Texts: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-10; 1st Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36
Call to Worship
The days are surely coming when God's promises shall be fulfilled.
When our love for one another and for all God's children will increase.
The days are surely coming when God's promises shall come true.
When God will strengthen our hearts in humility and holiness.
The days are surely coming when God's promises are realized in us.
When we will walk the paths of faithfulness and steadfast love.
Prayer of the Day
Word creating God,
we trust the days are coming:
days of justice,
and days of mercy;
days of humility,
and days of hope;
days of righteousness,
and days of peace;
days when promises come true.
Jesus Christ,
Womb-dwelling Word:
as you draw near to us
with your kingdom
cradled in your arms,
may we not fear your coming,
but be alert for your presence
in every moment of service,
in every person bearing your grace.
Holy Spirit,
Word of Comfort:
when despair is the gift of the world,
you bring us joy;
when we cannot utter a sound,
you pray for us every night and day;
when we are lost and afraid,
you place our feet on the right path.
God in Community, Holy in One,
be with us in this waiting time
as we pray together as Jesus, your Word,
taught us to pray, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
It is never easy to wait . . .perhaps that is why Advent is so hard for us! But, watch what God does: God waits for us to turn from our old ways to the paths of righteousness. God waits for us to admit what we have done, and failed to do, so we might be forgiven and granted new life. Let us approach the One who waits in love and hope, as we confess together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
It is never easy for us to confess to you, Waiting God. There are those things we have done that we would not like to remember; there are those people we have found so difficult to love; there are those we have found it all too easy to ignore and hurt.
Forgive us, God who comes toward us. Teach us your ways when we have lost ours. Lead us in humility to the streets of your kingdom. Teach us your truth, so we might be the ones who keep your words, revealed to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
God does not remember our sins, but does remember the promises which have been made. God does not shame us, but lifts us to new life.
Lead us in your truth, O God, and teach us your ways. For you are the God of our salvation. We wait for you all the day long. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
This is the name by which we know you:
The Lord is our creator.
The sun, the moon, the stars
were twinkles in your eye
until you flung them across the heavens.
The seas roar with your power,
the earth abounds in your wonder.
At that time we were shaped in your image,
to see that justice and righteousness were lived out.
But we wandered down the wrong paths,
being lead away from you by death's deceit,
learning the crooked alphabet of sin.
Night and day, you longed for our return,
sending teachers named prophets
to fulfill your promises,
and we let their words pass away in our hearing.
So you sent David's righteous Branch,
your Son, Jesus, our Savior,
to strengthen our hearts in holiness.
So with all the saints,
those in heaven and those around us,
we lift our songs of joy to you:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of creation.
All heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who teaches your way.
Hosanna in the highest!
This is the name by which we know you:
the Lord is our Redeemer,
eternal Word of the Holy God.
In the days of our bitterness,
Jesus came, so we might abound in your love.
In the long nights of our loneliness,
he came, so we might live
in the community of the saints.
At that time, when our lips
were filled with fears, worries, and doubts,
he came to teach us the vocabulary of grace.
At that time, when we weakly submitted to sin,
he came to strengthen us with life
so we might stand redeemed and whole before you.
As we begin our journey to Bethlehem,
as we prepare to celebrate his birth,
we proclaim that mystery called faith:
Christ was born, to show God's love;
Christ died, to bring God's forgiveness;
Christ is risen, to demonstrated God's power;
Christ will come again, to fulfill God's promises.
This is the name by which we know you:
The Lord is our Sustainer,
who pours out your Spirit
upon the gifts of the Table:
that Bread, broken and crumbled,
which will strengthen us with wholeness;
that Cup, brimming with hope,
which will teach us your ways.
Fed and nourished by your grace,
we can become executors
of your justice and righteousness
to all oppressed by hopelessness,
we can work to fulfill those ancient promises
so all people will live in safety.
And when heaven and earth pass away,
at that time we will gather
with all the saints of every age and place,
standing before you through all eternity,
forever returning the joy you have given us,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Thanksgiving - Year B
Texts: Joel 2:21-27; Psalm 126; 1st Timothy 2:1-7; Matthew 6:25-33
Call to Worship
Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
We glorify our God with songs of thanksgiving and joy.
God has done great things for us, filling us with grace.
God fed our ancestors in the wilderness, God clothes us with hope.
We ill offer our hearts to God, always saying, 'Thank you!' to the One who loves us.
We will sing our praises, shouting of God's presence in our lives.
Prayer of the Day
Hot showers in the morning
and cool breezes in the evening;
work that provides for our families,
and abundance that makes us generous;
silly jokes told by third graders,
and the silent tears of a grandmother
lost in her childhood forever.
What blessings are ours, Creation's Joy!
Teachers who patiently help us with our math,
and mentors who keep us on the right paths;
friends who shovel snow off sidewalks before we waken,
and employers whose hearts are greater than their profits;
piano teachers who smile at our repeated mistakes,
coaches who teach us (one more time)
how to curl the ball into the goal.
What blessings are ours, Servant of Joy!
Dogs who bounce us awake early in the day
and cats who lullaby us to sleep at night;
grandfathers who teach us how to whittle
and sisters who give up a date to baby sit;
little boys who always forget to wipe their mouths
and folks who always remember to say 'thank you.'
What blessings are ours, Joyous Spirit!
God in Community, Holy in One,
thanksgiving is in every word we speak,
even as we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We wonder what's for lunch, we worry about work tomorrow, we fret about the test that is coming up. So much worry, so much time waster over things we cannot control. The One who showers earth with rain, who places the stars in the autumn sky, is the same One who wraps mercy tight around you, who feeds us on healing and hope. Let us confess how our worries keep us from trusting the God who hears us and restores us to new life. Please join me as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Because we live in this modern, tech-driven, twittering age, we often forget what you have done for us, God of every blessing. We pat ourselves on the back for our ability to learn new computer skills, but have forgotten that life is more than a machine. We have more than we could ever use yet, like squirrels, store up more and more. Our faith is often pushed to the back of the closet, to make room for all the fears we wear so easily.
Forgive us, Restorer of life. As you clothe us with your grace and mercy, may we share with those who have so little. As our hearts overflow with your love and wonder, may we offer them as gifts to everyone we meet. As you feed us with your joy and hope, may we welcome to the Table all those who lives are filled with tears and pain. As we gather with family and friends during this season, may we continue to give thanks for the gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news: as God dresses creation in wonder, so you will be clothed in grace; as God pours out abundance upon the earth, so you will be blessed with peace and joy.
We don't say it often enough, but thanks be to God for healing, for life, for wonder, for mercy. We are blessed, for we are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord of blessings be with you.
The Lord be with you, also.
Be glad and rejoice, God's people, lifting your hearts to the restorer of lives.
We offer them to the God who clothes us in grace.
People of God, come to the Table where you shall eat and be satisfied.
With shouts of joy, we gather to praise the name of God!
Your mouth was filled with laughter,
God of our every moment,
as you sang creation into being.
The heavens rang with shouts of joy,
as fruit-bearing trees sprang up,
as green pastures rippled with wonder.
Crafted in your image, you would
satisfy us with the bounty of grace,
but we chose the destroyer, death,
hanging out with the life-cutter, sin.
Prophets and psalmists were sent by you,
longing to restore us to your side,
but we put their words to shame.
So that everyone might be saved,
Jesus came to be with us,
herald of your grace,
bringer of your truth.
With those who lifted thanks by crossed rivers,
with those who offered gratitude for simple gifts,
we join our voice in praising your name:
Holy, holy, holy! God of wonder and delight.
All creation is filled with your joy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to clothes us in grace.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Restorer of broken lives,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Mediator of salvation.
Seeing the nightmare of our lives,
he became one of us, so we
might see the dreams you have for us.
Knowing how our hearts overflowed
with fear, bitterness, and worries,
he came with peace and comfort.
Teaching that the body is more than sin,
that life is more than death,
he became our ransom on the cross,
our salvation by rising from the grave.
As we give thanks for his life and death,
as we shout with joy for his resurrection,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, the righteousness for all.
Christ rose, the resurrection for all.
Christ will return, the fulfillment for all.
Pour out your Spirit
doing great thing with the bred and the cup.
Empty, we will be filled
with the plenty of your grace,
the broken bread strengthening us
so we might bring healing to a world
shattered by violence and despair.
Longing for hope, we shall be satisfied
with the cup of blessing and hope,
our lives overflowing
with your love and compassion,
pouring ourselves out for the
poor and marginalized of our time.
And when all our worrying hours have ended,
when we are clothed in your mercy forever,
we will gather with our sisters and brothers,
our mouths filled with laughter,
our hearts echoing glad songs of joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
We glorify our God with songs of thanksgiving and joy.
God has done great things for us, filling us with grace.
God fed our ancestors in the wilderness, God clothes us with hope.
We ill offer our hearts to God, always saying, 'Thank you!' to the One who loves us.
We will sing our praises, shouting of God's presence in our lives.
Prayer of the Day
Hot showers in the morning
and cool breezes in the evening;
work that provides for our families,
and abundance that makes us generous;
silly jokes told by third graders,
and the silent tears of a grandmother
lost in her childhood forever.
What blessings are ours, Creation's Joy!
Teachers who patiently help us with our math,
and mentors who keep us on the right paths;
friends who shovel snow off sidewalks before we waken,
and employers whose hearts are greater than their profits;
piano teachers who smile at our repeated mistakes,
coaches who teach us (one more time)
how to curl the ball into the goal.
What blessings are ours, Servant of Joy!
Dogs who bounce us awake early in the day
and cats who lullaby us to sleep at night;
grandfathers who teach us how to whittle
and sisters who give up a date to baby sit;
little boys who always forget to wipe their mouths
and folks who always remember to say 'thank you.'
What blessings are ours, Joyous Spirit!
God in Community, Holy in One,
thanksgiving is in every word we speak,
even as we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We wonder what's for lunch, we worry about work tomorrow, we fret about the test that is coming up. So much worry, so much time waster over things we cannot control. The One who showers earth with rain, who places the stars in the autumn sky, is the same One who wraps mercy tight around you, who feeds us on healing and hope. Let us confess how our worries keep us from trusting the God who hears us and restores us to new life. Please join me as we pray,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Because we live in this modern, tech-driven, twittering age, we often forget what you have done for us, God of every blessing. We pat ourselves on the back for our ability to learn new computer skills, but have forgotten that life is more than a machine. We have more than we could ever use yet, like squirrels, store up more and more. Our faith is often pushed to the back of the closet, to make room for all the fears we wear so easily.
Forgive us, Restorer of life. As you clothe us with your grace and mercy, may we share with those who have so little. As our hearts overflow with your love and wonder, may we offer them as gifts to everyone we meet. As you feed us with your joy and hope, may we welcome to the Table all those who lives are filled with tears and pain. As we gather with family and friends during this season, may we continue to give thanks for the gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news: as God dresses creation in wonder, so you will be clothed in grace; as God pours out abundance upon the earth, so you will be blessed with peace and joy.
We don't say it often enough, but thanks be to God for healing, for life, for wonder, for mercy. We are blessed, for we are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord of blessings be with you.
The Lord be with you, also.
Be glad and rejoice, God's people, lifting your hearts to the restorer of lives.
We offer them to the God who clothes us in grace.
People of God, come to the Table where you shall eat and be satisfied.
With shouts of joy, we gather to praise the name of God!
Your mouth was filled with laughter,
God of our every moment,
as you sang creation into being.
The heavens rang with shouts of joy,
as fruit-bearing trees sprang up,
as green pastures rippled with wonder.
Crafted in your image, you would
satisfy us with the bounty of grace,
but we chose the destroyer, death,
hanging out with the life-cutter, sin.
Prophets and psalmists were sent by you,
longing to restore us to your side,
but we put their words to shame.
So that everyone might be saved,
Jesus came to be with us,
herald of your grace,
bringer of your truth.
With those who lifted thanks by crossed rivers,
with those who offered gratitude for simple gifts,
we join our voice in praising your name:
Holy, holy, holy! God of wonder and delight.
All creation is filled with your joy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to clothes us in grace.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Restorer of broken lives,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Mediator of salvation.
Seeing the nightmare of our lives,
he became one of us, so we
might see the dreams you have for us.
Knowing how our hearts overflowed
with fear, bitterness, and worries,
he came with peace and comfort.
Teaching that the body is more than sin,
that life is more than death,
he became our ransom on the cross,
our salvation by rising from the grave.
As we give thanks for his life and death,
as we shout with joy for his resurrection,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, the righteousness for all.
Christ rose, the resurrection for all.
Christ will return, the fulfillment for all.
Pour out your Spirit
doing great thing with the bred and the cup.
Empty, we will be filled
with the plenty of your grace,
the broken bread strengthening us
so we might bring healing to a world
shattered by violence and despair.
Longing for hope, we shall be satisfied
with the cup of blessing and hope,
our lives overflowing
with your love and compassion,
pouring ourselves out for the
poor and marginalized of our time.
And when all our worrying hours have ended,
when we are clothed in your mercy forever,
we will gather with our sisters and brothers,
our mouths filled with laughter,
our hearts echoing glad songs of joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Texts: 2 Samuel 23:1-7; Psalm 132:1-12; 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,
Our Father . . .
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 of Confession
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, renews you.
God's Spirit rests upon us, grace and peace are the gifts of our loving God. 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, 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.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
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,
Our Father . . .
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 of Confession
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, renews you.
God's Spirit rests upon us, grace and peace are the gifts of our loving God. 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, 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.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 28 - B
Texts: 1st Samuel 1:4-20; 1st Samuel 2:1-10; Hebrews10:11-25; Mark 13:1-8
Call to Worship
Come, let us give thanks to God!
We gather together to praise the One who strengthens the weak, and hears the prayers of the forgotten.
Come, let us give thanks to Christ!
We gather together to sing of the One who calls us to serve those who are hungry and alone at this time of year.
Come, let us give thanks to the Spirit!
We gather together to exalt the One who provokes us to love not only our family and friends, but the guest among us.
Prayer of the Day
You raise up the poor,
to give them the best rooms in your house;
you pull the broken
from the dust of the world,
brushing them off and clothing them with joy;
you exalt those we have pushed aside,
and let them say grace at the feast in heaven.
You are our God, and we worship you.
When we are tempted to wander off after
the rumors of sin,
you guard our feet so we can walk
as faithful people;
when we think we need to pay attention
to all the gossip around us,
you give us a double portion
of good news, so we will not fear.
You are the Christ, and we will listen to you.
When no one else will listen to us,
we can pour out our soul to you;
when no one notices us,
you see our misery, and fill us with joy;
when everyone else forgets who we are,
you remember us and call us by name.
You are our Spirit of Love, and we welcome you into our hearts.
God in Community, Holy in One, we raise our prayers to you,
even as we speak the words of Jesus,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Longing for the touch of God, we cry out; humbled by the awareness of our human nature and brokenness, we bring our prayers of confession to God, praying together,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We have to admit, Holy Listener, that we are more likely to be irritated by the lives of others, rather than being provoked to love them. When we are called to encourage those around us, too often our actions and words discourage them. Offered lives of peace and hope, we wander around filled with anxiety and despair.
Forgive us, Rock of Redemption. Cleanse our hearts, so we might be more loving; keep us on the path of faithfulness, so we might find those whom we are called to serve; give us your words, so we might confess your hope offered to all who are broken, who are lost, who cry out to you. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news: God give us hope, God gives us peace, God gives us joy so we may share these gifts with everyone we meet.
Thanks be to God, who has forgiven us and provoked us to love others and to serve all who are around us. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
God of wonder and power:
by a single word spoken into
the silent emptiness of chaos
creation burst forth early in the morning.
Day after day, your imagination
crafted beauty beyond compare,
meadows sprinkled clean with joy's water,
the sun appearing through dawn's curtains.
You offered humanity a home for all time,
but we hired ourselves out to sin,
becoming bloated on the bread of death.
Through the prophets, you offered
again and again to take us back but,
year after year, we continued to provoke
you with our rebellious nature.
You sent Jesus to us, so your hope
might be written upon our heats,
so we might be redeemed
by your singular Word of love.
So, we lift our voices in praise to you,
joining with Hannah and Samuel,
with Penninah and her forgotten children,
singing your grace forever and ever:
Holy, holy, holy, God who listens to prayers.
All heaven and earth reveals your creativity.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to give himself for us.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of all the faithful,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Perfecter of the sanctified.
He sat beside the doorpost of glory,
seeing the acid tears of our despair
etch our faces with deep canyons,
listening while our lips struggled
to form our cries for help and hope.
Though he found favor in your sight,
he became one of us,
knowing our misery,
befriending our loneliness,
cradling our despair in his heart.
By the single act of going to the cross,
and giving himself to the grave,
he destroyed the power of sin and death,
that we might live with you
for all time beyond time.
As we celebrate the faithful life of our Brother,
as we remember the redemptive death of our Savior,
we would laud that mystery we call faith:
By Christ's death, we are made whole;
by Christ's resurrection, we are made alive;
by Christ's return, we will inherit a seat at the Lamb's Feast.
With a single word of 'welcome!'
you pour out your Spirit
upon the simple gifts of redemption,
writing the names of your children
on the place cards which seat them
next to the Groom at the Wedding Banquet.
As we brush the crumbs
of the Bread of life from our lips,
may we reach out to brush
the ashes of despair off
the hopeless around us.
As we lift the cup of hope
to our lips and drink deeply,
may we be as eager to lift
the poor from poverty's dusty floor,
offering them your living waters.
And when our lives are perfected in glory,
when we are gathered for all time
with our sisters and brothers from every time,
our hearts will celebrate your love and hope for us,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Come, let us give thanks to God!
We gather together to praise the One who strengthens the weak, and hears the prayers of the forgotten.
Come, let us give thanks to Christ!
We gather together to sing of the One who calls us to serve those who are hungry and alone at this time of year.
Come, let us give thanks to the Spirit!
We gather together to exalt the One who provokes us to love not only our family and friends, but the guest among us.
Prayer of the Day
You raise up the poor,
to give them the best rooms in your house;
you pull the broken
from the dust of the world,
brushing them off and clothing them with joy;
you exalt those we have pushed aside,
and let them say grace at the feast in heaven.
You are our God, and we worship you.
When we are tempted to wander off after
the rumors of sin,
you guard our feet so we can walk
as faithful people;
when we think we need to pay attention
to all the gossip around us,
you give us a double portion
of good news, so we will not fear.
You are the Christ, and we will listen to you.
When no one else will listen to us,
we can pour out our soul to you;
when no one notices us,
you see our misery, and fill us with joy;
when everyone else forgets who we are,
you remember us and call us by name.
You are our Spirit of Love, and we welcome you into our hearts.
God in Community, Holy in One, we raise our prayers to you,
even as we speak the words of Jesus,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Longing for the touch of God, we cry out; humbled by the awareness of our human nature and brokenness, we bring our prayers of confession to God, praying together,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We have to admit, Holy Listener, that we are more likely to be irritated by the lives of others, rather than being provoked to love them. When we are called to encourage those around us, too often our actions and words discourage them. Offered lives of peace and hope, we wander around filled with anxiety and despair.
Forgive us, Rock of Redemption. Cleanse our hearts, so we might be more loving; keep us on the path of faithfulness, so we might find those whom we are called to serve; give us your words, so we might confess your hope offered to all who are broken, who are lost, who cry out to you. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news: God give us hope, God gives us peace, God gives us joy so we may share these gifts with everyone we meet.
Thanks be to God, who has forgiven us and provoked us to love others and to serve all who are around us. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
God of wonder and power:
by a single word spoken into
the silent emptiness of chaos
creation burst forth early in the morning.
Day after day, your imagination
crafted beauty beyond compare,
meadows sprinkled clean with joy's water,
the sun appearing through dawn's curtains.
You offered humanity a home for all time,
but we hired ourselves out to sin,
becoming bloated on the bread of death.
Through the prophets, you offered
again and again to take us back but,
year after year, we continued to provoke
you with our rebellious nature.
You sent Jesus to us, so your hope
might be written upon our heats,
so we might be redeemed
by your singular Word of love.
So, we lift our voices in praise to you,
joining with Hannah and Samuel,
with Penninah and her forgotten children,
singing your grace forever and ever:
Holy, holy, holy, God who listens to prayers.
All heaven and earth reveals your creativity.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to give himself for us.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, God of all the faithful,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Perfecter of the sanctified.
He sat beside the doorpost of glory,
seeing the acid tears of our despair
etch our faces with deep canyons,
listening while our lips struggled
to form our cries for help and hope.
Though he found favor in your sight,
he became one of us,
knowing our misery,
befriending our loneliness,
cradling our despair in his heart.
By the single act of going to the cross,
and giving himself to the grave,
he destroyed the power of sin and death,
that we might live with you
for all time beyond time.
As we celebrate the faithful life of our Brother,
as we remember the redemptive death of our Savior,
we would laud that mystery we call faith:
By Christ's death, we are made whole;
by Christ's resurrection, we are made alive;
by Christ's return, we will inherit a seat at the Lamb's Feast.
With a single word of 'welcome!'
you pour out your Spirit
upon the simple gifts of redemption,
writing the names of your children
on the place cards which seat them
next to the Groom at the Wedding Banquet.
As we brush the crumbs
of the Bread of life from our lips,
may we reach out to brush
the ashes of despair off
the hopeless around us.
As we lift the cup of hope
to our lips and drink deeply,
may we be as eager to lift
the poor from poverty's dusty floor,
offering them your living waters.
And when our lives are perfected in glory,
when we are gathered for all time
with our sisters and brothers from every time,
our hearts will celebrate your love and hope for us,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Monday, November 02, 2009
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 27
Texts: Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17; Psalm 127; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44
Call to Worship
God's Word called into being the pumpkins, the geese who fly south, the leaves which litter our lawns.
In awe, we come into the presence of the God of vivid imagination.
God's arms reach down and gather up children, lovingly placing us in grace's lap.
In joy, we reach up to the God who loves us completely.
God's Spirit fills our lungs, so we can cry out for justice for the broken, the young, the old, the abandoned of our time.
In service, we join with our God to build hope in our world.
Prayer of the Day
In gentle touches of fathers,
in calming words of mothers,
you care for us;
through teachers in schools,
neighbors at the corner,
colleagues who share jobs with us,
you touch us with your peace.
We worship you, Holy God,
with our words and with our silence.
You appeared but once,
yet all people have been
cleansed in your grace;
you lived but once,
yet every life is redeemed
by your love;
you died but once,
and all people will live
in your kingdom forever.
Jesus, Friend of the fallen,
we follow you with our lives.
Stained by the pride of the world,
you wash us with your tears;
made naked by the criticisms of others,
you clothe us with your grace;
condemned by those around us,
you hallow us with your hope.
We welcome you into our hearts,
Spirit of Joy.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayers to you
as we use the words Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We bring our flawed lives to God, not so much to be made perfect, but to be whole. Let us confess our sins to God, trusting the One who builds joy from our despair.
Unison Prayer of Confession
Bountiful Love: our self-focus causes us to imagine how poor we are. We are convinced we don't have enough:
enough honor,
enough respect,
enough recognition,
enough to live on.
And so, in our poverty, we cannot trust you, we cannot see the emptiness of others, we cannot help but cling to more than we need.
Forgive us, Bestower of Blessings. Tell us how we can be more loving; whisper to us of how we can be more compassionate; sing to us of how we can serve others - all in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
The good news is that we are made whole; not by our efforts, not by any work we have done, not by any word of ours.
Out of the riches of grace, God pours forgiveness into our lives, giving us all we need in Jesus Christ, so we might live in hope and joy. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Once and for all, you spoke,
God of overflowing gifts:
as your Word called the sun
to shine and the earth to spin;
as your hand stirred the dust,
shaping us in your image;
as your Spirit breathed grace
into our empty lungs.
You would feed us with peace,
but we gnaw on the bread moldy with anxiety;
When you would clothe us with glory,
we put on the long robes of sin,
the hems dragging through dusty death.
In vain, the prophets rose early
to speak your words of invitation;
in vain, they stayed up into the late hours,
watching for our return to you.
So, out of the abundance of your love,
you sent Jesus to us,
so that we might not live in the poverty
of our despair and fear.
With Ruth and Naomi, with Boaz and David,
with widows in poverty, and children on the streets,
we join our voices as we sing to you:
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God of grace!
All creation is filled with the bounty of your love.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who has not left us without hope.
Hosanna in the highest!
You are holy, God of wonder and wisdom,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Brother,
who left you, in faith and obedience,
to enter humanity's world,
not as a mere copy, but truly one of us.
Again and again, he pointed to you:
Restorer of broken lives,
Nurturer of every hungry heart,
Lover of each child.
Sitting opposite death, watching as
we went down to its threshing floor,
he offered himself in our place,
putting in everything he had,
so we might receive the gift
we need to live on with you.
Remembering his gentleness and generosity,
remembering his compassion and clarity,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, once, and it was for all;
Christ is risen, once and for all;
Christ will return, for those who wait for him, to bring them home to God, once and for all.
Pour out your Spirit
upon those who gather
around your bountiful Table,
where life and love are placed.
You nourish us with your bread
filled with gentle grace,
so, that fed, we may serve those
who hunger for hope in their lives.
You restore our flagging spirits
from the overflowing cup of joy,
so, that refreshed, we may take
new life to the poor and hopeless
in every place where they are found.
And when the foundation of the world is no more,
when we enter that haven made by your hands,
when we sit with our sisters and brothers
at the feast where we are fed from your heart,
we will offer glad songs of joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
God's Word called into being the pumpkins, the geese who fly south, the leaves which litter our lawns.
In awe, we come into the presence of the God of vivid imagination.
God's arms reach down and gather up children, lovingly placing us in grace's lap.
In joy, we reach up to the God who loves us completely.
God's Spirit fills our lungs, so we can cry out for justice for the broken, the young, the old, the abandoned of our time.
In service, we join with our God to build hope in our world.
Prayer of the Day
In gentle touches of fathers,
in calming words of mothers,
you care for us;
through teachers in schools,
neighbors at the corner,
colleagues who share jobs with us,
you touch us with your peace.
We worship you, Holy God,
with our words and with our silence.
You appeared but once,
yet all people have been
cleansed in your grace;
you lived but once,
yet every life is redeemed
by your love;
you died but once,
and all people will live
in your kingdom forever.
Jesus, Friend of the fallen,
we follow you with our lives.
Stained by the pride of the world,
you wash us with your tears;
made naked by the criticisms of others,
you clothe us with your grace;
condemned by those around us,
you hallow us with your hope.
We welcome you into our hearts,
Spirit of Joy.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayers to you
as we use the words Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We bring our flawed lives to God, not so much to be made perfect, but to be whole. Let us confess our sins to God, trusting the One who builds joy from our despair.
Unison Prayer of Confession
Bountiful Love: our self-focus causes us to imagine how poor we are. We are convinced we don't have enough:
enough honor,
enough respect,
enough recognition,
enough to live on.
And so, in our poverty, we cannot trust you, we cannot see the emptiness of others, we cannot help but cling to more than we need.
Forgive us, Bestower of Blessings. Tell us how we can be more loving; whisper to us of how we can be more compassionate; sing to us of how we can serve others - all in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
The good news is that we are made whole; not by our efforts, not by any work we have done, not by any word of ours.
Out of the riches of grace, God pours forgiveness into our lives, giving us all we need in Jesus Christ, so we might live in hope and joy. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Once and for all, you spoke,
God of overflowing gifts:
as your Word called the sun
to shine and the earth to spin;
as your hand stirred the dust,
shaping us in your image;
as your Spirit breathed grace
into our empty lungs.
You would feed us with peace,
but we gnaw on the bread moldy with anxiety;
When you would clothe us with glory,
we put on the long robes of sin,
the hems dragging through dusty death.
In vain, the prophets rose early
to speak your words of invitation;
in vain, they stayed up into the late hours,
watching for our return to you.
So, out of the abundance of your love,
you sent Jesus to us,
so that we might not live in the poverty
of our despair and fear.
With Ruth and Naomi, with Boaz and David,
with widows in poverty, and children on the streets,
we join our voices as we sing to you:
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God of grace!
All creation is filled with the bounty of your love.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who has not left us without hope.
Hosanna in the highest!
You are holy, God of wonder and wisdom,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Brother,
who left you, in faith and obedience,
to enter humanity's world,
not as a mere copy, but truly one of us.
Again and again, he pointed to you:
Restorer of broken lives,
Nurturer of every hungry heart,
Lover of each child.
Sitting opposite death, watching as
we went down to its threshing floor,
he offered himself in our place,
putting in everything he had,
so we might receive the gift
we need to live on with you.
Remembering his gentleness and generosity,
remembering his compassion and clarity,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, once, and it was for all;
Christ is risen, once and for all;
Christ will return, for those who wait for him, to bring them home to God, once and for all.
Pour out your Spirit
upon those who gather
around your bountiful Table,
where life and love are placed.
You nourish us with your bread
filled with gentle grace,
so, that fed, we may serve those
who hunger for hope in their lives.
You restore our flagging spirits
from the overflowing cup of joy,
so, that refreshed, we may take
new life to the poor and hopeless
in every place where they are found.
And when the foundation of the world is no more,
when we enter that haven made by your hands,
when we sit with our sisters and brothers
at the feast where we are fed from your heart,
we will offer glad songs of joy to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
All Saints Day
Texts: Isaiah 25:6-9; Psalm 24; Revelation 21:1-6a; John 11:32-44
Call to Worship
See how God loves us!
God loves us enough to swallow up death forever.
See how Christ loves us!
Christ loves us enough to share our loss and grief.
See how the Spirit loves us!
The Holy Spirit loves us enough to offer us words of hope we can trust.
Prayer of the Day
You have blessed us
with saints all of our lives,
God of the ages:
those who put up with us,
and those who prepared us for discipleship;
those who have touched us with their compassion,
and those who illumine the way for us.
Through the valleys and over the hills,
down the dusty streets of every village,
saints traveled with you,
Jesus, Child of grace and glory:
those who impetuously chased after you,
and those whose feet longed to turn back;
those who jostled for your attention,
and those who made sure little children
were able to meet you.
You surround us with saints,
even when we don't recogize
or much less appreciate them,
Spirit of wonder:
some live down the corner from us,
while others are on the other side of the world;
some run to catch the leaves spiraling to the ground,
while others make a meal for a sick neighbor's family.
For all the saints of every age, especially our,
we give you our gratitude and praise,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
Call to Reconciliation
Here in this community of those who seek God, we know we are not saints. We are wrapped in those strips of words, of thoughts, of actions which bind us to sin, not to God. But our God has promised us new hope, new life, fresh mercy, if we will but confess. I invite you to jon me, as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We come to you, Listener of our broken lives, with our hands soiled with the pain we have caused, with our ears stuffed with the words of those who speak falsely, with our hearts stained with those lusts and hungers we would be embarrassed for others to know.
Forgive us and have mercy on us, Wiper of our tears. As we seek to journey from the baptismal waters towards the feast you prepare in glory, may we turn our faces towards you in every moment, listen to your words in the depths of our hearts, and follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, every step of the way.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Lift up your heads, saints of God! Your sin is gone, your hands once full of foolishness are now empty. God has clothed you with garments of joy to wear to the feast.
Our former life has passed, our new life in Christ has begun. All things are new - including us! Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of all saints be with you!
And also with you!
Lift your hearts to God, all you who seek God's face.
We offer them to the One whose heart weeps with ours.
Lift up your heads, O people, singing glad songs of praise to God.
With joy in our hearts, with words of truth and life on our lips, we give thanks to our God.
With a simple Word,
with a gentle Breath of life,
Wondrous God of glory,
you shrouded chaos with your imagination,
earth spinning and whirling through space
the seas teeming with new life.
All that is in creation is yours,
all that lives in it is your gift.
You shaped us in your image,
gathering us in your garden of joy.
But we turned our backs on you,
seeking the seductive face of sin.
You would show us the way,
filling us with hope's promise,
through the gifts of those saints
we call the prophets,
but we were deaf to their words.
So, deeply moved by our helplessness,
you sent Jesus into our presence,
the One we waited for
that we might be saved.
So, with that community of faith
from every place and time -
with saints and sinners, with apostles and angels,
with those who know how deeply you love us,
we forever sing to the glory of your name:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, strong and gentle.
As they await their renewal, heaven and earth glorify you.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to call us from death.
Hosanna in the highest!
Gracious are you, Creator of suns and saints,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Sharer in our lives.
With clean hands and a pure heart
he descended from your holy side,
coming to wipe away our tears,
to remove the disgrace of our sin,
to walk with those who seek your face,
to stand with us at grief's doorstep.
With scarred hands and a shattered heart,
he descended into the grip of the grave,
taking off the swaddling clothes of death,
leaving them behind as you called
to him to come out of the tomb.
As we wait to come to this gracious feast,
as we remember the spirit in which Jesus
lived, served, died, and was raised,
we speak of that mystery we call faith.
In Christ, the shroud of death has been destroyed.
In Christ, all creation is given new life.
In Christ, we will be God's people forever when he returns.
Pour out your Spirit
upon these gifts of the Table
and on your children in this sacred space.
With a simple cup filled with hope,
with bread broken in love,
you make a feast for those
who are with this band of believers.
As we open our hands
to receive grace's brokenness,
may we go forth to dirty them
in service to all around us.
As we swallow the
well-aged hope of your Spirit,
may we discover our hearts
to be as broken as yours,
by the injustices of our world.
And whn all things become new,
as we are gathered in the New Jerusalem
with our sisters and brothers of every age,
we will join our voices together,
singing before your throne of grace,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray together, saying,
Our Father . . . Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
See how God loves us!
God loves us enough to swallow up death forever.
See how Christ loves us!
Christ loves us enough to share our loss and grief.
See how the Spirit loves us!
The Holy Spirit loves us enough to offer us words of hope we can trust.
Prayer of the Day
You have blessed us
with saints all of our lives,
God of the ages:
those who put up with us,
and those who prepared us for discipleship;
those who have touched us with their compassion,
and those who illumine the way for us.
Through the valleys and over the hills,
down the dusty streets of every village,
saints traveled with you,
Jesus, Child of grace and glory:
those who impetuously chased after you,
and those whose feet longed to turn back;
those who jostled for your attention,
and those who made sure little children
were able to meet you.
You surround us with saints,
even when we don't recogize
or much less appreciate them,
Spirit of wonder:
some live down the corner from us,
while others are on the other side of the world;
some run to catch the leaves spiraling to the ground,
while others make a meal for a sick neighbor's family.
For all the saints of every age, especially our,
we give you our gratitude and praise,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
Call to Reconciliation
Here in this community of those who seek God, we know we are not saints. We are wrapped in those strips of words, of thoughts, of actions which bind us to sin, not to God. But our God has promised us new hope, new life, fresh mercy, if we will but confess. I invite you to jon me, as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We come to you, Listener of our broken lives, with our hands soiled with the pain we have caused, with our ears stuffed with the words of those who speak falsely, with our hearts stained with those lusts and hungers we would be embarrassed for others to know.
Forgive us and have mercy on us, Wiper of our tears. As we seek to journey from the baptismal waters towards the feast you prepare in glory, may we turn our faces towards you in every moment, listen to your words in the depths of our hearts, and follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, every step of the way.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Lift up your heads, saints of God! Your sin is gone, your hands once full of foolishness are now empty. God has clothed you with garments of joy to wear to the feast.
Our former life has passed, our new life in Christ has begun. All things are new - including us! Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God of all saints be with you!
And also with you!
Lift your hearts to God, all you who seek God's face.
We offer them to the One whose heart weeps with ours.
Lift up your heads, O people, singing glad songs of praise to God.
With joy in our hearts, with words of truth and life on our lips, we give thanks to our God.
With a simple Word,
with a gentle Breath of life,
Wondrous God of glory,
you shrouded chaos with your imagination,
earth spinning and whirling through space
the seas teeming with new life.
All that is in creation is yours,
all that lives in it is your gift.
You shaped us in your image,
gathering us in your garden of joy.
But we turned our backs on you,
seeking the seductive face of sin.
You would show us the way,
filling us with hope's promise,
through the gifts of those saints
we call the prophets,
but we were deaf to their words.
So, deeply moved by our helplessness,
you sent Jesus into our presence,
the One we waited for
that we might be saved.
So, with that community of faith
from every place and time -
with saints and sinners, with apostles and angels,
with those who know how deeply you love us,
we forever sing to the glory of your name:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, strong and gentle.
As they await their renewal, heaven and earth glorify you.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to call us from death.
Hosanna in the highest!
Gracious are you, Creator of suns and saints,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Sharer in our lives.
With clean hands and a pure heart
he descended from your holy side,
coming to wipe away our tears,
to remove the disgrace of our sin,
to walk with those who seek your face,
to stand with us at grief's doorstep.
With scarred hands and a shattered heart,
he descended into the grip of the grave,
taking off the swaddling clothes of death,
leaving them behind as you called
to him to come out of the tomb.
As we wait to come to this gracious feast,
as we remember the spirit in which Jesus
lived, served, died, and was raised,
we speak of that mystery we call faith.
In Christ, the shroud of death has been destroyed.
In Christ, all creation is given new life.
In Christ, we will be God's people forever when he returns.
Pour out your Spirit
upon these gifts of the Table
and on your children in this sacred space.
With a simple cup filled with hope,
with bread broken in love,
you make a feast for those
who are with this band of believers.
As we open our hands
to receive grace's brokenness,
may we go forth to dirty them
in service to all around us.
As we swallow the
well-aged hope of your Spirit,
may we discover our hearts
to be as broken as yours,
by the injustices of our world.
And whn all things become new,
as we are gathered in the New Jerusalem
with our sisters and brothers of every age,
we will join our voices together,
singing before your throne of grace,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray together, saying,
Our Father . . . Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Monday, October 26, 2009
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 26 - B
Texts: Ruth 1:1-18; Psalm 146; Hebrews 9:11-14; Mark 12:28-34
Call to Worship
You are welcome in this place, where God meets us in love.
Why are we here? We are here to love God with all that we have and all that we are.
You are welcome in this place, where God loves us as children.
Why are we here? We are here to love ourselves as deeply as God loves us.
Welcome to this place, where God serves us at the Table of love and grace.
Why are we here? We are here to be sent forth to love others as deeply as we love God and ourselves.
Prayer of the Day
Living God:
when there is a famine
in our souls,
you feed us with grace;
when there are pockets of poverty
in our love for others,
you bless us with generosity;
when we are empty and alone,
you move into our hearts.
Jesus, Bearer of the good things
which have come to us:
you bend down
to lift us from despair;
you embrace those
who haven't a friend in the world;
you open the eyes of those
struck blind by arrogance and ambition.
Eternal Spirit:
you walk with us
wherever we go;
you take the fragments of our lives
and reshape us into holy people;
you are with us,
and not even death can separate us.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray
as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
The world teaches us many ways to love, but all are based on selfish desires and needs. God teaches us how to love: completely, uniquely, unconditionally. Let us confess our difficulty in loving as God teaches us, as we pray, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We are hesistant to confess, Holy God, how hard it is to love as you wish. It is easy to love you with all that we are, except when you ask us to love our neighbor with all that we have. We find it hard to love our neighbor, when it is linked to the way we love ourselves. And it is difficult to love anyone - even You - more than we love ourselves.
Forgive us, Love Eternal. As you took a risk in creating us, help us to take risks to love others compassionately, to love ourselves genuinely, and to love you as completely as you love us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
In God's Kingdom, all are loved for who they are, not what they do;
In God's Kingdom, all are forgiven for what they do, and don't;
in God's Kingdom, all are welcomed and fed by God's grace and hope.
P: Forgiven, loved, sent forth - we are not far from God's Kingdom! Thanks be to God. Amen.
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
My beloved sisters and brothers, may the Lord be with you.
And also with you.
My beloved brothers and sisters, lift up your hearts.
Our hearts are lifted high to God.
Beloved of God, let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Thanksgiving is in our hearts, and praise is on our lips.
We will sing praises to you all life long,
O Lord our God,
maker of the earth, the heavens, the seas,
and all that dwell in them.
You made us in your image
so we might be your people
and worship you forever.
But blinded by the seductions of the world,
we wandered far from your Kingdom,
putting our trust in those powers that cannot save us.
Despite our turning our backs on you,
you have clung to us in grace and love,
determined to be faithful to the covenant
you established with us.
Therefore, we join our voices,
with the saints of every time and of every place,
singing our praises to your heart:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of our souls.
Heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them glorify your name forever.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One whose help is in you.
Hosanna in the highest!
We praise you, Holy God,
and bless your Son, Jesus Christ,
our Help, our Hope, our Lord.
He opened the eyes of the blind,
so we might behold your grace;
he loosed the bonds of the captive,
so we might follow in freedom;
he watched over strangers,
so we might become brothers and sisters;
he lifted up those who had fallen,
so we might walk the streets of the Kingdom;
he gave his heart to those ignored by the world,
so the widow and orphan might find
their heart's home in you;
he endured death's embrace,
so we might be welcomed
into eternal life with you.
His life, his words, his death, his resurrection
are mysteries we may not understand completely,
but which we will proclaim with faith:
Christ died, loving us more than himself;
Christ rose, loving God with all that he was;
Christ will come again, loving all God's children, so we might be neighbors forever.
As we break the Bread of Life
and drink from the Cup of Salvation,
pour out your eternal Spirit
upon these gifts
and those who will receive them.
Despite our unfaithfulness,
we are determined to go with you;
despite our weakness,
we are resolved to worship you;
despite our fears and prejudices,
we are unfaltering in our commitment
to justice and hope for others.
Through your Son, Jesus Christ, who is our grace;
through the Spirit, who is our hope;
we honor and glorify your love
for all people in creation,
Great God, our peace and our joy,
now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
As you leave this place, go with God.
We will go wherever God goes.
As you depart to serve, go with Christ.
We will not turn back from following Jesus.
As you live the coming days, go with the Spirit.
God's people will be our people, and we will share our lives with them.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
You are welcome in this place, where God meets us in love.
Why are we here? We are here to love God with all that we have and all that we are.
You are welcome in this place, where God loves us as children.
Why are we here? We are here to love ourselves as deeply as God loves us.
Welcome to this place, where God serves us at the Table of love and grace.
Why are we here? We are here to be sent forth to love others as deeply as we love God and ourselves.
Prayer of the Day
Living God:
when there is a famine
in our souls,
you feed us with grace;
when there are pockets of poverty
in our love for others,
you bless us with generosity;
when we are empty and alone,
you move into our hearts.
Jesus, Bearer of the good things
which have come to us:
you bend down
to lift us from despair;
you embrace those
who haven't a friend in the world;
you open the eyes of those
struck blind by arrogance and ambition.
Eternal Spirit:
you walk with us
wherever we go;
you take the fragments of our lives
and reshape us into holy people;
you are with us,
and not even death can separate us.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray
as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
The world teaches us many ways to love, but all are based on selfish desires and needs. God teaches us how to love: completely, uniquely, unconditionally. Let us confess our difficulty in loving as God teaches us, as we pray, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
We are hesistant to confess, Holy God, how hard it is to love as you wish. It is easy to love you with all that we are, except when you ask us to love our neighbor with all that we have. We find it hard to love our neighbor, when it is linked to the way we love ourselves. And it is difficult to love anyone - even You - more than we love ourselves.
Forgive us, Love Eternal. As you took a risk in creating us, help us to take risks to love others compassionately, to love ourselves genuinely, and to love you as completely as you love us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
In God's Kingdom, all are loved for who they are, not what they do;
In God's Kingdom, all are forgiven for what they do, and don't;
in God's Kingdom, all are welcomed and fed by God's grace and hope.
P: Forgiven, loved, sent forth - we are not far from God's Kingdom! Thanks be to God. Amen.
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
My beloved sisters and brothers, may the Lord be with you.
And also with you.
My beloved brothers and sisters, lift up your hearts.
Our hearts are lifted high to God.
Beloved of God, let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Thanksgiving is in our hearts, and praise is on our lips.
We will sing praises to you all life long,
O Lord our God,
maker of the earth, the heavens, the seas,
and all that dwell in them.
You made us in your image
so we might be your people
and worship you forever.
But blinded by the seductions of the world,
we wandered far from your Kingdom,
putting our trust in those powers that cannot save us.
Despite our turning our backs on you,
you have clung to us in grace and love,
determined to be faithful to the covenant
you established with us.
Therefore, we join our voices,
with the saints of every time and of every place,
singing our praises to your heart:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of our souls.
Heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them glorify your name forever.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One whose help is in you.
Hosanna in the highest!
We praise you, Holy God,
and bless your Son, Jesus Christ,
our Help, our Hope, our Lord.
He opened the eyes of the blind,
so we might behold your grace;
he loosed the bonds of the captive,
so we might follow in freedom;
he watched over strangers,
so we might become brothers and sisters;
he lifted up those who had fallen,
so we might walk the streets of the Kingdom;
he gave his heart to those ignored by the world,
so the widow and orphan might find
their heart's home in you;
he endured death's embrace,
so we might be welcomed
into eternal life with you.
His life, his words, his death, his resurrection
are mysteries we may not understand completely,
but which we will proclaim with faith:
Christ died, loving us more than himself;
Christ rose, loving God with all that he was;
Christ will come again, loving all God's children, so we might be neighbors forever.
As we break the Bread of Life
and drink from the Cup of Salvation,
pour out your eternal Spirit
upon these gifts
and those who will receive them.
Despite our unfaithfulness,
we are determined to go with you;
despite our weakness,
we are resolved to worship you;
despite our fears and prejudices,
we are unfaltering in our commitment
to justice and hope for others.
Through your Son, Jesus Christ, who is our grace;
through the Spirit, who is our hope;
we honor and glorify your love
for all people in creation,
Great God, our peace and our joy,
now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
As you leave this place, go with God.
We will go wherever God goes.
As you depart to serve, go with Christ.
We will not turn back from following Jesus.
As you live the coming days, go with the Spirit.
God's people will be our people, and we will share our lives with them.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
OT 30/Proper 25 - B
Texts: Job 42:1-6, 10-17; Psalm 34:1-8 (19-22); Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 10: 46-52
Call to Worship
With our lips and with our hearts:
we bless God in every moment of our lives.
With our ears and with our hearts:
we will hear the cries of our sisters and brothers,
in every painful moment, in every broken place.
With every gift and with our hearts:
we will serve God and all of God's children,
with every moment of our lives.
Prayer of the Day
Wise God,
you name us your children:
feeding us with hope,
touching the cup of grace to our lips;
shaping us in your image,
that we might care for all creation;
raising us from despair,
rescuing us from our foolishness;
wrestling with our questions,
watching over us in every moment.
Brother Jesus,
Servant of the poor:
patiently, lovingly, tenderly
you listen to our voices,
some filled with hurt and bitterness,
others with loneliness and grief;
some trembling with fear and worry,
others overflowing with silence;
and you offer them all to God.
Spirit of Holiness,
creation's life-giving Breath:
you refuse to walk by
when we sit in the dust
of our despair and pain,
blinded by the ashes of our actions,
cloaked in the desires
of our sinful brokenness.
God in Community, Holy in One,
who names us as your children,
hear us as we pray together saying,
Our Father . .
Call to Reconciliation
When we cannot do it, God can! Anything and everything - our messes, the hurts we inflict on others, the way we stand around when we could be helping - God can renew, reshape, restore us. That is how much God loves us, this is why God calls to us to come and be healed. Join me as we pray to our God, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Gracious and holy God, we admit that it is easier to have pain-causing words on our lips, than praise for another. Our foolishness often keeps us from seeing the deep hurts and hunger of the suffering who are around us. We stand by the side of the road, afraid to step forward in faith, afraid to trust that you are with us, afraid to cry out for healing and hope.
We are not people who repent in ashes and dust, but we do know we need your mercy, and ask that you forgive our faithlessness, our fears, our hurts. Healer of all people, we lift our hearts and souls to you, that through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we might find your grace, discover your love, and serve your people in your name.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Take heart: God hears your prayers. Get up: God has healed your brokenness. Listen: God calls to you with hope, with forgiveness, with life.
Now, our eyes are opened and we can see;
now, our are opened and we can hear;
now, we can follow Christ into the kingdom.
Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
O taste and see how good God is!
We hunger to be in God's gracious presence.
Listen for God's promises to you.
We call out to our God, and we are heard: lives are made new, hope is restored.
Raise your hearts and voices in thanksgiving to God.
Glad songs of joy and praise will always be on our lips!
In the silence of chaos,
you serenely stood, Irenic God.
Then, with that singular Word,
craters were filled with water,
meadows rippled with crops;
with your Breath exhaled,
life flowed through all creation,
the heavens sparkled with your hope.
Blinded by our desire to be like you,
we chose the wrong role models,
thinking death could offer us life,
that sin would be our dearest friend.
Prophets came with your word,
encouraging us to change our hearts,
to repent in dust and ashes,
but we told them to keep quiet.
Then you took the initiative,
sending Jesus into our lives,
to call us back to you.
So, with those who shout out your name,
and with those who whisper of your wonder,
with our sisters and brothers in every time and place,
we sing our praises to you:
Holy, holy, holy, God of majesty and grace.
Heaven and earth resounds with your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who for all time is able to save.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed are those who take refuge in you, Radiant God,
and exalted in all creation is your Child, Jesus Christ.
Throwing off his glory,
Jesus sprang up to come to our side,
to do for us what we could not do.
Refusing to stand still and do nothing,
he walked among us, healing us,
calling us to follow him on the way
to that kingdom which is yours.
Blameless, he took our sins to the cross,
where broken, he made us whole,
where dying, he made us new,
where rising, he enables us to see you.
As we remember how he heals us,
as we celebrate how he saves us,
we speak of that mystery we know as faith:
Christ has died;
Christ is risen;
Christ will come in glory.
We seek you, Transcendent God,
and find you waiting at this Table,
your Spirit transforming these simple gifts
into food and drink for our hungry hearts,
your grace poured out on your children
who have gathered in this sacred space.
As we eat of the Bread of life,
as we drink from the Cup of hope,
may we hear the cries of the poor,
may we see you in their faces,
may we speak, calling them by name,
welcoming them as our sisters and brothers
in that community we call your kingdom.
And when we have fulfilled all our days,
when we gather with the humble and the glad
around that Table prepared for us in glory,
your praise will always be on our lips,
God in Community, Holy in One,
now and through all eternity. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
With our lips and with our hearts:
we bless God in every moment of our lives.
With our ears and with our hearts:
we will hear the cries of our sisters and brothers,
in every painful moment, in every broken place.
With every gift and with our hearts:
we will serve God and all of God's children,
with every moment of our lives.
Prayer of the Day
Wise God,
you name us your children:
feeding us with hope,
touching the cup of grace to our lips;
shaping us in your image,
that we might care for all creation;
raising us from despair,
rescuing us from our foolishness;
wrestling with our questions,
watching over us in every moment.
Brother Jesus,
Servant of the poor:
patiently, lovingly, tenderly
you listen to our voices,
some filled with hurt and bitterness,
others with loneliness and grief;
some trembling with fear and worry,
others overflowing with silence;
and you offer them all to God.
Spirit of Holiness,
creation's life-giving Breath:
you refuse to walk by
when we sit in the dust
of our despair and pain,
blinded by the ashes of our actions,
cloaked in the desires
of our sinful brokenness.
God in Community, Holy in One,
who names us as your children,
hear us as we pray together saying,
Our Father . .
Call to Reconciliation
When we cannot do it, God can! Anything and everything - our messes, the hurts we inflict on others, the way we stand around when we could be helping - God can renew, reshape, restore us. That is how much God loves us, this is why God calls to us to come and be healed. Join me as we pray to our God, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Gracious and holy God, we admit that it is easier to have pain-causing words on our lips, than praise for another. Our foolishness often keeps us from seeing the deep hurts and hunger of the suffering who are around us. We stand by the side of the road, afraid to step forward in faith, afraid to trust that you are with us, afraid to cry out for healing and hope.
We are not people who repent in ashes and dust, but we do know we need your mercy, and ask that you forgive our faithlessness, our fears, our hurts. Healer of all people, we lift our hearts and souls to you, that through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we might find your grace, discover your love, and serve your people in your name.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Take heart: God hears your prayers. Get up: God has healed your brokenness. Listen: God calls to you with hope, with forgiveness, with life.
Now, our eyes are opened and we can see;
now, our are opened and we can hear;
now, we can follow Christ into the kingdom.
Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
O taste and see how good God is!
We hunger to be in God's gracious presence.
Listen for God's promises to you.
We call out to our God, and we are heard: lives are made new, hope is restored.
Raise your hearts and voices in thanksgiving to God.
Glad songs of joy and praise will always be on our lips!
In the silence of chaos,
you serenely stood, Irenic God.
Then, with that singular Word,
craters were filled with water,
meadows rippled with crops;
with your Breath exhaled,
life flowed through all creation,
the heavens sparkled with your hope.
Blinded by our desire to be like you,
we chose the wrong role models,
thinking death could offer us life,
that sin would be our dearest friend.
Prophets came with your word,
encouraging us to change our hearts,
to repent in dust and ashes,
but we told them to keep quiet.
Then you took the initiative,
sending Jesus into our lives,
to call us back to you.
So, with those who shout out your name,
and with those who whisper of your wonder,
with our sisters and brothers in every time and place,
we sing our praises to you:
Holy, holy, holy, God of majesty and grace.
Heaven and earth resounds with your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who for all time is able to save.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed are those who take refuge in you, Radiant God,
and exalted in all creation is your Child, Jesus Christ.
Throwing off his glory,
Jesus sprang up to come to our side,
to do for us what we could not do.
Refusing to stand still and do nothing,
he walked among us, healing us,
calling us to follow him on the way
to that kingdom which is yours.
Blameless, he took our sins to the cross,
where broken, he made us whole,
where dying, he made us new,
where rising, he enables us to see you.
As we remember how he heals us,
as we celebrate how he saves us,
we speak of that mystery we know as faith:
Christ has died;
Christ is risen;
Christ will come in glory.
We seek you, Transcendent God,
and find you waiting at this Table,
your Spirit transforming these simple gifts
into food and drink for our hungry hearts,
your grace poured out on your children
who have gathered in this sacred space.
As we eat of the Bread of life,
as we drink from the Cup of hope,
may we hear the cries of the poor,
may we see you in their faces,
may we speak, calling them by name,
welcoming them as our sisters and brothers
in that community we call your kingdom.
And when we have fulfilled all our days,
when we gather with the humble and the glad
around that Table prepared for us in glory,
your praise will always be on our lips,
God in Community, Holy in One,
now and through all eternity. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
OT 29/Proper 24 - B
Texts: Job 38:1-7 (34-41); Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c; Hebrews 5:1-10; Mark 10:35-45
Call to Worship
Welcome! There are many places you could be this morning, but you have chosen to be here:
where we learn how to live in God's Kingdom.
Welcome to this place - full of music, of words, of prayer - yet also filled with danger:
where we encounter a Wisdom we cannot always understand.
Welcome to God's House, the most dangerous place in town:
where we talk about and with God, and are reduced to silence so we may hear the call to discipleship.
Prayer of the Day
Wind-riding God,
the blue skies, the sunshine,
the cool breezes cradling falling leaves:
all creation reminds us
of the delicate Artist
who has shaped us
and all that is around us.
We lift our songs
of gratitude and awe to you.
Servant-calling Jesus:
you humble our arrogance
with your acts of mercy;
you tip over our pretensions
with your modest nature;
you laugh at our hunger for power
with your words of grace.
Heart-keeping Spirit:
you bear our prayers
to the throne of grace
when they are only whispers
in our souls;
you unfold the road map
to show us the way to the Kingdom;
you transform our stuttering words
into praise and wonder to our God.
God in Community, Holy in One,
be with us in this and every moment,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We do not pray in order to alleviate our guilt, but to express our gratitude to God. For we know all the things we have said and done that we shouldn't, and all those words we could have spoken, all those actions we could have undertaken, but did not. Despite such lives, God still loves us, surrounding us with mercy and hope, waiting to restore us to new life. Please join me, as we pray together saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Creation's Heart, we look around and see how we fall short in our attempts at faithfulness. We often do things, not because it is what you call us to do, but in hopes of earning points with you. We can become so self-absorbed, we cannot see the suffering and struggles of friends, family, strangers. We are so desperate to get to the front of the line, we push aside the very ones you seek to honor.
Forgive us, Holy One. Remind us that the cup we are offered overflows with grace, that the waters of baptism cleanse and make us new, and that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is the One who calls us to service, standing by our side, as we seek to be faithful disciples.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
The One who poured the foundations of creation fills us with grace and hope. The One who numbered the clouds, tips over rain barrels of living water into our parched souls.
P: The One who writes anthems for the early morning stars, fills us with songs of joy. The One who provides food for all living things, feeds us with mercies which come fresh and new each day. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
You donned your Word-clothes,
calling the whirling Spirit to action,
Ingenious God,
and you laid the foundation of creation:
stretching a line of mountains across the fields,
sinking the seas into the hollows of the earth,
teaching harmonies to the morning stars.
You shaped humanity in your image,
calling us to life with you,
but we sulked at your invitation,
preferring the shadowy words
offered to us by sin and death.
You sent the prophets as your messengers,
their words of fire, as well as faithfulness,
ministering to us, but we ignored them
in our hunger for power and recognition.
So you sent Jesus to us,
to baptize us in your mercy,
to offer us the cup of salvation.
So, with those who surround you, shouting with joy,
with all, in every time and place, who seek to serve,
we lift our songs of thanksgiving to you:
Holy, holy, holy, God who is clothed with honor and majesty.
All creations overflows with your life.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes with loud cries and tears.
Hosanna in the highest!
You alone are holy, God of questions,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, the only answer we need.
He did not glorify himself here on earth,
but became your Servant of mercy and grace.
He stretched out his hands, not to grasp power,
but to lead us to the back of the line,
where we can minister to your people.
He suffered, learning obedience to you;
he became obedient, so death might be mastered;
dying, he discovered the wonder of your resurrection;
rising, we finally grasp the truth
of your love and sacrifice for us.
As we remember his life, his death, his resurrection,
as we would comprehend your promises to us,
we would proclaim that mystery we call faith:
Dying, Christ became the Servant of all;
rising, Christ became the source of salvation for all;
coming again, Christ becomes your promise to all.
It is here at this Table,
your Spirit poured out upon
the gifts of the bread and the cup,
and your children gathered in this place,
that we are transformed into your servants.
As we eat of the Bread of life,
may we go from this place
to give of ourselves in service to all;
as we drink from the cup of grace,
we are filled with your peace and hope,
and become the gifts for which the broken,
the hopeless, the lost are searching.
And when our journey of faith is complete,
when we gather around your feast in glory,
we will join our hearts and hands
in loud cries and tears, singing of your great love,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Welcome! There are many places you could be this morning, but you have chosen to be here:
where we learn how to live in God's Kingdom.
Welcome to this place - full of music, of words, of prayer - yet also filled with danger:
where we encounter a Wisdom we cannot always understand.
Welcome to God's House, the most dangerous place in town:
where we talk about and with God, and are reduced to silence so we may hear the call to discipleship.
Prayer of the Day
Wind-riding God,
the blue skies, the sunshine,
the cool breezes cradling falling leaves:
all creation reminds us
of the delicate Artist
who has shaped us
and all that is around us.
We lift our songs
of gratitude and awe to you.
Servant-calling Jesus:
you humble our arrogance
with your acts of mercy;
you tip over our pretensions
with your modest nature;
you laugh at our hunger for power
with your words of grace.
Heart-keeping Spirit:
you bear our prayers
to the throne of grace
when they are only whispers
in our souls;
you unfold the road map
to show us the way to the Kingdom;
you transform our stuttering words
into praise and wonder to our God.
God in Community, Holy in One,
be with us in this and every moment,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We do not pray in order to alleviate our guilt, but to express our gratitude to God. For we know all the things we have said and done that we shouldn't, and all those words we could have spoken, all those actions we could have undertaken, but did not. Despite such lives, God still loves us, surrounding us with mercy and hope, waiting to restore us to new life. Please join me, as we pray together saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Creation's Heart, we look around and see how we fall short in our attempts at faithfulness. We often do things, not because it is what you call us to do, but in hopes of earning points with you. We can become so self-absorbed, we cannot see the suffering and struggles of friends, family, strangers. We are so desperate to get to the front of the line, we push aside the very ones you seek to honor.
Forgive us, Holy One. Remind us that the cup we are offered overflows with grace, that the waters of baptism cleanse and make us new, and that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is the One who calls us to service, standing by our side, as we seek to be faithful disciples.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
The One who poured the foundations of creation fills us with grace and hope. The One who numbered the clouds, tips over rain barrels of living water into our parched souls.
P: The One who writes anthems for the early morning stars, fills us with songs of joy. The One who provides food for all living things, feeds us with mercies which come fresh and new each day. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
You donned your Word-clothes,
calling the whirling Spirit to action,
Ingenious God,
and you laid the foundation of creation:
stretching a line of mountains across the fields,
sinking the seas into the hollows of the earth,
teaching harmonies to the morning stars.
You shaped humanity in your image,
calling us to life with you,
but we sulked at your invitation,
preferring the shadowy words
offered to us by sin and death.
You sent the prophets as your messengers,
their words of fire, as well as faithfulness,
ministering to us, but we ignored them
in our hunger for power and recognition.
So you sent Jesus to us,
to baptize us in your mercy,
to offer us the cup of salvation.
So, with those who surround you, shouting with joy,
with all, in every time and place, who seek to serve,
we lift our songs of thanksgiving to you:
Holy, holy, holy, God who is clothed with honor and majesty.
All creations overflows with your life.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes with loud cries and tears.
Hosanna in the highest!
You alone are holy, God of questions,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, the only answer we need.
He did not glorify himself here on earth,
but became your Servant of mercy and grace.
He stretched out his hands, not to grasp power,
but to lead us to the back of the line,
where we can minister to your people.
He suffered, learning obedience to you;
he became obedient, so death might be mastered;
dying, he discovered the wonder of your resurrection;
rising, we finally grasp the truth
of your love and sacrifice for us.
As we remember his life, his death, his resurrection,
as we would comprehend your promises to us,
we would proclaim that mystery we call faith:
Dying, Christ became the Servant of all;
rising, Christ became the source of salvation for all;
coming again, Christ becomes your promise to all.
It is here at this Table,
your Spirit poured out upon
the gifts of the bread and the cup,
and your children gathered in this place,
that we are transformed into your servants.
As we eat of the Bread of life,
may we go from this place
to give of ourselves in service to all;
as we drink from the cup of grace,
we are filled with your peace and hope,
and become the gifts for which the broken,
the hopeless, the lost are searching.
And when our journey of faith is complete,
when we gather around your feast in glory,
we will join our hearts and hands
in loud cries and tears, singing of your great love,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
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