Christmas Eve liturgy with communion

 Texts: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20

Call to Worship

L: With eyes wide open

and our ears on edge,

P: we look for shepherds

and listen for the songs of angels.

L: In the light of winter’s moon,

with the Southern Cross lighting the way,

P: we gather outside the door of a mystery,

wondering if we dare go enter.

L: With folks and friends we love,

with strangers we have just met,

P: we gather, becoming the holy family

for this time and in this place.

Christmas Eve Prayer

Now in the silence,

whisper of joy which comes

into every life.

Now in the comfort of carols,

sing of hope which

takes away the despair

which envelops us.

Now in familiar words heard anew,

speak to us of grace

which is born into barren lives,

of peace which is birthed

in war’s shadowed fears.

Now leaning next to those

who have always been a part of us,

and those from whom we have been apart,

remind us of your heart

which always accepts us,

always welcomes us.

Now in the love which is ours forever,

draw us closer to your heart,

so we can be surprised by wonder,

swaddled in serenity,

embraced by tenderness.

Now touch us once again with Christmas,

God in Community, Holy in One,

as we join in praying as we are taught,

(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation

This is the night we are reminded that God loves to be with us. Yet all too often – by our choices, our words, our silence – we choose not to be with Go. Join me as we pray on this holy night to the One who was born to gift us with mercy and hope.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

This was going to be the year, God of silent nights, when we were going to give away more than we spent, but we didn’t. This was going to be the season when we spent more time with others, but we filled our calendars with meetings. This was going to be the Christmas when we wrote personal letters to friends and family, but spent too much energy filling out our to-do lists. This was going to be a truly holy season, but it just got to harried and hurried.

Forgive us, Love Gifter, and draw us closer to the Baby born not into wealth and power, but into poverty and weakness; to the One who loves unconditionally and welcomes all; to the Child who gathers other children to him, to bless them and serve them; to the One who drew near to us, so we might be drawn to your heart – Jesus Christ, our Brother, our Lord.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

L: Into the valleys of our death, Jesus comes with life;

into the shadows of our world, Jesus brings light;

into the brokenness of our lives, Jesus brings forgiveness and peace.

P: Thanks be to God for the gift of the Baby of Bethlehem, who brings joy and peace to us in these moments of forgiveness and in all the days to come. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

Now, on this night of giftedness, remind us of those who struggle to put food on the table, to buy a single gift for their child, to wrap a warm blanket around a grandparent, so we might realize how blessed we are and share from our abundance. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

L: May the God of silent nights be with you!

P: May the God of herald angels be with you!

L: Open your hearts to the One born in the little town of Bethlehem.

P: May Emmanuel come to abide in our hearts.

L: Join all believers in singing of our joy this night.

P: May our voices blend with those of the angels and shepherds.

L: You crept into chaos so long ago,

Star-shaper,

so creation might be born:

sheep gathering on hillsides,

stars glittering in the night skies,

sea horses frolicking in warm waters.

Silently, you gathered up the dust,

shaping us in your image

as the Spirit breathed life into us.

All the gifts of your heart were for us,

but we slammed the door of our hearts,

saying there was no room for you in our lives.

Prophets came time and again,

scattering your clues throughout the Story,

but we were too busy enjoying

the sleights of hand done by sin and death.

When you saw we could not

understand the Mystery on our own,

you sent Jesus, to reveal everything to us.

As we gather with children dressed in bathrobes,

as we join with the voices around us,

we sing praises to you this Christmas night:

P: We will not be afraid,

for great joy is ours this night;

we will look for the signs of your presence,

grace swaddled in hope,

love wrapped around broken hearts.

L: Glory to you, God in the highest heavens!

May peace fill the lives of all your children!

Leaving your side, God of holiness,

your Child came to walk with us

through the cold streets of our lives.

Born in poverty’s shadows,

he is the light which illumines

your heart for us.

Unwrapped from glory’s embrace,

he gathers us from all the corners

of our confused choices to make us one with you.

Placed in a rude feeding trough

layered with our fears and doubts,

he breathes in your hopes

and lives your will, until

he is placed in death’s cold embrace,

waiting in the silence,

where he breathes in resurrection’s breath,

and brings forth life for all who follow.

On this night, when we sing of the baby in the manger,

as the shadow of the cross is cast by the stars,

we proclaim that mystery called incarnation:

P: Christ is our light,

and we will join the angels in singing the good news;

Christ is our life,

and we will join the disciples in telling the Story;

Christ is our promise,

and we wait for the joy of his return.

L: Here in the silence and the singing,

with children, carols, and candlelight,

we gather around the Table of joy,

as you pour out your Spirit upon

the most precious gifts of bread and cup.

As we feast upon the bread,

we remember a young pregnant girl,

and would serve those who are expecting,

those who cannot have a child,

those who have lost children.

As we drink from the cup,

we think of a worried father,

and would be with those who assemble toys this night,

as well as those who will work this night

to pay for food and medicine for their families.

As we are surrounded by family and friends,

we would care for

those whose closest companion is loneliness,

those separated from loved ones,

those who hear no music, joy, or hope in their lives.

And when all time and history becomes silence,

we will be gathered with our sisters and brothers

from Bethlehem and Belfast, from Cairo and Chicago,

from Capetown and Istanbul, from Sydney and Shanghai,

from every corner and moment of every universe,

to join the angel choirs in forever singing your praises

as we dance to the Table of wonder and grace,

God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending

L: Let us go to be the gift another needs,

P: sharing God’s blessings of love and grace,

running to tell the Story we heard from the shepherds.

L: Let us go to be the comfort which can swaddle others,

P: sharing Jesus’ compassion with the poor and needy,

welcoming the holiness offered by the most vulnerable we meet.

L: Let us go to kindle the lives around us,

P: sharing the Spirit’s peace with all the broken,

learning the language of hope from the children in our midst.

© Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for December 13, 2020 (Advent 3 - B)

 Texts: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

Call to Worship
When God restores our fortune,
our dreams will come true.
We will sing "Glory!" to our God;
we will rejoice in our Savior's birth.
Our mouths shall be filled with laughter;
joy shall chime from our lips.
God has made it clear:
those who serve are God's children.
Then we will proclaim:
'look what the Lord has done':
so others will know beyond any doubt
how the Holy One has blessed us with hope.
We wept  -  now we will cheer "Joy!  Joy!"
We were lost - now we will run home laughing.
For God has picked us up where we fell;
God has kept the promises made so long ago.

Prayer of the Day 
Lover of justice:
you flex your righteousness,
   and scatter evil to the wind;
you plant hope in our hearts
   and reap a bumper crop;
you wipe away the tears 
from our eyes,
   and anoint us with joy's oil.

Servant of God:
you bandage our souls
   as you take our wounds upon yourself;
you set us free from sin,
   by being bound to the cross;
you console the grieving,
   by carrying death
   to its resting place.

Spirit of Passion:
when sin strips us of life,
   clothe us in salvation's finery;
when we are deafened
by the peddlers of fear,
   whisper the Good News to us;
when we shiver in death's winter,
   wrap us in the shawl of hope.

God in Community, Holy in One,
anoint us with your grace,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
God's promise to us is eternal.  God wishes to bless us with hope, with joy, with life.  But our desires lead us to reject God and these blessings.  Let us confess how too often we choose the path of tears, rather than the joy which can lead us to God's heart.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness 
   We try not to do any evil, Anointing God, but it is so hard to let go of those little things we enjoy - gossiping about the pregnant girl in the neighborhood; making light of the accomplishments of a co-worker; daydreaming about someone else's partner.
   Forgive us, Loving God.  You have freely given us salvation, yet we act as if we are the ones who paid for it.  Help us to rejoice always in your grace, and to give thanks in every moment for that life we receive through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.


Silence is kept    
Assurance of Pardon
Go, and take God's Good News to others:
   to those held captive by sin;
   to those cradling broken hearts;
   to those grieving lost relationships.
God forgives us all and makes us new.
Even as we rejoice in God's mercy, we will tell everyone we meet, "God has done such wondrous things for us, and wants to do the same for you!"  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May the gifts we offer in these moments be light for those in the shadows of society, be food for those who hunger, refreshment for those parched by life, and hope for all who cry out to you, O God.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of peace be with you.
And also with you.
May the Prince of peace fill your hearts.
We open them to the healing and hope offered in these moments.
May the Spirit of peace teach you new songs of joy.
We will learn them, so we can sing without ceasing.

Creation took place in chaos,
Gardener of glory,
as you spoke of life and beauty
and your Spirit anointed with
   food enough to feed the hungry,
   stars scattered over desert skies,
   seeds of hope growing into forests of justice.
You offered all these gifts 
to those created in your image,
inviting us to live with you,
   but we only gave answers
   to the foolish questions of sin and death.
Time and again, you sent prophets,
women and men anointed by the Spirit,
   yet we despised their words,
   believing their voices to be hollow.
Then, so your mercy might stretch
from age to every age,
you sent Jesus into our midst,
the sign of your grace which never ends.

As we gather for your feast this day,
as we would be bathed in joy's oil,
praises tumble out from our hearts:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of the everlasting covenant.
All creation sings gladness to you.
Glory to God in the highest!

Blessed is the Lover of justice who comes to us.
Hosanna in the highest!

Your holiness took place in humanity,
God who sees us for who we are,
as your Child was born into poverty.
Your word of love,
   he came to speak hope to the oppressed,
   not tell them to wait patiently.
Your anointing oil of life,
   he came to heal our wounds,
   not to pick at the scabs.
Your incomparable compassion,
   he came to wipe our tears,
   not to make us grieve.
Your repairer of our brokenness,
   he came to knock down
   the walls of death,
rebuilding them into the bridge
we cross to resurrection love.

As we draw closer to the celebration of his birth,
as we long to follow Jesus beyond Bethlehem,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, to scatter the arrogance of death;
Christ was raised, picking up resurrection and
   carrying it into the new dawn;
Christ will return, as your love stretches
   to the end of time.

Life takes place here and now,
as you pour out your Spirit
upon those gathered around the Table,
and on the gifts prepared for the meal.
The bread which is broken,
not only feeds us, but gives us the compassion
to hear the voices of those crying
   in the wilderness of want,
   in the deserts of despair,
   in the forests of fear,
   in the hollowness of hate.
The cup of grace touches us 
so we will not douse the Spirit, but be
   voices of justice,
   repairers of poverty's potholes,
   lock-pickers of addiction's cells,
   weavers of garments of kindness.

And when you gather us with our sisters
and brothers at the end of time,
we will be fed by your gifts
as we rejoice without ceasing,
praising you forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
The God who makes everything whole,
sends us forth to bring healing to the broken-hearted
and to comfort the mourners in our midst.
The Christ who comes to be with us,
sends us forth to stand with the oppressed,
to release those held captive by sin,
to invite the lonely into our lives.
The Spirit who calls you to faithfulness,
sends us forth to proclaim the gospel
that today is God's moment,
the day when all people will be blessed.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

  

Liturgy w/communion for Advent 2 - B (December 6, 2020)

 Texts:  Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8

Call to Worship
Listen to what the Lord our God says to us:
Peace is God's hope for us;
salvation is God's gift to us.
See what the Lord our God reveals to us:
righteousness is the path to the kingdom;
faithfulness is the highway we build.
Tell what the Lord our God asks us to speak:
prepare God's way;
the Christ is coming to redeem us.

Prayer of the Day
Comfort of the ages,
you come:
so you can fill our empty places
with your hope;
so you can level our pride
with your call to servant the vulnerable;
so you can smooth our toughened hearts
with your tenderness.

Herald of Good News:
when we hunger for exaltation,
you feed us with humility;
when we trip over sin,
you gather us up in love;
when we become satisfied with our faith,
you shake us with your Messenger.

Spirit of Advent:
in this hectic season,
give us the gift of patience;
when we overflow with stress,
soothe us with your serenity;
when we are overwhelmed 
with the desire for more and more,
speak to us of the needs of the outsiders.

God in Community, Holy in One,
surround us with your presence,
and fill us with your love,
as we lift the prayer taught to us by Jesus, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
God comes!  Let us prepare the way.
God comes to forgive us!  Let us prepare
our hearts as we confess our sins, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   We confess that whatever our fine might have been that it has been paid, God
of Comfort, yet we still insist on earning our way into your heart.  We confess that you are beyond patient with us, but wish you would act quickly against those who hurt us.  We confess that while your word will stand forever, it is our words of pain and anger that cause long term harm to others.
   Your Messenger has come, Approaching God, crying out of your forgiveness and hope.  Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, you speak to us: not of punishment, but of peace; not of judgment, but of justice; not of a sentence, but salvation.  And we offer our hearts in thanksgiving and hope.


Silence is kept        

Assurance of Pardon
Hear the Good News God speaks to you:
   I love you;
        I forgive you;
            I restore you to new life.
We will not ignore the fact that God comes: not to condemn, but to comfort us; not to
scold, but to speak tenderly to us of hope, of love, of joy.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
We pray, Holy God, that our gifts might smooth the path of those who walk in grief, might surround the grieving with comfort, might feed the hungry, and bring others into places of peace and safety.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
(preceded by singing verses 1 & 2 of In the Bleak Midwinter)

May God be with you.
and may God be with you.
People of God, open your hearts.
We open our hearts to the One who comes to us.
People of God, give thanks to the Living God.
We praise the One who offers comfort and peace to us.

Acclamation, thanksgiving, songs of joy
are the gifts we offer to you,
God of all the ages.
You uttered the Word
and mountains burst forth;
your Breath blew upon the waters,
and stirred life into being;
you reached down and shaped us
in your own image,
from the dusty paths you trod.
   In our impatience,
   we refused to wait for your glory,
   and rushed into sin's sweet embrace.
Yet you were willing
to outwit our foolish wisdom,
and outwait our childish tantrums,
sending the prophets to cry out
of your desire for us to return to you.
   But we continued to reject 
   their inviting words of comfort.
Finally, when we continued to cling
to death's strong hand,
you clothed your Word with human flesh,
that we might meet you face to face.

So with those who have waited for you
in every time and place,
with those who seek to live faithfully
for you in these days, 
we life our songs of hope to you:

(verse 3 of "In the Bleak Midwinter")    
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim Thronged the air;
But his mother only, In her maiden bliss,
Worshiped the Beloved With a kiss.

All holiness is yours, Righteous God,
and blessed is your Word for whom we wait,
Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace.
When we had lost our way,
he came to straighten out the path to you.
When we wept at our being lost,
he came to comfort us.
When we had fallen hopelessly
at the feet of death,
he gathered us up in his arms
to carry us home to you.

As we come to this Table,
we remember the mystery of the One
who died that we might live forever:

(verse 4 of "In the Bleak Midwinter")
What can I give Him, Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: Give my heart.

As your Spirit moves upon the gifts
of the bread and the cup,
may she touch us with
unexpected hope and the power of patience.
As we wait for Christ's return,
we would fill the empty dreams of the world
with your vision of peace and wholeness;
we would feed the lost
with the bread of hope;
we would gently lead the exiled
back to your Kingdom.

Then, when the end of time comes,
and our waiting is over,
we will gather around your Table
in the new heaven and new earth,
where righteousness is our friend
and justice lives next door,
and you are our God forever and ever,
Creator of goodness,
Friend of the lost,
Spirit of joy.
Amen.

Sending
As you were present with us through your Word, O God:
May we be present to others who will come to us this week.
As you fed us with peace, Bread of Life:
May we grace others with your peace in the coming days.
As you welcomed us to your Table, Spirit of hope:
May we welcome those you send us who have no hope.

(c) 2017 Thom M. Shuman

Advent 1-B liturgy in a time of pandemic (November 29, 2020)

 Texts: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37

Call to Worship
In this uncertain season of Advent, we wait.
Hoping, hoping God is coming to us.
In the vagueness of these days, we try to listen.
Hoping, hoping the Word will be whispered to us.
In the weariness of our times, we wait, we listen, we watch.
Hoping, hoping the Spirit will be found in our midst.

Prayer of the Day
We have had enough feasts
of anger and bitterness,
so come,
God-who-aches-to-be-with-us,
to feed us with the simple
Bread of heaven.
every day, we are handed
steaming mugs of tears,
so come,
to hold the Cup of hope to our lips.

Every day 
seems to be the longest day
in this year which goes on and on,
so come,
God-who-approaches,
using the stars in the night sky
to light the way to the grace
we long to find in Bethlehem,
where we will find a home
with you when all the 
power and wealth of the world
slams their doors in our faces,
leaving us huddled 
with all our fears and worries.

We are deafened
by all the arguments, the rhetoric,
the foolish boasts, the outright lies,
so come,
God-who-is our peace,
to fill our ears
with the angelic songs,
to pour love and wonder
into the emptiness of our souls.

Come,
God in Community, Holy in One,
come to assure is that out of these uncertain times
will come the Advent of new life, new hope,
even as we lift the prayer taught to us by Jesus, saying,
(the Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We try to stay faithful but fail.
We long to care for others but end up focusing on us.
We think we are being safe but know how often we live dangerously.
Yet, God knows our foolishness, and forgives our mistakes, so we can be made new people.  Let us pray, as we say,

Responsive Prayer for Forgiveness
Come,
God-who-draws-near-to-us,
for we live in fretful times,
wondering if we will ever come out of them.
   Come to us, with your grace.
Come, 
God-who-has-walked-these-roads,
for we long to be faithful in these days,
but find it all to easy to be seduced by worry.   
   Come to us, with your hope.
Come, 
God-who-carries-life-in-your-breath,
for we try to stay apart for others and ourselves,
but find it easy to listen to those who 
mock us for being so foolish.
  Come to us, with your love.

Word of Flesh:
  have mercy;
Friend of the poor:
  have mercy;
Bridegroom of the faithful:
  have mercy.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
In the midst of all our uncertainty, we are reminded of the old truths, that God loves us, God forgives us, God restores us to new life..
The Child has come, bringing grace, offering mercy, and wrapping us in arms of love!  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
You gift us, Loving God, not so we will hoard, but would share with others; not that we might accumulate more, but offer gifts to those who have so little.  In the waiting, may we realize the wanting; in the listening, may we hear the brokenness, in the watching, may we see the weariness, and pour out our gifts, our lives, and our hearts on others.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
In this Advent of disquiet, remember God comes to us.
God approaches to be with you, as well.
Let us offer our empty hearts to our God 
as we begin this journey to Bethlehem.
God approaches to fill them with grace and hope.
With weary souls, and trembling voices,
let us sing praises to our God.
God approaches to teach us new songs of love.

In our weariness, God-of-that-first-moment,
tell us the story of how 
you could no longer wait,
but ripped apart the fabric of chaos,
to make 
   the grass to blanket the meadows,
   the backdrop for all the stars flung against it,
   the swaddling clothes for puppies and kittens.
Each, and everyone, of your wonders
were crafted for those formed in your image 
so we could be with you forever,
  but overwhelmed by the virus of sin,
   we chose to quarantine ourselves from you.
You sent men and women to us, 
so we might continue to hear your heart
and discover what you do all around us, 
   but like the scientists and health folks
   today, we chose to ignore them.
That is when you chose to come to us
in that Child of peace who could save us.

With those who try to be cautious in these days,
and those who don’t seem to care,
we sing your praises this day:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God who comes to us.
Creation always pours out its praise to you.
Glory to you in the highest!

Blessed is the One who is coming to us even now.
Glory to you in the highest!

In your weariness of all our foolishness,
God-who-never-forgets-promises,
you could have clung to your holiness
and left us on our own, to find our way,
but you chose to love us,
coming to be one of us in Jesus.
He came to a people 
whose anxiety about the future was high,
   to remind them, and the generations to come,
   that you are in control, even when it seems doubtful.
He came to those who struggled
in the deep poverty of despair,
   to empty his pockets of all
   the hope and grace they needed,
   just as you do for us in these days.
He came to his kinfolk
who were weakened by fear,
   to strengthen them with the assurance
   that the road they walked was well known to him.  
And when death thought that it
could defeat him with its power,
   he simply waited for you
   to bring him out of its clutches
   with your resurrection power.

With those who try to stay alert,
and with those who toss and turn trying to sleep,
we proclaim that mystery which is our faith:

Christ died, giving his life for all;
Christ was raised, the light of resurrection showing the way;
Christ will come, gathering us in love and hope.

You know how apprehensive we are
in these days which go on and on,
so we pray that you would pour out
your Spirit on your fretful people
and the gifts which remind us of your love.
In Jesus, you came to know 
our struggles, our fears, our worries,
and in the bread which is broken for us,
we are given the life
which will enable us 
   to be your hope for the forgotten,
   to be your justice for the overlooked,
   to be your light in the dim moments of this year.
You poured your life into Jesus,
who emptied himself for us,
and as the Cup of grace is poured out for us,
may we empty ourselves so we might be
   the companion to the weary,
   the community for the lonely,
   the peace for all divided neighborhoods,
   the love to those who are dismissed.

And when human time has come to an end,
and you gather us around your table
with our sisters and brothers,
we will sing our joyful praises to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
on this pilgrimage of uncertainty,
may we remember God has walked
this road many times before.
as we live through these endless moments,
may we remember Jesus shares hope
with us every day, every day.
in this season filled with isolation from others,
may we remember that the Spirit
knows our loneliness and cradles us in love.

(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for November 15, 2020 (Pentecost 24/Trinity 23/Proper 28/Ordinary 33 - A)

 Texts: Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 123; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30

 
Call to Worship
This is the Lord's Day, the day of wonder and grace.
This is the day to worship the One who calls us here.
This is the Lord's Day, the day we are given joy and peace.
This is the day promised to us, the day of healing and renewal.
This is the Lord's Day, and it has come just in time!
This is the day we gather with hope, with faith, with love!
 
Prayer of the Day
Now,
in the silence,
when we struggle
to control our lives,
     may we, once again,
     empty ourselves of our pride and fears,
          to be filled with your hope.

Now,
in these moments,
when we cannot let go
of our worries and doubts,
     may we, once again,
     open our hands to hold your faith.
 
Now,
on this day
which is only and always
your gift to us,
     may we, once again,
     live into your kingdom.
 
Now, as we lift our hearts to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
we once again pray as we have been taught saying,
 (The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
When we remember all the mistakes we have made, all the careless words we have spoken, all the contempt we have given to those around us, we have trouble looking God in the eye. But God gazes at us with mercy and love, waiting to forgive us, even as we hesitate to speak of the brokenness of our hearts. Join me as we pray, saying, 

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

     Again we must confess, Master of the Universe, our struggles to be faithful disciples.  Entrusted 

with all your gifts, we become fearful once again of misusing them, missing the chance to be a blessing to others.  Invited to dance in the light of your love, we stand against the wall once again, keeping company with our old friend, sin.  Called to be emptied for those who struggle in life, we fill ourselves once again, with scorn for the poor choices they make.

     Have mercy, Journeying God, have mercy on us.  Once again, open our eyes to your kingdom in our midst, so we might discover that your day of hope and grace has already come in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news: God intends for us to find life, to embrace hope, to receive forgiveness through Jesus Christ, our Servant.
The end of our journey is not rejection and emptiness, but the fullness of grace and hope in our God.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
Now, in these moments of gratitude, we would offer you a portion of all which you have given to us, Gracious God.  We do so, trusting that you will take them, multiplying them in your kingdom, so all might be blessed by your love, your peace, and your hope.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of promises be with you!
And also with you!
Rejoice in the One who surprises us, people of God.
We lift our hearts to God who brings us salvation.
Children of God, join in glad song to the Giver of mercy.
Our voices join in praise to the God of love and hope.

When you had
had enough of chaos,
Covenant God,
you cried out in love
     and creation burst forth in joy.
You shaped us into images of you,
that we might be children of light,
     but we were drawn into
     the shadowy life of sin and death.
You sent people like Deborah
to call us back into your light,
     but we were scornful of their words.
Then you sent Jesus,
who came to fill us
with your love and hope.
 
So, with servants and sinners,
with judges and those who endure injustice,
we lift our voices, our hearts, our eyes
singing to the One enthroned on our hopes:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God enthroned in the heavens.
All creation looks to the hand of the Creator.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who walked the dusty paths of earth.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of Wonder,
And blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord.
When the proud hurled
their contempt at him,
     he humbly knelt to serve them.
When friends urged him
to play it safe,
     he crawled out onto faith's limb,
     trusting it would hold him.
When death wrapped him
in its cold shadows,
     he burst forth into the light
     of resurrection joy,
that we might live
in the kingdom with you.
 
As we remember his mercy and hope,
as we celebrate the feast he has prepared,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:
 
Christ died on that day of shadowed hearts;
Christ was raised on that day when death was surprised by love;
Christ will come to us on that day of light and love.
 
Your grace showers down
upon the seeds you have planted,
your hope warms the harvest
planted in our hearts.
As the Spirit gathers your gifts
and prepares them for your Table,
make us ready to receive them
with joy and gratitude.
As you send us forth
to serve your people,
     may our faith and love
          be transformed into winter coats,
          we can give to the homeless;
     may our hope become
          the meals we fix for the hungry.
 
And when that long-awaited Day comes,
when all times and seasons have ended,
we will gather at your Feast,
joining our voices with our sisters and brothers,
as we sing to you through all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
Let us go forth to be God's faithful servants.
We will not hide our gifts but share them with everyone we meet.
Let us go forth to be the followers of Jesus.
We will not hold back our compassion, but will offer it to all.
Let us go forth to be the Spirit's hope and peace.
We will be the grace, the joy, the wonder others need in their lives.

(c) Thom M. Shuman