Christmas Eve liturgy

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

Call to Worship

With eyes wide open

and our ears on edge,

we look for shepherds

and listen for the songs of angels.

In the light of winter’s moon,

with the Southern Cross lighting the way,

we gather outside the door of a mystery,

wondering if we dare go enter.

With folks and friends we love,

with strangers we have just met,

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 too 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. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

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.

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

May the God of silent nights be with you!

May the God of herald angels be with you!

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

May Emmanuel come to abide in our hearts.

Join all believers in singing of our joy this night.

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

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:

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.

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:

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.

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 siblings
from Bethlehem and Gaza, from Cairo and Kyiv,
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
Let us go to be the gift another needs,
sharing God’s blessings of love and grace,
running to tell the Story we heard from the shepherds.
Let us go to be the comfort which can swaddle others,
sharing Jesus’ compassion with the poor and needy,
welcoming the holiness offered by the most vulnerable we meet.
Let us go to kindle the lives around us,
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 22, 2024 (Advent 4 - C)

 Texts:  Micah 5:2-5a; Psalm 80:1-7; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-55

Call to Worship

We come to glorify God,

to rejoice in the One who saves us.

God comes, so we might believe,

so we might be blessed.

Our hearts leap for joy!

For God is coming to us in a child.

God comes for those who hunger for hope,

for those who thirst for grace.

Holy is the One who comes in God's name,

who fulfills every promise of God.

God comes to walk with those who follow in faith,

to bring peace to a shattered world.

Prayer of the Day

Holy God,

scattering the proud,

you look with favor

on those the world ignores.

For you,

we wait for the One

who will feed us;

for you,

we wait for the One

who stands with us

in our loneliness and pain.

For you, we wait.

Jesus Christ,

born in a backwater town:

in you,

God fills the hunger

of our hearts;

in you,

God lifts us

from our hopelessness;

in you,

all the promises come true.

For you, we wait.

Holy Spirit,

Hallower of God's people:

from you comes faith,

    so we might believe;

from you comes belief,

    so we might be blessed;

from you come all blessings,

    so we might give them away.

For you, we wait.

God in Community, Holy in One,

for you, we wait, even as we pray:

(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation

Every notion we have about power, success, wealth and achievement, God takes and tosses out the window.  More importantly, God comes to us, to upset our idea that we must save ourselves.  In Jesus, God comes to us, removing our sin, our failures, our expectations, so we might have life.  Please join me as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

   We confess we are not the people you hope us to be, Advent God.  The very ones you favor?  All too often, we ignore them, or worse fill them with ridicule.  The ones you knock off their pedestals?  We continue to admire them, seeking to emulate their ways.  The drumbeat for more and more?  We give into the rhythm so easily, we risk being sent away empty.

     Forgive us, Mighty God who comes in the weakness of a baby.  Look with grace upon us, so we might see your love shining down.  We could live secure in your hope, we could be the ones of peace for our world, we could learn to do your will, if we but welcome Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, into our hearts and into our lives.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

God passes the heirloom of mercy down

from generation to generation, always loving,

always forgiving, always calling us to new life.

As we open our hearts to God, we are filled

with the joy that was sung at the Birth, 

with the Hope that walked among us, 

with the Grace which is always with us.  

Thanks be to God, we are forgiven!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

In these moments, God who comes, remind us of those who are yearning to be lifted to their feet, those who hunger for hope, those who look for peace, and may our gifts be used to serve them.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May salvation’s Rock be with you!

May that foundation be with you!

As God approaches, let us lift our hearts in hope.

God comes to strengthen them with grace.

May our songs tell of God’s love which never ends.

We will sing of God’s faithfulness which lasts forever.

With patience, with gentleness,

you entered the emptiness of chaos,

God of wonder and awe,

spreading the rich soil of creation

from which sprang flowers and fields,

vegetables and trees, our ancestors in life.

You looked with favor upon them,

doing wondrous things for them.

But they wandered far from you,

losing themselves in the maze of thoughts

crafted by temptation and death.

You would not give up on them,

time after time sending prophets

with words of welcome and hope,

but they could not do your will.

So you sent Christ into the world,

filled with the Holy Spirit,

exclaiming with a living cry

of our salvation for all time.

With all those who trusted in what was unseen,

and those who believed the best would come,

we join our voices in singing your Advent praise:

Holy, holy, holy, God of holiness and peace.

All creation waits for your purpose to be revealed.

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to do your will.

Hosanna in the highest!

You are holy, God of unending glory,

and blessed is Jesus Christ, Hope of the world.

He came with haste, leaving your side

to set out on his journey for us.

The joy of your heart,

he come to proclaim your love;

the Word of your hope,

he came to call us home;

the fruit of your grace,

he was born to offer himself

for our salvation and freedom

from the power of sin,

making us your holy people

by his death and resurrection.

As we prepare to celebrate his birth,

as we remember the gift of his resurrection,

we would tell of that mystery we call faith:

P:    Christ was born, that we might see

            hope in the flesh;

        Christ lived, that we might hear

            grace spoken aloud;

         Christ died, that we might feel

            the breaking of God's heart;

        Christ is risen, that we might know

            that the promises are true;

        Christ will come again, that we

            might be blessed as God's children.

Pour out your Spirit

upon the gifts of this Table

and upon your children

who gather for your feast.

In this place, we are filled

with the strength of hope,

so we may serve those

who hunger for goodness and grace.

Restored by the Cup of life,

we can dare to go out

to empty ourselves for those

who wander the streets of life,

unnoticed by the rest of the world.

And when our journey has ended,

when your Advent has come to gather us home,

we will join with Elizabeth and Mary,

with Joseph and John the Baptist,

with our sisters and brothers from all time,

forever singing our joy to you,

God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending

O come, Child of the covenant,

to lead us to the heirs of the promises made long ago.

We will go with you to those who have been forgotten,

to lift all those knocked down by life to their feet.

O Come, salvation’s servant,

to show us the way to the joy of this season.

We will go with you to welcome the outsider,

and to throw our arms around those whose hearts are broken.

O Come, Lover of the lowly,

to fill our hands with the shawls of grace and peace.

We will go to wrap them around those who grieve,

to place them on the shoulders of those damaged by violence.  

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for December 15, 2024 (Advent 3 - C)

  Texts: Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18

Call to Worship
Come, let us rejoice this day in the God 
who is near in everyone around us.
We will sing glad songs of the One
who is rebuilding neighborhoods in our midst.
Come, let us rejoice always in Jesus 
who baptizes us with hope and compassion.
We will join in choruses of praise of the One
who brings justice to the forgotten in our midst.
Come, let us rejoice again and again in the Spirit
who offers us new life in every moment.
We will sing full throttle of the One
who fills us with gifts to share with everyone in our midst.

Prayer of the Day
Holy God,
when we believe it is enough
that we have sung in choirs,
remind us that it is
the lullabies to little children,
the acceptance sung to teenagers,
the welcoming songs to strangers,
the oldies hummed with older folks
that matter the most.

Jesus, our uncomfortable Brother,
when we believe it is enough
to have been in church every week
remind us that it is
the kindness we share on Monday,
the justice we work for on Tuesday
the tutoring we offer on Wednesday,
the meals we serve on Thursday,
the blood we donate on Friday,
the rides we give on Saturday,
the grace we live every day
that matter the most.

Spirit of wisdom,
when we believe it is enough
to have taught Sunday School
for so many years, remind us that it is
the words of forgiveness we offer,
the books we open for children,
the skills we share without recompense,
the arms we open to others
that matter the most.

When we believe our lives faithfulness are enough,
remind us that there is always more we can do,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as we are taught,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Why should we fear? Whatever we have said or done; whoever we have neglected or whatever we refused to do, surely God has washed away with the waters of life, flowing into that crystal sea of forgiveness.  Let us bring our lives to the One who comes to give us hope and life, in this and in every season, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   We admit, God of Advent, that it is easier to trust a politician's glib words than yours which were spoken so long ago.  We know how afraid we are of tomorrow, because of what we do today, ignoring what you brought about so long ago.  We, who have been given so much from your heart, find it hard to share even a smidgen from  our abundance.
   Forgive us, God our hope, and have mercy on us.  Lift us to our feet; draw us close into your loving embrace; drench us the buckets of grace drawn from the deep wells of life, so we will have the courage to declare you as our God, as we follow Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with the Holy Spirit.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
As plain as the heart in our chests, the good new is this: God is our hope.  God is our life.  God is our future.
We will sing aloud, our voices at full throttle.  We are forgiven, we are saved!  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
We will not be afraid, Loving God, to offer our hopes, our hearts, our treasures to you, but do so willingly, trusting that you will use them to bring life, joy, grace, and peace to all around us.  We pray in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God who saves us be with you.
May the God of redemption be with you.
Let us offer our hearts to our God of grace.
We open them that God may fill them with life and hope.
Come and sing glad praises to the God who is with us.
With great joy and hope, we join in glad choruses of praise.

Out of the dried up well called chaos,
Divining God, you brought forth
creation gushing with living waters,
   that ran through valleys towards oceans,
   that sprinkled flowers on forest floors,
   that gave nourishment to birds, to animals
and to those shaped in your image,
who were offered all the gracious gifts
which flowed from your heart.
We could have lived with you 
in that garden of wonder and delight,
   but we listened to the temptations
   offered to us by death and sin,
   choosing to share our lives with them.
The prophets came, time and again,
their words sung full throttle
in the courtyards of cities and
from the rooftops of villages,
   but we were like those trees
   which look so healthy on the outside,
   but are hollowed out by decay.
In your love, and with your hope,
you chose to become one of us,
Jesus being born into our lives.

With those who rejoice always and again,
with those who long to be brought home,
we lift our voices to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God who saves us.
We rejoice with all creation in praising you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to baptize us 
   with new life and with the Spirit.
Hosanna in the highest!

Though you are holy being knowing,
God of this season, you chose hope
to be embodied in Jesus, your Child.
Rejecting power,
   his weakness raises the fallen to their feet;
refusing to be afraid,
   he whispers to us to trust as deeply
   and faithfully as he did;
unable to exclude the forgotten,
   he welcomes his sisters and brothers
   shoved to the side and forgotten by us;
doing all he could for others,
he finally let his executioners 
untie the thongs of his sandals,
so that by his death and resurrection,
we might be shod in resurrection love,
walking home to be with you at last.

Surely his resurrection gives us new hope and life,
surely we bear the fruit of his grace and life,
even as we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

Surely, on that day, Jesus gave his life for those he loved;
surely, on that morning, Jesus was raised to new life;
surely, in that time to come, Jesus will gather us to new life.

O holy God of the ages, may your Spirit
descend upon those of us gathered 
and on the gifts which fill the sacred table.
Here, may the broken bread feed us
and reshape our fragmented lives
so we may see those around us,
   giving our extra clothes
      to those who have too few;
   emptying our pantries
      to feed those who are hungry.
Here, may we draw compassion 
from the deep wells of the cup of grace,
so we may go forth to serve others:
   as crossing guards at schools,
   as caregivers for the vulnerable,
   as your peace which brings healing.

And when all time and history has ended
and we are brought home at the last,
we will sing full throttle with our sisters and brothers,
with great joy, hope, wonder, and praise
of your enduring goodness and grace,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Setting aside our fears and worries, let us go.
We will go as God's people on this day,
to remind everyone that God is as close
to them as the beats of their hearts.
Setting aside our prejudices and assumptions, let us go.
We will go as Jesus' followers this day,
to gather up the forgotten and bring them home,
to embrace the lonely as sisters and brothers.
Setting aside our expectations and demands, let us go.
We will go as those graced by the Spirit,
to share with others the waters from grace's deep wells,
to offer that peace which never comes to an end.

(c) Thom M. Shuman
   

Liturgy w/communion for December 8, 2024 (Advent 2 - C)

  Texts: Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 1:68-79; Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6

Call to Worship In this season of waiting, our God comes. Come suddenly, Holy God, into our slow expectations and fill us with your urgent hopes for justice. In this holy season of delight and wonder, our Savior comes. Come suddenly, Companion of the poor, and challenge us to share in the gospel of welcome for all. In these days of remembering what our lives are to be, our Spirit comes. Come suddenly, Preparer of the way, to take us by the hand to walk with our sisters and brothers down the path to service. Prayer of the Day See, You come, Clarifier of our hearts, playing salvation’s love song on a baritone sax; preparing the way for grace to transform our souls; holding us in Your heart when we lose our way. See, You come, Tender Mercy, filling in poverty’s potholes with grace’s riches; tearing down cruelty-capped oppression; straightening out the winding paths we make the needy walk; soothing the lonely nights of rough sleepers. See, You come, Eyes of grace, so in seeing the suffering around us, we might share mercy; in observing the struggles of others, we might give offerings of justice; in noticing the silence of leaders, we would cry out for hope. See, You come, God in Community, Holy in One, so we might be Your people of grace and justice, even as we pray as we are taught, saying, (The Lord’s Prayer) Call to Reconciliation We may appear pure and blameless to others, but we know the mistakes we have made with our words, our thoughts, and our actions. But God promises not only to save us from our enemies, sin and death, but from ourselves as well. Join me as we offer our confessing words to the One who will make us new once more. Unison Prayer for Forgiveness You witness the sorts of lives we lead, Approaching God. Asked to share the gospel of hope, we place it on our to-do list instead. Given the chance to cry out for justice for others, we fall strangely silent. Invited to pray with joy in every moment, we prefer to grumble about every insignificant thing in our lives. Have mercy on us, God of grace, and prepare our hearts for Your forgiveness to have its way in them. Fill us with Your hope so we might lighten the shadows of others. Help us to join the choirs of children in singing of Your joy. Transform us with that tender mercy who is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Silence is kept Assurance of Pardon L: God is our witness. We have spoken of our lives and been forgiven of every mistake we have made, every hurt we have caused. We are held in God’s heart, not only on this day, but all the days of our lives. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen. Prayer of Dedication/Offering See, you come in this holy season with the simple gift of life itself. See, you invite us to share from the abundance of our lives, so others might be filled with life, with hope, with love, and with grace. Bless these gifts we offer to You, so they may be used to share the gospel of wholeness and welcome for all. Amen. Great Prayer of Thanksgiving May the God of every mercy be with you. May you be filled with the tenderness of our God. Lift up your hearts to the One who looks with grace upon us. Confident of God’s love, we open our hearts to the One who comes to us. Sing glad songs of praise in this moment. We join our sisters and brothers in joyful thanksgiving. Chaos could not endure the day of creation’s coming, Ingenuous God, and so gave way to Your gifts of snowflakes gently melting on our eyelashes, of golden clouds awakening our mornings, of children singing carols in bathtubs. These joys, and so many more were given to those shaped in Your image, but we heard the voices of temptation crying out and foolishly followed. You called women and men (and even children) to remind us of Your promised mercy, but we refused to see sin and death as our foes. So You sent Your heart’s Delight to us, Jesus, preparing the way for your redemption to come to us. With those who long for hope, with those who cry out for justice, we lift our joy to You: Holy, holy, holy are You, Melter of our frozen hearts. All creation waits for Your Advent once again. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the Dawn from on high. Hosanna in the highest! You alone are holy, God of our hopes, and Jesus is Your glory made flesh. He came with tender mercy in his hands, to shatter our hardened hearts. He came to transform fuller’s soap into the waters of baptism. He came to shine a bright light in death’s eyes, stunning it into submission to resurrection’s love. As we draw ever closer to Bethlehem, as we prepare to journey with Jesus from birth to new life, we declare that mystery we know as faith: Christ died, preparing the way for salvation; Christ was raised through the baptism of the resurrection; Christ will come, Dawn from on high of every time and place. As Your people gather at Your Table, pour out Your Spirit on us and on these gifts of joy and wonder. Though broken, the Bread makes us strong enough to not only cry out for justice, but to sacrifice for it; to not only notice the poor, but to discover what they have to teach us. Poured out, the hope of the Cup can flow through us, to feed the hungry, to be reconciled to those we fear, to welcome all cast aside by the world. You will look on us with grace at the end of all time, gathering us with our sisters and brothers around the Table of life eternal, where we will forever sing our praises to you, God in Community, Holy in One. Amen. Sending God is sending you to be messengers of this holy season. We will go to share God’s grace in the shadowed places of our world. Jesus is sending you to be messengers of his gospel. We will go to share the good news of justice in every way we treat each person. The Spirit is sending you to be messengers of peace. We will go to share the gifts of hope and reconciliation which have been placed in our hearts.
(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for December 1, 2024 (Advent 1-C)

  Texts: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-10; 1st Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36

Call to Worship Because of You, Righteous God,

we begin our journey to Bethlehem, trusting that You will lead us

down the paths of faithfulness. For You, Child Jesus, we wait, on this day of anticipation and hope, in the days of doubt and worry. With You, Spirit of Advent, we serve, those for whom this season

is not one of joy; those whose lives are empty

of family and friends. Prayer of the Day Because of You, Fulfiller of promises, we come to know the way to Bethlehem, where justice is born to a shunned family, where the riches of Your love are born into poverty. Because of You, Sign of our redemption, grace sprouts hope in the winter of our despair, goodness overcomes evil in the streets of our cities, love transforms hate in the hardest of hearts. Because of You, Abnegator of our fears, we are taught to pray in the shadows of our worries, and to trust that Your peace is preferable to those easy prejudices sold on every corner. Because of You, God in Community, Holy in One, we will be led in this holy season to the place of our hope and redemption, even as we pray, saying, (The Lord’s Prayer) Call to Reconciliation If only our hurtful words, our damaging actions, our foolish choices would just go away.
But they don’t, and so we offer them, as well as ourselves, to God for forgiveness
and for our healing. Please join me, as we pray together saying, Unison Prayer for Forgiveness The chances we have to be more compassionate; the moments to offer hope to a lonely friend; the good fortune we could give to those who have so little. The signs are all around us, Good and Upright God, of how we fail to live as your people. Do not meditate on our bungling ways, God of steadfast love, but remember the mercy of Your heart. That mercy which forgives us; that mercy which makes us whole; and especially, that living mercy who came down one night so long ago, Jesus the Advent of our redemption. Amen. Silence is kept Assurance of Pardon Raise your heads, children of God! In the bleak mid-winter of our lives, our redemption draws near. In the springtime of our doubts, the kingdom of God approaches. Even when we feel most alone, the One who comes to us is the salvation promised so long ago. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen. Prayer of Dedication/Offering Because of You, Abundant God, we have blessings to offer to others. May You use our gifts to restore hope to the despairing, to feed the hungry, and to fill the empty hearts of the lonely. This we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen. Great Prayer of Thanksgiving May the coming God be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts, people of God,

your redemption draws near. We will offer them to the One who leads us

down paths of faithfulness. Join together in singing thanksgiving

to God, our righteousness. We praise the One for whom we wait,

this day and every day. The days of creation came, God of goodness, when You spoke on that first morning, calling forth budding flowers for each spring, warm breezes for summer days, tumbling leaves in the autumn, bright, brittle stars on winter nights. You did all this, and so much more, so we might discover Your ways, but we chose to walk the paths paved by sin and death. Prophets came, speaking of Your promises and calling us back to Your truths, but we continued to reflect on the teachings of temptation. So You sent Jesus to us, Your Word which will never fade. With those whose hearts are strong in holiness, with those who long for justice for all people, we offer our songs of thanksgiving: Holy, holy, holy are You, God our righteousness. Because of You, all creation awaits Your advent. Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to us in weakness. Hosanna in the highest! You are holy, God of our salvation, and Your Child is the bearer of justice. He set aside great glory to come incognito to us. Knowing our fears, he showed us how to trust in You. Feeling our despairs, he filled us with Your overflowing hope. Experiencing our death, he went into the grave so death might become a safe place for us, and we would receive Your redemption. As we set out on this Advent journey, as we seek to walk the way to Bethlehem, we remember that mystery we call faith: Christ died,

the Branch broken on the unjust tree; Christ was raised,

declaring ‘the Lord is my resurrection!’ Christ will return, the advent

of God’s glory and grace for all. Come now to Your children gathered at the Table, pouring out Your Spirit on the gifts of the Bread and of the Cup. This is the bread which, though broken, strengthens us to stand up for justice and to face the bullies named terror and hate. This is the cup which overflows with grace, so we might transform our communities into safe places for all people; so we might see our siblings in those the world would have us fear. And when we raise our heads to see our redemption draw near at the end of all time, we will join our siblings in singing Your praises forever and ever, God in Community, Holy in One. Amen. Sending Now may our God prepare us

to serve our siblings. We will devote ourselves to walking

with others to Bethlehem. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ steer us

into all the places we do not want to go.
We will throw ourselves into the mission

of feeding the hungry, into the privilege of learning from the poor. Now may the Holy Spirit move us

to increase in love for others. We will take up the cause of justice

in every corner of our lives, we will help to bring the kingdom of hope

near to everyone around us.
(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for November 24, 2024 (Reign of Christ/Christ the King - B)

  Texts: 2 Samuel 23:1-7; Psalm 132:1-12, (13-18); Revelation 1:4b-8; John 18:33-37

Call to Worship

We have chosen to be here, where God remembers us.
God comes to us, the One who was and is and is to come.
Like leaves skipping over the carpet of grass:
God comes to us, the One who was and is and is to come.
Like the first glimpses of the sun peeking over the horizon:
God comes to us, the One who was and is and is to come.
Like the moon lighting our way on a cloudless, autumn night:
God comes to us, the One who was and is and is to come.

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God:
from the beginning of time
to the end of eternity,
you have chosen
to use your power and majesty
     to love us,
     to redeem us,
     to shape us as your people.

King of Kings
and Lord of Lords:
you became weak
     so you could confront
     the strength of sin and death,
confounding their ridicule
with your resurrection.

Spirit of God,
resting upon us:
may your power enflame us
     with your peace;
may your peace touch us
     with your grace;
may your grace fill us
     with your hope;
may your hope lead us
into your Kingdom.

God in Community, Holy in One,
may your word be on our lips,
as we pray together as Jesus
has taught us, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation

While there are many with power in our world - power to hurt us, power to hire or fire us, power to control us - only God has the power to forgive us and make us new people. Let us confess how we fear the power of the world, and welcome the power of God's grace.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

     The choices we make, Mighty God, reveal who we are. Choosing the lies of the world, your Word has not been on our lips. Choosing independent and isolated lives, we do not reflect your Spirit in our actions towards others. Choosing to exalt the powerful of our day, we are unable to follow the One whose weakness gives us life.
     Forgive us, God who became weak for our sake. Do not turn your face from us, but help us to face ourselves honestly. Free us from our captivity, so we may faithfully follow Jesus Christ, our King, our Lord, our Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Shout for joy, children of God! The God who was and is and is to come loves you, forgives you, and renews you.
God's Spirit rests upon us, grace and peace are the gifts of our loving God. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/offering
As we offer our gifts in this moment to you, Holy God, we pray that they might be used to bring hope, to bring healing, to bring new life to all your people.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen. 

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the Rock of our lives be with you!
And also with you!
People of God, open your hearts to the One who loves us.
We will not turn away from the God of grace.
Children of God, lift your voices in thanksgiving to the One who has freed us from sin.
Our souls rejoice in the One who is, who was, who is to come.

You entered the headquarters
of chaos, Mighty One,
casting aside the shadows
so that the sun might shine
on that cloudless first day,
the morning rain glistening
off the verdant grass.
Humanity was clothed in righteousness,
to listen to your voice, to be your people.
Yet, we moved into death's dwelling place,
resting our feet on sin's comforting stool.
Having made an everlasting covenant with us,
you sent the prophets, your words
springing from their lips,
but we would not listen to their voices.
Then you sent Jesus to us,
the One who loves us
and frees us from our bondage.

We lift our voices in glad song to you,

joining our voices with those around us,
and all your servants in heaven:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of amazing imagination.

All creation echoes with cries of wonder.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who is, who was, who is to come.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of every age,
and blessed is the favorite of your heart, Jesus Christ.
For this, he was born,
that we might be swaddled in mercy;
for this, he came to us,
that we might follow him
into that kingdom which is forever;
for this, he went to the cross
testifying to the truth
that sin has no power over us,
that death cannot defeat your love.

Remembering all the hardships he endured,
praising you for the gift of new life in the resurrection,
we tell of that mystery we call faith:

Dying, Christ was our salvation;

rising, Christ is our new life;
returning, Christ is to come to bring us home.

Turn your face towards us,
and pour out your Spirit
upon this Table of grace,
and your children gathered around it.
As we eat of the bread,
we will open our souls
to listen to your voice,
which sends us to speak out
for the misused and oppressed of our time.
As we drink from the cup,
we will open our hearts,
so we might go into the world,
to speak truth to those
who have only known lies,
to serve all whom the world has forgotten.

And when the time comes and Christ reigns forever,
over sin, over death, over all creation,
we will gather at the feast you have prepared for us,
our hearts overflowing with joy
as we sing your praises forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
Let us go forth to serve God's children in weakness,
so others might find the strength to live.
Let us go forth as powerless as Jesus,
to empower others with hope.
Let us go forth with our arms full of the Spirit's peace,
so the world might be healed of all its brokenness.

(c) Thom M. Shuman