Maundy Thursday (April 14, 2022)

 Texts: Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 116:1-2, 19-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Call to Worship                 

In remembrance, we gather:

to be with the One who teaches us

the meaning of faithfulness.

In remembrance, we worship:

lifting our voices to the One who calls us

to love one another.

In remembrance, we feast:

breaking the Bread which makes us whole,

drinking the Cup which fills us with grace.

Evening Prayer

It was a night of hope

as they gathered so long ago,

God who rescues people

from despair and oppression.

You offered grace without blemish

as they left behind the years

of loneliness, grief, and bullying,

daring to follow you

into a future known only to you.

It was a night when salvation drew near

as they gathered so long ago,

Lord who kneels to serve us,

as you tried to ready your friends

for all that would happen.

In humility, you washed their feet

so they might follow you down

the dusty road of death;

in love, you transformed a simple meal

into moments of grace and comfort.   

On a night like this, we gather

to draw near to one another and you,

Spirit who shares these stories with us.

Here, is the basin with the living water

which washes away our fears and foolishness;

here is the towel we can us

to wipe the tears of all who weep

from grief, oppression, and loneliness;

here, we find that bread,

which, though broken and dropping crumbs,

feeds us with hope, fills us with strength

to serve our sisters and brothers;

here, we are offered the cup

which causes us to thirst for justice.

On this night, with these people,

with these symbols and gifts.

may we dare to follow, hesitantly and hopefully,

God in Community, Holy in One,

as we pray as our Servant, Jesus Christ,

teaches us, saying, (The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation

How are people to recognize us as followers of Jesus? It is very simple – it will be by how we treat people, how we kneel to serve them, how we are willing to share our lives with others.  Let us confess how we have not always loved others as Jesus loves us, as we pray using the words found printed in the bulletin

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

   Creator and Loving God, you kneel to wash our feet, yet we are reluctant for you to see all the places we have gone in our attempts to escape you.  You would bathe us in the warm, living waters of your love, even though we splash and play in the puddles of temptation. We have received all the gifts you have to offer, yet we are tempted to think they are only for us, rather than sharing them.

   Forgive us, Holy One, and have mercy on us. What can we give you for all your wonderful graciousness towards us? As you have broken your heart for us, may we open ours in service to others.  As you have given your life for us, may we offer ours to bring healing to the world.  As you have called us together around your Table, may we go forth to feed a world hungry, not only for food, but for that Spirit which brings peace and reconciliation. This we pray as servants of Jesus Christ, who came to serve us in life, in death, in resurrection hope.  Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

On this holiest of nights, we have received the good news: God has come in Christ Jesus, to fill us with hope and peace, to bathe us in grace and mercy.

In remembrance, we go forth:

   to bring hope where despair resides;

   to be servants to those who are broken;

   to love as selflessly as we are loved by Jesus Christ,

      our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the God of last suppers be with you.

And also with you.

Open your hearts to God this night.

We open them to the One whose heart is broken this night.

In the midst of uncertainty and fears,

we will praise God

Our thanks are offered to the One

who walks and waits with us through long nights.

When the hour had come, Creator of the heavens

and earth, you raised the cup of creation, 

pouring it into the emptiness of chaos.

Rivers played tag through the valleys,

stars spangled the blue-black night,

joy danced in the fields of grace.

Given that fountain flowing with living water,

    we drank from betrayal's bitter cup;

offered the feast of faith,

     we sat down at sin's groaning table.

You asked the prophets to remind us of promises made,

but we continued to embrace the pangs of hopelessness.

Then, because we are your own, you sent Jesus

to glorify you by saving us from ourselves.

Therefore, with those whose feet are covered with sin,

and those who hearts are gripped by fear,

we join the choirs of every time and place,

forever singing your praises:

Holy, holy, holy are you, foot-washing God.

We join heaven and earth in praising

            your holy name.

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who became a servant.

Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you, God of Redemption,

and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Servant, our Savior.

When the hour had come, he got up from grace's side,

took off his glory, tied humanity around his heart

          to cleanse us of our sins.

In the midst of his friends,

in the congregation of his enemies, 

he kept the promises made to you,

    to love us to the very end.

Our friend,

     he welcomed all;

our teacher,

     he modeled the life of obedience and faith;

our Redeemer,

     he endured the snares of death,

     that we might have life with you.

Every time we eat the bread, our brokenness is made whole;

every time we drink from the cup, we receive unceasing grace;

every time we come to the Table, we remember that mystery called faith:

In remembrance, we mourn Christ’s death;

In remembrance, we look to the Day

            of Resurrection;

In remembrance, we await his return to us.

Now that the hour is come,

send your Spirit upon the gifts

of the bread and the cup.

As you cradle the bread in your gentleness,

break it, give it to us, feed us with your compassion

     that we might be made whole

     and, in our healing,

          become servants to a shattered world.

As you take the cup,

mingle its juices with your tears of hope,

     so we might carry this gift

          to all who have lost everything.

And when there are no more hours to come,

when there is only eternal peace and life with you,

we will gather in that upper room called your heart,

serving our families and friends with grace,

receiving forgiveness from our enemies,

singing your joy, forever and ever,

God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

© Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy of the Passion for April 10, 2022

 Texts:  Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 22:14 – 23:56

Call to Worship

We begin the holiest of weeks this day,

seeking to discover God in the passion and grief.

Have grace on us, O God, as we listen

for words which will sustain our weariness.

We will be invited to sit at the Table,

where Jesus welcomes friends and followers.

Have grace on us, Brother of our tears,

as we struggle not to turn our backs on you.

As the days unfold, may we worry not so much

about ourselves, but for the One who stands by us.

Have grace on us, Spirit of comfort,

and hold us in every moment of this journey.

Prayer of the Day

By your grace,

God of every moment,

you sustain the weary

with words of hope,

you heal the brokenness

caused by silly choices.

By your grace,

Brother who stands

by us in every moment,

you choose passion

when you could have

remained in glory;

you go toe-to-toe

with death for us.

By your grace,

Spirit of peace,

you refuse to forget us

like so many around do,

you offer us strength

as we journey through these days.

By your grace,

God in Community, Holy in One,

we discover we can trust you in every moment,

and so we pray, saying

(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation

How weary we are from the foolish choices we make, how broken our lives become when we rely on pride, strength, bullying.  But, as we offer our prayers, God will remember us – our dreams, our hopes, as well as our failings, and will restore us to new life.  Let us join our voices together, as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

   Have mercy on us, God of betrayers and deniers.  We have run out of tears, weeping for ourselves, so have none for those damaged by life.  We forget those who are around us, as if they have died, rather than caring for them.  We argue about who is the wisest, strongest, greatest, and never notice those who serve with humility and grace.

   Yet we pray that you would remember us, God of the Passion, and pour out mercy on us.  May we commit our hearts into yours, so we may learn how to love as deeply as you.  May we commit our hands into yours, so we may be taught how to serve others with joy.  May we commit our spirits into yours, so we may be as trusting as Jesus, the One who was willing to believe the promises you made so long ago. 

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

Our tears are mingled with those of God; our sighs are held in the heart of grace; our emptiness is filled with hope and peace.

Hesitantly, hopefully, we will walk with Jesus to Jerusalem, and beyond.  For everything is done for us, and we bend our knees in praise and joy.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

As we offer our gifts, may we have the same mind as Christ, remembering those who have so little, thinking of all the ways we can serve, trusting completely in your love and grace, Holy God. We pray this in the name of our Brother, Jesus.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the God who gives us everything we need be with you.

May God be with you, so you lack nothing.

Let us empty ourselves of the shadows within.

May God fill our empty hearts with the light of love.

Trust in God in these moments, for God is with us.

We come to the One who saves us with love.

Like wheat, you sifted chaos,

God who helps in every moment,

and creation was formed from the emptiness:

   mornings which break bright and clear,

   gentle breezes that herald spring,

   soft rain which nourishes new life.

We were shaped in your image,

and you longed to serve us with your love,

   but we cried for you to release death

   so we might welcome it with open arms.

Time and again, you sent prophets,

women and men who sought

to heal our grief with words of hope,

to wipe the tears from our cheeks,

   yet we refused to listen to them,

   mocking their words and insulting them.

Then you chose to send your Child,

the One who would not let his faith fail him,

but would follow you all the way to death.

With those who desire to feast with you,

with those whose hearts are filled with nails,

we offer our thanksgiving to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God whose heart aches with grief.

All creation mingles its tears with yours this week.

Have grace on all who journey in the coming days.

Blessed is the One who stands by your through everything.

Have grace on all who seek to find peace in the coming days.

Daring to imagine new life for your children,

God of holiness and hope,

Jesus became one of us, made in your image.

He could have turned the corner

every time he saw us,

   but chose to greet us with open arms;

he could have forgotten us,

leaving us alone in our foolishness,

   but he remembered us in death, and in life;

he could have hardened his face

in judgment and punishment toward us,

   but he chose to endure the Passion,

   being mocked and beaten,

   being insulted and spat upon,

   being betrayed into death’s hands.

The powerful, the bullies of the world

forgot him after his death, but you

   raised him to new life

   and new hope for all.

Though we fear to follow, we will;

though we wonder how Jesus was obedient,

still we proclaim this mystery called faith:

In every moment, Jesus knew you were with him;

in the moment of death, Jesus committed himself to you;

in the moment of resurrection, you committed yourself to him;

in the moments to come, you will commit yourself to us.

It is here at this Table that we gather,

where our tears will be wiped,

our brokenness be made whole,

our weariness transformed into service,

as you pour the gift of your Spirit on us,

and the gifts of this feast.

The bread which is broken

becomes the strength which fills

our emptiness so we can be with those

   whose sighs are not heard through angry words,

   whose closest friends are grief,

   whose lives are mocked by the powerful.

The cup which overflows with grace

becomes the nourishment we need

   to join our voices with the voiceless,

   to gather little children who are lonely,

   to listen to the hearts of all the forgotten.

And when you bring us home

at the end of all time and history,

we will join our sisters and brothers

who have been remembered by you

in every place, every moment,

in serving you through all eternity,

God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending

Let us leave with silence as our companion,

so we may hear the whispers of all

who have been forgotten, except by God.

Let us leave with service as our teacher,

so we learn the art of compassion from Jesus,

to bring healing and hope to everyone we meet.

Let us leave with surprise as our guide,

so we may be open to the promises

the Spirit speaks in the moment of our utter grief and loss.

© Thom M. Shuman   

  

Liturgy of the Palms for April 10, 2022

 Texts: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 19:28-40

Call to Worship
Give thanks!
God’s love is constant and devoted to us.
Let us say over and over:
God’s hope is unfailing in caring for us.
Give thanks, O give thanks!
Justice is the gate God opens to all.
Let us say over and over:
God hears the cries of those who are forgotten.
Give thanks, O give thanks, people of God!
God comes to bring us new life.
Let us say this over and over:
God takes the stone tossed aside by us
to build the foundation of salvation.

Prayer of the Day
When we are so weary
we cannot seem to put
one foot in front of the other,
you take us by the hand,
Steadfast Love,
so we can join you
on a morning walk
to hear the songbirds.

When we would rather
stuff our ears with cotton
than listen to one more
whine, one more argument,
Word of hope for all,
you teach us how to listen
to the hearts which are ignored
by everyone, everywhere.

When we long to run away
from all the worries, the fears,
the insults flung in our faces,
Peace of the weary,
you model for us
how to be willing to care
for those who suffer injustices
which we cannot begin to imagine.

Steadfast Love, Word of hope, Spirit of peace,
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we lift our prayer to you,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation

Wearied by our poor choices, worn down by our foolish words, we struggle to be faithful followers of Jesus.  Yet, it is precisely in such moments that God comes, with that love which never gives up, that grace which is always offered freely to us.  So, let us come with our prayers, to the gate of God’s heart, so we may enter forgiveness and life anew.  Let us pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

   We are so busy thinking about ourselves, God of constant love, that we cannot begin to ponder what was in Jesus’ mind.  We shout for joy on a day like this, smiling as we wave our palms, yet quickly toss them aside as we go out into the world.  We harden our faces, not in discipleship, but to turn away those who come looking for help from us.

   Yet, because he was fully human like us, God of unfailing compassion, we too can be more like Jesus.  So, as we begin our journey through Holy Week and beyond, may we choose humility over pride, weakness over strength, compassion over bully, and seek to do whatever we are called to do, without any promise of reward.  We pray this in the name of our Teacher, Jesus.  Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

God dares us to think like Jesus, knowing that if we do, we will discover the gifts we can offer, the words of hope we can share, the grace we can use to bless those around us.

God hears our prayers, listens to our hearts, fills us with forgiveness, and walks with us in these moments and in all the ones to come.  Thanks be to God for such incredible mercy!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

We are pretty sure we have nothing to offer to others, but when we begin to think like Jesus, we see the blessings we have, those who need your grace, your hope, your love in their lives, and join in bringing need and grace together.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God who opens the gates of justice be with you.
May God be with you as well.
Let us empty ourselves of our pride and power,
so God can fill our hearts with humility.
Let us learn the songs of praise God would teach us,
so we rejoice in God’s steadfast love morning by morning.

You sent Word and Spirit to gather up chaos,
as they said, “God has need of it,”
as you transformed it into creation,
   colts to carry kings and servants,
   palms to sway in breezes and wave in hands,
   stones to be used as foundations for homes,
      as well as for kin-doms.
You shaped humanity in your image,
inviting us to enter through the gate of love,
   but we longed to be filled with power and privilege,
   and so blessed sin and death as they came to us.
Those women and men we call prophets
came morning to awaken us to your call
to be sustained by your love,
   yet we continued to give new names
   to the temptations which delighted us.
So, you sent Jesus to us,
not in power and wealth,
but as one who was simply a Teacher
of steadfast love and unfailing hope.

With those who put down their hearts in welcome,
with those who clutch doubts behind their backs,
we join in songs of praise:

Holy, holy, holy are you, Stonemason of salvation.
All creation joins in recognizing this moment of grace.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who is peace and glory for us.
Hosanna in the highest!

Setting aside privilege and power, Holy God,
your Child, our Brother, chose to be made
in our image, so we might see you face to face.
He could have bossed us around,
telling us what to do,
   but chose to teach us compassion
   because that was what was in his heart.
He could have turned his back on us,
or kept his earbuds lodged in tight,
   but chose to listen to our stories,
   to listen to our hearts breaking.
He could have hardened his face
in judgment for our foolish choices,
   but turned it towards what awaited him
   in that place where people would reject him,
   friends would betray and deny him,
   the powers would condemn him, and
   death would claim victory over him
until you raised him to resurrection life.

As we seek to follow in the coming days,
as we remember all he said and did,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

Jesus died, willing to suffer for others;
Jesus was raised, exalted by God for his faithfulness;
Jesus will come, so we may once again cry,
   ‘blessed is the One who comes in peace and glory!’

Here at this Table, the weary are sustained,
the broken are offered healing,
the ignored are welcomed as family,
and the simple gifts of the bread and cup
are transformed into the treasures of your heart
as you pour out your Spirit in these moments.
As the bread whose brokenness reminds us
of the One who was willing to suffer for all,
may we be reminded that the Lord needs us
   to worship with the outcast as well as the privileged,
   to work with the hopeless as well as the arrogant,
   in every place we can, we every word we speak.
As the cup of grace is offered to us, may we remember
the One emptied himself for those around him,
and that he needs us to do everything we are asked,
as we bend our knees to reach down
   to seek justice for the oppressed,
   to cradle the heart-broken
   to hear the stories of 80-year-olds
      who are reliving their childhoods.

And when we are gathered by the One
who will come in peace and glory
to bring us to the Table of grace,
we will sing of that name above all other names,
forever praising you for your steadfast love,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Now we will set aside our palm branches,
to go and serve at God’s side
in a broken and fearful world.
Now we will pick up our cloaks
and follow Jesus wherever he leads,
to learn from those the world ignores,
to be touched by the grace within them.
Now we will sing songs of wonder,
as we work alongside the Spirit,
sustaining the weary with peace and hope.

© Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for April 3, 2022 (Lent 5 - C)

Texts: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3b-14; John 12:1-8

Call to Worship

We come to this place
because we want to know God,
who helps us set aside the past,
to walk the path to new life.
We come in these moments
because we want to know Jesus,
who anoints us with the resurrection,
who shares our lives with us.
We come with these people
because we want to know the Spirit,
who shapes us for life with God,
so we may praise God forever!

Prayer of the Day
You have done great things
for us, God of great love.
You make a way through our brokenness,
so hope might be restored;
you loosen our grip on fear,
so we might take hold of the One
who cradles us in the palms of grace.

You are doing great things
through us, Brother of the poor.
You make a way through our doubt,
so we may have the faith to follow,
as well as to serve by your side;
you gather up our tears,
turning them into fountains of joy.

You will do great things
in us, Anointer of our hearts.
You make a way through
our hardened hearts, melting them
into rivers of wonder for all;
you touch our tongues so
they tingle with delights, and
laughter tumbles out of our mouths.

Continue to make a way through us,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we pray together, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
As we offer our prayers of confession, remember that God chooses to forget about our past, forgiving us so we may embrace the new life and new hope offered to us in grace.  I invite you to join me, as we pray together,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

   Like Judas, God of new things, we like to complain about your generous ways, rather than living in your grace.  The poor are always with us, we believe, which justifies our ignoring them.  In our memories, we see a perceived golden past, and so close our eyes to the new things you do in our midst.  We are so enamored with our achievements that we are not willing to throw them away in order to follow Jesus.
   Forgive us, Restoring God, and help us to notice the kingdom springing forth in our midst.  By your grace, may our fears turn to faith, our seeds of grief produce a bumper crop of joy, and our tears turn into torrents of tenderness as we journey with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, to Jerusalem.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Making a way through all the foolishness and mistakes of our lives, God leads us into new life, where we are restored to grace, to hope, and to peace.
Do we notice what God has done for us, what God is doing in us?  This is good news for everyone.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

If we want to know you, Generous God, we must see you in those all around us.  If we want to serve you, we must give up that which is most important to us, even our material resources, so that blessings of hope and life might be offered to the needy, the lonely, the hungry all around us.  Receive our gifts, we pray, so that others might be transformed even as we are.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the God of all new things be with you.
And also with you.
Let us offer our hearts to the One who restores us to new life.
May we empty them of all that holds us back,
so God may fill the emptiness with grace.
May our hearts overflow with praise to God.
May joy and laughter resound in our words and lives.

You made a path through the emptiness
of chaos, God of every imagination,
sending creation to spring forth as
   grass carpeted empty fields,
   trees stretched their branches to the sun,
   animals curled up by cool pools of water.
You even shaped us for life with you,
so we might share in this beauty and goodness,
   but we threw aside all these gifts
   in order to know sin and death.
You sent prophets to us,
who encouraged us to let go of the past
and to return to your side,
   but we didn’t care about their words,
   thinking such a life to be too costly.
So you sent Jesus to us,
setting aside your grieving heart
so we might be restored to you.

So with those who long to know you,
with those who run to be with you,
we offer our songs of thanksgiving:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of new things.
All creation honors you with praise and joy.
Hosanna in the highest!

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

Though you are holy, God of restoration,
you were willing to set aside all we had done,
so that Jesus might anoint us with new life.
He could have clung to his glory,
   but set it aside to become one of us;
he could have maintained all power,
   but became weak and foolish for us;
he could have been surrounded by your love,
   but walked into the forest of our fears,
   to make a way out for us;
he could have avoided pain and suffering,
   but went into sin’s cold embrace,
   to bring back death’s captives,
his tears sowing the seeds of hope
which brought forth a bouquet of grace.

As we long to want to know Jesus more,
as we seek to be restored to life by you,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:

Christ lost his life so we might find ours;
Christ was raised, his resurrection life springing forth in us;
Christ will come, that we might gain eternity with God.

We pray that you would anoint
this Table and its gifts of the bread and cup
with your Spirit of life and love,
which are offered to the people you love.
When we take the bread
which has been broken and eat of it,
   we forget about our past
   and embrace your kingdom
   where we share in the sufferings
   of our sisters and brothers everywhere.
When we drink from the cup,
the fragrance of your grace fills us
to go and serve your people:
   the poor who do not always need to be,
   the lonely who can be offered a family,
   the grieving who can be cradled in love.

And when the past is finally behind us
and we are gathered in the new Jerusalem
with our sisters and brothers of every time and place,
we will join our hands around your feast,
and sing your praises from the depths of our hearts,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
And now, God sends us out into our communities,
not to cling to a faded past,
but to share all the new things God is doing.
And now, Jesus calls us to notice those around us,
to shower them with hope,
to feed them from our deep pantries,
to welcome them as family.
And now, the Spirit anoints us with grace,
to make a way through the injustices around us
so we might walk with our sisters and brothers
into the kingdom springing forth in our midst.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for March 27, 2022 (Lent 4 - C)

 Texts: Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Call to Worship
Do you feel it? God's kingdom is beneath our feet.
We live in the new creation shaped by God out of our brokenness.
Do you know it? God's reconciling love in Christ
has shattered our ways of viewing people.
No longer do we label our sisters and brothers,
we welcome them with open arms.
Do you believe it? God has made everything, including us, new,
and sends us forth to share this good news with everyone!

Prayer of the Day
Holy God, Word Shaper:
you are not our accountant,
     but our lover;
you are not angry at us,
     but you forgive us;
you are not our enemy,
     but the One who runs towards us
     with wide open arms,
throwing steaks on the grill
to celebrate our newness!

Jesus Christ, Shaper of our story:
you travel to that distant country called our sin
     to bring us home once again;
you share your inheritance with us
     so we might be blessed;
you know the famine of our spirits
     and fill it with your hope.

Holy Spirit, Life Shaper:
surrounded by your grace,
     we offer glad cries of salvation;
encircled by your constant love,
     we shout for joy;
enclosed in your comforting arms,
     nothing can overwhelm us.

God in Community, Holy in One,
from now on we will remember our life in you,
even as we pray as Jesus taught us,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We know our faults -- the way we have treated others, our alienation from God, our unwillingness to be faithful people. We will not hide our sin or remain silent, but confess them to the One who surrounds us with steadfast love. Please join me as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   On this very day, Waiting God, we admit all the lengths to which we go so we might avoid you. You offer us that kingdom of joy and wonder, yet we would hide in places where temptation waits. You invite us to feast on your grace and peace, but we stubbornly refuse, because you also welcome those we call 'outsiders.' We are quick to see all the mistakes that those around us make, but hope you will ignore our foolish choices.
   Celebrating God, before we come to our senses, we find you running towards us, sweeping us up in your arms, tears of grace mingling with our cries of confession, a mighty river washing away our sinful ways to restore us to new life.  In Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we find no limitations on your grace, no reservations about your love, but a feast that overflows with wonder, a place we can finally call home.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
God rolls away everything that stands in our way - our past, our sin, our pain, our hesitation, and reshapes us into new people living in the new creation. What wonderful grace. We are forgiven!
Broken, we are made whole;
lost, we are brought home;
empty, we are filled with songs of gladness.
We rejoice and give thanks to God who has graced us with mercy. Amen.

 Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May we not be like the older brother, grumbling and resentful of your generosity.  Rather, with joy and hope, we offer our gifts that others might be swept up in your loving and gracious arms.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May Abba our God be with you!
And also with you!
Lift your hearts to the One who welcomes us home.
We open them to our God, who runs to embrace us with grace.
Sing glad songs to the One who provides this feast.
We join in singing to God, who throws a party for us in this place.

On those days you called creation
from the hiding places of your imagination,
     mighty rivers rushed down to the seas,
     a rainbow of produce sprang up in fields,
     day and night rippled with your beauty.
All this was from you, God of Wonder,
gifts for those created in your image.
But we demanded our share,
     traveling to that far country called death,
     squandering everything in sin's hidden shadows.
Longing for us to come home,
you sent the prophets to surround us
with glad songs of deliverance,
     but we regarded their words as empty husks,
     continuing to waste away all our days.
So you sent Jesus, your Son,
to lead us back from the dead
so we might celebrate your life.With all the prodigals as well as the pious,
with all the saints as well as the sinners,
with all the faithful, we sing to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God who reconciles us to yourself.
All creation is glad and rejoices.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who finds the lost and guides them home.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of prodigals,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, in whom there is no deceit.
Coming to that far country we call life,
     he shared the gifts of grace and peace;
telling us stories of families reunited,
     he points us to you sitting by the kingdom's window;
seeing us green-eyed with jealousy,
     he hands us the glasses of reconciliation
          so we might see others in a new way;
going to the cross and dying,
     he comes to life in joy,
          surrounded by your glad cries of resurrection.

As we remember how he welcomed those we overlook,
as we celebrate at the feast which is offered in his name,
we would reflect on that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, to be our salvation;
Christ was raised, to be our reconciliation;
Christ will return, to lead us home.

On this day, Parenting God,
pour out your Spirit
on the gifts of the bread and the cup,
the celebration of our new life with you.
In this feast you provide,
     we find the healing we hunger for
     in the bread which is broken for us.
At this table of peace and joy,
in the deep richness of grace's cup,
we receive new sight,
so we can see our sisters and brothers in a new way,
not strangers,
     but siblings,
not outsiders,
     but members of the family.

And on the very day when all time will end,
we will gather with your family around your table,
our voices singing through all eternity glad songs to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
God sends us forth,
to be reconcilers of the broken and oppressed.
Jesus, our Brother, sends us to welcome everyone.
We will embrace the prodigals with joy,
we will make a feast for all of God’s people.
The Spirit sends us with arms full of healing.
We will go to bring hope to all we meet.

(c) Thom M. Shuman