Liturgy w/Communion for August 20, 2023 (Pentecost 12/Trinity 11/Proper 15/Ordinary 20 - A)

Texts: Genesis 45:1-15; Psalm 133; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15:(10-20), 21-28

Call to Worship

Here we can come together,

people searching for healing and hope:

here we are met by the One

who would bless us with abundant life.

Here we are called to gather

as the family of God:

we may find those who are strangers,

yet are beloved siblings 0f ours.

Here we discover the truth that God

makes no distinctions among us:

here we are welcomed and embraced

by the One whose arms are open to all.

Prayer of the Day

When we are alone,

you make us known 

     to our siblings everywhere.

When we are lonely,

you whisper, 'come closer,'

     inviting us into your heart.

Great is your love for us, 

Welcoming God.

When we wander lost and afraid,

you take us by the hand,

     so we may settle in your kingdom.

When we hunger 

for the crumbs of hope

which the world offers to us,

you feed us with 

     the fullness of your joy.

Great is your grace for us,

Accepting Christ.

When those around us

make clear they want nothing

to do with us, ever, 

     you persist in being our friend.

When we stand on

despair's welfare line,

     you invite us to come

     to a sumptuous feast.

Great is your hope for us,

Embracing Spirit.

God in Community, Holy in One,

you weep openly as you welcome us

into your heart and your hopes,

even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,

(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation

Our words, our deeds, our lives build barriers between us and others, between us and God. But God would shatter every distinction, God would reshape us as new people. Let us come to the One who loves us, and longs to forgive us. Join me as we confess our sins together, saying,

Unison for Forgiveness

     We admit, Providing God, that we have difficulties living as your children. We could live in unity, but our words fracture relationships with family and friends. We have been shown the way to your kingdom, but turn into blind guides when asked for the directions by others. When we could offer others the precious oil of peace, we hand them the vinegar of despair and rejection.

     Have mercy on us, Healing Heart, have mercy on us. When you call to us, may we listen with open ears, understand with embracing hearts, and share your grace with others, even as we have been graced by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

Hear the good news for you: God has provided hope for you, filling you with joy, with mercy, with peace.

As mercy leads to mercy, we will take these gifts to share with the world. Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

Just as we would not offer crumbs to the hungry, may we not offer just our pocket change, Holy One. May our gifts become grace, hope, justice, and love to all around us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

The welcoming God be with you!

And also with you!

It is not crumbs, but the fullness of grace given to you at this table.

We open our hearts to receive God's goodness.

Like precious oil to anoint us, God pours hope and love into our lives.

How good it is to lift our praises to our God!

When chaos threatened to control,

you spoke out of your own mouth,

crying, 'let there be light!'

and creation burst forth,

     rivers flowing like precious oil

          through the valleys of love,

     peace singing to all creatures,

          whispering of the gift of unity.

Shaping us in the divine image,

you whispered to us, 'come closer,'

inviting us to live with you

in Eden's joy-dewed garden.

     Sin and death, however,

     dazzled us with their lies,

          so we followed these blind guides

          into a world scarce on hope.

You did not reject us,

but continued to call us

through the mouths of prophets;

you continued to gift us

with your faithful presence.

Your dreams would 

not be dismayed, 

as you sent Jesus,

your mercy to beget mercy

for all your children.

With those overlooked by the world,

with those who have sought you in every time,

we lift our songs of joy and praise:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of this day of wonder.

All creation would live in unity with you.

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who is sent to all people.

Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Joy of Creation,

and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

When he could have turned

a blind eye toward us,

     he came that we might 

     be able to see our hope;

when he could have sent

us away from his side,

     he drew us closer 

     to your mercy and love;

when he could have been

dismayed by our foolishness,

     he went into death's embrace,

     providing salvation for us.

As we remember his words of teaching,

as we remember his hopes for us,

we speak of that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, sent before us to preserve our life;

Christ was raised, death's claim on him rejected;

Christ will come, ordaining life forevermore for all.

Here in this moment and place,

we pray you would pour out

your Spirit of peace and joy

upon the gifts of the bread and the cup

and upon your children 

who have gathered around the Table.

You do not give us crumbs,

but nourish us with compassion,

     so we might go to serve 

     a world hungering for healing.

You do not touch our lips

with only a few drops,

but offer us great gulps of grace,

     so we might offer peace

     to a fractured and frightened world.

And when the famine of our despair is ended

and you gather all your children around you,

to be fed at the feast of the Lamb,

we will sing our thanksgiving songs to you,

as the precious tears of joy run down our cheeks,

praising you through all eternity,

God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending

We came together to worship.

Now may we go to serve others

with God's grace and love.

We were called to this place

as members of God's family.

Now we head out to discover strangers

are but siblings of Jesus, like us.

We have been reminded that

there are no differences between any of us.

Now we journey with the Spirit

to welcome each person into

the embrace of hope and justice.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Alternate texts liturgy w/communion for August 20, 2023 (Pentecost 12/Trinity 11/Proper 15/Ordinary 20 - A)

Texts:  Isaiah 56:1, 6-8; Psalm 67; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15:10-28

Call to Worship
In the gathering of school supplies,
in the harvesting of backyard gardens:
God blesses us beyond imagination.
In the simple acts of daily chores,
in the kindness shared by a stranger:
God is gracious to us.
In the rapture of a child watching a firefly,
in the inquisitive look of a senior
wondering where they left their keys:
God's face shines upon us.
We praise you, O God!
We praise you!

Prayer of the Day
Welcoming God:
you gather everyone,
especially the outsiders,
to worship you, for
you are not an image or idol,
   but protector of the helpless,
          parent to the poor,
          friend of the lonely.

Accepting Christ:
there is not any place
you will not go to bring
God's grace to others.
In you,
   the enemy is made a friend,
   the broken are made whole,
   the orphan finds a home.

Embracing Spirit:
your gentleness falls upon us,
and our fears of rejection disappear;
   your truth is whispered in our ears,
   and our arms embrace strangers;
your peace is poured into our souls,
and we are reconciled to all we hurt;
   your love throws open our shuttered hearts,
   and we see our siblings all around us.

God in Community, Holy in One,
in you we have life and hope forever.
Hear us as we pray together saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We may praise God, but we prefer to live our way, becoming captive to our foolish choices.  But God longs to set us free, so let us confess to our God, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     In every opportunity, God of this day, we choose not to follow you.  From our hearts to our mouths flow words that hurt others, come thoughts that lead us away from you.  We are richly blessed, but think others should be grateful for the crumbs we offer to them.  Our claims to have great faith are disputed by our inability to trust you in all things.
     We come to you, Helper of the weak, for you are gracious and forgiving.  You offer us the fullness of your love, not just a few dollops.  You refuse to let us go, but sweep us up with arms of joy.  You send Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, to lead us into your kingdom.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
I ask you, has God rejected us?
No!  By God's grace, God's gifts and God's calling are never taken back.
I ask you, again, has God rejected us?
No!  That Love we know as God will never let us go.
This is good news, dear friends, believe it.
Thanks be to God.  We are forgiven.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May we not offer you the leftovers of our resources and our lives, Blessing God, but let these gifts be but part of what we give back to you, as we seek to serve your people and your creation.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the gathering God be with you.
And also with you.
Open your hearts to the One who welcomes you.
We offer them to God whose face glows when we do what is right.
Sing glad songs to our God.
We rejoice, for our God will not reject us.

You called creation to your Self,
Gathering God, saying, "Listen and understand:
     let waters fill the rivers and seas,
     let the trees sing for joy,
     let the fields yield fruit and grains,"
and all the ends of the universe praised you.
to those shaped in your image, you gave everything,
hoping we would understand your dreams,
     but sin and death kept shouting
     after us, and we listened only to them.
Prophets came, to make your ways
known in all the world,
     but we only wanted the temptations of sin.
So you sent Jesus to us,
to be our guide to your heart.

With those whose faith is great,
with those who cling fast to your covenant,
we sing a song of joy to you:

O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be.

Your holiness is poured out on all,
and Jesus Christ comes to make
your way know to all people.
When we listened only to foolish words,
     he spoke of your dreams
     so we might understand.
When we were imprisoned by
our all too willful rebellion,
     he came to set us free with that love
     which will never let go of us.
When death would devour
the very crumbs of our lives,
     he gathered us up
     and carried us out into
     that resurrection morning.

As we gather with our sisters and brothers,
with neighbors and strangers, at the Table,
we sing of that mystery known as faith:

O Love, how deep, how broad, how high,
beyond all thought and fantasy:
that God, the Son of God, should take
our mortal form for mortals' sake.

Help us to listen to your welcome
to your feast, God of the gathered,
as your pour out your Spirit
on the gifts made ready for us.
May we understand that it is
not just crumbs, but all of your justice
offered in the bread so, as we eat,
     we may go to bring wholeness
     to all shattered by the world's fears.
Help us to recognize that it is
not just a few drips, but all of your grace
poured into the cup so, as we drink,
     we will go to do what is right,
     opening doors to outsiders,
     gathering outcasts into our family.

And when at the last you call to us,
gathering us around the Feast of the Lamb,
we will join all peoples in praising you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Now go, to serve as God's people.
We will work to remove all that divides us from others.
Now go, to share the grace of Jesus.
We will love others just as we are loved.
Now go, to be the Spirit's community.
We will invite everyone to join us in this life of faith and service.

(c)  Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for August 13, 2023 (Pentecost 11/Trinity 10/Proper 14/Ordinary 19 - A)

Texts: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33

(The responses of the congregation in the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving are adapted from a prayer by St. Francis of Assisi)

Call to Worship
Here, in this place, God welcomes all the dreamers,
as well as the doubters:

here, the worriers and wanderers

can call on God by name.

Here, in this time, we can remember 

all the ways God has graced us:
here, in these moments, we are reminded 

that God is with us, always!
Here are gathered those daring enough 

to step out of comfort into the unknown:
here, in this faith space, we will find the courage
to cry out, 'God, save us!' in every situation.

Prayer of the Day
Making sandwiches and stirring the soup
for the hungry lined up at the door;
taking the night shift
at the homeless shelter;
talking with the prisoners
awaiting their trials:
you surround us with signs
of your hopes for all,
God of justice.

Bringing reconciliation
to strife-torn communities;
mending the broken promises
which have shattered lives;
holding your arms wide open
to embrace weary searchers:
everywhere we turn,
we hear people say,
'here comes that Dreamer!"

Inviting us to wander down
the streets of sacrifice;
hoping that every breath
will be filled with peace and hope;
gifting us with joy and grace,
so they can be freely given away:
you nudge us to get out
of our comfortable religion,
and to walk on those unfamiliar
waves of faith and hope,
Spirit of trust.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we give thanks to your name,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,

(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Too often when life threatens us, we trust the world to save us, finding it easy to believe the empty promises of seduction and doubt. But our God offers us forgiveness and healing, if we will but trust and follow. Let us begin, by confessing our sins together,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
    It seems so easy to get into the boat and set sail on our journey, God of Promises. But when the winds of change begin to blow, we want to turn around and head back to the past's safe harbor. When sin's waves crash over the side, we try to wrap ourselves in the cloak of pride thinking we will not get wet.  When Jesus calls to us to get out and follow in faith, we look around, hoping he is not speaking to us.
    Swamped by our fears, and sinking in doubt, we long for someone to help us - so save us, Holy One, save us! Stretch out your hand, so we might be lifted from our despair to hope, from our worries to trust, from our foolishness to faithful living. Then, we will dare to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, even if it means getting out of the sheltered lives we have built for ourselves. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
In confessing that Christ is Lord, we let go of the past, and turn to God's future. We step out of our fears, and walk into the light and life offered by our God.
In trusting Christ's resurrection, we trust all of God's promises, letting the Spirit work in and through us, healing and making us whole. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
If we dare to be your followers, Jesus our Brother, than we must be daring enough to offer not just our hearts, our lives, our time, but our tangible gifts as well. Take what we share in these moments to care for others, we pray. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord is with you!
And also with you!
People of God: lift up your hearts to the One
who invites you to daring discipleship.
We lift our hearts to the One
who calls us out of our comfort zones.
People of God: give thanks to the Lord our God.
We sing praises to the One who
enables us to walk the paths of pilgrimage.

To the one true and living God,
we can only bring our songs of glory and praise.
Through you, the light of creation
    dispelled the shadows of chaos;
from you came the imaginative Word,
    shaping the mountains that touch the sky,
    scooping out the hollows for the seas;
by you the Spirit of beginnings breathed,
    giving life to people created in your image.
In love, you embraced us as your own,
giving us the freedom to make our own choices.
Our foolishness led us to believe
that we were wiser than Wisdom herself,
and greater than the Creator of the stars.
    So we ran away from your glory
    and into the arms of sin and disobedience.
But as a mother tenderly nourishes her children,
as a father welcomes home the wayward,
    you would not abandon us to the powers of evil,
    but in your graciousness, you came to us,
speaking through the words of the prophets
and the witness of the faithful.
When we continued to turn away from you,
you sent Jesus Christ, your true Heart,
that we might see your love face to face.

And so, we join the faithful of every time and place,
who, beholding the glory of your presence,
sing with countless throngs of angels,
hymns of unending praise:

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
who is, who was, and who is to come.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.

You are worthy, Lord our God,
to receive praise and glory,
honor and blessing.

How wonderful are the works of your hands, Holy God,
and how gracious is the gift of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
When we were famished from eating
the empty promises of the world,
    he came, breaking the bread of fullness;
when we hungered from the vain feast of fame,
    he came, eating with the lost, the least, the little, the last;
when we found no nourishment in our disobedience,
    he came, breaking bread with sinners and outcasts;
when we chose to nibble on death,
    he came, to be broken on the cross of Calvary.

Giver of eternal life in Christ,
as we remember his life, his ministry, his gentleness,
his acceptance of all, his death, his resurrection,
we would speak of that mystery of faith
we claim as believers:

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive
divine power, wisdom, and strength,
honor, glory and blessing.
Let us praise and glorify him forever.

Breathe on us, Breath of God,
and upon these gifts of the bread and the cup.
As we join Christ at this Table,
to be strengthened by your gifts of grace and hope,
    send us forth to be your faithful people.
Having tasted the Bread of Life,
    may we go forth to bring healing
    to every corner of our shattered world;
as we drink of the Cup of Salvation,
    may we be poured out
    in service to those who can find no life;
as you have broken yourself for us,
    so we will do so for everyone in your kingdom.

Then, when all creation is healed,
and all people are one family,
we will gather around the Feast of the Lamb,
singing our praise to you, Holy God:
through Christ, in Christ, with Christ,
and in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever:

Praise our God all you servants,
honor God, you who would be faithful,
small and great, young and old.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.
Let heaven and earth praise God's glory:
all creatures in heaven, on earth,
and under the earth,
the sea and everything in it.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.  Amen.

Sending

Go now, to be the love of God for others.

Let us go to wander with all

the worriers and weary.

Go now, to be the grace of Jesus for all.

Let us dare to step out of worship's comfort

to serve the doubters and dreamers.

Go now, to be the peace of the Spirit to all.

Let us remember our calling

to be God's presence in every moment.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman

Alternate texts liturgy for August 13, 2023 (Pentecost 11/Trinity 10/Proper 14/Ordinary 19 - A)

 Texts: 1 Kings 19:9-18; Psalm 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33

Call to Worship
We gather to worship our God,
who speaks the words of peace we need in chaotic times.
We gather to follow Jesus,
who encourages to never fear, for he is near.
We gather to be filled with the Spirit,
who anoints us so we can go to serve our world.

Prayer of the Day
You come as a great wind,
splitting our fears into fragments,
breaking our prejudices into
tiny pebbles that hurt no one.
   You are a summer's breeze
   that stirs the growing grass;
   you are the soft breath
   which makes us more caring.

You come as an earthquake,
knocking all our doctrines
off their neat shelves,
smashing them beyond recognition.
   You are the gentle touch
   that wakens us from
   our nightmares, whispering,
   'it's just me; don't be scared.'

You are the fire that rages
against the injustices visited
upon the poor, the broken, the vulnerable
(often in your name).
   You are the spark that lights
   the passions for your people
   so we feed the hungry, clothe the naked,
   free the oppressed, visit the sick.

As you pass by us in so many ways,
may we take notice of you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
The deepest longing of our hearts is to be forgiven and embraced by our God. As we confess our sins, God speaks peace to us and makes us whole.  Join me, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   In truth, God of silence and seas, we are more adept at making waves than calming storms.  We find it easier to push people out of the boat,  rather than make room for those who are different from us.  And our lives are such a whirlwind of  activity, that we do not notice your presence or hear your sheer silence singing your shalom to us.
   Have mercy on us, God of patience.  Grab hold of us to keep us from drowning in our oceans of temptations.  Give us the words to speak of your hope to others.  Fill our hearts with the love of Jesus Christ, which is nearer to us than we dare to imagine.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Immediately, immediately! your sins are forgiven, your life is restored, and grace becomes your guide through this life.
Thanks be to God!  We are not left alone, but take heart in the forgiving love of our God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
Not only with our lips, but with our lives and with our treasure we will proclaim that you are in our midst, Loving God.  Take these gifts, and use them so all might know that your love, your life, your hope, your healing is near to them.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May God be with you.
And also with you.
Let us open your hearts to God,
so they may be filled with grace.
Speak of the Word of life which is near you.
Glad songs of praise are on our lips.

At the corner of disarray and emptiness,
you came, Ingenuous God, passing by
as creation sprang forth out of the sheer silence:
   splitting valleys to push up mountains,
   breaking planets into moons,
   pouring waters into seas.
All this was for those shaped in your image,
   but we threw down your hopes,
   leaving you alone as we
   forsook you for sin and death.
Prophets came proclaiming your word
so we could hear, that in hearing
we might believe, and in believing
we could call on you,
   but we refused to listen.
Unwilling to give up on us,
you sent Jesus to us,
coming into all our broken places.

With those who confess you with their lips,
with those who believe in their hearts,
we sing our praises to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God who does not forsake us.
All creation worships and praises you.
Hosanna in the highest!

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

At the corner of justice and kindness,
Jesus came, your child of holiness,
our brother of hope and grace.
When the world would dismiss us,
   he would put us to work
   in your kingdom.
When others would toss us overboard,
   he reaches out
   to pull us to safety.
When the forces of sin and death
threaten to overwhelm us,
   he has already overcome their power
   once and for all, by dying
   and being raised to new life.

As we gather at this Table,
we will find him in our hearts,
even as we proclaim our faith:

Christ died, following God to the very end;
God raised him, restoring him to wholeness;
Christ will return, to guide us to God.

Here at the corner of fears and doubts,
we come to your Table,
where the Spirit blessed the bread and cup,
and all those who are in this place.
The bread is the gift of life, sending us
   to plant gardens in
      craters made by bombs;
   to offer a bouquet of
      faithfulness to the ostracized.
The cup is the promise of hope,
   which we would share with all
      who wander in despair.

And when we gather in that place
where you pass by us on the way
to prepare the great feast of the Lamb,
we will sing our songs of joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
We will go into the world as God's people,
telling of God's hopes for all.
We will go to serve the world as followers of Jesus,
showing with our lives that all are part of the kingdom.
We will go to share the Spirit,
to bring peace where there is war, to share love where there is hate.

(c) Thom M. Shuman