These liturgies are based on the readings from the 3-year RCL schedule. PLEASE NOTE: if you are following a link from another blog or site, you may end up at a past post. Current liturgies can be found by clicking on the 'Lectionary Liturgies' title. I post these for folks to use in worship, as they deem appropriate. If you use these posted liturgies on a regular basis, lease, will you consider making a modest donation to my writing ministry. @Thom-Shuman on Venmo
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, (The Lord's Prayer)
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.
Prayer of Dedication/Offering How easily we overlook the Zaccheus in our midst - the father short of money, the woman short of hope, the children short of food. As we offer our gifts, we pray you would open our hearts to recognize all around us, especially those looking for you in us. In Jesus' name, we pray. 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 are you, 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 was raised, 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. Sending God gives us the vision, so let us go to see others as our sisters and brothers. Jesus gives us the eyes, so let us look in all the unexpected places to welcome all into our lives. The Spirit calls us to watch, so let us bear witness to the justice and hope coming into our shattered world. (c) Thom M. Shuman
Texts: Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2 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, (The Lord's Prayer) 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 for Forgiveness 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 kept
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 live our lives for others, taking them by the hand to reach that finish line called the Kingdom. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication/Offering If our lives, our love, our gifts are not shared with others, the words we offer in prayer and praise are hollow. So receive what we offer, Holy God, and bless them in the work of that kingdom which values the people we ridicule, lifts up those we have stepped over, and brings hope and healing to all. In Jesus' name, we pray. 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 are 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’s 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 was raised, 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 hungry 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. Sending We have offered praise and prayer to our God, who sends us out to offer peace and hope to others. We have heard the call of Jesus in the silence and singing, and we will join him is speaking for the voiceless. Filled by the Spirit with faith and trust, we go to serve others, humbly and lovingly. (c) Thom M. Shuman
Texts: Jeremiah 31:27-34; Psalm 119:97-104; 2 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 Day Holy 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, (The Lord’s Prayer)
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 for Forgiveness 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 kept
Assurance of Pardon Jesus 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.
Prayer of Dedication/Offering Like your words, O God, the tangible gifts with which we are blessed are not to be hoarded or hidden away for rainy days.Rather we offer them so they might bring healing, hope, grace, and peace to all around us, your children.In Jesus’ name, we pray.Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving May the God of this day and all the days to come be with you! May God be with you as well! Children of the new covenant, offer your hearts to God. We open them to the One who writes the good news on them. People of God, join in praising the One whose Word is within you. Glad songs are sung to the One we know in our deepest souls. '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 are you, 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 was raised, for all our sakes; Christ comes, 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 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.
Sending Here in this place, God transforms us into disciples, so we may share the grace etched upon our hearts. Here with these people, compassion is written on our hearts, so we may join Jesus in bringing justice to all. Now, in these moments, the Spirit is breathed into us, so we can be as persistent as God in bringing hope to the world.
Texts: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7; Psalm 66:1-12;2 Timothy 2:8-15; Luke 17:11-19 Call to Worship Whether we live in an apartment or a house; if we reside in the suburbs or the city: God tells us to pray for the places where we live. Whether we are exiles or prisoners for the gospel; if we are young, old, insider, outcast: God says, 'when you search for me, you will find me.' Whether we have been wandering and lost; or if we have lived in the same place all our lives: God says, 'I will gather you from all your places and bring you home.'
Prayer of the Day Awesome Creator: you bring us together in this sanctuary, calling us from all those places where we live and work and play, so we can recognize you in faces lined with wisdom; so we can hear you in the questions of the smallest child; so we can sit up and notice all that you do in our midst.
Cradler of Grace: you speak your words, so we might hear the sighs of the outsiders of our world. You walk the borderlands of our joys and sorrows, so we might embrace your healing. You enter our hearts, despite our best efforts to close them to your presence.
Enduring Spirit: when we are tempted to imprison the good news with our politics, our fears, our prejudices, our doubts - whisper that Word which shatters all chains, and sets us free to be God's people.
God in Community, Holy in One, we pray as Jesus, our Brother and Savior, has taught us, saying, (The Lord's Prayer)
Call to Reconciliation Despite our foolish and angry words, God continues to speak of mercy to us. Despite our best efforts to be faithless in our living, God remains faithful in keeping the promise to forgive us and restore us to wholeness.Let us confess our sins to God, so that God's hope and grace might endure in our brokenness.
Unison Prayer for Forgiveness God beyond borders, we know that on our way to worship, we may not have noticed the exiles in our neighborhoods. We admit how easy it is for us to wander down the streets of temptation, pausing at the corner of easy choices. We fall silent in the presence of those who speak words of anger and hate. We tolerate a culture that suspects all who are different from us. Have mercy on us, O God, for surely you take the side of justice. Open our hearts to all the wonders you are performing in our lives. You gift us with those of other cultures, that our lives might be blessed.You send us friends out of places we least expect, that our community might be enriched. You call us to be generous with our blessings, so others might be graces with the gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Silence is kept Assurance of Pardon God challenges us, God encourages us. God confronts us, and God accepts us. God works wonders in our midst and gives us the eyes, the hearts, the souls to see such miracles. God forgives us, God guides us through the wilderness of the world, God leads us home.Thanks be to God. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication/Offering May our gratitude be offered with these gifts in these moments, praying that what we share with others will bring them healing, hope, grace, and peace. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen. Great Prayer of Thanksgiving May the God of joy be with you. And also with you. People of God, open your hearts to the One who does wonders for you. We offer our hearts to God, who plants gardens of peace within us. Children of God, sing praises to the One who leads us to this place. We join all creation in singing our thanks God, our Creator. On that first glad morning, Architect of glory, you built the house of creation for us to dwell in with peace as our neighbor; you planted gardens in the valleys and meadows that we might be fed by your goodness. But we chose to live in death's dim exile, believing sin would provide a better home. You sent the prophets to us, carrying words of promise and hope, but we refused to return to you. So, seeking the welfare of all creation, and longing to restore us to wholeness, you sent Jesus of your heart to us.
With all the earth that worships you, with all brought to spacious places, we sing your glory forever:
Holy, holy, holy are you, God of wondrous acts. All creation rejoices in you. Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who remains faithful to you. Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of peace and hope, and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Healer. Your Word sent from glory, he came that we might see what you are doing for us. Your Freedom for all your people, he set free the gospel which shatters the chains of our oppression. Your Hope from the foundation of creation, he went through the regions of sin and death that we might enter the wonders of your kingdom, singing praises to you as we travel your Way.
As we celebrate our redemption, as we remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, we sing that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, his faith making us well; Christ was raised, that we might live with him; Christ will come again, to present us before God. On this glad morning, Loving God, pour out your Spirit on the gifts of the Table, and on those who gather at your feast. As we are strengthened by the Bread of life, send us forth to plant gardens, sharing the harvest with those who hunger. As we are nourished by the Cup of hope, give us the tools to build homes for those who live in poverty's grip. As we are filled with the Spirit of service, may we have the courage to use our hearts and voices to break the chains of those who live in oppression's exile.
And when that glad morning of resurrection comes, when we gather with the exiles of every time and place, our sisters and brothers who were ever faithful, we will rejoice in you forever, God in Community, Holy in One. Amen. Sending Having prayed for the places where we live, we go forth. God sends us into the apartments and homes, into the streets and playgrounds to bring hope. Having gathered with God's people of every age, we go forth. We will join Jesus in serving folks whose birthdays are celebrated in decades, and newborns who are facing poverty and fear. Having shared prayers and songs with friends and strangers, we go forth. We will welcome those who the world forgets but who God loves, as surely as we have been embraced by the Spirit. (c) Thom M. Shuman
Texts: Lamentations 1:1-6; Lamentations 3:19-26; 2 Timothy 1:1-14; Luke 17:5-10
Call to Worship In cities like Dallas and London, where lives are lost and voices are not heard, we call to mind that faith which is passed on to us, that justice will speak out for all people. In border towns and communities walled in by poverty , where fears destroy families and scatter neighbors, we call to mind that hope which is passed on to us, that peace and reconciliation will rebuild communities. In neighborhoods not known, in places never mentioned, where bitter tears are shed and the lonely walk the streets, we call to mind that love which we can pass on to those forgotten by the world, including us. Prayer of the Day It is not in the hollowness of our fears, but there in the depths of your heart, Singer of Songs, that the notes are written that can reshape our lives, that the melody of hope is composed. Seed Planter, you only did what you ought to have done: traveling our lonely cities, listening to the weeping of parents; reaching out to share our burdens. You enter our hearts to heal them, Spirit of love; you enter our fears to open us to possibilities; you enter our communities to create families; you empty yourself, so we may share the good treasure of hope with all God in Community, Holy in One, we lift our prayers as Jesus taught us, (The Lord’s Prayer)
Call to Reconciliation Faith, hope, love have all been passed on to us, not so we can hoard these gifts for ourselves, but so we might share them with others.Let us lift our prayers to the One who is always ready to place forgiveness in our hearts, as we tell how we have not done this in our lives.
Unison Prayer for Forgiveness We think if we turn off the media, we will not need to listen to the voices of our neighbors, God of all the world.We are blessed with family and friends, and so do not know the lonely.We are at ease in a world which is troubled, and so do not notice the bitter tears of others.Because we are people of affluence and privilege, we cannot understand those who are broken by the anger and brutality of the world. Yet, you know, God of the sufferers.You hear the cries of those living in oppression, and call us to listen.Your tears mingle with those whose children lie mangled or dead in war zones, and would have us be peacemakers.Your faithfulness is great, when ours seems so futile, yet you would have us serve the world alongside your Child, Jesus, even as he served us with his life and gifts.Amen. Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon Call this to mind: God is ever faithful; hope is the gift passed on to us, love is the gift we can share with others; God’s mercies never come to an end. Great is God’s faithfulness to all people, in all places. Thanks be to God, who has given us the promise of life in Christ Jesus our Lord! Amen.
Prayer of Dedication/Offering We are here, because of those who passed on their faith to us.We are generous, because God has blessed us with gifts beyond imagination.We would pass on these gifts, as well as hope and love, as we offer them to our God, in the name of Jesus.Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving May God be with you. And also with you. People of God, lift up your hearts. We lift them to the One who cradles our hearts in loving hands.People of God, let us give thanks to the God who sets a Table for us. We praise the Lord our God who welcomes us with open arms. How lonely was chaos, Gardener of the Universe, until you spoke a Word, and your Spirit created: leaves that burnish gold and red in autumn, snow that drifts lazily in winter skies, frozen brooks that burst in spring, ponds splashing with children in summer. You planted the seeds of joy in our ancestors hoping they would pass them onto us, but they walked sin’s lonely streets and drank the bitter tears death offered. Though the prophets came to remind us of your great faithfulness, we continued to feast on the wormwood and gall offered by the world. But you would not forget us, and so sent Jesus to bring us home to you. Therefore we join our voices, as we sing of your mercies made fresh in every moment Sung: (tune: Bunessan 5.5.5.4D) God of Creation, Lord of all beauty, All creatures join in singing your love; Holy Compassion, Joy of our mornings, Fill us with grace which comes from above. You alone are holy, heart Speaker, and we are blessed through Jesus, life’s Promise. When we would wander the lonely streets of the world, he would take us by the hand, to lead us into your joy. When others would pass on bitterness and hate to us, he fills us with the gifts of hope and love. Splashing in sin's puddles, he washed our feet and dried them with his love, leading us into the kingdom. Daughters of despair, sons of sadness, orphans of woe - he gathers us all up in his arms of mercy wiping out death, and sits us down at the family Table.
As we remember his grace and love, as we dare not forget his sacrifice for us, we sing of that mystery we call faith:
Sung: Christ of the outcast, Comfort of mourners, Neighbor to strangers, Love without end; Bearer of burdens, Grace ever with us, Blessing our children, Brother and Friend. Holy Spirit, as we offer the gifts of the bread and the cup for your blessing, so we present ourselves: our accomplishments, our failings, our hopes, our realities. Make us weak, so we might rely on your strength. As we have heard the Word, may we listen to the cries of the poor. As we are family with those sitting beside us today, may we love our sisters and brothers in every corner of creation. As you hold out the bread and the cup to us, may we reach out to enemies to clasp hands as friends.
God in Community, Holy in One, all honor and glory are yours, as we sing our praises through all eternity:
Sung: Spirit of kindness, Breath of forgiveness, Faithful Companion, just as Christ said; God's little children gathered together, Drink of salvation, feast on your Bread.
Sending God would send you forth into the loneliness of the world. we would call this to mind, as we go to embrace all the rejected and forgotten. Jesus would send you forth into the bitterness around us, we would call this to mind, as we seek to have all voices heard, all grief comforted. The Spirit would send you forth into the brokenness of others, we would call this to mind, as we carry peace and love to neighbors and strangers.
Call to Worship We gather together to celebrate the joy in our lives. God's love fills our hearts to overflowing with laughter. We gather, in God's presence, to find comfort and hope for our pain. God's grace wipes away our tears and knits us together as one people. We gather together, in God's presence, to worship God in faith and truth. Alleluia! Amen!
Prayer of the Day Healing God, when dismay is our daily companion, you come to touch us with your healing hope. When grief falls on us like a wall of bricks, you rebuild our joy with your comfort and love.
Jesus Christ, Faithful Spirit, when bullies pick on us, you stand by our side. When neighbors taunt us for choosing to be faithful, you commend us for our wisdom.
Teaching Spirit, when we are heart-sick over the brokenness of our lives, your compassion races to bring your gentle balm. When our joy is gone and we are stained by the world's cruelty, you bathe us in the tears flowing from God's broken heart.
God in Community, Holy in One, hear us as we pray as Jesus has taught us, (The Lord's Prayer)
Call to Reconciliation Before we speak, God knows our needs, yet our words open our hearts to God's grace. Let us prepare ourselves for God's healing as, in words and silence, we tell of all that separates us from God and one another. Please join me as we pray, Unison Prayer for Forgiveness First of all, Everlasting God, we must confess how we have not lived as your people. We serve many masters - work, wealth, power, addictions - yet find no hope in them. We hear the cries of the poor, and shut the doors of our hearts to them. We ridicule those who expose their hopes and dreams to us. Forgive us, Compassion's Heart, and heal us of our brokenness. Make us well, so that by our healing, we might be the hope and love others need in their lives, even as Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, brought these gifts to us, calling us to be faithful with the grace, peace, and joy entrusted to us. Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon Now that we have let go of the pain, the bitterness, the anger of our lives, let us be kind, tender-hearted, and gentle towards each other, forgiving as God has forgiven us. We are God's beloved children, and will model God's grace and love in our hearts. Thanks be to God! We are forgiven! Amen.
Prayer of Dedication/Offering We could taunt our neighbors, or treat them to a warm welcome; we would mock those who are different or affirm them as family; we could withhold our inheritance from others, so help us to joyously and lovingly pour out our gifts and lives for others. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Great Prayer of Thanksgiving May the one God be with you! And also with you! Lift your hearts to the One who heals them. We offer our hearts to be filled with the balm of Gilead. Sing praises to our God who would fill us with springs of joy. Glad songs of thanksgiving are proclaimed to the One who delivers us to new life. We praise you for our inheritance, God of wonder and delight: springs of water trickling into mighty rivers, birds of the air cart wheeling in the morning mist, tall trees dancing with the wind. As your children, we were blessed with abundant gifts beyond measure, but we squandered this bounty, choosing to buy property in sin and death's community. Heartsick, you sent the prophets to us, who indicted us for ruining ourselves, but we were not strong enough to pull up our roots and return to you. So you sent Jesus, faithful in all, to restore us to full health.
As we join our voices with all who seek to serve you, far and wide, we lift our songs of praise to you: Holy, holy, holy are you, Author of grace and goodness. All creation affirms the depths of your love. Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is your Child of Compassion who sprints to us. Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of our salvation, and everlasting is the salvation brought to us by Jesus Christ, our Mediator. When we were too weak to dig our way out of the mess we were in, he came to show us the way out. When we were too proud to ask for help, he humbled himself, to become our brother. When we could not account for our lives, he balanced the books for us. When we were faithless in so much, he determined to go to the cross for us, so that we might know of your longing for everyone to be saved.
As we remember his faithful life in every thing he did, as we celebrate his spirit of sacrifice, we speak of that truth we call faith: Christ died, paying the price we could not; Christ was raised, becoming our means of new life; Christ will come, leading us to that quiet, peaceable life with you. In these moments, in this holy place, upon these gifts with offer hope and life, upon these people who seek to be faithful, pour out your Spirit of compassion and peace. As we eat of the bread, tasting its grace, may we move swiftly in service, carrying compassion to the lost, the hurting, the hungry, the homeless. As we drink from the cup of love, may the tears of our eyes at the brokenness of the world, become the healing balm for your children.
And when all time is gone, when eternity is upon us, we will join our sisters and brothers from far and wide, in singing forever your glory and wonder, God in Community, Holy in One. Amen. Sending God has filled us with joy and wonder. We will go to let it overflow in the lives of others. Jesus has filled us with comfort and hope. We will go to wipe away the tears of those around us. The Spirit sends us forward in faith to share the truth of God's presence in our lives. Alleluia! We will live everyday as God's own. Amen. (c) Thom M. Shuman
