to depths of faithless living. We lack the stamina to follow Christ through the Kingdom, and ignore the Spirit's calls to justice. Yet, God looks into our souls and sees the delight of God's heart. Let us join in prayer to the One who does not disappoint us.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
God of glory, grace and Wisdom, you call to us, but we do not listen. We trust in the emptiness of the world, but are reluctant to hope in your Word. We boast in our successes, but ignore the sufferings of others. Justice is what we demand for lawbreakers, instead of it becoming a lifestyle for ourselves.

Compassionate Mother:
have mercy on us;
Beloved Child:
have mercy on us;
Life-Giving Womb:
have mercy on us.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: Poured into our hearts, God's love gives us new life and hope. Touched by the fingers of God, we are restored to new life.
P: This is good news! God loves us, God forgives us, God calls us to service! Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
As we offer our gifts to you, Gracious God, remind us that we are called to serve in all the places where we will find you – at the entrances to broken neighborhoods, on the heights of despair, in the valleys of injustice, at the crossroads of poverty and hunger. In all those places, may we offer not only our treasures, but our lives as well. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with you!
P: May the Triune God be with you!
L: People of God, lift up your hearts to the One
who creates all things, redeems all things, sustains all things.
P: We offer our hearts to God our Rock, Christ our Cornerstone,
the Spirit which is our Temple.
L: People of God, give thanks to the One who loves us
in every moment of our lives.
P: We praise the One who is, who was, and who is to come.

Joy is the song we offer to you,
Speaker of life and wonder
into the silence of chaos in that first moment.
Mountains became the citadels of your grace,
valleys rang with the glad shouts of peace.
Dipping your hands into the puddles of paradise,
your fingers gently shaped us in your image.
Though we rebelled against you time and again,
you would gently correct our mistakes,
longing to cradle us in your arms once again.
When we no longer could find our way back to you,
Jesus came to stand with us in our suffering
and to lead us home to you.

So, with our sisters and brothers of every time,
with those who sing to you in this place,
we tell of your glory forever and ever:


P: Holy, holy, holy, God of majesty and beauty.
All creation praises your name in all creation.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who came that we might have peace with you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Word of grace, Lexicon of love,
Christ came to live with us,
experiencing our suffering for himself,
learning the depths of our longing,
enduring our pain and grief.
Faithful to your will for him,
as well as your dreams for us,
he willingly bore the sins of the world,
destroying death and leaving it empty,
bringing life to all who had lost hope.

As we remember your good works in Christ,
we take the cup and the bread,
setting them aside for their sacred use,
even as we declare that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ died, emptying himself for us;
Christ is risen, filling us with life;
Christ will come again, gifting us with eternal joy.

Breath of peace, Flowing River of life,
move upon the gift of creation offered to us,
that the bread may heal all brokenness,
that the cup might fill us with grace.
Then, when you stand at the crossroad
where injustice and oppression meet,
may we join your compassionate voice
in calling for life and hope for all of God's children;
may we join you at the gates of hopelessness,
bringing our sisters and brothers
out of the depths of despair,
to be God's daily delight and joy
in the kingdom breaking forth in our midst.

And when the mountains have crumbled into dust,
we will gather together with those of every time and place,
who are seated at the feast in heaven,
delighting in the One who has loved us from the beginning,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
L: Let us go now, as children of God, who is mindful of all people.
P: We will go to speak as simply as little children,
to share songs of joy we learned as infants.
L: Let us go now, as siblings of Jesus, brother to the poor.
P: We will go to stand at the intersection of oppression and despair,
to cry out for all those whose hopes have been silenced.
L: Let us go now, as heirs of the peace of the Spirit.
P: We will go to share delight with everyone we meet,
to offer grace to those who have suffered most.


(c) Thom M. Shuman