Liturgy w/communion for June 25, 2023 (Pentecost 4/Trinity 3/Proper 7/Ordinary 12 - A)

Texts: Genesis 21:8-21; Psalm 86:1-10; Romans 6:1b-11; Matthew 10:24-39

Call to Worship

There is no hope like you, O God!

Hope for those who cry out from the deserts of their lives.
There is no grace like you, O God!

Grace for those rejected, ignored, and cast aside by the world.
There is no love like you, O God!

Love for those who have known days of trouble

and nights of loneliness.

There is no one like you, O God!

No one! No one! No one!

Prayer of the Day
When we are filled

with loss and despair,

     you gladden our hearts

     with your hope.

When everyone around us

turns a deaf ear,

     you lean over and put

     your hand to your ear,

          to hear our cries.

There is no love like you,

Compassionate God.

When we long

to continue in sin,

     you call us

     to live with you

     in the kingdom of God.

When we have fallen,

our souls parched by death,

     you lift us up,

     holding us tight to your heart,

          carrying us to drink at

          the deep well of living water.

There is no grace like you,

Brother of the hopeless.

When the world would stuff

our pockets with fears,

     you turn them inside out,

     and fill them with the

          smooth stones of hope.

When we see nothing

on the horizon of life,

     you hold up the sign

     which reads 'follow Jesus!'

When we are weakened

by our foolish choices,

     you strengthen us with

     joy overflowing from your heart.

There is no peace like you,

Spirit of wisdom.

God in Community, Holy in One,

there is no one like you in our lives.

This we know, as we pray together,

(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
When we would keep our faults and failings in the shadows, you call us to bring them into the light of your grace and forgiveness. With such a promise, with such a hope, how can we not confess to the One who loves us so much? Join me as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
    It is never easy to confess our lives to you, Listener to our words. When we have a chance to speak up for the outsider, we too often join in sending them away into the wilderness of hopelessness. When we could shout good news to a needy world, our voices drop to a whisper. When we could abound in grace, we continue to wallow in wrongdoing.

     Forgive us, Hearer of our hearts, and have mercy on us. You lean over to listen to our words, and then to cast them into your sea of forgetfulness. You show us your signs of hope, that we might point others to you. You help us when we are weakest and, in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, you save us when we cannot save ourselves. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

Do not be afraid. God cherishes us, God treasures you, beyond all else in creation. You are graced, you are forgiven, you are healed.

We will not keep this good news to ourselves. We will shout our hope from the rooftops of our hearts. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

For those thrown out by families, for those enduring the heat of hate, for those longing for connection with communities of love and hope, we offer our gifts, Loving God. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of Abraham and Sarah be with you.

And also with you.

There is no one like the God of Hagar and Ishmael.

And so we lift our hearts to God.

God will gladden the souls of all people.

We sing to the One who is always gracious.

There is none like you,

Everlasting Grace,

     shaper of goodness and beauty

     out of the shadows of chaos.

You gladdened the soul

of all creation

     with stunning sunsets,

     clear-streamed valleys,

     mountains towering into the sky.

These gifts, as well as your

hopes and dreams, were for us,

     but we sent them away into

     the wilderness of forgetfulness,

         choosing to live in

         the long days of rebellion.

The God of forgiveness,

your words calling us back

overflowed from the mouths

of the prophets,

     but we continued to sin.

Seeking to unite us

with you once more,

you sent Jesus,

to baptize us with your life,

even as he was baptized

into death for us.

Therefore, we join with those in this place,

as well as our siblings

throughout all creation

in singing your praises:

Holy, holy, holy, God of every time and people.

All creation kneels, glorifying your name.

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who lost his life for our sake.

Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Steadfast Love,

and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior.

He could have remained

the Child of your heart,

     but came to be with

     his siblings in life and death.

Seeking to glorify your name,

     he was called a blasphemer,

     accused of usurping your power.

Longing to lead us out

of despair's deep desert,

     he willingly went to the grave,

          that we might be raised

          to life with you forever,

          walking the streets of the kingdom.

As we remember his baptism at the Jordan,

as we recall his baptism into death,

as we celebrate his resurrection to life,

we sing of that mystery called faith:

Christ gave his life, for the sake of all;

Christ rose, for death lost its power over him;

Christ will come, for we have been baptized into his death.

As we come to your

Table of peace and hope,

pour out your Spirit upon

the gifts of the bread and the cup,

and upon your children

gathered in your name.

As we are nurtured

by the Bread of Life,

     may we have no fear,

     but boldly go to serve

     those cast out by our world.

As we are nourished

with the wine of wonder,

     may we not keep

     your love and grace a secret,

     but shout the good news

          of your salvation for all.

And when we have been

baptized into death like Christ,

and raised into life with you,

we will join our voices

with our sisters and brothers

singing your glory forever,

God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending

Let us go to carry God's hope,

for those living in food deserts,

to all who face housing insecurity.

Let us go to share the love of Jesus,

to all whose lives are troubled,

for all the lonely searching for community.

Let us go to offer the Spirit's grace,

with all forgotten by the world,

with those whose voices are never heard.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Alternate texts liturgy w/communion for June 25, 2023 (Pentecost 4/Trinity 3/Proper 7/Ordinary 12 - A)

 Texts: Jeremiah 20:7-13; Psalm 69:7-18; Romans 6:1b-11; Matthew 10: 24-39

Call to Worship
Troubled prophets and struggling families,
you listen to our voices, whoever we are.
There is no one like you, God of the listening heart.
Those who live in fear, and those who look for signs,
you fill us with hope and surprises.
There is no one like you, God of steadfast love.
Seekers of power, as well as those who serve the vulnerable,
you challenge us to use our gifts for others.
There is no one like you, God of all people. 

Prayer of the Day
God of those empty of hope
and those who are cast out:
into the chaos of every life
you enter with the silence of love;
when we choke on bitter memories,
you hand us the cup of healing;
when we wander down lonely streets,
you bring us home to your heart.

Jesus Christ,
conqueror of sin's power:
into our deepest pain
where life has bottomed out,
you dare to enter;
when we cry out with fear,
you cradle our hearts;
when we face death,
you stride out of the grave,
pointing the way to the kingdom.

Spirit of the forsaken
and bearer of compassion:
you are the mist shimmering
over the valleys,
stirring the waters of creation;
you are the dew bathing
the flowers every morning,
anointing us with resurrection's grace.

God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as we have been taught,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We struggle daily with that human tendency to always do wrong, say hurtful things, turn our back to others.  But God will never hold our sins against us or our foolish nature.  Let us confess to our God, who frees us forever from judgment, as we pray,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     In baptism, we are promised new life, God of  grace, yet we continue to focus on those old ways which are so comfortable and seductive.  We are so good at fooling others that we are convinced we can trick you as well.  We have been called to walk with you, and run down those paths paved with foolishness and fears.
     Forgive us, God of steadfast love.  You have claimed our lives in baptism, so we might be set free from sin and be raised to new life.  Just as you save us, so give us the strength to be willing to take up whatever task you give us, and the faith to be willing to lose our lives for others, so we might find life forever with you, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. 

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news:  God hears our prayers, our cries, our hearts.  And, in Christ, we receive new life.  We are free, free to walk in the Light of the Lord.
So, this is what we will do.  We will open our hearts to God's grace; we will live as people who have died to sin and who live for Christ.  Amen.


Prayer of Dedication/Offertory
We offer our gifts to you, as well as our lives, Loving God, so they might find their way to those who need your grace, your hope, your joy, and your peace in their lives.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of steadfast love be with you.
And also with you.
Saints of God, lift your hearts to the One who saves you.
We offer them to God, who sees our hearts and minds.
Sing to the Lord; praise God's name.
We lift our voices to the One who hears our need-felt songs. 

Chaos tried to restrain you,
but failed, Glorious God,
as you cried out, "Create!"
     and gases spun into galaxies,
     rivers rushed to become seas,
     flowers danced in summer breezes.
You shaped us in your image, pointing to all
that had been crafted from your joyous imagination,
and gifting us with all your love.
     But we loved sin and death
     more than you, and followed them.
You sent prophets, those women and men,
whose hearts burned with your voice,
and called us back to you,
     but we kept fooling ourselves,
     playing our childish games with temptation.
You sent Jesus to us,
so we might once again walk with you.

With reluctant prophets and fearful followers,
we draw near to you with songs of thanksgiving:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of every hope. 
Creation sings praises to you in every moment. 
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who delivers the needy.
Hosanna in the highest!

There is no love like you, Steadfast God,
and Jesus Christ is our hope and grace.
Seeing us going down the wrong paths,
   he showed us the streets of the kingdom;
seeing us drowning in pools of seduction,
   he was baptized, so we might be pulled to safety;
seeing us held captive by our worst selves,
   he died and was buried,
   so sin's plans would be destroyed,
   and death would fall flat on its schemes,
and he brought the gift of the resurrection
from the grave.

As we live through these ordinary days,
as we seek to be faithful followers of Jesus,
we speak about that mystery called faith:

Christ put on death, to set us free;
You clothed Christ in resurrection, so we might believe;
Christ will come, to clothe us in eternity. 

You turn to us, Holy God,
your arms full of the bread and cup,
your Spirit transforming these gifts
   into a holy feast.
The Table is made ready for your children
who will eat of your salvation
and go forth to remind
   the broken, the lost, the young, the old
   that they are of more value to you
   then the finest songbird.
We will drink of your grace
so we may turn to
   the hungry, the homeless, the fearful
   and embrace them in your love.

And when we gather with the faithful
of every time and of every place,
our siblings baptized in grace,
we will sing your praises forever,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
As you leave this place, remember that you may be the only grace
someone will meet this week.
We go, to share God's graciousness with all.
Remember you may be the only love someone will encounter this week.
We go, to be the love of Jesus for all.
Remember you may be the only peace  someone will find this week.
We go, to share the Spirit of hope and reconciliation with all.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for June 18, 2023 (Pentecost 3/Trinity 2/Proper 6/Ordinary Time 11 - A)

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

Call to Worship

On an ordinary Sunday,

we come to worship God:

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

we seek to follow Jesus:

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

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

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

Prayer of the Day
The mother watching

her son packing for camp,

the father teaching

his daughter how to drive;

the spouse worrying

over their spouse's addiction to work,

the child closing

her ears to her parents' arguing:

     each is precious in your sight,

     Compassion of Creation.

The grandmother hoping

for a telephone call,

the neighbor frantic

about selling his house;

the teenager struggling

with choices she cannot share,

the retiree wandering

the empty hours of daytime:

     each is welcomed into your heart,

     Haven for the hopeless.

The kids on the corner selling

lemonade to help a classmate,

the teacher already preparing

for next year's classes;

the parent wondering

how to pay for groceries,

the unemployed hoping

for good news this week:

     each is cradled in your peace,

     Spirit of Serenity.

God in Community, Holy in One,

each of us, all of us,

lift our prayers to you, as Jesus taught us,

(The Lord's Prayer)

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

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

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

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

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

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

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

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

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the gracious God be with you!

And also with you!

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

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

Offer God songs of thanksgiving this day.

We love God, who hears our voices of praise.

When there was no time,

when there was only chaos,

you knew it was the right moment,

Ingenious Love,

to bring forth creation

in all of its glory.

     Butterflies dancing from

          flower to flower,

     birds harmonizing in praise,

     gentle breezes caressing grass,

          kittens chasing bugs they will never catch.

Given this bounty of goodness,

we returned your graciousness

with blatant betrayal,

     tossing aside your hopes for us,

     proclaiming sin and death

     as the authorities for our lives.

Heart-broken,

you sought to provide a way

for us back to your grace

through the words of the prophets,

     but we laughed to ourselves

     as we continued skipping down

     that never-ending road of rebellion.

But you proved your love for us

by sending Jesus to die for us,

an act we would not do

even for those we loved.

So, with those of every time and place,

with those in this place, and in this moment,

we will sing our praises to you

knowing you incline your ear to listen:

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

Your servants join all creation in praising you.

Hosanna in the highest!

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

Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Compassion's Heart,

and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior.

You sent him to travel

our cities, our lives, our hearts

     to teach us of your hopes for us.

He did not laugh

at our foolish ways,

     but, with great compassion,

     he reached out to help us.

Asking no payment,

he gave himself to death,

dying for all of us sinners,

     that we might discover

     the kingdom of heaven

     which is nearer to us

     than we would ever imagine.

As we remember his life and death,

as we seek to respond to his calling for us,

we would proclaim that mystery called faith:

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

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

keeping faith, Christ will deliver us from death. 

Here, in these moments

as we prepare to feast on your love,

pour out your Spirit

upon the bounty of your grace,

this bread and this cup,

and upon those for whom they are given.

You would feed us

on the Bread of life,

     so we might go out

     to bring hope to all

     whom the world has disappointed.

You offer us the cup of grace,

so, as your love is poured

deep within our parched souls,

     we can become that offering

     of peace and reconciliation

     for which all creation longs.

And when time has come to an end,

and we are all one with you,

we will call on your name,

God in Community, Holy in One,

offering our thanks forever and ever. Amen.

Sending

On this ordinary Sunday,

we have worshiped our God.

Now, we will go to speak for the voiceless,

to surprise our communities with grace.

On this day, and every day,

we try our best to follow Jesus.

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

to let Jesus' justice work through us.

On this day, our souls have been filled

with the peace and passion of the Spirit.

Now, we will go to empty ourselves for others,

to share the gifts of the Spirit with all.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Alternate Texts Liturgy w/communion for June 18, 2023 (Pentecost 3/Trinity 2/Proper 6/Ordinary 11 - A)

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

Call to Worship

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

Prayer of the Day

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

We would proclaim our praise

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

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness 

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

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

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

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

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

Liturgy w/communion for June 11, 2023 (Pentecost 2/Trinity 1/Proper 5/Ordinary 10 - A

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Silence is kept

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

© Thom M. Shuman