Liturgy w/communion for February 1, 2026 (Epiphany 4 - A)

  Texts: Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12

Call to Worship
When we seek justice for the other,
when we love kindness more than ever,
we live as God asks us to live.
When we walk humbly through life,
when we offer mercy to those who hurt us,
we are the blessing God hopes we will be.
When we are willing to look foolish by following Jesus,
when we choose weakness rather than power,
we reflect the One who is in our midst.

Prayer of the Day
In the intricacies
of a spider's web,
   an OS designer is
   put to shame.
In the songs
of a meadowlark,
   talk show hosts are
   stunned to silence.
In the practical joke
played on Easter,
         death
   is knocked off its
         lofty perch.
In the foolishness of your salvation,
God of tenderness,
you bring us new life.

In your execution
as a common criminal,
   rather than dying
   as a hero;
in sticking your foot out
to trip the wise,
   so the unaware can go
   to the front of the line;
in sharing your kingdom
with the outsiders,
   while the boasters
   fall strangely silent,
your foolishness in becoming human,
Servant of the Blesseds,
transforms our lives.

In those words
which offer hope
   to the despairing,
in the quiet whispers
which fill the emptiness
   of all who yearn for
   righteousness,
in the gentle songs
which can comfort
   those whose hearts
   overflow with grief,
you are foolish enough
to teach us to speak,
Wisdom of God's Heart,
not with sophisticated logic,
but the simple language of
            grace.

Continue to call us to foolishness,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as we are taught,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
If we want to truly live in God's presence, we must live as God's faithful people.  Let us begin by
confessing all the mistakes we have made, the wrongs we have done, the people we have hurt. Join me as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     What have we done to you, dear God?  We dishonor you every time we treat another with disrespect.  We shatter your heart when we find it easier to break our word, then to take the risk to keep it.  We fill your ears with the gossip, lies, and slander we speak about those around us.
     You are wise enough to forgive our foolishness;
     you are strong enough to overcome our weakness;
     you are loving enough to heal the hurt we cause to you and to others.  And so you give us new hope and new life in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace
What has God done to us - shown mercy!  What has God done for us - forgiven us!  This is the good news for us.
We will not boast, for it is not our doing.  We will give thanks to God for such grace and hope. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May we always be foolish enough to offer our gifts to you, Generous God, for you use them to bring justice to the oppressed, to bring laughter to those who mourn, and to offer wonder to little children.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of foolishness be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, open your hearts.
We offer them to the God who transforms us.
Join in singing praises to our God.
With joy and wonder, we lift our voices.

You were foolish enough
to overcome chaos, Wise God,
   speaking to hills blanketed with snow,
   pleading your hopes before the mountains,
   spinning planets into the night sky -
creating all that is wonderful,
including us, people shaped in your image.
But we thought we knew better than you,
   running after death's false wisdom,
   chasing sin's silly teachings.
Miriam and Moses, Hannah and Micah
were among those your sent
to call us back to your heart,
   but we boasted of our exploits,
   drowning out their impassioned pleas.
So you sent Jesus to us,
the source of our life and hopes.

With those who wonder what to offer,
with all who seek to worship you,
we sing songs of praise to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God of the Blesseds.
All creation rejoices in your saving acts.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One whose weakness is our strength.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holiness is your nature, God of our lives,
and Jesus Christ is your gift of salvation.
Foolishness enough to become one of us,
   his wisdom filled every word,
                                 every action.
He left your side in glory,
   so we might realize we could build
   our lives in your neighborhood.
Weakened by dying on the cross,
   he went into the grave,
   your resurrecting love strengthening him
   to defeat the power of sin and death.

As we seek to comprehend his life,
as we are transformed by his grace,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, humbling himself on the cross;
Christ was raised, filled with your righteousness;
Christ will come, so we may inherit your kingdom.

Here around the Table,
with our sisters and brothers beside us,
your Spirit comes, foolishly transforming
simple, everyday elements into sacred gifts.
We eat the Bread which is broken,
   so we can serve your children,
   refusing to harm neighbor or stranger,
   seeking to treat others fairly.
We drink from the Cup which is blessed,
   so we may be foolish enough
   to comfort all who mourn,
   to believe that peace can be a reality.

And when all human wisdom
is supplanted by the foolishness
of eternal life with you in your kingdom,
we will join with those of every time and place
in singing your glorious praise,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
We have been nourished by God's grace and hope,
and so we will go to those who hunger for justice,
as well as to those who thirst for reconciliation.
We are called to follow the One who is weak and powerless,
and so we will bring healing to the broken among us,
as well as comfort to those who grieve in every moment.
We learn what is right and good from the Holy Spirit,
and so we will go as fools to be blessings to the wise,
as well as to do not what is easy, but what is difficult.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for January 25, 2026 (Epiphany 3 - A)

 Texts: Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, 4-9; 1st Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23

Call to Worship
Come out of the shadows and into God's light!
We will not play hide and seek,
but will make a pilgrimage to God's heart.
Lay down all which is a burden to you!
We will give our fears to God,
who is our help in every moment.
Follow the One who will lead you to new life!
We long to live in God's presence
every day of our lives.

Prayer of the Day
Your heart is the shelter
     for our weary souls.
You will not push us away,
     but clasp us tight in your embrace.
You refuse to abandon us,
     standing by our side all our lives.
Time Reaper,
you are our Hope!

When others try to tear us apart,
     you pick up the pieces,
     making us whole.
When we wonder what
the day might bring,
     you whisper, 'follow me,
     I will make you
          readers to little children,
          bandagers of bruised hearts,
          lovers of the forsaken,
          pilgrims who show the way
                    to others.'
Time Shaker,
you are our Dawn.

You appeal to us
to set aside all that divides us,
     so we might be one.
You send us to proclaim good news,
not with silver-tongued sophistication
     but with simple words:
          justice
          hope
          grace
          love
     which bring light to the shadows.
Time Keeper,
you are our Joy.

From the former times to the latter,
we lift our prayers to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we offer the words Jesus taught us,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
If we come to God with open hearts and honest words, we will not be pushed away, but wrapped in God's loving and forgiving embrace.  I invite you to join me as we confess our lives to God, praying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     We admit, God our Light, that we do indeed try to tear Christ apart - a piece of him here to support our politics, a part of him to undergird our economic views, the rest of him to bolster our fears of others.  We could leave immediately to follow him, but need to wait until we see where he might lead us.  We want you to look upon us with favor always, but have no trouble turning our backs on those around us.
     Hear us, God our Deliverer, as we speak of our failures!  Have mercy on us, we appeal to you, have mercy!  May your love become the core of our hearts, may your compassion become the words we speak, may your hope illuminate the ways in which we serve others, even as we seek to follow the One who calls us to new life, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace
God is our help, so why should we be afraid?
God keeps us safe, there is nothing to dread!
This is good news for all of us.
Sheltered in God's gracious heart of mercy
and love, we raise shouts of joy: thanks be
to God, we are forgiven!  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
Use our gifts, Loving God, so others might not be scared by life; so they may be sheltered in the blanket of your grace; so they might find a home with us as their family.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of all time be with you!
And also with you!
God asks one thing, that we offer our hearts.
We lift them to the One who does not abandon us.
Do not turn your backs upon the One who loves you.
We will join in glad songs of joy and wonder to our God.

In that former time, you brought
into creation all that existed
in your imagination, Dawn of Life.
The sun, moon, and stars
     illumined the shadows of chaos;
melting snow trickled into creeks
     which joined together to rush
     to the seas;
every living thing multiplied in wonder,
     increasing your joy.
You did this for us, those
shaped in your image and heart,
     but when we heard sin calling,
     we immediately left your side,
          following down death's dusty road.
Longing for us to return to you,
you sent the prophets to us,
proclaiming the hopes of your heart.
     Yet we did not listen,
     letting evil continue to tear us apart.
Then you sent Jesus to us,
proclaiming that your kingdom had come.

With those who are of the same mind,
with those who long for your presence,
we sing our songs of thanksgiving:

Holy, holy, holy are you, Keeper of our hearts.
All creation joins in shouts of joy to you.
Hosanna in the highest!

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

You are holy, Shelter of our lives,
and Jesus Christ is your blessed Child of grace.
When he heard your call,
     he immediately left glory's side,
     to make a pilgrimage to our lives.
When he could have played
hide and seek with us,
     he revealed himself as
     the Dawn of our salvation.
When he could have abandoned
us to the yoke of sin and death,
     he took it from our shoulders,
     breaking it over his knees,
     shaping it into the cross where
          he broke their power forever,
as he calls us to follow him
into resurrection's new light.

As we seek not to divide Christ,
as we long to have the same mind,
we proclaim the gospel which is often a mystery:

Christ died, taking our sins upon him;
Christ was raised, casting off the yoke of death;
Christ will come, so we may live in your presence forever.

We appeal to you, God of our lives,
to send your Spirit upon us,
and upon the gifts of the Table.
As we eat of the bread,
we ask but one thing,
     that we might go forth
     to proclaim your kingdom with our lives.
As we drink from the cup,
we would make a pilgrimage
     to the broken of the world,
     so they would know they
     have not been abandoned by us,
          or by you.

And when the last moments come,
and we are gathered around
that great feast of the Lamb,
our hearts will rejoice in you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Let us take God's light into the world.
We will go to join others in pilgrimage of trust.
Let us go to gather the burdens of others.
We will take away their fears and offer them to Jesus,
who helps everyone in every moment.
Let us go to live in the Spirit's presence.
We will follow the Spirit into the peace
which is offered to all of God's people.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for January 18, 2026 (Epiphany/Ordinary 2-A)

  Texts:  Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-11; 1st Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42

Call to Worship
We wait patiently for our God.
We will sing, we will sing new songs
of the One who calls us here.
We will not chase after other gods.
We will sing, we will sing new songs
of the One in whom we can trust.
We will tell of all God has done for us.
We will sing, we will sing new songs
of the One whose salvation is for all.

Prayer of the Day
There is none like you,
God of infinite patience.
You promise to listen to us,
     always.
You speak more words
     of hope and grace
and offer more acts
     of mercy and hope
then we can count
on the fingers and toes
of every person who ever lived.

There is none like you,
Shaper of servants.
Gathering up all the words
     we should never have spoken,
  you rearrange them into
     stories of peace and reconciliation.
Sweeping up the messes
      we leave littered behind us,
   you recycle them into gifts
      which soften the hardest hearts.

There is none like you,
Ever-listening Spirit.
You gather up all our cousins
      scattered throughout the earth,
   bringing us to the Table of life.
You point the way to Jesus
      when we have lost sight of him
   on the fog-filled days of our souls.

There is none like you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and our hearts will sing new songs
even as we pray, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
It is clear that God wants to hear our prayers and forgive us, for God is willing to lean close to our hearts to listen to our failures, our poor choices, all the things we have done wrong.  Please join me, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   You are faithful, Patient God, even as we continue to live in the shadows of life.  We could delight in your hopes for us, but choose to do things our way.  We could serve the most vulnerable around us, but long to pal around with the powerful.  We could share the glad news of deliverance, but prefer to swap stories and gossip.
   There is none like you, Redeemer of all your children.  You lean over to listen to our prayers, and whisper forgiveness to our souls. You lift us out of the holes we dig for ourselves, and set us on hope's solid ground.  You strengthen our weak faith with the life, grace, and love of Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace
Come, dear friends and receive God's grace; see all the God is doing for you; follow Jesus, as he leads you closer to God.
I will sing of God's love for me;
I will sing a new song of hope and wonder.
Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May these gifts we offer, God of new ways, bring comfort to those who grieve; hope to those who live on the streets of despair; peace to all the broken places; and grace to all who long to draw closer to you.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of patience be with you.
And also with you.
Offer your hearts to the One who waits for you.
We open them to God, who is our Life.
Come and sing new songs to our God.
We will praise the One who dwells in our hearts.

You saw the emptiness of chaos,
God of before-time,
and so the Spirit and Word came
bearing the gifts of creation:
   coastlands lapped by ocean waves;
   goats playing king of the mountains;
   children laughing in summer showers.
You shaped us in your image, hoping
we would see you wonders,
and stand up to walk with you.
     But we chose to follow
     those false gods, sin and death.
Women and men came trying
to call your children back home,
     but we would not listen to them.
Then you sent Jesus to us,
the Faithful One pointing
out the way for us.

Together with all around us,
with those in every place, from every time,
we will sing our songs to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, Redeemer of all.
Creation joins in praising your name.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who invites us to 'come and see.'
Hosanna in the highest!

You are the Holy One of all time,
and Jesus is the Lamb who takes
     away the sins of the world.
He would not remain in glory,
     but came to gather us up
     and bring us home to you.
He would not hoard,
     but poured out your grace
     on everyone he met.
He would not remain silent,
     but told us of your kingdom
     in our midst.
Despised by evil, abhorred by death,
     he defeated their power
     by dying on the cross and
     being raised to new life for us.

Called to be faithful as he was,
sanctified by his grace and love,
we sing a new song of the mystery called faith:

Christ died, blameless in God's eyes;
Christ was raised, honored in God's sight;
Christ will return, so we will be seen as without fault.

Here your children are gathered, where
the gifts of the Table are offered for all.
Here  you bring us together
from every place on earth,
where the Spirit transforms
simple gifts into sacred us.
Here where the bread is broken,
     we are strengthened to go
     and bring the good news to all.
Here where salvation is poured out,
     we are called into fellowship
     with those despised by the world,
     with those who live in the shadows,
     with those who long for someone
          to listen to their pain.

And when you have brought all time to an end,
when you gather your children home,
seating us around the great Feast of the Lamb,
we will sing that new, new song of praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

Sending
Having learned new words from our God,
we will go to warm others in the bleak midwinter of life,
to whisper to them of grace and hope.
Having learned new ways to serve from Jesus,
we will go to clear paths for those lost in oppression,
to wait with those in hospital rooms and job lines.
Having learned new songs from the Spirit,
we will go to sing of peace in all the broken places,
to light the way out of the shadows of injustice.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for January 11, 2026 (Baptism of the Lord - A)

Texts: Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17

Call to Worship
Come to the waters, beloved—
where Spirit moved over at creation,
where Jesus was immersed in justice,
where God leaned close to us.
We splash in the river of God’s joy.
Come to the waters, beloved—
where God’s voice thunders,
where God whispers kindness.
We watch as Jesus steps
into the muddy mess of our lives.
Come to the waters, beloved—
where the Spirit gifts us so
we can stand side by side
with the broken and forgotten.
We come because we are indeed
God’s beloved children.

Prayer of the Day
In the beginning,
you whispered for light
to glow in the chaos,
in the blessing,
you spoke justice into
all the places of hopelessness,
into the deep water
of our lives, God of Imagination,
you sang grace.

as he stepped into the Jordan
you called Jesus your beloved,
filling him with hope
frightened people needed,
sustaining him with courage
to walk the dusty road to death,
resting your life on his shoulders
like the gentle touch of a dove.

as we gather to remember
those waters which touched us
with your grace, love, life,
we pray you will continue
to pour the Spirit’s peace
and passion into our lives.

God in Community, Holy in One,
silence those whispers which
tell us that we are not enough,
cleanse us of our dusty worries,
send us out as servants of the Beloved—
carrying the good news,
setting people free,
shining your light
into the corners of the world,
even as we pray as we have been taught
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
We cannot be reminded enough that God claims us as beloved children even before we are perfect people. As we remember our baptisms, let us confess those foolish choices which keep us from jumping feet first into that river of grace, where God meets us in the waters of life.

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
   We know we prefer to stand on the shore, gentle God, scared to run barefoot into the waters of faith. We take small sips of the living water of grace you offer but go on binges with the mixed drinks of anger and fear. We have trouble seeing some neighbors, much less strangers, as your beloved and believe our privilege means all are as comfortable as we are.
   As we draw near to the waters of baptism, God of grace, have mercy on us. Whenever we forget who we are, send us to serve the vulnerable. Whenever we forget what we are, challenge us to be more gracious and just. Whenever we forget whose we are, wash us again in that forgiveness deeper than our shallow lives, and fill us with new life in Christ. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Grace
This is our good news, friends. The Spirit descends upon us, the heavens open, and God speaks – not with judgment, punishment, or condemnation, but with joy, grace, hope, love.
We are God’s beloved children – forgiven, claimed, named, baptized. Thanks be to God. Amen!

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
As a river carries life to land, take our gifts and carry them into the world, God of waters. There, may they set people free, open closed eyes and clenched fists, proclaim faith instead of fear, share peace instead of platitudes. This we pray in the name of the Beloved. Amen.

Affirmation
God is the creator of wind
which stirs us to compassion
and the mover of wind
which carries God’s cries for justice
into every corner of creation.

Jesus is the Beloved
who stepped out of Glory
into the water of baptism,
who muddied his feet
walking the dusty road to death,
who was raised to make us new.

The Spirit still comes,
resting upon us like a dove,
transforming our ordinary lives
into gifts of peace and reconciliation,
sending us into a broken world
to bring healing and hope.

God in Community, Holy in One,
you are our faith, our hope,
our life, our love.
This we believe. Amen.

The Sacrament of Communion

Invitation to the Table
You do not need to be worthy
to be fed at this Table,
only hungry.
you do not need to be perfect
to drink from the cup of grace,
only thirsty.
for here at this Table,
heaven opens
the Spirit descends to bless
the bread and the cup
and all who are here,
and Jesus meets us
with open arms,
just as he met us
in the waters of baptism.

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May you be showered with grace.
May the Creator of water be with you.
Come, dare to step into the waters of life.
Like little children, we laugh with joy
as we run into the waters of baptism.
Let us sing songs of wonder at this Table.
May the waters teach us songs of thanksgiving.

You soaked that desert called chaos,
God of wonder and work,
with waters of life and grace
droplets of rain cupped in flowers,
rivers which teemed with fish,
oceans where dolphins whistled
and whales leaped to touch the sky.
Your Spirit moved upon all these waters,
your spoken Word caused mountains to tremble,
your love longed to hold us forever.
Though created in your image,
we chose lives dehydrated from grace,
we thought we could grow planted
deep in the barren soil of temptation.
You continued to send prophets to us,
men and women who showed us the way,
but we continued to stand on the shore
watching living water flow by.
When hope seemed in short supply,
when just seemed all but lost,
you sent your Child to us,
to lead us to the waters of baptism.

So, with the dove and open skies
with dunkers, immersers, and sprinklers,
we sing your praises:

Holy are you, God of living waters.
All creation drinks from your grace
and offers thanksgiving to you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who stepped
into the waters of the Jordan.
Hosanna in the highest!

Glory could have stayed on the shore
but stepped into the waters muddied
from the dirt of our foolish lives.
Grace could have watched from a distance,
but dove headfirst to pull us out
of the deep end of our mistakes.
Love could have turned around
and headed back home,
but allowed the riptide of fear
to pull it under the surface of hate.
Jesus could have been left
in the arctic like waters of death,
but Love jumped in, breathing
resurrection into his lungs,
as the heavens opened
and all creation rejoiced.

As we remember the life, death, and resurrection,
as we renew those promises of our baptism
we speak of that faith which is such a mystery:

Jesus died, stepping into the cold waters of death.
Jesus was raised, the heavens opening,
a voice whispering, ‘my Beloved.’
Jesus will come, calling us to rest
in the waters of life which never evaporate.

Just like moving over creation’s waters,
may the Spirit move over the Table,
transforming the ordinary into sacred,
calling everyday people God’s beloved.
As we eat of this bread,
may we hear the voices
of the marginalized,
of the forgotten,
of the lonely and grieving.
As we drink from the cup,
may the dove of peace rest on us,
so we will work for justice,
so we will challenge cruelty,
so we will stand up to bullies.

And when all time ends
and the waters of life carry us to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
we will join with our siblings
singing your praises forever. Amen.

Sending
The heavens have opened
and we have heard God’s voice.
Let us go to speak up for all
whom the world ignores.
We have stood in the waters of baptism
gathered into the welcoming arms of Jesus.
Let us go to embrace everyone who finds
the doors of hope, justice, life
slammed in their faces.
We have felt the touch of the Spirit
resting upon us like a gentle dove.
Let us go to be light in the shadows
cast by the privileged and powerful,
and bring peace to the broken places.

© 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for Day of Epiphany - A

   Texts: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12

Call to Worship
We gather wondering,
'Where will we find the Babe
born in Bethlehem?'
We will find the Babe
     in the laughter of children,
     in the wisdom of grandparents.
We gather asking,
'where will we find
the Child of Christmas?'
We will find the Child
     where the needy are gifted with hope,
     where the oppressed are set free.
We gather wanting to know,
'where will we find the Christ
who has come for us?'
We will find our Hope
     where fear is overwhelmed by grace,
     where hatred is overwhelmed by love,
     where all people are overwhelmed by joy.

Prayer of the Day
We have heard
of your grace,
Shaper of stars;
from those set free
     from injustice;
from our children
     who whisper of your joy;
from greeters
     of dawn's fresh start;
from late risers
     who listen to the stories
     of the needy.

We have heard
of your Light,
Bright Star of the morning:
which can illumine
     the shadows of our lives;
which can show
     the path to God's heart;
which can point the way
     to where we become
     servants of the gospel.

We have heard
of your promised peace,
Wisdom's Radiance:
that peace
     which can end war,
     as well as heal our hearts;
that peace
     which can conquer our fears,
     and flood us with faith;
that peace      which can enter our lives
     and overwhelm us with hope.

We have heard of you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and will proclaim your glory to all,
even as we pray, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Why do we huddle in the shadowed corners of life, rather than running to the Light of life? Why do we love the wrong we do rather than grasping the good news offered to us? As we struggle with such questions, let us speak to God of all we have failed to do, seeking hope and grace as we pray,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
     We search for your light, Star Caster, but too often end up settling for the dimness of temptation. Our motives for seeking to find Christ are not always pure, for we expect him to fulfill our desires, rather than your hopes for us. We want the gifts of wealth, health, success, fulfillment, rather than those of servanthood, of compassion, of peace.      Forgive us, Shaper of our lives, that we are so foolish to put our needs ahead of your grace. Help us to be like those wise people of so long ago, who found hope, instead of a destination; who found grace, instead of gratitude; who found salvation, instead of a sign. As we journey with your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, fill us with the light of your joy and love.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Up, on your feet! Grace has been poured into our hearts, love has flooded our souls, the light of hope shines in us.
This is the light which has come to all, the light we will carry and give to everyone we meet. Thanks be to God.  Amen.

 
Prayer of Dedication/Offering
May the gifts we offer bring food to the hungry, healing to the broken, community to the lonely, and hope to those who live in the shadows of our time.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
People of Advent: the Lord be with you!
And also with you!
People of Christmas, lift up your hearts.
We lift our hearts overwhelmed with grace to the One who was born for us.
People of the Star, offer your songs of joy and thanksgiving to God.
We will sing our praises to the One
who has revealed glory and hope in the Babe of Bethlehem.

In that first moment, you spoke,
Radiant God,
     and the light of creation
     dispelled the thick darkness of chaos.
You whispered,
     and your glory filled the skies.
You sang,
     and the dust of the earth
     was shaped into your image,
as you breathed life into us.
We could have lived
in grace and peace with you
     for as long as the sun endures,
     for as long as the moon hangs in the night sky.
But we were tempted
by the sweet taste of sin,
     and overwhelmed with temptation's
      wealth of cheap gifts and thrills.
The prophets were sent
to tell of your gifts of joy and peace,
but we listened to the world's news
of success, power, achievement.
Finally, in that dark time of despair,
you sent Jesus,
your servant of salvation.

Therefore, we will join our voices
with the wise ones, as well as the foolish,
of every time and place
who forever sing of your grace:

Holy, holy, holy, God of bright dawns!
All creation renders tributes of praise to you.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who saves the lives of the needy.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of redemption,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Overwhelmed with compassion,
he left the glory of heaven,
     to become a prisoner of sin,
          so we could be set free.
Overwhelmed with hope,
he entered death's house,
     to break its dark power forever.
Overwhelmed with love,
     he travelled another road,
     walking to Calvary,
          so we might run with joy
          into your waiting arms.

So, as we remember his birth,
as we prepare to journey with him this year,
we speak of that mystery called faith,
which is revealed to us through Christ:

Christ came, the morning star of love;
Christ died, the night star of salvation;
Christ arose, the radiant star of resurrection;
Christ will come again, the constellation of hope.

Holy One of stars and sinners,
send down your Spirit of hope
upon those gathered around this Table,
and on the gifts of the bread and the cup,
that they might make us 
your faithful and loving children.
Feed us with the bread of hope,
so when we leave,
we will travel another road,
     to defend the weak,
     to speak for the voiceless,
     to assist those cast aside.
Refresh us with the sweet nectar of grace,
so we, overwhelmed with joy,
would go forth
     to enter the houses
          of the strangers in our midst;
     to enter the despair
          of the lonely and forgotten;
     to enter the hearts
          of everyone we meet.

And when eternity's time begins
and we are gathered around your Table,
with friends and family we loved,
with those we ignored and mistreated,
with all our sisters and brothers of grace,
we will lift our songs of glad joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
Now, God sends us out by a different road.
So we may find those who have been left by the side of the world.
Now, Jesus walks with us down a different road.
So we may serve those who are lonely and frightened.
Now, the Spirit illumines a different road.
So we may take our sisters and brothers by the hand
to walk in wonder and grace.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Liturgy w/communion for January 4, 2026 (Second Sunday after Christmas - A)

 Texts:  Jeremiah 31: 7-14; Psalm 147:12-20; Ephesians 1:3-14; John 1:1-18

Call to Worship
On this day, we remember the gift of God's Word,
who gathers us together from the farthest parts of the world
to worship in joy and hope.
On this day, we remember the simple graces of the bread and the cup,
those plain gifts shaped by God's love into nourishing hope.
On this day, we remember the gifts of water and oil,
cleansing us in the baptismal pools, anointing us as God's children.

Prayer of the Day
You could let us continue to shuffle
through the world's deserts,
God of Christmas,
     but you choose to walk with us
     beside the rivers of life.
You could forget who we are,
     but you adopt us into your family,
     your children of hope and joy.
You could decide we are not worth all the love
or all the agony of caring,
     but your redeem us and make us whole.
Blessed are you!

It was only the other day
the angels were singing of your birth,
Tiny One of Bethlehem,
and now, here you are,
running swiftly toward us:
     to melt our frozen faith,
     to comfort us in our loneliness,
     to lead us into life in your kingdom.
Blessed are you!

At the edge of a new year,
we wonder what life will be life,
and what do you do,
Gathering Spirit?
     You water our parched souls with laughter;
     you teach dance steps to those
          too weary to tap their toes;
     you fill our emptiness
          with overflowing gladness!
Blessed are you!

Blessed are we,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we lift the prayer Jesus has taught us, saying,
(The Lord's Prayer)

Call to Reconciliation
Have we really been to Bethlehem? Have we worshiped at the manger? Have we changed, for the better? Or have we simply gone back to being the people we were before the joy, the peace, the gifts of Christmas? Let us confess how we have not lived as those who have seen the Baby, as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness
God of Christmas:
we still are playing with our new toys,
     the creche figures have not been put away;
we have the stacks of Christmas cards,
     but we memorize the words sin has taught us;
we set limits on who we will love,
     we make promises we cannot keep,
we fail to see the pain and hurt we cause.

God of the angels and shepherds, forgive us.
     Your Word has come to reshape our lives;
     your Light has come to show us the way home;
     your Son has come to make us your family.
Have mercy and make us new people. This we pray
in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Like the Baby of Bethlehem, we are born anew. God's forgiveness cradles us; God's love is poured out on us.
What a marvelous gift - forgiveness! Filled with hope and new life, we can sing God's praises forever. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering
Blessed are we, O God, for you came to be with us, to walk with us, and to share our lives.  As we offer our gifts to you, may we be willing to share in the lives of those around us, to share in their journeys, and to be your presence and spirit in their lives.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of newness be with you.
And also with you.
People of Christmas, offer your hearts to God.
We lift them to the One who comes,
new hope and life cradled in loving hands.
People of the Holy One of Bethlehem, sing glad praises to our God.
We come, for we have received the good news,
we have believed the Word, we are given joyful songs to sing.

When chaos thought there was no end,
you began, Fullness of all time.
Your Word ran sprints through creation,
     scattering the seeds which sprang forth
     into fruit, flowers, mountains and molehills.
Your Spirit sang songs of wonder and hope,
     that Breath which gave your children life.
We were as close to your heart
as the blood which flows through ours,
but the soft, insistent whispers of sin
grew louder and louder in our ears,
     and we ran off, letting the shadows
     of seduction overwhelm us.
Time and again, every time you could,
you sent your messengers to us,
crying out in love and hope, 'return!'
     but we did not recognize them
     nor listen to their words.
So turning to the angels,
you said, 'Watch!' as you
sent Jesus to bring us home to you.

So, with those in every place,
and with those from every time,
we join our voices, singing to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God of every blessing.
All creation lavishes praise on you.
Hosanna in the highest!

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

You could have kept us scattered
to the limits of loneliness, God of Wonder,
but you sent Jesus, your Glory,
to become the Gatherer of those
who had wandered far from you.
Peering into the shadows of our lives,
     he is the Light which overcomes
     all our fears, our doubts, our worries.
Speaking into the hollows of our hearts,
     he is the Word who teaches us
     new songs of gratitude and awe.
Gathering the cross into his arms,
     he is the Deliverer who breaks
     sin's death grip on us,
          walking with us by the brooks of water,
           into the kingdom of life eternal.

As we begin this year with hope,
we remember his promise to be with us always,
even as we tell of that mystery we call faith:

At the beginning of time, Christ was the Word of creation;
at the right time, Christ was the Word of redemption;
at the end of time, Christ will be the Word who brings us home.

And in this time, in this place,
with these people, we come to your Table,
     Gatherer of your children.
The simple gifts we take for granted,
the bread which has been a staple of life,
the cup which refreshes us when we thirst,
     you transform into imaginative grace,
     the Meal which is blessed by the presence
     of your Spirit of power and peace.
You bring us from every point on the compass -
     young and old, the mother with her son,
     the grandfather balancing the girl on his knee,
     those who run circles around us,
     and those who point the way with their canes -
welcoming that great parade of your children
who come with outstretched hearts
to receive every blessing imaginable.

And when our beginning has come to your fullness,
when we come, our faces glowing with wonder,
our voices ringing with the songs of freedom,
we will gather around your Table in heaven,
comfort and gladness our eternal inheritance from you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Sending
Go forth now, with God's Word echoing in your hearts.
We will go to share God's hope with all who are empty.
Go forth now, with the grace of Jesus filling your souls.
We will go to share the justice of Jesus with all who are forgotten.
Go forth now, with the Spirit's peace resting on you.
We will go to share this peace, placing it like a shawl
around the broken, the grieving, the lonely.

(c) Thom M. Shuman