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

Reformation Day

Texts:  Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 46; Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36

Call to worship
L:  Be still!
P:  We come to quiet ourselves in this haven of holiness.
L:  Be still and know . . .
P:  we come to discern the Word which can set us free.
L:  Be still and know that God is
P:  our Hope, our Help, our Refuge, and our Redeemer.

Prayer of the Day
You break the cycle of wars,
   so we can be enriched by your peace;
you shatter the grip of violence,
   so we may be freed from our fears;
you plant your words deep within us,
carving on our hearts:
   you are mine.
You give us the Word we need,
so we might live in your grace,
God of creation.

You freely became one of us,
   so we would be liberated
   from our addiction to sin;
you take us by the hand
   to lead us out of our doubts;
you give us the words we need,
   so we can continue to share
    your good news of life,
Friend of the needy.

You pull us to safety
   when sin's waters swirl around our feet;
you surround us with serenity
   when doubts rattle our souls;
you give us words we need,
   whenever we wander onto the paths of trouble,
Spirit of holiness.

God in Community, Holy in One,
you give us the words we need,
to pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We can no longer flatter ourselves about how good
we are.  Wee do not need to make grandstand plays
to get God's attention.  We only need to confess
our lives, as God makes good on the promises of
grace and mercy.  Join me as we ask God to reform
us into God's children, praying together,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   Heart of the Covenant: we have know your hopes
for us, and have disappointed every on of them. 
We have heard your words of faithfulness, and
forgotten every one of them.  We have seen your
dreams for us, and turned them into nightmares.
   Forgive us, Hope's Heart.  Silence every
blustering word, so we may hear your mercy.
Still every feeble attempt to justify ourselves,
so we may be made right with you.  Melt every
frozen heart, so we might be drenched in your
river of joy.  May Jesus Christ continue to live
in us, so we might be free to live forever with
you.

Silence is kept

Assurance of pardon
L:  Be still and know the good news:  god has not forsaken
nor forgotten us, but redeems us.
P:  Why should we be afraid?  God is in our midst -
forgiving, restoring, sending.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:  May God our refuge be with you!
P:  And also with you.
L:  People of God, lift your hearts to the One who created you.
P:  We offer them to God, who writes words of hope upon our hearts.
L:  God's children, come to the Table of grace.
P;  We will feast on the wonders of the God who loves us.

You took creation by the hand,
leading it out of chaos,
as the first morning dawned,
   mountains trembling in the mist,
   running rivers which gladdened your heart,
God of our hearts.
You created all this for us,
giving us peace and righteousness
to be our playmates in the fields of grace.
   But when we beheld the works
   of temptation, sin, and death,
   we became their slaves,
   writing their lies on our hearts.
Longing to be our God,
you sent the prophets
to call us to be your people,
but we refused to listen.
Finally, Jesus came, the bearer
of truth and freedom for all.

With those whose hearts are broken,
and those who long for your days of peace,
we sing our thanksgiving to you:

P:  Holy, holy, holy are you, God who forms our hearts.
    All creation finds refuge in your tender care.
    Hosanna in the highest!

    Blessed is the One who sets us free by your truth!
    Hosanna in the highest!

You are our strength, God of holiness,
and Jesus Christ is your Son, our Savior.
When our lives are filled with despair,
   he is our Hope;
when we are lost and cannot find our way,
   he is our Help;
when the world closes its doors and heart to us,
   he is our Refuge;
when sin and death hunger for us,
   he is our Redeemer,
present with us in this life
and in the one to come.

As we remember his life, death, and resurrection,
as he continues to re-form us into your people,
we proclaim that mystery called faith:

P:  Christ died, his heart broken for us;
    Christ is risen, resurrection written upon his heart;
    Christ is ever with us, in every moment, until your days come.

Pour out your Spirit
upon the gifts of this Table,
and upon the gathered people
who seek to be your faithful people.
The bread symbolizes that Life, though given,
which can reshape our brokenness into
   the peace which a warring world needs,
   the hope which can bring healing to others.
The cup which is filled with your grace
can strenthen us to be new people,
   who go forth to speak truth to power,
   who bring freedom to all the oppressed.

And when your days of eternity finally come,
when we gather as your children around
the Table of wonder and life,
we will sing your praises forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

(c) 2012 Thom M. Shuman

The Reign of Christ - C

Texts:  Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 46; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43

Call to Worship
Blessed be the Lord God who looks with kindness on us.
We are the inheritors of the promises made long ago to our ancestors.
Blessed be the Lord God who gathers us here in this place.
From across the street, from halfway around the world, God brings us home to the heart of grace.
Blessed be the Lord God who has remembered us.
Scoffers and singers, watchers and wigglers, we are those redeemed by God.


Prayer of the Day
Gathering God:
when we have only
a few pennies of hope
in our pockets,
you multiply us
into a blessing.
When the world whispers
seductively to us,
you tell us
of your joy for us.
When everyone has forgotten
even who we are,
you shout out our name
with delight: "My Beloved!"

Dawn from on high:
when we would divide people
by class, by race, by age,
you cast your lot
with the outcasts of society.
When we get lost
from the muddled directions
the world gives us,
you lead us down
that path called Peace.

Spirit of wisdom:
when we grow impatient
with all the trivial matters of life,
you surround us with serenity.
When the world puts us on
the route to sin,
you transfer us
to the streets of the kingdom.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we trust you will remember us,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We know that we have not lived as God hopes.  But however fragmented we become, God longs to hold us together in grace and peace.  Let us come with our prayers of confession and need to the One who prepares the way for our words.

Unison Prayer of Confession
In these moments, Remembering God,
we bring to you all the ways we have not
lived as your people:
   we stand by watching
       while those in need struggle to survive;
    we cast our lots with those
        who worship power and success;
    we offer insults rather than words of grace
        to those who care for us;
    we scoff at your words
        which call us to a different lifestyle.

Forgive us, God of Mercy, for not knowing what we do to you, to others, to ourselves.  Speak to us through Jesus Christ, our King and our Savior, who bears words filled with your tender mercy and gracious hope.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news:  God remembers!  Not our sins, not our foolish lives, not our rebellion.  God remembers us -  and redeems us!
God prepares the way for us - the way to grace, to hope, to new life.  Joyfully, we offer our thanks to God.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the peace of God be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One whose has favored us with grace.
God's beloved children, sing of your hopes and dreams.
We bless the One who remembers us and redeems us to new life.

 Joyfully, we lift our songs
of praise to you, O God.
From the fragments of chaos,
you created all things.
Those that are visible to us
in the leaves drifting to the ground,
in the children playing hopscotch,
in the moon shimmering at night -
and those that we cannot see,
but gift our lives beyond measure:
grace, which heals our longing;
hope, which fills our emptiness;
love, which embraces our loneliness.
All were shaped and blessed for us,
but we chose to cast our lots
with sin and death,
believing their powers to be greater
that your hopes and dreams for us.
The prophets came to speak
about the One from on high
who yearned for us to come home,
but we grew impatient with their words
and mocked their faithfulness.
Finally, you sent Jesus
to gather your scattered children together
and to bring us back to your heart.

Therefore, we join our voices
with rulers and reprobates,
with the fruitful and the foolish
of every time and place,
who forever sing of your joy:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God our shelter.
All creation makes glad your heart.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who is exalted among the nations.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God who remembers us,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
Dawn from on high and creative Word.
Creation's true Light,
he rescues us from the darkness of death;
speaker of promises
to our grandparents in the faith,
on the cross
he kept the vows made to them;
the first-born of all creation,
he was born again
from the grave,
so we could all be with you
in eternity's kingdom.

As we reflect on his life, his ministry, his love,
we remember all that he has done for us,
that mysterious story we call faith:

Christ died, having done nothing wrong;
Christ arose, having done God's will;
Christ will return, having reconciled us to God.

 As we come to this Table of peace,
pour out your Spirit of life upon us,
and upon the gifts
of the Bread of life
and the Cup of salvation.
You nourish with grace,
so we may go wherever
the broken and lost live,
that we might feed them.
You fill us with hope,
that we would have no more fear,
but would boldly reach out
and gather up all
whom the world has cast aside.

And when time has come to an end,
and all creation has been reconciled to you,
we will gather around the feast in heaven,
singing our joy and praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.
Amen.

(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 28 - C

Texts:  Isaiah 65: 17-25; Isaiah 12:2-6; 2nd Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19

Call to Worship
This day!  This day we will give thanks to God, who cradles us in the waters of baptism.
This day!  This day we will trust in the One who has saved us, who strengthens us.
This day!  This day we dance to the fountain of life, drinking deeply of salvation's goodness.
This day!  This day we praise our God for every blessing; telling everyone of God's amazing grace in our lives and in our world.
This day!  This day we sing God's praises; testifying to all creation of our God.
This day!  This day our songs are filled with joy, for God is with us, this day and in all the days to come!

Prayer of the Day
Creating God:
you grasp chaos
and shake it into
new heavens brimming with light,
new earth teeming with life.
You delight in your children so much
that before we finish our sentences,
you have heard our hearts;
before we whisper our dreams,
you fill our needs.

Word of God,
you shape our lips
and loosen our tongues
that we might witness
to your kingdom
where enemies take naps together;
where meat-eaters become vegetarians.

Spirit of Wisdom:
open us,
that we might trust
without fear;
fill us,
that we might discern
our call to faithfulness;
teach us,
that we would make known
our thanks to the farthest
shores of the universe.

God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us , this day and every day
as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father...

Call to Reconciliation
God does not take our sins and stick them up on a shelf, in order to remember them - God forgets them!  God does not hold them against us, but forgives us!  Join me as we pray to the One who delights in us, as we say,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   We confess that our lives weaken us, Strengthening God.  We do not exercise our faith as we should, and so fatigue easily.  We see houses as investment property, not as homes built on love, hope, and dreams.  We whimper our petty complaints about our friends and families, rather than shouting our hosannas to heaven for the gift of their lives.
  You are our hope, Tender God, so forgive us.  Create in us new hearts, and fill us with new energy to serve our sisters and brothers, bringing them to the deep wells of salvation, where they can fill their parched souls, even as we have been led to them by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is observed

Assurance of Pardon
Rather than remaining white hot, God's anger melts into streams of living water, washing us clean of our sins and refreshing our spirits with hope and joy.
This day!  This day we give thanks to the God who is our strength and our salvation.  Praise God! Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
When nothingness seemed to stretch
into forever, you spoke, Mindful God,
and the days of creation sprang forth,
throwing down all chaos,
shaping all that is marvelous and new
from its shattered pieces.
In our foolishness, we were led astray
by temptation and sin's sweet words,
but the end did not follow immediately,
for you sent the prophets to sing your praises.
But though they spoke to us, we would not listen.
So you sent your Beloved Child,
rejoicing in him, so you could delight in your people.

So with busybodies and those who are never a burden,
with our sisters and brothers from every time and place,
we sing our songs of thanksgiving to you:

Holy, holy Holy, God who saves us.
All creation is glad and rejoices in your forever.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who makes your deeds known among the peoples.Hosanna in the highest!

 Surely you are the One who saves us, Holy God,
sending Jesus to become one of us, for us.
He did not remain idly by your side,
but came so that we might
no longer be children of calamity.
Betrayed by those who knew him,
he was placed upon the cross,
but his opponents, sin and death,
could not withstand the power of his love,
or contradict his sacrifice on our behalf,
for by the endurance of his faith,
we gained our souls once again.

As we remember his death offered for us,
as we celebrate his life shared with us,
we speak of that mystery we know as faith:

Christ died, trusting in God completely,
Christ arose, drawing resurrection from the springs of salvation;
Christ will return, to create us as a joy.


Pour out your Spirit of grace and hope
upon the Table and its simple gifts of life,
and upon your people gathered in this place.
On this day, as we are fed by the Bread of life,
we will give thanks to you,
even as we go to build houses for those who have none,
to fed all who do not have enough to nourish them.
On this day, as we drink from the Cup
drawn from the springs of salvation,
we will remember your great deeds,
by opening our ears to the sound of weeping
in among our friends, and those we do not know,
offering relief to those who cry with distress.

And when all days have come to an end,
and we discover that the Holy One is in our midst,
we will cry aloud, singing out our joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
forever and ever.  Amen.

(c) 2010  Thom M. Shuman

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving for Stewardship Season

May the God of generosity be with you!
And also with you!
People of God, open your hearts to the One who has blessed you beyond imagination.
We open our very being to the God who always surprises us with blessings.
Children on the abundant God, join your voices in glad songs of praise.
Hearts and voices resound with the glory of God.

When you could have been stingy
in those first days, Imaginative God,
your poured all that was in your heart
into the silence and emptiness of chaos.
Rivers rushed to the seas,
mountains streatched toward the skies,
animals danced in clovered fields,
life sprang forth in every corner of the universe.
You crafted all this goodness and beauty
for your children created in your image
that they might enjoy your gifts forever.
But the empty promises of temptation
sounded better than the choruses of the birds,
the glitter of sin and death blinded us
to the abiding wonder of your gracious heart.
Prophets came to remind us
that you are indeed a God of blessing,
that you opened yourself to us in love,
hoping that we would come home.
But when we continued to waste
our inheritance in the far country of despair,
you sent Jesus to come to us,
bearing the ring of redemption
to slip onto our fingers,
the robe of forgiveness
to wrap around our broken lives.

So, with those who have received
your blessings in every age and place,
with those who seek to be stewards here and now,
we join our voices in praise to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God of extravagant love.
All creation is filled to overflowing with your gifts.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes bearing your blessings to us.
Hosanna in the highest!

You are generous to a fault, Gracious God,
with your greatest gift being Jesus Christ our Lord.
When you could have selfishly kept him by your side,
you sent him into our midst, so we might know
that your love has no limits.
When you could have hardened your heart towards us,
you let yours be broken by the sacrifice
of your only Child upon the Cross.
When you could have demanded
that we give back everything we had received from you,
you sent your most precious self,
that we might be reconciled to you once and for all.

As we remember the Gift we will celebrate once again,
as we celebrate the wonder of redemption which is ours,
we would cling to that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, the blessing which destroyed sin;
Christ arose, the gift which conquered death;
Christ will come again, the treasure of your kingdom held in his arms to give to us.

We never have to wonder
about your love for us, Beneficent God,
for your Spirit is that gift that is poured out
upon the Bread and the Cup
every time we gather at your Table.
We taste the goodness and the life
in the Bread which is broken for us,
that we might offer all that we have
to mend the shattered lives of those around us.
We drink from the Cup of compassion,
and as it flows through the very depths of our souls,
we dare not withhold tight to our gifts,
but as your good and faithful stewards,
offer them back to you so that
  the hungry might be filled,
  the homeless might find shelter,
  the captive would be set free,
  the sick might be made well,
and all creation rejoice in your blessings.

And when all our days of life have come to an end,
when we are gathered with your people in your heart,
we will join our voices in singing our thanksgiving to you,
for all your good gifts, and for your inviting us
to be good stewards with you in the work of the kingdom,
our hands, our hearts, our lives, our gifts offered to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.
(c) 2010  Thom M. Shuman

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 27 - C

Texts:  Haggai 1:15b-2:9; Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21; 2nd thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17; Luke 20:27-38

Call to Worship
The God who is greater than we will ever understand,
is humbled to become one of us.
The God who is more loving than our hearts dare imagine,
gives us more grace than we ever realize.
The God who is wiser than we will ever know,
teaches us all we need to become God's children.

Prayer of the Day
Why should we fear,
God of compassion?
You choose us
to be the bearers
of grace and justice
to a broken world;
you call us to be words
of hope and joy
to people deafened by despair.
We will extol you.

Why should we fear,
Brother of justice?
You call us to follow you
that we may serve all
who have been abandoned
by a society focused on self.
You model kindness
so we might bring healing
to a fractured culture.
We will bless you.

Why should we fear,
Spirit of grace?
When we run around in circles,
you fill us with your peace;
when we stumble
through each day,
you energize us
with your hope;
when our spirits are empty,
you come and dwell in us.
We will praise you.

Why should we fear,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as you listen to us pray
as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We often think that God is 'out there' somewhere, distant and uncaring. But God hears our hearts, God sees our struggles, God walks with us as we try to be faithful disciples. Let us come to the One who is as close as the very breath we take in this moment to confess the brokenness of our lives,

Unison Prayer of Confession
We are so easily confused by what the world tells us, Watching God, that we forget the stories of faith we heard as children. We are so fearful of tomorrow, we are not aware of your Spirit with us today. We are so busy wondering, 'what if?' or 'suppose?'we cannot hear the promises you whisper to us.

So once again, Gracious God, have mercy on us. You know our hearts so well - touch them with your grace. You see our deepest fears - heal them with your peace. You hear our secret longings - speak to them of your hope. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
The One who searches our broken hearts has found the way to mend them and make us new people. The good news is that everything God has done in Christ is for us, that we might be made whole.
With kindness, and justice, God makes us new people. We will sing our thanks through all eternity. Great is God, and greatly to be praised! Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One who heals our brokenness.
Let us offer our thanks to God, who has prepared this Table for us.
We will bless the One who offers us life in every moment.

We think of your greatness,
God of the living,
and fall silent.
When there was only chaos,
your whispered your Word,
and creation sprang forth.
The sun and stars
filled the heavens
with your splendor,
and the earth
sang of your glory.
You filled us with your dreams
of life with you forever,
but we confused your hopes
with our desires
and went chasing after
the seductions of sin and death.
You sent the prophets
to remind us of the stories
we had been told as your children,
but we thought them
to be myths and fables.
So once again,
you sent your Word
to speak sense to our lives.

Therefore, in this time and place,
with those who have gone before,
and those who will come after,
we join in the song of all creation:

Holy, holy, holy, God of unsearchable greatness.
The glorious splendor of your creation sings your praises.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes according to the promises made.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of Understanding,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son.
When we had been deafened
by the songs of the world,
he to speak of hope,
and to offer us justice.
When we were easily confused
by the promises of sin,
he came to make clear
your dreams for us.
When we thought
we could save ourselves,
he offered himself on the cross,
that we might spend eternity
in your presence.

As we come to the Table of grace,
as we are offered all your gifts,
we remember what Christ has done for us:

Christ died, holding fast to God's promises;
Christ rose, opposing the so-called god death;
Christ will return to fill our lives with splendor.

Send your Spirit upon the gifts
of the bread and the cup,
and upon your children
who gather in this place.
Fill our empty hands
with the Bread of life,
that we might take
justice and peace
to the outcasts of our world.
Touch our parched hearts
with the Cup of grace,
that we might be poured out
for the broken and lost
in these times and places.
Heal us with the peace
of this joyful feast,
that we might become
your people of hope.

Then, when this world passes away,
and time has come to an end,
we will gather around the Table
in your kingdom of grace,
singing our praises to you
for all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One.
Amen.

(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 26 - C

Texts:  Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4; Psam 119:137-144; 2nd Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12; Luke 19:1-10

Call to Worship
We gather in awe
standing in the presence of the One who crafted the stars, the mountains, the seas.
We gather in faith,
trusting that the One who has held little children holds our lives in the heart of God.
We gather in need,
seeking the One who longs for justice to grace each and every person in creation.

Prayer of the Day
You stirred the dust
and created us for service;
you breathed into our lungs
so we could share your good news;
you shape our hearts
with the tools of compassion
so we will seek justice for all.
We thank you, God of gifts.

In the hospitality of Zaccheus,
we see your openness
for all who are different;
in the grumbling of his neighbors,
we hear the echoes
of our own prejudices and fears;
in his transformation
into a new person,
we see your grace
which is prepared for us.
We thank you,
Companion of the poor.

You cradle us in the peace
of the resting night;
you awaken us
with the light of dawn
and the warmth of your gentleness;
you walk with us
through each day,
nudging us to be that blessing
we are called to be to others.
We thank you,
Surprising Spirit.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our thanks to you,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches,
Our Father. . .

Call to Reconciliation
How patient is God!  We run around trying to do everything our way, and God just waits.  We try to buy life and happiness, and God waits.  We hurt others and walk away from those in need, and God waits.  God waits, and upon hearing our heartfelt prayers and cries for help, God touches us with forgiveness and new life.  Come, join me as we pray to the One who waits to hear - from us!

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
  Surrounded by so many seductions, Patient God, we find it difficult to see you in our lives.  Justice has a hard time surviving when there is so much persecution and affliction towards the little ones of the world.  Our neighborhoods, our families, even our churches, are filled with strife and contention.
  We cry for help, Listening God; forgive us!  As we wait for your grace to fill our lives, may we open our hearts to your hope and healing, always giving thanks for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Rich, poor;young, old; sinner, saint.  We are all God's children, and God transforms each of us into the people we are meant to be.
Broken, we are mended; separated from others, we are made one; longing to serve, we are sent forth.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of all hope be with you.
And also with you.
Lift your hearts to the One who comes to feast with you.
We offer our hearts to God who is in our midst.
Children of God, sing praises to the One who feeds you with goodness and hope.
Our hearts and voices resound with joy.

In your heart, God of wonder,
you wrote the vision of creation,
and the Word shaped the mountains
from the rich loam of the valleys,
your Spirit breathed life into every
which sprang forth from your imagination.
Welcomed into your garden with hope,
we forgot your words of hospitality,
running to catch a glimpse of the parade
of seductions sin and death brought to town.
Prophets came, your vision written on their hearts,
your voice standing behind their words
which sought to bring us back to you,
but we took no delight in their invitations.
So you sent your Beloved, Jesus the Christ,
to be the guest of sinners in every time and place,
that we might receive the gift of salvation.

So, with reformers and saints who have gone before us,
with friends and neighbors sitting around us,
we lift our songs of praise to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God of justice and righteousness.
All creation keeps watch for your justice.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to call us home.
Hosanna in the highest.

In your heart, Forgiving God,
you wrote the vision of redemption,
and sent Jesus, your Servant of righteousness,
to your people at the appointed time.
When our zeal for sin consumed us,
he came to feed us with the bread of life;
when our souls were emptied out
by the corruption of death,
he came to grow abundant faith in us;
when we saw only destruction on the horizon,
he came to stand at his watchpost,
defeating sin and death so they could
never harm us again,
and inviting us to find life and peace
in your heart's home for all eternity.

As we remember his life, his teachings, his words,
as we celebrate the good news of his resurrection,
we speak of our faith, which often seems a mystery:

Christ died, faithful to the end;
Christ is risen, your righteousness come true;
Christ will return, our hope and peace.

In your heart, Blessing God,
your wrote the vision of a community
which would live out your kingdom here on earth,
pouring out your Spirit of life and grace
upon the gifts of the Bread and Cup,
and on your people gathered for your Feast.
As we are fed by your Word become life,
give us understanding so we might hear
those who are crying out for hope;
as we are nourished by your Spirit of peace,
may we go to all who live surrounded by oppression,
bringing justice to every place
where it has never prevailed.

And when we are gathered in that vision
of life forever which is written in your heart,
we will join our sisters and brothers
from every time and place, forever praising you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

© 2010  Thom M. Shuman

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 25 - C

Texts:  Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2nd Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14

Call to Worship
This is the day the Lord has made:
a day for praise and prayer; a day for gratitude and generosity.
This is the time God has given us:
a time for singing and silence; a time for speaking and listening.
This is the life to which God calls us:
a life of humility and service; a life of faith and trust.

Prayer of the Day
Pour out your Spirit
upon us as we gather,
God of our salvation:
so your grace
might strengthen us
for service;
so your peace
might calm
our troubled souls;
so your hope
might mend
our broken hearts.

You poured out your life
that we might be filled
with the gift of salvation.
You humbled yourself
that we might be raised
to eternal life.
Take hold of our hands,
Servant of the world,
so we might cross
the finish line together.

You are in our midst,
Spirit of wholeness.
You enabled us
to cling to faith,
when hope runs
through our fingers like sand.
You open the gateways
of our hearts
morning and evening,
that we might sing
our praises with all creation.

God in Community,
Holy in One,
we pour out our hearts to you,
as we pray as Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
When we pray to God, do we do so with pride in what wonderful people we are, or with that humble hope which recognizes how we have not lived as God’s children, and how we need God’s forgiveness and grace in our lives?  Join me as we pray to our God, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
     Watching God, like the Pharisee, we think we can stick our thumbs into life, pull out a prayer, and congratulate ourselves for being such good Christians.  Then, we remember the harsh words we have spoken this week, the hurt we have inflicted on someone we loved, the lack of compassion we failed to offer to someone who needed our help.
    Forgive us, God of Grace, and deal gently with us.  May we become more like the tax collector - humble, penitent, acknowledging our faulty lives to you.  Then, may we receive the mercy promised to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed

Assurance of Pardon
Forgiven and healed, we open ourselves to the grace, the peace, the hope offered to us through our loving God.  This is the good news we have received!
Graced and blessed, we are able to pour out our lives for others, taking them by the hand to reach that finish line called the Kingdom.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the Lord our God be with you!
And also with you!
Rejoice, o children of God, and open your hearts to our God.
Our hearts overflow with the hope God has poured into them.
Rejoice, o children of God, and be glad!
We sing to the One who has dealt wondrously with us.
Your heart opened, Amazing God,
and abundant rain flowed forth
on that early morning of creation.
Caring and loving beyond all hope,
the earth's floors were filled with grain
and the plenty of every good thing;
valleys overflowed with oil and wine.
Ever ready to crown us with your blessings,
your heart broke as we allowed sin
to cut out your hopes for us,
as we welcomed death, who came
destroying your intended life for us.
You sent the prophets into our midst,
to bring us back to live in your courts,
but we preferred the hollow promises
of temptation and seduction.
So you sent Jesus into our lives,
pouring your Spirit on his flesh,
so we might see you face to face.

So, with those who have finished the race,
with those who are only at the starting line,
we sing our praises to you:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of all.
The gateways of morning and evening shout your joy.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who stands by us, giving us strength.
Hosanna in the highest!
Praise is due to you, Holy One,
for there is no other god like you,
and no Lord and Savior like Jesus Christ,
who ran the race when we stumbled,
who kept the faith when it slipped through our fingers.
When sin unceasing passions
created a drought in our lives,
he opened the channels of your river of life
to flow through us, washing us clean
and giving us new hopes and dreams.
When death held the deeds of our sins,
threatening to foreclose on our lives,
he came to purchase them back,
so we might live free and clear forever.

As we remember how he poured himself out for us,
as we celebrate the new hopes which fill our hearts,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, rescuing us from every evil;
Christ arose, saving us for your kingdom;
Christ will come again, to pour your spirit into us.
Pour out your Spirit upon all people gathered
around your Table, filled with the gifts of creation.
From the plenty of the Bread of life,
we will be fed until we are hunger
to serve your children in every need;
from the sweet river which flows from the Cup,
we will be humbled into your people,
that we might exalt all who have been
cast aside by the world around us.
For here at this Table of grace and joy,
little boys and girls will tell stories
of peace and hope;
young women and men will envision
lands where oppression has been destroyed;
old women will recall dreams of justice,
and work to turn them into reality;
old men will prepare meals and serve them
to all who hunger in every place.

And when the time of our departure comes,
and all who have longed for your appearing
are gathered around your river of life,
we will join our hearts and voices
in praising you forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One, Amen.

© 2010  Thom M. Shuman

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 24 - C

Texts:  Jeremiah 31:27-34; Psalm 119:97-104; 2nd Timothy 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8

Call to Worship
We have gathered in God's holy presence, the One who etches grace on our hearts.
This is the place where God will transform us into disciples.We glorify our God, who yearns for justice, not just for a favored few, but for the least of our world.
This is the place where God will write compassion on our souls.
We give thanks to God for unceasing grace; we remember God's persistence in saving us.
This is the place where God will breathe the Word into our lives.

Prayer of the DayHoly God:
with the precious jewel
of holy scripture,
you share with us
the treasure of your heart.
Engrave your covenant -
your hopes, your dreams,
your vision, your peace -
upon our hearts,
that they might beat
as one with yours.

Holy Word:
ever clear,
you keep us from wandering
down the wrong paths;
ever longed for,
you make us persistent
in bringing justice
to the lost and to the least;
ever practical,
you show us how
not to misplace our hearts.

Holy Wisdom:
as you breathe the Word
into our hearts,
tutor us in faithfulness
so we are trained
in using the tools
of justice and hope;
so we are equipped
to share the good news with all;
so we become skilled
in compassion and grace.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our hearts to you
as we pray as Jesus teaches us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Seeking to follow Jesus, we often wander down the wrong roads.  Impatient with God's schedule, we rush off to do things our way.  Let us confess our foolishness, that we might receive God's hope for our lives.

Unison Prayer of Confession
   Your words are given to us, Author of Life, so we might be reformed, but we are intent on changing others.  Your words are offered to us so we might be transformed, but we are focused on conforming to our culture.  Your words are spoken to lead us into new life, but we hold our old ways tight to our chests.
   Forgive us, God of Wonder.  Do not remember our sins, but continue to touch us with your steadfast mercy.  Show us how to be persistent in living out our faith, even as you were so tenacious in offering us your grace and life in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is observed

Assurance of PardonJesus reminds us that we are to be resolute in our lives of faithfulness and service.  The good news is that God is steadfast in filling us with love and grace.
We are forgiven people.  May we live as sisters and brothers in Christ, God's children in word and deed, in hope and joy.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
'The days are surely coming,'
you announced to chaos, God of power,
dividing it into morning and night,
sowing seeds of humanity and other life
into the rich loam of your creation.
You took us by the hand to show us
the place where we might have life,
ever feasting on your bounty of love.
But we drank deeply of sin's sour wine,
our teeth set on edge by the sound of death
scraping its fingernails across our souls.
You sent the prophets to us,
your hopes written on their hearts,
but since we did not fear you,
we had no respect for them.
So you took Jesus by the hand,
asking him to proclaim the good news
that you would forget our sins,
you would forgive our foolishness.

With all who have wandered from your path,
with all who have the new covenant on their hearts,
we sing our songs of praise to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God of incredible patience.
All creation cries out for your justice.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to teach your ways.
Hosanna in the highest!

He did not shrink from your command, God of hope,
but obediently, Jesus became one of us
so we might know you face-to-face.
When the law no longer
wanted to be seen with us,
he became our constant companion.
Wiser than our enemies, sin and death,
he defeated them at the cross,
the empty tomb the sign of his victory.

As we remember his persistence in offering grace to us,
as we celebrate the joy of life with him,
we speak of the mystery we know as faith:

Christ died, for all our sins;
Christ rose, for all our sakes;
Christ will return to take us by the hand to lead us into your presence.

As for us, we pray you
to send your Holy Spirit to us,
to bless the gifts of your love
and to transform your gathered people.
What we know, what we believe,
we have learned at your knee,
gathered up into your lap,
your call to wholeness a taste so wondrous
we share it with all who are broken;
your cup of  grace sweeter
than the honey of our hopes.

And when we are are gathered together
into the kingdom you have built in eternity,
we will join our voices with our sisters and brothers,
crying out to you day and night forever,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

© 2010 Thom M. Shuman