Lectionary Liturgies

Lent 1-B

2012-02-19T10:55:00.001-08:00

Texts: Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-10; 1st Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15

Call to Worship
L:    We come, so God might open our eyes,
P:    that we may discover the wonders surrounding us;
       that we may embrace the joy deep within us.
L:    We gather, so Christ might widen our hearts,
P:    that we may hear the sounds of brokenness around us;
       that we may sing the melodies of hope.
L:    We are here, so the Spirit might teach us the ways of humility,
P:    that we may walk that street named Enduring Love;
       that we may wait at the corner called Faithfulness.

Prayer of the Day
How you love us, God of rainbow promises!
Like a mother who teaches her son
the steps for his first dance,
like the father who goes out
with his daughter after work
so she can learn how to drive,
you love us that much and more.

How you offer yourself to us, Brother of the beloved!
You gather us up in your arms,
simply to hear our deepest hopes;
you reach out your scarred hands
to gently wipe our fears away;
you stain a cross with your blood,
so we might washed clean in the tears
pouring down God's face.

How you share yourself with us, journey's Spirit!
You bathe our wearied souls
in the cooling waters of baptism;
you wipe the dust of the wilderness
out of our eyes so we can see the kingdom;
you teach us those ancient ways
which offer new life for each of us.

God in Community, Holy in One,
be with us in this Lenten season,
even as we pray, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
God takes broken promises and turns them into vows of faithfulness.
God takes our biggest failings and shapes lives of service. God
listens to our prayers of confession and changes them into songs
of mercy. Let us come to the One who pours forgiveness into
our lives, praying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   We admit we are hesitant to walk to Jerusalem and beyond with
you, God of Glory. In a world where we worry about tomorrow
before enjoying today, we race by your moments of silence, of
learning. In that flood of worries, which can overwhelm us, we may
miss that assurance that you have not cut us off from your grace.
In the deserts of our desires, we may ignore that feast of hope, of
joy, of life you offer to us.
   Forgive us and have mercy on us, Gentle Guardian of our souls.
In humility, may we offer our lives to others. In love, may we share
your grace with everyone we meet. In hope, may we wait for you
all our days, as you come to us in the life and joy of Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    In this place we find God's word, God's way, God's love,
        God's forgiveness. What more do we need to sustain us
        as we continue as pilgrims along the Way?
P:    In every wilderness, on every road;
        in every moment, in every life;
        in every journey, in every heart,
        we receive the daily bread we need - God's hope,
        God's mercy, God's joy. Thanks be to God, we
        are forgiven. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:    May the God of Lent be with you.
P:    And also with you.
L:    People of God, open your hearts.
P:    We open them to the One who calls us 'Beloved.'
L:    Beloved of God, give thanks and praise to the One
       who loves you forever.
P:     We sing our hymns of joy to the One
       who leads us into the kingdom.

Hearts overflow with you, Covenant Keeper,
as we lift our hearts to you.
When there was no time as we know it,
you crafted day and night,
so we could wait for you in every moment,
tasting the savory goodness of grace.
You imagined those moments
of gathering us to your side
to teach us all the wonder of your ways,
but we turned our ears towards
the whispered invitations of the Evil One,
running off to play in the wilderness
with rebellion and death our guides.
You recalled the promises you had made
to Noah, to Sarah, to Joseph, and to Hannah,
and so sent the prophets to remind us
of the good gift of your covenant
and to point out the ways to your heart.
When we continued to ignore their words,
you sent Jesus to be with us,
to set us free from the imprisonment
we had created for ourselves.

So, we lift our voices with those who waited patiently,
and with those who trust your covenantal promises,
joining the choirs of heaven and earth,
who forever sing of your hope and love:

P:    Holy, holy, holy, Everlasting God of grace.
      Every living creature in heaven and earth sing your praises.
       Hosanna in the highest.

       Blessed is he who sits as your right hand of mercy.
        Hosanna in the highest.

Faithful and holy are you, Creator of all,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Steadfast Love and Hope.
When he could have stayed at your side
during the days of our rebellion and pride,
he came to be our friend and guide.
When he could have feasted on your power,
in those days of glory with you,
he came to prepare a Table for us
where our hardened hearts might be softened,
and our broken lives might be made whole.
When he could have the angels waiting on him,
he came to serve us your forgiveness and grace,
enduring death on the cross
so we could have life forever.

As we begin once more our Lenten journey,
as we seek to follow faithfully, remembering
the life, the death, the resurrection of Jesus,
we tell the story of that mystery we call faith:

P:    Christ died to set us free from sin;
       Christ rose to break the power of death;
       Christ will come again, to bring the kingdom
            as close to us as God's heart.

Pour out your Spirit of imagination
upon this bread, and this cup,
gifts of your good and wonderful creation.
As we are embraced at the Table
by the One who has prepared it for us,
may we open our hearts to welcome
our sisters and brothers.
As we have been set free by your love,
may we proclaim freedom to the prisoners
confined by fear and oppression;
as we are filled with the Bread of life,
may we never cease feeding
the hungry of our world;
as we are nurtured by compassion's cup,
may we go out into the wilderness around us,
to take the lost, the last, the least, the little
by the hand to walk together
into that kingdom prepared for all your children.

And we we are gathered around the Table
with your beloved children of every time and place,
our songs will join together as our tears of joy mingle,
singing your praises forever and ever to you:
God of David and Rebecca, of Mary and Noah;
Jesus of the outcast and lonely;
Spirit of those who seek peace and reconciliation:
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen and Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Ash Wednesday

2012-02-15T06:51:00.000-08:00

(Note that while we use Taize songs for our worship, other songs can be substituted for other congregations)

Silent Prayer in Preparation for Worship

As you begin this service, take a few moments to bring yourself before
God - your present state of mind and preoccupations, as well as your
desire to meet God during this time.

Call to Worship
L: God's people have been called to gather.
P: From breast-feeding infants to aged
     grandparents, all are welcome.
L:   God's people have been called to repent.
P:   From those who wear their faults on
      their sleeves, to those whose secret hearts
      are broken, all are welcome.
L:   God's people have been called to be reconciled to our God.
P:   From those who have turned away,
      to those whose pain whispers in the night,
      all are welcome.

Taize song "Wait for the Lord"

Prayer of the Day and our Lord's Prayer
God of holiness:
your day comes near,
and we tremble,
not out of fear,
but from awe and gratitude.
For on your day,
we are fully known,
completely restored,
reconciled to you forever.

Jesus Christ,
Grace Bearer:
as we come to your fast,
may we be filled with your hope;
as we receive your gifts,
may our hearts be opened to others;
as we begin our journey with you,
may we put no roadblocks
in the path to Jerusalem.

Holy Spirit,
Creator of clean hearts:
as water rushes
into an empty hole,
may your sacramental silence
fill the emptiness of our souls.

God in Community, Holy in One,
our Treasure, our Hope, our Joy,
hear us as we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Taize song "In the Lord, I'll Be Ever Thankful"

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Taize song "Our Darkness"

Psalm 51 (read in unison)

Taize song "In God Alone My Soul"

2 Corinthians 5:20b - 6:10

Taize song "Our Eyes"

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Silence is observed (10 minutes)

Invitation to Lenten Disciplines
Beloved in Christ,
at the time of the Christian Passover,
we celebrate our deliverance from sin and death
through the death and resurrection
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lent is the season of preparation
for this great celebration,
the means by which we renew our life
in the Paschal mystery.
We begin our Lenten journey
by acknowledging our need for repentance,
for in penitance,
we name those things
which damage us and others
for what they really are,
and we open ourselves
to the One whose love knows no boundaries
and whose mercy is demonstrated to us
in the life of Jesus Christ.

By taking an honest look at our lives,
and repenting of our humanness;
by praying quietly
but with full hearts;
by letting go of those things that harm us
and by taking on works of love for others;
by reading and feasting on God's Word,
we observe a holy Lent,
and prepare ourselves for the passion
of Holy Week
and the joy of Easter.

Let us prepare ourselves
to come to our God.

Taize song "O Lord, Hear My Prayer"

Call to Reconciliation
God begs us to turn from those words, those acts, those obstacles
which keep us from being God's people. As we begin our Lenten journey,
I invite you to join with me, with words and in silence, as we bring
our brokenness to God who desires to make us whole.

Unison Prayer of Confession
   Too long have traveled our own ways, Approaching God, too long have
we sought to satisfy our hidden desires. We have trusted the
falsehoods of the world, and relied on the power which would consume
our souls. We have sought healing from impostors, and rejected the One
who was broken for our wholeness.
   Have mercy on us, God whose love overflows our deepest hopes. Let
our hearts be a sanctuary for your Spirit; let our lives abound in
service to others; let our spirits reflect the One we call our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Silence is observed

Assurance of Pardon
L: God lets go of the punishment we deserve and gives us mercy in its
place. Willingly, God puts a new spirit into us, the spirit of hope
and joy.
p: We will sing to the One who has delivered us from our sins. We
will praise God with cleansed hearts. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Imposition of the Ashes
Our ancestors in the faith
used ashes as a sign of our repentance,
a symbol of the uncertainty and fragility
of human life.
Like them,
we have tasted the ashes of hopelessness;
we have walked through the ashes
of our loss and pain;
we have stood knee-deep
in the ashes of our brokenness.

God of our lives,
out of the dust of creation
you have formed us and given us life.
May these ashes not only be a sign
of our repentance and death,
but reminders that by your gift of grace
in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer,
we are granted life forever with you.
Amen.

(A period of silence will follow. Those who wish to do so, may come
forward to have the sign of the cross placed on their foreheads or
hands. The ashes are from palm branches used at Palm Sunday services
in the past, mixed with oil).

Responsive Invitation to the Table (from Isaiah 58)
L: We try, God knows, we try.
     We show up at church, hoping God will notice..
     We study Scripture, pretending god is reading aloud to us;
     we put on those masks to show everyone
       how proper we are,
       how law-abiding,
       how religious;
       and we wonder - does God even care?
P: Not when we clench our fists in anger,
     rather than opening them in love;
     not when we work people too hard,
     and pay them too little;
     not when we speak bitter and harmful words
     to those we are given to love.
L: So tonight, as we begin our Lenten fast,
     God offers us a feast. Why?
     So that the broken bread will strengthen us
     to break the chains of injustice,
     to take the burden of poverty off our neighbors,
    to stop trying to control those around us,
     to fix a meal for the hungry.
P: God offers us a feast
     so that the cup of grace will free us
     to take coats out of our closets
     and wrap them around shivering shoulders;
     to offer shelter to the homeless
     without judging them;
     to spend more time with our families
     and less on the internet.
L: So, come to this Table and eat.
     Then, you will see the light God offers to your darkness;
     then, you will find the path God calls you to walk;
     then, you will discover God waiting to help you,
     even before you say a word.
P: We will come to this Table and feast.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: People of God, the Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: People of dust, lift up your hearts to God.
P: We lift them up to the One who created us.
L: People of ashes, give thanks to the Lord our God.
P: Praise and thanks are offered to the One who restores us to life.

Now is the right time to praise you;
now is the moment to sing your praises,
Holy God of Creation.
You formed us to live in joy
and peace with you,
but we tore your heart
when we chose our desires
over your dreams for us.
We prefer to swim in the cesspool of the world
than to be cleansed in your living waters.
We hunger more for the adulation of others
than for the quiet intimacy of your grace.
Yet you did not turn away from us
but remained true to your covenant,
calling us to return in the words
trumpeted by the prophets;
inviting us to gather in your kingdom,
entreating us to accept your overflowing love.

Therefore, we glorify you,
joining our voices with those
who had wandered far from you,
but who were brought home;
and with those who seek you now
in this time and place:

Taize song "Bless the Lord"

Holy are you, Steadfast Love,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,Bread of Life.
Considered a pretender to David's throne,
he is your heart's true Son.
Taking on the poverty of the human spirit,
he shared the abundance of your heart;
weeping over our broken relationships,
he reconciles us with your saving joy;
having nothing he could call his own,
he gives us more than we ever need;
dying like a common criminal,
he gives us life,
releasing us from the grip of sin and death.

Preparing to journey with him once again,
we remember the mystery
of his faithful obedience to your heart:

Taize song "Jesus Christ, Bread of Life"

Holy Spirit,
Heart of Compassion:
as the ashes of our humanity
are placed upon your baptismal seal,
so the brokenness of our lives
is placed on the Table of grace,
so the bread might make us whole,
and the cup might fill us with hope.
Then, in your wisdom,
may we turn to serve others;
in your joy,
may we bear the burdens of others;
in your grace,
may our love overflow to others.

Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
in the community of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor are yours,
God of holiness,
now and forever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread
The Sharing of the Cup
(while receiving communion, you are invited to sing the Taize song,
"Eat This Bread")

Prayers of Petition

Taize song "Jesus, Remember Me"

Please depart the sanctuary in silence

(c) 2006 Thom M. Shuman

Transfiguration - B

2012-02-12T10:58:00.001-08:00

Texts: 2nd Kings 2:1-12; Psalm 50:1-6; 2nd Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9

Call to Worship
L:    You are with us, God of sunrises:
P:    you awaken us with each bright new day,
       overflowing with promise.
L:    You are with us, Inviting God:
P:    calling us to respond to all the chances
        to share the spirit of grace and hope.
L:    You are with us, Glory of God:
P:    gathering us into the presence of your peace,
        listening to the deep sighs of our hearts.

Prayer of the Day
Glory of all creation:
as the sun nudges us
out of bed each morning,
so you gently lift the veil
of doubts and fears from our hearts
that we might see your joy.
At the setting of the sun,
you do not leave us alone,
but you sit with us
through the night,
sharing stories of hope.
And we do not lose heart.

Joyous Face of God:
on the peaks of promise,
we discover your grace,
sparkling with gentle delight
as it comes to rest
within our weary lives.
In the valleys of despair,
as we trudge long,
our burdens dragging behind us,
we turn to discover you
putting them on your shoulders,
the gentleness of your compassion
lighting the way to the kingdom.
And we do not lose heart.

Listening Spirit:
in the hard times
which life may offer,
you are there with us,
hearing not only our struggles,
but the hopes singing
silently in our souls.
In the barren seasons
through which we may walk,
we find you ahead of us,
planting the seeds of joy
which will once more blossom
in the springtime of God's love.
And we do not lose heart.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our hearts, our hopes, our voices
as we pray as Jesus teaches us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We can become so burned out by our hectic days that
we lose sight of the One who gives us life. We can
become so impatient waiting for God to astound us
with wonders, when we have the simple pleasure of
each day. In these quiet moments, away from all those
things which distract us, let us bring our brokenness to
the One who listens to our hearts, and heals our souls.
Join me, as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   The radiance of your grace is poured out in every moment,
Shaper of mountaintops, but we dull its luster by living in the
shadows. We indulge in fantasy games and watch shows
which claim to be 'real,' but we have trouble simply sitting in
your presence, in your healing silence. We can become so
infatuated with your love for us, we overlook those who
hunger for acceptance and hope.

Revealer of mystery,
   forgive us.
In silence,
   may we hear your whispers of grace.
In mercy,
   may we feel your forgiveness lifting the burden of guilt from us.
In trust,
   may we go forth to serve your world,
   filling it with the light and love of the One who
   is the Light of the world, Jesus Christ.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    The promise is true--God's Light has come into the world,
        and into our lives. We are graced with glimpses of God's
        glory, even as we are filled with mercy and forgiveness.
P:    Here we find the peace and quiet we need; here we are set
        free from all that keeps us from serving; here we are given
        mercy and hope. Here we give thanks to our God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:    May God be with you.
P:    May God be with you also.
L:    Lift up your hearts, people of God.
P:    We open them to the One who loves us.
L:    People of God, give thanks to the One who meets us
       on the mountaintops of glory and in the valleys of service.
P:    It is good that we offer praise and thanksgiving
        to the One who is with us in every moment.

You crafted mountains on which
we might find your majesty;
you carved rivers of life
where we might bathe in your grace.
All things were shaped by you,
Bright Glory of creation,
and given that we might live
in the abundance of your hopes for us.
When we could have lived in that garden
of serenity which you planted for us,
we caught a glimpse of temptation
out of the corners of our eyes,
and sought gifts from sin and death,
who were only too eager
to offer us a double portion.
You sent the prophets to lead us out
of the valleys of despair
back to the mountaintop with you,
but we chose to remain in the company
of the false gods of this world.
But you would not forsake us,
but became one of us,
that we might be transformed
into your faithful children.

With the Breath of life within us,
with the Word of grace in our hearts,
we join all who have gone before us,
and with those who are with us now,
singing the ancient song of glory:

P:    Holy, holy, holy, God of glory and grace.
       Heaven and earth sing loud songs of praise to you.
       Hosanna in the highest!

        Blessed is the One who comes to offer us
            a double portion of grace and mercy.
        Hosanna in the highest!

Mighty God, lover of justice,
you summoned your Son, our Savior,
to come to us that we might be redeemed.
Coming down Glory's mountainside,
he does not remain silent about your hopes,
but calls to us to follow him into
your kingdom of mercy and love.
He carried his cross to the top
of that garbage heap called Calvary,
to be put to death beside two thieves.
Surrounded by sin and death in the tomb,
he made a path through them
into the new life given by God,
tearing their power over us into pieces.

Remembering that he could have chosen to stay
with Moses and Elijah, but came to serve us,
we proclaim our faith as we come to the Table:

P:    In love, Christ died for us.
       In joy, Christ rose for us.
       In glory, Christ comes to be with us.

Now, on the gifts of the bread and the cup,
and on your children gathered in this place,
pour out your Spirit, God of Joy.
As we share the brokenness of Christ,
may we be restored to wholeness;
as we drink of his forgiveness,
may we become more gracious.
May his return in faith
find us praying for your peace;
may his return in hope,
find us working for your justice;
may his return in love,
find us welcoming all your children.

And when Christ does come again in glory,
when all have received a double portion of your grace,
when creation is made whole once again,
and joins in the glad songs of praise,
we will worship and adore you, forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

6th Sunday after Epiphany/OT 6 - B

2012-02-05T12:29:00.001-08:00

Texts: 2nd Kings 5:1-14; Psalm 30; 1st Corinthians 9:24-27; Mark 1:40-45

Call to Worship
L:    At night, when our cries for help echo off our walls,
        you hear us;
P:    you turn our tears into rivers of joy,
        Listener of our hearts.
L:    Each day, as our fears push us closer
        to the edge of loneliness;
P:    you tug us back into the safety of your grace,
        Servant of the suffering.
L:    Every time we stumble over our efforts to be perfect;
P:    you pull us to our feet to learn new dance steps of hope,
        Peace of our souls.

Prayer of the Day
When you could choose
to cover us with judgment,
you stretch out your hand
to pull us out of all the holes
we have dug for ourselves.
When you could simply
turn up your nose
when we run to you
covered in sin's slime,
you fill the tub with
the Spirit's soapy water,
gently washing us clean.
When you could see fit
to clothe us in grief's tattered rags,
you take our sack cloths
down to the thrift store,
coming back with arms loaded
with grace-wrapped boxes
filled with hope and comfort.

God in Community, Holy in One,
you choose to love us beyond our wildest dreams,
as listen to our hearts as we pray saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Would a mother not comfort her son who has made a
foolish mistake? Does a father not let go of his anger
at his daughter to embrace her in forgiveness? This
is how God is towards us, longing to dry our tears,
to make us whole. So let us come, confessing to the
One who loves us so much. Join me as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   We must admit that on most days, we are so busy
racing around that we do not notice the street signs for
the kingdom. Rather than lifting the fallen to their feet
and brushing them off, we belittle them as we walk on
past. When we could offer a cup of hope and joy to
the broken-hearted, we turn away so we do not have
to see the tears sliding down their faces.
     Forgive us, God our Maker, and touch us with
your grace. Mend our hearts, so we might be more
loving. Fill the emptiness of our souls with the Word
of life. Turn our faces towards the need of the world,
so we might offer our lives to bring healing and hope,
even as our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, touches us
with these gifts.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    What is God like? God is the One who turns despair
        into dancing, who transforms grief into grace, who
        binds brokenness with cords of compassion, who
        makes us whole once again.
P:    As Jesus chose to make the leper whole, so God
       chooses to forgive us. We can cast off sin's
        sadness, putting on the garments of joy. Thanks
        be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:    May our God be with you.
P:    And also with you.
L:    Come to the one who offers us grace,
        opening your hearts to God.
P:    We come to the One who proves beyond any doubt
        how much we are loved.
L:    Faithful people of God, sing praises
        to the One who loves and heals us.
P:    Our souls will not remain silent,
        as we lift our songs to the God of compassion.

You could choose to create
in any manner you desired,
God of truth and beauty,
so you brought light
to enlighten the shadows,
living waters to course the fields,
birds to sing your hopes to us.
All that you created
you called good and wonderful,
including those created in your image.
Believing that your call to stay with you
by the tumbling brooks of joy
to be too difficult a task,
we chose the easier way,
drowning ourselves in the
twin rivers of sin and death.
Prophets came, extolling your love,
seeking to attract us back to you.
We picked quarrels with them,
so we would not have to listen
to the truths which they spoke.
So, you sent Jesus to us,
choosing to send your heart
that our hardened ones might be broken
and made new with your love.

We join our voices with the lepers and the lovers
of every age, of every place, who stretch out their hearts,
singing of your glory and grace forever:

P:    Holy, holy, holy, God of healing and hope.
       All creation will not remain silent in singing your praises.
       Hosanna in the highest.

       Blessed is the One who chooses to come in your name.
       Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you, Compassionate Heart,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Lord of Creation, Healer of all.
When we tried our best
to pick quarrels with you,
he stretched out his hand,
touch his finger to our lips
whispering, 'Peace. Be healed.'
When he could remain
leaning against the wall,
he taps death on the shoulder,
cutting in, to twirl us
around and around
the kingdom's dance floor.

So recalling he he chose to heal your children,
remembering his willingness to give himself for us,
we will not stay silent but proclaim that mystery called faith:

P:    Christ died, to give life back to us.
        Christ arose, to bring us out of the grace.
        Christ will come again, stretching out his hand
            to lead us into the kingdom.

As you stretch out your hand
to offer us the gifts of this Table,
pour out your Spirit of peace and life
upon the Bread and the Cup.
We open our hands
to receive the life offered to us
in the Bread of heaven,
so we can them use them
to serve your children
in the world around us.
We offer our brokenness to you,
that it might be immersed
in your rich, life-giving grace
poured out of your heart,
so we might go forth
to welcome others into
the dance of hope and joy
you intend for all your children.

And when our race is finished,
when we gather with all our sisters and brothers
from every moment and every place,
we will come to the Table of the Lamb
with hearts overflowing with joy,
and our voices united, forever praising you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

5th Sunday after Epiphany/Ordinary Time 5 - B

2012-01-29T12:51:00.001-08:00

Texts: Isaiah 40:21-31; Psalm 147:1-11, 20c; 1st Corinthians 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39

Call to Worship
L:    When we look at the night sky, speckled with stars,
P:    we discover the never-ending imagination of our God.
L:    When we pick those not chosen on life's playgrounds,
P:    we join Christ in the ministry of healing and hope.
L:    When we set aside the time for prayer, as well as wonder,
P:    we meet the Spirit who is at our side in every moment.

Prayer of the Day
From the very first tale
told around family tables
to that last word written
in the book of time,
you tell us the story
of your love and joy.
From the foundation
laid in Eden's valleys
to the ever-open gates
of the new Jerusalem,
you build a home for
every single one of your children.
How good it is to sing your glory,
Heart of Creation!

Into the abandoned areas
of our lives, you come -
shushing the little imps
who whisper in our ears
of our failings and foolishness.
When we seem unable
to listen to your hopes for us,
you sit down at the edge of our hearts,
once again retelling the story
of your love and grace.
How good it is to sing your name,
Healer of broken lives.

When our dreams dry up
and turn to dust,
you gather them up
and shape them into
a future which surprises us.
When we would pull shut
the curtains of our compassion,
you yank them open,
so we can see those
we are called to serve.
How good it is to sing your peace,
Spirit of patience.

How good it is to sing your praises,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
It is in the deserted moments of our lives, when we realize
how we have failed to love, to act, to be God's children,
that Jesus comes, not only praying for us, but holding us,
mending us, sending us forth as new people. Let us come
to our God, speaking of those things we would rather forget,
so we may once again hear the words of healing and hope.

Unison Prayer of Confession
     In that effort to cross the finish line of achievement, Always
Listening God, we know we have rushed by those we could
have stopped to help. In our attempts to climb the ladder of
success, we know we have pushed past those who were too
weary to continue and were looking for encouragement. In
our channel-surfing for the next big thing, the new guru, the
bestseller which would change our lives, we pass over that
quiet place where we could listen to your heart, and find our
true home.
     Forgive us, God who hears our hearts. In setting aside
false pride, may we reach down to lift up the fallen. In
letting go of that security which only deludes us, may we
place our lives into your hopeful future. In turning from
the stress which controls our lives, may we find the One
who leads us into the kingdom of hope and joy, Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    No matter how many times it is said, it bears repeating:
       God loves us, God forgives us, God heals us, God
        restores us to new life.
P:    This is Good News! God listens to our words,
        fills us with grace, and sends us forth to proclaim
        the gospel to others. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:    May the God of grace be with you.
P:    And also with you.
L:    People of God, open your hearts.
P:    We open them to the One who calls us to follow.
L:    Sing praises to the God who delights in you.
P:    We lift our songs to the One who strengthens us
        with the gifts of the Table of life.

Into the beginning of all that is,
you poured the foundation of goodness,
Innovative Wisdom.
You did not tire in creating creatures
of every imaginable size and shape,
nor did you waver in your dreams
of peace and grace wandering the earth.
You longed for us to sit in the circle
with joy and wonder as our companions,
as we listened to your hopes for us.
But we thought we could run forever
with sin and death at our side,
never needing to rest.
You were determined to bring us back,
giving us the law as a guide,
but we broke every rule over and over.
You sent the prophets,
and we ignored their words.
So, you sent the One
we did not expect,
or think we needed,
Jesus Christ, our Savior.

So with prophets and parents,
with choirs of children and angels,
and with your children from every time,
we sing your praises forever and ever:

P:    Holy, holy, holy, Creator of heaven and earth!
       Young people embrace your promised grace,
           older people yearn for your peace and hope.
       Hosanna in the highest.

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

You are holy, Namer of stars and your children,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Child, our Savior.
The Word speaking goodness into life,
he whispers of your love for us
through every moment of our lives.
The One who shaped galaxies,
and flung them into the universe,
tenderly lifts up those cast out by the world,
placing them in your heart.
The Drifter of deserted places
enters into death's abandonment,
and the cold emptiness of the tomb,
to come forth with new life and hope,
running with us to enter the kingdom.

We come to this Table in remembrance of his life,
singing of his healing and hope for all,
even as we tell of that mystery we call faith:

P:   We proclaim Christ's death with our hearts;
      we declare Christ's resurrection with our hopes;
      we await Christ's return with our lives of service.

Here in these moments and in this place,
where we have gathered in your presence,
pour out your Spirit upon us
and the gifts you have prepared for us.
Bone-tired, we come to the Table,
that we might be strengthened
with that Bread filled with life.
So weary, we stumble through each day,
we drink from the Cup overflowing
with hope and grace.
Fed and nourished,
we would go forth into all those places
where the outcasts have been abandoned,
and where the hopeless feed on despair,
that we might bring them
not only words of good news,
but the very gifts which can
bring healing to their lives.

And when you gather your children
around the Table set for us in glory,
when we join hands and dance for joy,
we will forever sing your praises:
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman

4th Sunday after Epiphany/Ordinary Time 4 - B

2012-01-23T05:11:00.001-08:00

Texts: Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 111; 1st Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28

Call to Worship
L:    Thinking we know all the answers,
        yet wondering if we haven't missed something:
P:    we enter this sanctuary of Truth.
L:    In the company of sinners,
        in cahoots with saints:
P:    we gather as God's people.
L:    Standing by folks of deep, abiding faith;
        seated with those who stumble through
        the Kingdom:
P:    we lift our praise to God.

Prayer of the Day
L:    We hunger for power,
        and you feed us
        the bread of humility;
        we long for freedom,
        and you invite us to drink
        the cup of self-denial.
        Faithful and Just God:
P:    our songs of gratitude
        will echo down
        the hallways of creation.

L:    You speak
        and all the props
        are knocked out
        from under our pride.
        Then, you astound us
        by reaching out your hand
        to lift us to our feet
        so we may follow you.
        Holy Gift of God:
P:        our songs of praise
            will echo down
            the hallway of our hearts.

L:    Without your wisdom,
        we would be speechless;
        without your peace,
        we would be heartless;
        without your presence,
        we would be graceless.
        Bearer of Truth:
P:        our songs of joy
            will echo down
            the hallways of eternity.

L:    God in Community, Holy in One,
        may our songs echo in your heart
        as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
It's very simple: all God asks is that we
recognize our sin and acknowledge it.
And why? When we offer our prayers
of confession, God takes them from us
and fills our hearts with such an abundance
of mercy, we cannot hold it all. Please
join me as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   God our God: we fill our souls with the
empty sounds of our culture, and wonder why
we are so empty when we need words of hope,
of grace, of comfort. We are careful to follow
the prescriptions our doctors give us, yet pay
little heed to your hopes for us. We puff out
our chests over what good people we are, yet
do not notice how our pride trips those who
seek to follow Jesus.
   Forgive us, Holy One, and be gracious to us:
   astound us with your words,
        so we may learn your ways;
   nourish us with your mercy,
        so we may be filled with life;
   enter our empty souls,
        till they overflow with praise for your
        Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

    Silent prayers may be offered

Assurance of Pardon
L:    Of all the astounding works of God,
        this may be the most wonderful: God
        is gracious and merciful - to us!
P:    What has this to do with us? Everything!
        What is this? Good news, of the very best kind!
        We are forgiven. We give thanks to our God with all
        our hearts. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God of wondrous deeds be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Let us give thanks to our God.
P: We lift our whole hearts to God, holding nothing back.
L: Join in praising God, who is merciful and gracious.
P: In the company of our friends and fellow followers,
     we rejoice in the one who is our God.

'What have you to do
with us,' chaos cried out,
and you rebuked it, Holy One,
whispering, 'be silent,' and with a Word
all that is good and true came forth,
   oceans teeming with life,
   meadow grass rippling in the breeze,
   snow-capped peaks touching the sky.
You raised us up in your image,
but we worshiped the idols, sin and death,
becoming so accustomed to them
we would follow them anywhere.
You put words into the prophets' mouths,
so they could speak your words of hope,
but we refused to listen.
So you sent Jesus,
from whom all things are,
so we might live with you.

So, with prophets and those who never listen,
with the foolish, as well as the faithful, of every age,
we sing our songs of praise to you:

P: Holy, holy, holy are you, God of great wonders.
     All creation is astounded by your works.
     Hosanna in the highest!

     Blessed is the One who restores us with love.
     Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Awesome Creator,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Redeemer of all.
He teaches, as one with authority,
those who rebel against you.
He heals, as one with compassion,
those who struggle with pain and illness.
He calls, as one with the words of life,
those who have lost their way.
He dies, as one with complete trust,
for those who have no hope.
He rises, as one known by God,
so we may live for you.

As we remember what Jesus has done for us,
as we celebrate his life, death, and resurrection,
we speak of that mystery we know as faith:

P: Christ died, as we fell silent in grief;
     Christ is risen, silencing the power of sin and death;
     Christ fills the silence of our fears with songs of
        your wondrous love and life.

You long to have everything
to do with us, God of wonders,
and so you call us to this table
of peace, hope, reconciliation.
Here, in the bread and the cup
transformed by your Spirit,
we are reminded that
there is no God but you.
For, in the life of the bread,
we feast on that grace
which can heal a broken world.
For in the sweet taste of the cup's hope,
we taste those promises
which we can share with all people:
   peace where there is only war,
   love where there is only evil,
   wonder where there is only despair,
for from you come all things;
to you, we all would turn to follow.

And when all human time and history is done,
when we are gathered with our sisters and brothers
in that time with you we call eternity,
we will praise you forever, singing glory to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

© 2012 Thom M. Shuman

3rd Sunday after Epiphany/OT 3 - B

2012-01-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

Texts: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62:5-12; 1st Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

Call to Worship
L:    Pecking away at our computers, idling in a knot of traffic:
P:    we wait for you, God of all words, to speak to us.
L:    Pacing the halls of a hospital,
       sitting outside the principal's office:
P:    we wait for you, God of comfort, to fill us with hope.
L:    In the silence of each night, beginning each day's new journey:
P:    we wait for you, Steadfast Love, for you are our safe place.

Prayer of the Day
Keeper of every moment in eternity:
we come, not only to hear
those words which can transform us,
but to be filled with your grace and hope.
We have come, not out of habit,
but to respond to your call,
willing to be called away
from the familiar ways of our lives.

Walker of our journeys,
in the midst of our harried lives,
you call us to lay aside all that entangles us,
to follow you into service to others.
You invite us to step into
the waters of life and hope,
reaching out to draw others
to our side so, that together,
we might enter your kingdom
of laughter and joy.

When uncertainty fills every block
in our daily planners,
you come, Grace's Companion,
to offer that hope which anchors
us in God's heart;
to place our feet firmly
on that rock called peace;
to bring us safely to that haven
filled with God's steadfast love.

God in Community, Holy in One,
Rock of every age,
we offer the prayer Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Our lives tend to follow the same pattern: get up,
go to work or school or the gym, come home,
go to sleep. We can fall into the same routine
when it comes to our foolishness and failures,
doing the same thing over and over and over.
But God calls to us, to leave such lives behind,
as we follow Jesus into forgiveness and new life.
Let us pray together saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
     God of procrastinating prophets, we can spend
so much time waiting for the perfect moment, that
we might miss the chance to help another. We may
worry so much about saying the right thing, that we
say nothing to encourage a person who needs such
words. We may be so wrapped up in dealing with
the stresses of life, that we have no time to deal
with your hopes and dreams for us.
     Forgive us, God of second chances. By your
grace, we can hear your words of compassion
and forgiveness; by your mercy, we can place
our feet back on the path of discipleship; by your
love, we are welcomed as your children by our
Brother and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    If it can happen in Ninevah, repentance and
       forgiveness can happen in us; if God can call
       a stubborn person like Jonah, God can call us
       to lives of faithful discipleship.
P:    We will lay aside all our fears and doubts, all
        our worries and resistance, so we can follow
        Jesus, trusting always in the One who forgives
        us, in this moment, and all the moments to come.
        Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God of faith be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: Lift up your hearts to the One who calls you.
P: We offer our hearts as we follow Jesus into the world.
L: Sing your praise to the God who is with you
       every step of the way on your journey!
P: Our voices rejoices in the One who is our faithful companion!

You walked across chaos,
God our Salvation,
calling all creation into life.
You poured out your heart,
in the meadows rippling with grass,
in the rivers splashing with life.
Shaping us in your image of love,
you filled us with joy and peace,
gifting us with that Garden
which was our refuge.
But hearing the seductive tunes
which temptation sang to us,
we got up, and set out
to follow them into sin.
You sent prophets like Jonah
to call us back to faithful living,
but we only laughed at foolish words.
Finally, when time was growing short,
you sent Jesus to us,
proclaiming the good news
of your kingdom drawing near.

So, with those who repent in every place,
and with those who follow in every time,
we join our voices in praise to you:

P:    Holy, holy, holy! God of steadfast love!
        All creation sings your praises.
        Hosanna in the highest!

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

Holy are you, God our Hope,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Caller of disciples.
He left the refuge of glory
to confront the sin of our lives.
He wandered through our world,
casting out his hopes and dreams,
to draw all into your kingdom.
When time was of the essence,
he went to the cross at Calvary,
to deal with sin and death once and for all,
so they could have no more dealings with us,
bringing us into that kingdom
filled with life eternal.

As we remember his call to follow,
as we sing of his hope and peace,
we tell of that mystery we call faith:

P:    Christ has died, that we might live;
        Christ is risen, that we might hope;
        Christ will come again, calling us into the kingdom.

At this time appointed for your Feast,
we pray you would pour out
your Breath of Hope
upon the gifts of the Table.
Tasting the Bread of Life,
may we get up and go
to serve the hungry and thirsty among us.
As we are filled with Grace's joy,
may we set out on that journey
which will take us to your side,
where we will join our broken lives with yours,
so that we might find healing and hope.

And when all time has been fulfilled,
and we have gathered around your Table,
we will join our voices with our sisters and brothers,
forever singing of your steadfast love,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - B

2012-01-08T17:05:00.001-08:00

Texts: 1 Samuel 3:1-20; Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John
1:43-51

Call to Worship
L: Young or old, slow or fast; tall or small, know-it-alls or eager learners:
P:   Wonder of wonders! God has called each of us here.
L: Wrinkled, white-haired, stooped with age;
     bright-eyed, smooth skinned, leapers of two steps at a time:
P: Wonder of wonders! Each of us is made in God's image.
L:   Parents volunteering at school, kids playing tag,
      workers stocking shelves, retirees planning a trip:
P:   Wonder of wonder! God works through each of us.

Prayer of the Day
It doesn't matter
how far we go
to run from you,
God-who-calls-us:
you reach out
and touch us
with healing in your hands,
and turn us around
so we can follow you home.

It doesn't matter
how suspicious
we are of you,
God-who-invites-us-to follow:
you remove our fears
with your compassion,
you take away our doubts
complete acceptance
of who we are.

It doesn't matter
how often
we ignore your words,
God-who-speaks-to-us:
you whisper to us
until our ears
tingle with anticipation
and we listen
with eager hope.

God in Community, Holy in One,
continue to call us by name,
even as we pray in the name
of the One who has taught us to say,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We break our word - God knows;
we hurt another - God knows;
we ignore the needy - God knows.
God also knows the sins we try to hide, even
from ourselves. Let us confess to the One
who has called us and will make us whole.

Unison Prayer of Confession
How foolish we are to think we can hide our failings from you, Seeing God.
We treat our bodies as trash cans for junk food, not as sanctuaries for your
Spirit. We get drunk on the seductions of our society, while daintily
sipping at your living water. We doze under the tree of temptation, hoping
you won't see us and expect us to get up and follow Jesus.
   Forgive us, our heart's only Hope.
Your grace mends our brokenness, making us whole;
your compassion removes our sin, making us new;
your voice speaks tenderly to us, silencing our pride;
your Love is made human in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, redeeming our
lives.

Silent prayers may be offered

Assurance of Pardon
L: In front of us, behind us, to our right, to our left: look! God is there!
   In our past, beside us today, waiting in the future: look! God is there!
   in the shadows, in the light: look! God is there!
P: From the top of the mountains, to the bottom of the seas;
in the morning, in the evening, in every moment: God is with us!
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God who created you be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Open your hearts to the One who writes grace on them.
P: May God's words of hope and wonder guide our lives.
L: Sing praises to your God, children of the Creator of the universe.
P: Glad songs are lifted to the one who gives us new life.

Into the silence of chaos,
you called, Wonderful Crafter,
and creation responded, 'here I am,'
as mountains pushed up to tower over the rivers
that raced each other to the seas.
Your words did not fall to the ground
but became the stars that dance in the night.
You shaped us in your imaged,
telling us everything, hiding nothing from us.
But the tempting songs of sin made our ears tingle
and we did not restrain temptation's demands.
You refused to give up on us,
continuing to call us through the prophets,
but we were dominated by death's power.
So you sent Jesus to us,
to search us and know us
for who we are meant to be -
your people.

So with youngsters who hear your songs in the night,
and those who follow you in every time and place,
we lift our songs of thanksgiving to you:

P: Holy, holy, holy are you, Searcher of all hearts.
     All creation praises your name.
     Hosanna in the highest!

     Blessed is the One in whom there is no deceit.
     Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Knower of every thought,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, who is your heart.
When he could have wandered the streets of glory,
he searched up and down temptations' paths to find us.
When we doubted anything good
might come of humility and sacrifice,
he called us to follow him into service to you.
When he could have shunned the cross,
he said, 'here I am,' confronting sin and death,
defeating them as he was raised to new life,
glorify you in his resurrected body!

As we remember his ways of goodness and life,
as we celebrate the gift of the resurrection which is ours,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ died, trusting that he was held in your heart;
     Christ rose from the grave, as you bring him out of death;
     Christ has promised to welcome us into new life with you.

You search for us down every path we wander,
and finding us, lead us to this Table of hope and peace,
where the Spirit not only blesses these simple gifts,
but all your children who gather at your feast.
Speak, Lord, for your servants are listening,
so that as we are fed by the bread of life,
we would be ready to go forth to carry healing to the world;
so that as we drink from the cup of grace,
we would go to tell everyone we meet
that we have found the One who offers
that life and joy we are all long to have.

And when our lives have come to an end,
when we are gathered with your children from every age,
we will sit at your Table, finally knowing your ways,
and singing to you of our love and joy forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

© 2012 Thom M. Shuman

Epiphany

2012-01-01T18:28:00.001-08:00

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,
Our Father . . .

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 of Confession
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.

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,
that 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.

(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman

Baptism of the Lord - B

2012-01-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

Texts: Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11

Call to Worship
L:    On that first day, when time began:
P:    you gave birth to creation;
        light danced through the darkness;
        the waters of hope flowed free and clear.
L:    On that first day at the Jordan, when redemption began:
P:    you spoke of life for all your children,
        as your Child stepped into the waters of forgiveness,
        dancing in hope with his cousin, John.
L:    On this first day of the week, when we begin anew:
P:    you call us to faithfulness,
        as we open our hearts to you,
        your voice claiming us as your own.

Prayer of the Day
Beloved's Parent:
grace is the gift
which flows to us
from your heart;
joy is the seed planted
deep within our souls,
that it might blossom
into lives of service to all.
And we cry: "Glory!"

Servant of sinners:
you emerge from baptism's water,
to embrace us in your hopes;
you take our fears from us
and toss them aside
as you lead us into your kingdom;
you shine the Light
which brings us out
of despair's shadows.
And we cry: "Glory!"

Wind upon the water:
you move among us
sweeping aside our petty pride,
and offering us the gifts
of humility and servanthood.
You whisper of your yearning
for peace and reconciliation,
until it silences our angry voices
and unclenches our fisted hearts.
And we cry: "Glory!"

God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our voices as your Beloved teaches,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
You and I are now the ones who step forth out of the
safe waters of baptism, to bring hope, to share a word
of grace, to carry healing into the brokenness of the
lives around us. Let us confess how we still struggle
to follow in faith wherever Jesus leads us. Join me
as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
Timeless God,
you cast Light into sin's dark places
and call us your Beloved.
Forgive us:
    when we still linger in the shadows;
    when we treat others in hurtful ways;
    when we speak ill of your friends.

As he knelt in the waters of Jordan,
you proclaimed Jesus as your Child,
pointing to him as the way to you.
Forgive us:
    when we put ourselves ahead of him;
    when we think he is no longer needed;
    when we fail to see him in the broken of our world.

Baptized and blessed in your living waters,
you would have us be your servants in our time.
Forgive us:
    when we fail to welcome the stranger;
    when we refuse to forgive as we should;
    when we believe we are too good to kneel down
        and tie the shoes of the lost, the least, the last, the litte.

Silent Prayers may be offered

Assurance of Pardon
L:    Touched by the waters of life, fed at the feast of
        grace and hope, embraced in the warmth of God's
        love and hopes - this is good news for all of us!
P:    Blessed by baptism's tears, called to servanthood
        by the Beloved, filled with the peace of the Spirit,
        we are indeed God's people - redeemed, restored,
        refreshed to serve. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:    May the Creator of heaven and earth be with you.
P:    And also with you!
L:    People of God, lift up your hearts.
P:    We lift them to the One
        who gave his Heart to heal us.
L:    Let us give thanks to the One
        who made everything and called it 'good'.
P:    How right it is to give our thanks and praise
        to the One who calls us 'Beloved.'

Into the shadows of silence,
you hummed the first chords of creation,
Heart of Tenderness,
your Word crafting the sun to welcome each day,
the moon and stars to guide the night.
The Spirit gathered up the dust of chaos
and shaped it into vast universes,
flinging them into space and time.
Floating on the warm waters of Eden,
cradled in your love and joy,
we could have lived with you forever.
But we made mudpies from death's dirt,
shaping our own foolish dreams,
chasing after sin, and always being caught.
Prophets came, sent from your heart
to call us back to you,
but we could not hear them
over the shouts of our desires.
So, when we had no hope,
you sent your Child, Jesus,
the One who was willing to take on
anything, and everything, which kept us from you.

So, with those who ran to the river's side,
and those who immersed themselves in grace,
with our beloved sisters and brothers
in every time and place, we sing of your love:

P:    Holy, holy, holy! Creator of Light and life.
        Heaven and earth sing forever of your love and joy.
        Hosanna in the highest.

        Blessed is the One who comes to be baptized
            by water and the Holy Spirit.
        Hosanna in the highest.

Blessedness is your nature, Holy Imagination,
and your Bright Morning Star is our Savior, Jesus Christ.
When our hearts were hardened towards you,
he came to soften them with your grace.
Knowing we had lost our way,
he came to walk at our side,
unfolding the map of the kingdom
and pointing out the way home.
Standing with us in baptism's waters,
he journeyed alone to the cross,
taking our place in sin's grasp,
and leading us into your heart,
leaving death empty and alone.

On this day we remember our baptism,
we would proclaim the life which was his,
and the hope which is ours in that mystery we call faith:

P:    Bathed in your tears, Christ died for us;
        washed in the resurrection waters, Christ rose for us;
        bringing the waters of life to us, Christ will come again.

As your Spirit changed chaos into creation,
may these simple gifts
of the bread and the cup
be transformed into
your life and peace for us.
We come to this table,
your baptized and beloved children,
hungry for your hope in our lives,
yearning for your peace to fill us.
And when we have been fed by you,
we would go forth into the world
to bring the homeless off lonely streets,
to feed the hungry with more than cliches,
to welcome the stranger as our sister,
to embrace the outcast as our brother.

And when time has ended its journey,
and we are gathered as your family
around the Table of grace,
we join our hands and hearts together,
singing to you through all eternity
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman

First Sunday after Christmas - B

2011-12-26T05:58:00.000-08:00

Texts: Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 148; Galatianss 4:4-7; Luke 2:27-40

Call to Worship

Praise the One who spoke and made everything!
Let the rivers ripple with joy;
let the mountains stamp their feet.
Praise the One who adopts all of us as children!
Let old folks tell familiar stories;
let little children swim with dolphins.
Praise God!
We will sing of God's glory;
we will shout our joy to the hevens.

Prayer of the Day

Creation's Father:
of all that you created and love,
you choose us to be your children;
of all the places
you could love,
you make us holy
by your Spirit's presence;
of all that you could offer to us,
you have given us Jesus.

Destiny's Child:
you came to clothe us
in salvation's finery;
you amazed the wisest
with your humility;
you know all the thoughts
we dare not share with anyone.

Spirit of Abba:
as we celebrate a Birth,
be born in us each day;
as we sing God's praises,
whisper the good news to our ears;
as we seek to be faithful to our calling,
lead us into the kingdom waiting for us.

God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as we have been taught,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
It is easy to become slaves to our passion, it is harder to live as God's children. Let us confess the easy choices we have made, so God can strengthen us to be faithful sisters and brothers of Christ.

Unison Prayer of Confession

Abba God: we know that given the chance, we rarely praise others. We are guided more by meanness than by your gentleness. And we are seldom wise enough to listen to your voice, preferring instead the sweet, sweet songs of sin.

Forgive us, Heart of Heaven. Touch those inner places of hope and joy that they might become the gifts we can offer to those around us, as we seek to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silent prayers may be offered

Assurance of Pardon

Hear the good news.
the time is now;
the place is here:
God has redeemed us from sin;
God has claimed us as the children of Hope.
Praise God, all people,
for life is given to us anew;
eternity is our home.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the God of Christmas Joy be with you.
And also with you.
Children of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One
who came to us in Bethlehem.Children of Hope, give thanks to God.
We sing our songs of Joy
to the One who became one of us.

How can we keep from praising you,
Glory's Father?
You spoke,
and stars danced in the sky;
you whispered,
and snow fell gently in the night;
you sang,
and the Spirit
breathed life into us.
Yet, we allowed ourselves
to be guided by the Evil One,
being led into the wilderness of sin.
But you could not sleep,
tossing and turning in grief.
You sent the prophets
to adorn us with your grace,
but we ignored them.
Finally, when time almost running out,
you sent your most precious possession,
Jesus Christ, your Beloved Son.

So, with all creation echoing
the songs of angels,
we join in praising your name:

P:   Holy, holy, holy are you God, who alone is exalted.
      All creation rejoices in you.
      Hosanna in the highest!

      Blessed is the One who would not keep silent.
      Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Mighty God,
and blessed is your Son, Jesus Christ.
When we thought we could do no wrong,
he came to make us right;
when the world had forgotten us,
he called us by a new name;
when the time came,
he went to the cross,
that sin's slaves might be set free
and become your children.

As we celebrate his Birth,
and remember his death and resurrection,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:

P:     by Christ, we are redeemed from sin;
        by Christ, we are delivered from death;
        by Christ, we are adopted as God's children.

Guiding Spirit,
as you moved over creation,
come to bless this bread and cup,
and your children gathering around this Table.
As we eat of the Bread of angels,
may we be nourished by your justice,
to bring hope to all people.
As we are filled with the Cup of grace,
may the seeds of righteousness
planted deep within us,
bloom that all creation can be made whole.
Then send us forth
not as slaves to sin,
but as servant of salvation
to those longing for new life.

And when the time comes,
and we are all gathered in heaven,
we will join hands and dance around your Table,
singing our praises to
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

Holy Name of Jesus (January 1) - ABC

2011-12-26T05:52:00.000-08:00

Texts: Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 8; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 2:15-21

Call to Worship

We come, in need of blessings,
we come, seeking closeness with God.
Let us go, to find our God.
We come, from the shadows of our lives,
seeking light and hope.
Hurry, let us go to fnd the One
we have heard about.
We come, to God
seeking peace for our lives, for our world.
Come, let us go,
believing the Word we have seen.

Prayer of the Day

Majestic God,
we cannot begin to imagine you,
yet you have made us in your image;
we wonder why you notice us,
when we are surrounded by creation's glory;
we have been made stewards of life,
and you choose to share your own with us.

Name above all names:
you call us 'sister' and 'brother'
claiming us to share in your work;
exalted above all creation,
you humbled yourself for our sake;
able to do all things,
you choose to work through us.

Spirit of Grace:
when we look for majesty,
you bring us to a manger;
when we yearn for glory,
you hand us a mop;
when we want to exalt ourselves,
you point us to the Cross.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we pray to you as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation

We've been to the stable, and met the Babe.
But tomorrow, when we go back to work, or
school - will others know where we have been?
Let us admit to God our reluctance to reflect
transformed lives.

Unison Prayer of Confession

God of Bethlehem:
you bless us richly,
   forgive our reluctance to share;
you hold us close to your heart,
   forgive us for keeping others at arm's length;
you shine in the shadows of our soul,
   forgive us for not sharing the Light;
you lift us from where we have fallen,
   forgive us for not offering a helping hand;
you grace us with Joy,
   forgive us when we worship fear.

Silent Prayers may be offered

Assurance of Pardon

If we believe the songs of the angels,
and have seen the Child in the manger,
we must go out and tell others this good news.
We will go:
glorifying God,
praising the Lord,
and confessing to everyone we meet
how God has richly blessed us. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May God be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to our God.
Sisters and brothers of Christ,
give thanks to our God.
We lift our songs of praise
to the One who loves us.

We will indeed sing your praises,
God of Blessings,
creator of heaven and earth.
You brought forth all that is good and beautiful,
so chaos could not keep hold of us.
You lifted up the dust of creation,
shaping it into your likeness,
breathing your life into our lungs.
When we fell into sin,
you did not turn away from us,
but kept your promises.
You sent prophets to remind us
of our covenant with you,
but we continued to bow down
to death's idols.
Finally, you sent your Beloved,
Jesus, the Babe of Bethlehem,
to become one of us,
so we could be made one with you.

So, we join our voices
with the angels in heaven and the beasts in the field,
with thos who have gone before us,
and those who will follow,
glorifying you forever:

P:    Holy, holy holy are you, God of blessings.
       All creation glorifies and praises you.
       Hosanna in the highest!

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

Holy are you, Shining God,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son.
Emptying himself of glory,
we are filled with grace;
reviled and cursed by coarse humanity,
he is given the Name above all names;
dying a criminal's death
and cast into death's cold arms,
he is lifted to your Heart
to rule over all creation.

As we come to this Table,
we speak of that mystery
we cannot explain:

P:    Christ was obedient to God, even to death;
       Christ was exalted by God, raised to new life;
       Christ will be proclaimed by all as Lord and Savior.

Come, Spirit of Blessing
upon these gifts of the bread and cup,
and those who come to receive them.
As we bow to receive the Bread of Heaven,
we would stoop to lift up the fallen;
as we bend to take the Cup,
we would kneel to comfort your children;
as we worship you,
we would serve your people.

Then, when all are gathered
for your Feast in heaven,
we will sing our glory to you:
God in Community, Holy and One,
now and forever. Amen.

The One who blesses you
will keep you close:
we will go,
not keeping the blessing for ourselves,
but to share it with others.
The One who is gracious to you,
shines the Spirit upon you:
we will go,
to reflect the Light of Christ
in gracious words and deeds.
The One who turns towards you
gives you peace:
we will go,
turning to everyone we meet, saying,
"The peace of God be with you."

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

New Year's Day - ABC

2011-12-25T18:58:00.000-08:00

Texts: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13; Psalm 8; Revelation 21:1-6a; Matthew 25:31-46

Call to Worship

We wake up in the morning
and see the sunrise:
how majestic is your name
in all the earth!
We are warmed by the sun;
the rain cleanses all creation:
how majestic is your name
in all the earth!
We watch the moon light up the night,
we fall asleep to the lullabies
of the stars:
how majestic is your name
in all the earth!

Prayer of the Day

You call us
to be your children;
you gift us
to serve all people;
you send us to proclaim
your good news to all:
Glory to you,
Creator of all that is new!

When you are lonely,
we have a chance to visit you;
when you are hungry,
we can share our food with you;
when you are naked,
we can give you
the clothes off our backs;
when you are sick,
we can nurse you back to health:
Glory to you,
Savior of the world!

You whisper in our ears,
so we may praise you;
you fill our souls,
so we may serve you;
you lead us into the kingdom,
so we may live with you:
Glory to you,
Spirit of Gentleness!

Glory to you,
God in Community, Holy in One!
Hear us as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation

Will this year be a time of new life, new ways for us - or will we continue to live the same old way? Let us confess to our God our failures, as well as our hopes, as we begin this year.

Unison Prayer of Confession

We admit that we always find the time to fill our stomachs, God of every moment, but not our souls. We spend hours watching television, but not the wonders of your creation. We arrange outings with our friends, yet ignore your invitation to sit and talk. We make resolutions to change every aspect of our lives, except for that which pertains to you.

Forgive us, God of Glory, and make us new. In the moments to come this year, remind us that if there is a time for everything, than we do have those moments for grace, for hope, for joy, for a relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Silent prayers may be offered

Assurance of Pardon

It's over - last year is gone. Our words, our thoughts, our deeds are in the past. Today, we being anew. Today, and every day, God offers us life and hope.
Here, now, forever - we are forgiven and healed. This year, let us live as such people. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

May the God of new beginnings be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the One who makes all things,
including us, new.
People of God, sing praises to the One
who gives you new life.
We praise the One who continues to surprise
us with hope and grace.

Before there was time,
Hope of Eternity,
you took a moment
to bring creation out of chaos.
You took time to create mountains,
and carve deep canyons;
you made the time to fill the oceans
and to plant food for all creatures;
you found the time to plow rivers
to water a Garden,
and to shape us in your image.
But we did not have time for you,
preferring to spend our days chasing sin,
and our nights seeking death.
You always made time for us,
speaking of your hopes
through the prophets,
sharing your dreams
through the angels.
Then, one day you decided
to do a new thing,
becoming one of us
as Jesus become human
to bring hope and grace to us.

So we join with the saints in heaven,
and our sisters and brothers on earth,
who sing of your glory:

P:    Holy, holy, holy, God every time and space.
       All creation sings of your majesty and glory.
       Hosanna in the highest!

       Blessed is the One who gives us the water of life.
       Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Keeper of our days,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
who is with us in every season of life.
He comes, not to judge us,
but to forgive us;
he comes, not to cast us out,
but to gather us into
the new Jerusalem;
he comes, not to watch us suffer,
but to die on the cross,
that we might live with you.

As we give thanks for his life,
and remember his death and resurrection,
we would talk of that mystery
which is our faith:

P:    Christ died, so sin would have no more power over us;
        Christ rose, destroying death's grip on us;
        when the new heaven and new earth come,
             Christ will make all things, including us, new.

In these sacred moments,
send your Spirit
to sanctify the bread and the cup,
and to open the hearts
of those who approach the Table.
As the Bread of life
touches our lips,
may we be stregthened to serve
those whom the world has forgotten.
As the Cup of salvation
quenches our thirst for you,
may we be enabled
to bring relief
to those who wander
the desert wastes of our society.

And when all time ends,
and all people are gathered
around your Table in Heaven,
we will rejoice in your presence,
and sing your praises forever:
One God, Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Christmas Day - B

2011-12-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

Texts: Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-12; John 1:1-14

Call to Worship
L:    Wonder of wonders,
     God has come to us!
P:    Not as a judge, but a Savior,
     not in power, but as a servant.
L:    Wonder of wonders,
     God comes to us!
P:    Not in silence, but in the Word made flesh;
     not in the shadows, but bringing Light.
L:    Wonder of wonders!
P:    God is with us!

Prayer of the Day
Angels sang their anthems
at the midnight hour
to awaken a sleeping creation;
shepherds came to worship you,
and went away rejoicing;
wise one gave their hearts to you,
so they could dwell in yours.
O Immanuel,
we adore you!

You came to us as a baby,
to hold us in your grace;
you came to us in a stable,
so we would have no trouble finding you;
you came to us in poverty,
to enrich our lives.
O Beautiful Messenger of Peace,
we adore you!

You play with us
in the streets of the kingdom;
you build your home
deep within our souls;
you walk with us
in the winter of life.
O Wisdom from on high,
we adore you!

God in Community, Holy in One,
all the faithful lift their songs of joy to you,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father. . .

Call to Reconciliation
God became one of us, so that we could see the face of love, hear the voice of peace, be touched by the hand of grace, know the heart of mercy. God comes to us, offering us forgiveness and peace. Please join with me as we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
You came in weakness, Mighty God:
forgive our grasping for power.
You came in humility, Prince of Peace:
forgive us
for wanting more than others.
You came in poverty, Everlasting One:
forgive us
    when we do not see your family
   sleeping in our streets.
You came in gentleness, Wonderful Counselor:
forgive us
for the anger we speak
and the pain we cause.

Child of Bethlehem,
be born in us today:
forgive us,
heal us,
make us new;
then we will join the angels in singing your praises
this Christmas Day
and all the days to come.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    Break forth into singing, children of God:
      for the Babe comes to comfort us,
      like a mother rocking her son to sleep,
      like a father wiping away the tears
      of his daughter.
P: (sung)    Joy to the Word, the Lord is come,
      let earth receive her King.
     let every heart prepare him room,
      and heaven and nature sing,
     and heaven and nature sing,
      and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:    May the Child of Bethlehem be born in you.
P:    And in your heart as well.
L:    Children of God, lift up your hearts.
P:    We lift them to the One who came to us that first Christmas morning.
L:    People of God, give thanks to the One who is always with us.
P:    O come, o come Immauel, to feed us at your Table.

When you were weary
of chaos as your companion,
Everlasting God,
you whispered to the Word
who sang Creation's song:
mountains sprang to attention,
rivers and oceans splashed your feet,
and the dust from the Carpenter's table
was gathered up and shaped in your image.
Spirit breathed life into us,
that we might dance with you forever.
But when we looked beyond your glory,
and saw the decorative temptations
the world dangled before our eyes,
we rushed to embrace sin and death.
Yet you looked past our rebellion,
seeing the people we could become,
and so sent Isaiah and Hannah,
Simeon and Anna as your faithful witnesses.
When we continued to turn up
the world's volume
to drown out your pleas,
you sent the Word of hope
in the silence of a stable.

Therefore, we join with the angels
of Bethlehem's skies,
and all those who sing of your steadfast love,
in every time and place:

P:    Holy are you, God of Christ-filled mornings.
     All creation remembers your steadfast love and faithfulness,
          breaking out in joyous song:
     'Hosanna in the highest!'

     Blessed is the One who brings us the victory of God.
     Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Mighty God,
and blessed is the One who comes in your name,
our Lord and Savior, your Gift to all the world.
You would not keep the Word to yourself,
but sent him to tell us
of your hopes for us.
You did not cling to the Prince of Peace,
but poured him out to end
our enmity and violence with one another.
You could not hold your Heart
in your hands,
but allowed him to be broken
on the tree of Calvary
that we might be made whole forever.

So, as we celebrate his birth,
his life, his death and his resurrection,
we remember the faith which he models for us,
and gives to us as our inheritance:

P:    In the beginning, Christ was with you, creating life;
     on the cross, Christ died with you, defeating death;
     from the empty tomb, Christ rose with you, bringing salvation;
     from glory, Christ will come again with you, the Light which
          could not be overcome.

As we gather at your Table,
send your Spirit upon the bread and the cup,
and upon us, your children.
As you sent Jesus to be born of Mary,
may we bear the burdens of others;
as you became One with us in the Child,
may we live at peace with all people;
as you have brought us out
of the shadows of our sin,
may we carry the Light of the world
to all who live in the darkness
of oppression and injustice.

Then, when we gather at your Table
prepared for all people in your kingdom,
we will sing that new song
first caroled at creation
and echoed through Bethlehem's hills:
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth, peace,
goodwill to all."
Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Christmas Eve - B

2011-12-18T19:05:00.001-08:00

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

Greeting
L:    The people walking in darkness
        have seen a great light;
P:    on those living in the shadows of death
        a light has dawned.
L:    Jesus Christ is our Life and Light.
        In Christ's name, welcome!
        In Christ's grace, let us worhsip God!

Call to Worship
L:    Let us go, just as we are, to see what has happened.
        let us go with the shepherds:
P:    let us go and find the One
        of whom the angels sang.
L:    Let us go with those who are wise:
P:    let us go and find the One
        who brings God's truth to us.
L:    Let us go with the poor in spirit, and in flesh;
        let us go with those who are humbled by life:
P:    Let us find the Glory of God
        born in a stable, and placed in a feeding trough.
L:    Let us go with our friends and family,
        let us go with our neighbors and with strangers,
        let us go with all the children of God:
P:    let us go to find the One who comes
        to lead us home to God's kingdom.
L:    O come, let us go to the Babe of Bethlehem;
        O come, let us adore him!
P:    Christ our Lord!

Call to Reconciliation
We begin with such great hopes, such great dreams.
We are going to be better, to treat others more fairly,
to love more deeply. But we come to the manger
once again, knowing our failings, and aware of our
brokenness. Let us confess to the One who comes,
that our lives might be made new.

Unison Prayer of Confession
God who comes to us:
forgive us . . .
    when our shadowed lives dim your Light;
    when the tinsel of Christmas means more
        to us than your truth;
    when our hearts of stone resist the pain
        and brokenness around us;
    when we care more about what is under
        the tree, than the damamge we do
        to your creation and to your children.

Have mercy on us, Healing God,
so we might
    tear down the walls we have built
        to keep your love away;
so we could
    seek your justice for our sisters and brothers;
so our hearts
    would become cradles for your Son,
    our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

        Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon (based on Is. 62:10-12)
L:    Go, go through the city, preparing for the people;
        repair, repair all the roads, filling in the holes,
        raising a banner for all to see.
        God has spoken to all people,
        saying to sons and daughters:
            'See, your Savior comes;
            to make good on my promises,
            to bring redemption to all people.'
P:    And we will be called God's Beloved,
        the Redeemed of the Lord;
        God will seek us out to live
        in the New Jerusalem,
        where no one is left behind. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:    May God be with you.
P:    May God be also with you.
L:    People of God, open your hearts,
P:    We open our hearts to God.
L:    Let us give thanks to the Living God.
P:    It is right to give thanks to the One
            who offers abundant life.

This is the night your heart bursts open with Joy,
this is the evening Grace pours out of heaven,
this is the moment when you come
to make all things new,
ever-creating God.
You shaped light out of the shadows of chaos,
and molded your children from the earth,
looking in the mirror as you formed us,
breathing your Spirit into our empty lungs.
Made for life with you
in the Garden you designed for us,
we ran away into the wilds of the world,
believing we were wiser than you,
that we could make our own way.
Yet your love never failed us,
your compassion was never taken from us,
you would not abandon us in our foolishness.
You brought us out of slavery
into that land of promise and hope.
You sent your prophets to speak to us
of your disappointment in us,
and to remind us of your dreams for us.
Your love for us was so passionate,
that you sent your only Son
to become one of us
that we might be one with you again.

So on this night when heaven reaches down
to caress creation with healing,
we join the angel choirs who sang your glory,
and with your people in every time and place,
caroling the good news which is ours:

P:   Holy, holy, holy are you, God-who-is-with-us.
      All creation joins the angels in singing your good news.
      Hosanna in the highest!

     Bless is the One who comes in unexpected ways.
     Hosanna in the highest!

Holiness is who you are, God of Christmas,
and blessings come in Jesus Christ, your Child of Grace.
Finding no warm welcome at his birth,
he knew the cold shoulder of friends at his death;
born in the rude confines of a barn,
he knew the suffering of your children;
sent to be your Word made flesh,
he calls us to follow him into your Kingdom;
proclaimed by the prophet as our Prince of Peace,
he died in the quagmire of human violence.
By his death and resurrection,
you have given new life to all creation.
So, as we gather on this holiest of nights,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

P:    Christ was born, so he might die for us;
       Christ was raised, so we might be swaddled
          in the resurrection;
       Christ comes again, in unexpected ways.

Pour out your Spirit upon us,
Wonderful Counselor,
and on the gifts you have given us.
We lift the broken bread,
praying we would be made whole,
at peace with one another,
and reconciled to you.
As we drink from the vineyard of grace,
we believe that our salvation has come,
and we are one with Christ,
our flesh filled with his spirit of sacrifice,
our spirits refreshed by his compassionate heart.
As your joy flows into us,
may we become a river
carrying your justice to the poor;
as your hope sings in our hearts,
may we carry your righteousness to all who suffer.
And as we taste the promise
of the feast you prepare for us in your kingdom,
may we live for you and serve your children,
as we have been served by the Child of Christmas,
Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior.
Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Fourth Sunday of Advent - B

2011-12-12T12:23:00.001-08:00

Texts: 2nd Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:46b-55; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38

Call to Worship
L: O come, Rest of the righteous:
wrap us in your shawl of hope,
cradling us in your comfort and peace.
P: O come, Servant of salvation:
unlocking the chains of our sin,
sending us to dance in your kingdom's joy.
L: O come, Gospel of graciousness:
so we would welcome the outsider
and embrace the lonely hearts in our midst.
P: O come, Lover of the lowly:
to raise them up until they can look you in the eye,
and kiss your soft cheeks in gratitude.
L: O come, Child of the covenant:
heir of all those promises made so long ago,
and bearer of all the grace flowing from God's heart.
P: O come, Companion of creation:
to transform the mess we have made
into gardens overrun with goodness and beauty.
L: O come to us, Immanuel, come and live with us:
P: this day, and forevermore, come!

Prayer of the Day
You take us by the hand,
Gentle grace,
so we may walk
the paths of your kingdom,
carrying the light of joy,
to find the traveling companions
you give us for our journey
into the holiness of this season.

Adonai's Anointed:
you came among us
to whisper of your hope
above the jingles of these days;
you have been with us,
in every moment of our lives,
disguised as our friends and families,
living among us as the strangers
who welcome us as kin.

You are with us,
Spirit of kindness,
planting seeds of peace
which can bear fruit
for a shattered world;
you send us to sing
the glad tidings of
incomparable joy,
that God has kept every
promise ever made.

God in Community, Holy in One,
you give us the words we need,
even to pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
If we are to welcome the Child into our hearts, we must speak
of all the ways we have hardened ourselves against the good
news he brings. Let us confess our sins, as we pray together,
saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
How can this be, Holy One of Advent?
We would put the powerful on pedestals,
     but you send the lowly to remind us
     of our call to be servants.
We would stock our pantries with more and more,
     but you send our friends to our door,
     collecting for those who hunger and thirst for hope.
We would listen to seasonal sounds of sales,
     but you send the angels to carol to us
     of the promises made to all.

Forgive us, Hope of the world.
As we watch for your coming,
     may we see the need around us;
as we prepare to celebrate your birth,
     may we live with open hearts;
as we long for healing and hope,
     may we discover it in the Babe of Bethlehem,
     Jesus the Christ, sent for us.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: The good news is not just announced to all people,
it is indeed, for all people. For the proud, as well
as the humble; for the rich, and for the poor; for
those who have found faith, and those who long for it.
P: Our hearts rejoice in the promises, and our souls
rejoice in the One who has come to us, bringing
hope, joy, and peace into our lives. Thanks be to
God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: Favored ones, the Lord is with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Children of God, lift your hearts to the One
       who brings good news to you.
P: Our hearts glorify God, who strengthens us in every way.
L: Beloved of the Lord, sing glad songs of praise.
P: We rejoice in God our Savior, who looks with joy upon us.

Architect of the Universe:
like a mist over a lake,
your Spirit moved above creation,
so your peace could walk gently
through the fields of goodness,
so your hope could tiptoe quietly
into our lives to dwell forever.
You created us in your image,
so we could rest in your gentleness.
But we decided to warm ourselves
by the fireside of sin and death.
You asked the prophets
to come and remind us
of your everlasting covenant,
but we scattered their words
into the empty hollows of our hearts.
So, looking favorably upon us,
you sent Jesus to come,
appointing him to bring salvation
to us once and for all.

So, with those who waited on sheep-strewn hillsides,
and those who endured the pains of labor,
with all our sisters and brothers in every time and place,
we sing of your great joy forever:

P: Holy, Holy, Holy, God of Advent Joy.
     Heaven and earth sing your praises as you reach down
         to heal and comfort your creation.
     Hosanna in the highest!

     Blessed is the One who welcomes all people into your grace.
     Hosanna in the highest!

Your name is Holy, God of Grace,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Your Child, our Savior.
when we were chilled
to the bone by despair,
he came to warm us with your hope;
when we huddled against
the cold winds of fear,
he wrapped us in the shawl
woven from your hopes and dreams;
when we could find no life,
he walked to a cross-strewn hillside,
scattering sin's power with your grace,
sending the grave away empty-handed
as he greeted us with the promise
of the resurrection for all your children.

As we prepare to celebrate his birth once again,
as we await the songs of the angels on that holy night,
we would proclaim that mystery revealed as faith:

P:   Christ came, to humble the proud
          and to raise up the lowly;
      Christ is in our midst,
          feeding the hungry
          and filling the emptiness of all;
      Christ will come again,
          to bring us home into the kingdom of heaven.

Send your Spirit to move over your people,
and to fill the bread and the cup
with your presence and power.
May the bread we break and share
become the healing we need
and the hope we carry to a world
shattered by fears and doubts.
May the cup we bless
and pass to one another
be the grace for which we have yearned,
and the joy we can offer
to everyone we meet.

And, when the Spirit gathers us up
and brings us to the Table in the kingdom,
we will join our hearts and songs
with your family from all time and places,
who forever sing your praises,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

Third Sunday of Advent - Year B

2011-12-04T06:02:00.001-08:00

Texts: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8,
19-28

Call to Worship
L: Here, in this place,
we discover the great things God has done.
P: In story and song, in silence and sacrament,
we are reminded that God's relationship with us
lasts forever.
L: Here, with these people, we find our true home.
P: where we can run home laughing,
after being lost for so long.
L: Here, during this holy season,
we hear those promises made so long ago.
P: Of the One who repairs all our mistakes,
of the One who reshapes our brokenness.

Prayer of the Day
from those held captive
in temptation's bonds,
you create a community
of compassion and joy.
For those whose tears
spill out of their souls,
you reach out to cradle
their grief-shattered hearts.
To all held incommunicado
from the good news,
you send the angels
to sing carols of great hope.
Planter of justice,
we lift your glory to the skies.

When we would put on
the soft slippers of evil,
you hand us the muddy boots
of justice and hope,
saying, 'follow me.'
When we would let goodness
slip through our fingers,
falling on the ashes of our dreams,
you hand us a bouquet of hope,
filled with joy and grace.
Friend of justice,
we tell your good news to all.

We would grumble
with ingratitude,
but you come and tickle us
with sheaves of joy,
until our tongues
tingle with thanksgiving,
and laughter splashes
off of our lips.
Spirit of Justice,
we offer your peace to the world.

God in Community, Holy in One,
anoint us with your hopes and dreams,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Hope, joy, forgiveness, life - these are the gifts
God offers to us in this season of preparation and
anticipation. But too often, we put God's love to the
test, with our foolish behavior and unwise choices.
Let us confess, out loud and in silence, the lives we
lead, praying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
    Anointer of righteousness: you whisper songs about
mercy to us, but we would rather rejoice in another's misery.
When we would dam off the Spirit with our shoulds and shall nots,
you knock down our words, so grace can flood into the world.
When we gossip about the foolishness of our friends, you testify to us
of their compassion and kindness.
     Forgive us, Giver of grace. Salvation is your gift to us, not
something we can buy on sale. Joy is that seed you plant deep
within us, so we may share the harvest with all we meet. Hope
is the healing offered to our brokenness, through Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: This is the good news: God anoints us with grace and
peace, not so we can become better than others, but so
we can be the servants of a hurting and hungering world.
P: We will go, taking the good news with us, testifying to all
we meet, with our words, our hearts, our lives. Thanks be
to God, we are forgiven. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God who restores us be with you!
P: May the God who makes our dreams come true be with you!
L: People of God, lift your hearts to the One who blesses us with hope.
P: We were lost, now we will run home laughing all the way.
L: Children of God, praise the One who lifts us out of our grief.
P: We wept, now we will sing 'Joy! Joy!"

You scattered chaos
with the fresh breath of creation,
Lover of all that is good and beautiful.
You whispered 'glory'
as the moon and stars shone bright;
you sang carols of joy
as you planted the seeds
of peace and justice deep within
those created in your image.
But we filled our hearts
with the empty longings for power,
and drank from the brackish water
found in the deserts of death.
You anointed prophets like Isaiah and John
to sing to us of your hopes of our return,
but we despised their words,
and continued to test the limits
of your justice and peace.
So, you sent Jesus to come
into the prisons we had created for ourselves,
to set us free to live in your kingdom.

So, we join our voices with the broken-hearted
and with those healed by your grace,
who, in every time and place,
long for your coming into their lives,
forever lifting their songs to the skies:

P: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of compassion.
All creation overflows with your joy and peace.
Glory to you in the highest.

Blessed is the One who is anointed with your good news,
     bringing freedom to the captives of sin;
     cradling all who are broken by injustice;
     sharing the tears of all who grieve.
Glory to you in the highest!

Hope is heart which beats within you, Holy One,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Servant, our Savior.
Taking our wounds as his own,
he swaddles us in your healing comfort;
bound to the cross,
he releases us from sin's grip;
carrying death to the grave
and leaving it there
in it's final resting place,
he brings forth a resurrection crop
of your children who will live forever
in that creation rebuilt by your hope.

As we remember his willingness to serve us,
as we would follow him into your kingdom,
we testify about that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ came to set us free;
Christ died to give us life;
Christ will come again to bring us home.

Send your Spirit to rest upon
your children gathered at this Table,
and upon the gifts of your peace.
From the harvest of the fields,
you feed us with the bread of life,
planting hope within us,
tending and watering it
until it bursts forth to fill
the hunger of our world.
From the bitter tears
we have caused you,
you anoint us with
the cup of grace,
so we might become servants
who will love justice
more than we love ourselves,
and serve your children
before we sit down at the table.

And when you restore creation to its glory,
and we are gathered in heaven
at the great banquet of the Lamb,
we will find ourselves wrapped
warmly in hope's shawl,
and anointed with joy's oil,
as we witness to your love forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Charge
L: God has done great things for us!
P: We will go to tell the world that joy
is overflowing from God's heart.
L: God is doing great things with us!
P: We will go to let everyone know
of the One who has rebuilt our lives.
L: God will do great things through us!
Anointed with hope, we will go to serve
all the children of God, in every place.

© 2011 Thom M. Shuman

Second Sunday of Advent - Year B

2011-11-26T18:44:00.001-08:00

Texts: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2nd Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8

Call to Worship
L:    You come to us, alive and present
        in that Word clothed in human flesh,
P;    so we might hear those songs about
        forgiveness, echoing with joy.
L:    You come to us, Shepherd of God's people,
        feeding us with your peace,
P:    so we might go out and offer
        the bread of hope to all the lost.
L:    You come to us, Spirit of comfort,
        welcoming us into the kingdom,
P:    where righteousness is our best friend,
        where justice lives right next door.

Prayer of the Day
While others are making lists
of things we have enough of,
you come:
    to offer us salvation,
    that one gift we cannot purchase.
As the world prepares
to entice us with more and more,
you come:
    to fill our hearts with all the hopes
    you have dreamed about us forever.
When skepticism and fear
callous our hearts,
you come:
    to bathe us in the soothing
    lotion of compassion.
When stress scoops out potholes
for every step we take,
you come:
    filling the emptiness with serenity
    as tough as your grace.
As the clock turns
faster and faster each day,
you come:
    to swaddle us in a shawl
    woven with patience.
When others push past us
to get to the front of worry's line,
you come,
    so we can clasp them
    so close to our hopes
    they can hear your heartbeat.

So come to us, come to us,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We can no longer play dumb. We not only know
the lives we are called to lead, we are well aware
of how we fail - through our words as well as our
silence, by our deeds and our unwillingness to act.
Let us confess to the God who comes to us,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   You call us home to live with you, Comfort of the
lost, but we are too busy right now to listen. We flock
to the stores run by temptation and seduction, seeking
the best prices. We rush to judge everyone around us,
but ask you to be more patient with our repeated errors.
We feast at the table piled high with broken promises
and drink from the cup of fading dreams.
   Yet you continue to cry out to us, Broken Heart,
speaking to us of your love. Forgiveness is the gift
for every moment, not just one day; hope is our constant
companion as we journey with Jesus Christ, our Lord
and Savior, who is your Messenger of mercy.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    At the beginning, at the end, and in every time between,
        the good news speaks to us of God's tender mercy and
       love for us.
P:    God comes! Not to punish, but to gift us with peace,
        not to judge, but to save us. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:    May God be with you.
P:    May God be with you as well.
L:    People of God, open your hearts.
P:    We open our hearts to the God who approaches.
L:    People of God, give thanks to the One
        who brings you out of the exile of sin.
P:    We sing praises to the One who offers comfort
        and hope to each and every one of us.

Into the silence of chaos,
your voice cried, Comfort of the Ages,
your Word flinging open
the doors of goodness and beauty,
the Spirit speeding over the waters
to bring peace to all creation.
Refusing to wait for all
which you had promised to us,
we made straight for death,
running down the dusty road of sin.
Prophets cried out to us
while we were in this wilderness,
but our tantrums drowned out
their invitations to return to you.
Since peace was your hope for us,
and salvation is your steadfast gift,
you sent your Child, Jesus,
to become the Way for us.

So, with those who have waited
in every time and place,
and with those who try to lead
lives of godliness and goodness,
we lift our voices filled with longing
for your comforting presence:

P:    Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of creation.
        The exiled of the world await your coming.
        Hosanna in the highest.

        Blessed is the Comfort who comes in your name.
        Hosanna in the highest!

Holiness is your grace, God of exiles,
and blessed is your Word
who comes again to us in this time.
Herald of good news,
he whispers to us of all your promises
fulfilled in his life and death.
Prince of Peace,
he takes our brokenness
and shapes us into servants.
Messenger of salvation,
he carries the cross to Calvary,
where he ends death's power,
gathering us up from the tomb,
holding us so close to his life
that we can feel your heart beat.

As we prepare to come to the Table,
we remember the One whose birth
is the beginning of that mystery
we call the good news:

P:    The Word came, creating life;
        the Word comes, speaking comfort;
        the Word will come again, to call us home.

Send your Spirit to rest upon
these gifts of the field and the vine.
Take the common loaf,
and by your mercy,
transform it into the life we need.
Remind us that when we hunger for more,
you feed us with humility
that we might see the emptiness of our world,
and offer ourselves to fill it with your gifts.
As you hand the cup of salvation to us,
may it quench our desire for more and more,
that we might give all we have,
and all we are called to be,
as a healing for a broken creation.

And when your love gathers us up
and leads us to your banquet in the kingdom,
where we are seated with our sisters and brothers,
we will sing our songs of thanksgiving to you:
    Creator of goodness,
    Friend of the lost,
    Spirit of joy,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Blessing
L:    As you were present with us
        through your Word, O God:
P:    may we be present to others
        send us to serve this week.
L:    As you fed us with your peace,
        Bread of life:
P:    may we grace others with that peace,
        this day and all the days to come.
L:    As you welcomed us to your table,
        Spirit of Hope:
P:    May we welcome all those you send us
        that they may find a home with us.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

First Sunday of Advent - B

2011-11-20T10:52:00.000-08:00

Texts: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1st Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37

Call to Worship
L:    In every season of life,
P:    God is always with us, even when we believe otherwise.
L:    In this season of waiting,
P:    Jesus reminds us that Bethlehem is the beginning of our discipleship, not the end of the journey.
L:    In this season of Advent anticipation and hope,
P:    the Spirit opens our ears to the songs of the angels.

Prayer of the Day
In this time
when hearts tremble
with fears about tomorrow:
come to us.
In those moments
when our hearts are parched
from wondering through
the wilderness of worry:
come to us.
Come to us,
God-who-is-present-even-now,
to fill us with your hope.

In these days
when the powers of the world
can distract us from faith:
come to us.
In this season
when our rush to Bethlehem
keeps us from seeing you
in every one we push past:
come to us.
Come to us,
God-who-is-our-Gift,
to fill us with your grace.

In those opportunities,
when we struggle to tell others
what you really mean,
come to us.
In the nights
when our souls grow cold with doubt,
come to us.
Come to us,
God-who-kindles-the-fires-faith,
to fill us with your Advent.

God in Community, Holy in One,
God-ever-always-with-us,
hear us as we pray for your coming, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
In this season of hope, joy and peace - how often
do people receive these gifts from us? As we
begin our journey through Advent, let us put down
those failures and foolish behaviors which keep us
from getting very far. Join me as we pray, saying,

Responsive Prayer of Confession
L:    Holy God of Advent,
        you come near to us,
       yet we continue to seal our hearts
        with indifference to a suffering world.
P:    Tear open our hearts,
        and make us more compassionate.
L:     You approach us with bundles of mercy
        to kindle our hope, but we continue to build
        our lives with the bricks of bitterness.
P:    Tear open our anger, so we might become
        more forgiving.
L:    You draw near, longing to embrace us,
        but we fold our arms, closing ourselves off
        from those all around us.
P:    Tear open our souls, so we might become
        children of Advent.
L:    God, shaper-of-our-lives:
P:    have mercy;
L:    Jesus, Word-which-does-not-pass-away:
P:    fill us with your grace;
L:    Holy Spirit, Giver-of-the-Light-of-peace:
P:    Shine through our lives.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    Even now, God approaches us, mercy
        transcending anger, hope overcoming
        despair, life triumphing over death. This
        is good news, my friends; this is news of
        great joy for each of us.
P:    Enriched in every grace, blessed with joy
        and hope, transformed by love, we will
        live as people of Advent. Thanks be to
        God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:    May the God of Advent be with you.
P:    And also with you.
L:    People of Advent, lift up your hopes.
P:    We lift them to the One who comes
        to share our lives with us.
L:    People of hope, offer your thanksgiving to God.
P:    Joy, praise, adoration are in our hearts
        and on our lips.

At the Advent of creation,
chaos trembled at your approach,
Imaginative God,
as the moon shone the way
to your grace-filled garden
of joy and delightful grace.
Offered a feast from your plenty,
we nibbled at death's despair;
invited to drink from the fountain of life,
we filled our cups at sin's bitter well.
Faithful in every season,
you continued to send those
who offered us your tender words
of healing and hope.
But we made them the scorn
of our rebellious hearts,
laughing among ourselves at them.
So, in a moment we did not expect,
in a birth we did not recognize,
you sent Jesus, coming suddenly to us,
to gather us into your kingdom.

So, with the blameless, and the bewildered,
with those dozing off in their faith,
and those who dare not fall asleep lest they miss you,
we join our voices together,
singing our joyous wonder forever and ever:

P:    Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Advent.
       Heaven and earth await the coming of your Child.
       Hosanna in the highest.

      Blessed is the One who comes to share our lives.
        Hosanna in the highest.

You approach in holiness, God of every season;
your Child, Jesus Christ, coming to bless us with joy.
Setting aside his power and majesty,
he came with tenderness and peace,
so we might know your justice.
Casting off the garments of glory,
he put on the clothes
stained by our sins,
to leave them at the foot of the cross.
seeing the hope on your face,
he turned his towards death,
tearing open the grave
and striding forth into the resurrection
promised to all.

As we prepare to celebrate his birth,
as we anticipate his return,
we tell the world of that Advent mystery we call faith:

P:    Jesus was born that we might have hope.
        Jesus died and was raised that we might have life.
        Jesus will come again to welcome us home.

Pour out the Spirit of Advent
upon the gifts of the bread and cup,
simple goodness transformed by your grace.
as the Bread is torn
to be shared by those gathered here,
tear open our shuttered hearts
so we might become more compassionate.
As the Cup of Hope touches our lips,
may we not only proclaim your love,
but speak of peace, of reconciliation,
of healing in all the broken places and people,
until those words become the lives
we have been called to as your people.

And when that hour that no one knows, comes -
and we have been gathered from the four corners
of your good and gracious creation,
we will be seated together in your grace,
praising you to the ends of eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One.
And all of God's children said,
P:    Amen.

Blessing
L:    Be on guard!
P:    We do not know when Christ will show up!
L:    Be alert!
P:    Our hearts will be open to everyone we meet.
L:    Be on guard! Be alert!
P:    We will welcome each person as if they are the Christ.

(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman

Thanksgiving Day - A

2011-11-14T14:25:00.000-08:00

Texts: Deuteronomy 8:7-18; Psalm 65; 2nd Corinthians 9:6-15; Luke 17:11-19

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

Reign of Christ - Year A

2011-11-13T17:04:00.001-08:00

Texts: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-23; Psalm 100; Ephesians 1:15-23; Matthew 25:31-46

Call to Worship
L:    We come, for God gathers us here,
        with that community called faith:
P:    where the hungry are served first,
        where the thirsty drink life's water.
L:    We come, for God welcomes us here
        into that home called grace:
P:    where the naked are clothed in robes of hope;
        where the stranger is embraced as the long-lost prodigal.
L:    We come, for God reunites us here,
        sisters and brothers in that family called love:
P:    where the imprisoned model justice,
        where the sick are cradled in God's peace.

Prayer of the Day
Searcher of the scattered:
where the bullies and biased
have gorged themselves
at cruelty's banquet,
you will serve them justice
for dessert.
Where the wounded
are turned away by indifference,
you will bandage them
in the swaddling clothes of hope.
Where the hungry
press their foreheads
against the windows
at Chez Plenty,
you will open wide the doors,
having made reservations
for us all.

Bringer of justice:
when we would push
the outsiders further away,
you pull them closer to your heart.
When we would shove
the next-to-nothings aside
to get to the front of the line,
you pick them up
to keep them next to you.
When we scatter our gifts,
throwing them away on foolishness,
you gather them up
and give them back to us
saying, 'here, try again.'

Spirit of common sense:
as soon as
we wander into
the shadows of selfishness,
you open the eyes
of our hearts
so we can see
that place called home.
As soon as
we think we can find you
only in the rich and powerful,
you humble us
with the grace of Jesus.

God in Community, Holy in One,
gather us into your presence,
even as we pray as we are taught,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
They are the promises stretching back into the dim
recesses of time, yet as new as this very moment.
When we lose our way, God searches for us until
we are found. When we hurt others, God brings
healing to all. When we sin, God forgives us. Let
us hold these promises close to our hearts, as we
confess those things we try to hide.

Unison Prayer of Confession
We stock the food pantries,
   but brush aside those
   who hunger for friendship.
We give our hand-me-downs away,
   but overlook those whose hopes
   have been stripped away.
We glad-hand those just like us,
   but turn a deaf ear to
    our neighbors who 'talk funny.'

Forgive us, Hope of the ages.
You persistently search for us in the side streets
of the world, gathering us up and bringing us home,
so we may be drenched in the waters of your bottomless
pool for forgiveness, watched over by your Child, Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    God searches for the lost,
P:    and finds us;
L:    God invites the hungry to the table,
P:    and feeds us;
L:    God sends Jesus,
P:    and frees us from death's prison;
L:    God forgives all who sin,
P:    and heals us with mercy and grace.
       Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Searching God be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: God gathers us up and brings us to this place.
P: We lift our hearts to the One who leads
      us into the kingdom of peace and healing.
L: God collects us in the power of the Word,
       whoever and wherever we are.
P: We will sing glad songs that remind us
       that we are never, never! lost.

Out of the clouds and
thick darkness of chaos,
you spoke the creative Word,
God of wonder,
and creation burst forth in joy.
Rivers and streams teemed with life,
mountains were topped with snow,
green pastures cradled all your creatures.
You shaped us in your image,
calling us to be your people,
living in your steadfast love.
But your hopes for us
were pushed aside by
the seductions of sin and death,
and we followed them into
the uninhabited wastes of the world.
Because we were your priceless treasure,
you continued to search for us,
sending prophets in all the ages.
When we continued to worship
all the false powers,
you sent Jesus to gather us up
and lead us back to you.

So, skeptics and scoffers,
with the faithful and the followers,
we join our voices together
singing our praise to you:

P:    Holy, holy, holy, Shepherd of all creation.
        Heaven and earth sing choruses of praise:
        Hosanna in the highest.

        Blessed is the One who comes to gather us back to you.
        Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you, Steadfast Love,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Child, our Savior.
Seeing us stripped naked by sin,
he forages through glory's closets
to clothe us in your joy and hope.
Setting aside his power,
he would turn oppression inside-out,
and injustice upside down
to create the kingdom
where the least are the most valued.
Searching for us,
he left no stone unturned,
even going through death and hell
in order to find us
and bring us back to you.

As we remember his service to all,
as we celebrate the promised resurrection,
we sing of that mystery we call faith:

P:    Christ has died, bringing us your justice;
        Christ is risen, offering us your love.
        Christ will gather us up to lead us home.

In this sanctuary of your heart,
with sisters and brothers in the faith,
we pray that you pour out your Spirit
upon us and the gifts of the Table.
It is here all our scattered lives
are woven together in that tapestry
called the kingdom,
where we are strengthened
by the Bread of life,
so we may fortify all those
who have been exhausted by life;
where we are handed
the Cup of hope,
to quench the thirst
of all who wander through
the deserts of injustice.

And when you have gathered
all the nations into your joy,
when the losers and the lurkers,
the weak and the wise ones
are seated around your Table,
we will join our voices
with all of creation,
forever singing anthems of praise,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

Thom

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 28 - A

2011-11-06T17:12:00.000-08:00

Texts: Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 123; 1st Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30

Call to Worship
L: This is the Lord's Day, the day of wonder and grace.
P: This is the day to worship the One who calls us here.
L: This is the Lord's Day, the day we are given joy and peace.
P: This is the day promised to us, the day of healing and renewal.
L: This is the Lord's Day, and it has come just in time!
P: This is the day we gather with hope, with faith, with love.

Prayer of the Day
Now,
in the silence,
when we struggle
control our lives,
may we, once again,
empty ourselves of our pride and fears,
to be filled with your hope.
Now,
in these moments,
when we cannot let go
of our worries and doubts,
may we, once again,
open our hands to hold your faith.
Now,
on this day
which is only and always
your gift to us,
may we, once again,
live into your kingdom.

Now, as we lift our hearts to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
we once again pray as we have been taught saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
When we remember all the mistakes we have made, all the careless words we
have spoken, all the contempt we have given to those around us, we have
trouble looking God in the eye. But God gazes at us with mercy and love,
waiting to forgive us, even as we hesitate to speak of the brokenness of our
hearts.

Unison Prayer of Confession
Again we must confess, Master of the Universe,
our struggles to be faithful disciples.
Entrusted with all your gifts,
   we become fearful once again of misusing them,
   missing the chance to be a blessing to others.
Invited to dance in the light of your love,
   we stand against the wall once again,
   keeping company with our old friend, sin.
Called to be emptied for those who struggle in life,
   we fill ourselves once again, with scorn
   for the poor choices they make.

Have mercy, Journeying God, have mercy on us.
Once again, open our eyes to your kingdom in our midst,
so we might discover that your day of hope and grace has
already come in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: This is the good news: God intends for us to find
life, to embrace hope, to receive forgiveness through
Jesus Christ, our Servant.
P: The end our our journey is not rejection and emptiness,
but the fullness of grace and hope in our God. Thanks
be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God of promises be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Rejoice in the One who surprises us, people of God.
P: We lift our hearts to God who brings us salvation.
L: Children of God, join in glad song to the Giver of mercy.
P: Our voices join in praise to the God of love and hope.

When you had
had enough of chaos,
Covenant God,
you cried out in love
and creation burst forth in joy.
You shaped us into images of you,
that we might be children of light,
but we were drawn into
the shadowy life of sin and death.
You sent people like Deborah
to call us back into your light,
but we were scornful of their words.
Then you sent Jesus,
who came to fill us
with your love and hope.

So, with servants and sinners,
with judges and those who endure injustice,
we lift our voices, our hearts, our eyes
singing to the One enthroned in our hopes:

P:   Holy, holy, holy, God enthroned in the heavens.
      All creation looks to the hand of the Creator.
      Hosanna in the highest!

      Blessed is the One who walked the dusty paths of earth.
      Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of Wonder,
And blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord.
When the proud hurled
their contempt at him,
he humbly knelt to serve them.
When friends urged him
to play it safe,
he crawled out onto faith's limb,
trusting it would hold him.
When death wrapped him
in it's cold shadows,
he burst forth into the light
of resurrection joy,
that we might live
in the kingdom with you.

As we remember his mercy and hope,
as we celebrate the feast he has prepared,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ died on that day of shadowed hearts;
     Christ rose on that day when death was surprised by love;
     Christ will come to us on that day of light and love.

Your grace showers down
upon the seeds you have planted,
your hope warms the harvest
planted in our hearts.
As the Spirit gathers your gifts
and prepares them for your Table,
make us ready to receive them
with joy and gratitude.
As you send us forth
to serve your people,
may our faith and love
be transformed into winter coats
we can give to the homeless;
may our hope become
the meals we fix for the hungry.

And when that long-awaited Day comes,
when all times and seasons have ended,
we will gather at your Feast,
joining our voices with our sisters and brothers,
as we sing to you through all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

© 2011 Thom M. Shuman

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 27 - A

2011-10-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

Texts: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25; Psalm 78:1-7; 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18;
Matthew 25:1-3

Call to Worship
L: God has gathered us to this place,
P: where we hear those stories which show us
what the kingdom of God is like.
L: God summons us to this place,
P: where we can learn how to serve our God
without reservation, or hesitation.
L: God will send us from this place,
P: to tell others of God's hopes and dreams,
so they, too, can choose to follow God.

Prayer of the Day
You do not want us
to be ignorant of your
dreams and hopes for us,
God of holiness,
so you speak to us in parables,
so we might pay careful attention
to your words;
you tell us stories about
our grandparents in the faith,
so we might become mentors
to our grandchildren, and theirs.
Filling us with the holy oil
of generosity and grace,
you make us ready to welcome
Jesus Christ into our lives,
and to open our hearts
to those who are in need.

On this day, we choose to serve you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father. . .

Call to Reconciliation
Throughout Scripture's stories and people, God
is bluntly honest with us about hopes, dreams,
expectations. If we are to be as honest, we must
stand before God, confessing what we have done
and said, as well as our silences and inactions, so
that we might be drenched in God's healing tears
of forgiveness.

Unison Prayer of Confession
   We have so much trouble putting away our
false gods, Patient God. When we could place our
hope in you, we trust platitudes and shaky promises.
When we could tell our friends about what you have
done in our lives, we become forgetfully silent. When
we could make ourselves ready to serve in your kingdom,
we find other places to put our time and resources.
   Forgive us, Holy Lover, and fill us with your tender
mercy. As you whisper to us of your faith in us, may
we listen to your transforming grace, so we may follow
wholeheartedly Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior,
being faithful in our calling as disciples.

Silence is kept.

Assurance of Pardon
L: Listen, my friends! The good news is that God
is in our midst - moving, forgiving, renewing, restoring.
P: This day, we choose - to live with hope, to share God's
grace, to tell of God's goodness in our lives. Thanks be
to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: People of God, lift up your hearts.
P: We lift them to the One whose faithfulness never ends.
L: People of God, give thanks to the Lord.
P: We offer our praise and thanks to the One whose love is eternal.

How good and right it is to praise you,
God who gathers us around this Table!
You opened your mouth,
and creation's glory sprang forth;
you appointed the stars
to glitter in the night;
you established the waters
to nourish the earth.
You shaped us in your image,
calling us to be your children,
to live with you in harmony and joy.
But we chose to serve sin,
crossing death's river back into chaos,
our false gods clutched tight to our hearts.
Yet, you did not give up your hopes,
sending us the prophets
to get our attention with words
of challenge, as well as comfort.
When we steadfastly refused
to let go of our reliance on idols,
you sent Jesus to us,
to die and rise again for us.

Therefore, we join our voices
with those who await in heaven,
as well as witnesses here on earth,
forever singing your joyous praise:

P: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of parables and peace.
all creation sings of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who leads us across the waters
   into the kingdom of God.
Hosanna in the highest.

You alone are holy, God of all time,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior.
When we turned our backs on your love,
following the false gods of sin and death,
you came to us in Jesus, to lead us home.
When we would no longer to tilt our heads
In order to listen to your songs,
Your Word of hope walked among us,
to be your love in our midst.
When we could not shake off
sin's grasp on our souls,
Jesus reached out, taking our hands,
Showing us what the kingdom truly is.

As we remember his death and resurrection,
we would speak to others of that mystery
we know as faith:

P: Christ has died;
Christ rose again;
God will bring with him into the kingdom
     all who have died, that we will live forever.

It is at this Table of gentleness
that you pour out your Spirit
upon the cup and the bread,
and on your people you have gathered.
As we leave our false gods behind us,
We open our hands for that Bread
which, broken, can make us whole once more,
that we might offer our lives for others.
As we would encourage others
who are searching for your presence in their lives,
we drink of the Spirit of Christ,
that we might serve you
in both the foolish and the wise.
Nurtured and refreshed,
we no longer can plead ignorance,
but with open eyes and embracing hearts,
we may welcome all you send our way,
that we might listen to their souls
even as we tell our stories.

And when we are gathered in your kingdom,
seated at the Table of the Bridegroom,
we will praise you forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman

Reformation Day

2011-10-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

Texts: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 46; Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36

Call to Worship
Be still!
We come to quiet ourselves in this haven of holiness.
Be still and know . . .
we come to discern the Word that can set us free.
Be still and know that God is
our Hope, our Help, our Refuge, and our Redeemer.

Prayer of the Day
You break the cycle of wars,
so we may be enriched by your peace;
you shatter the grip of violence,
so we may be freed from our fears;
you plant your words of hope deep within us,
carving on our hearts:
'you are mine.'
You give us the word we need,
so we might live in your grace,
God of Creation.

You freely become one of us,
so we could be liberated
from our addiction to sin;
you take us by the hand
to lead us out of our doubts;
you give us the words we need,
so we can continue to share
your good news of life,
Friend of the needy.

You pull us to safety
when sin's waters swirl around our feet;
you surround us with serenity
when doubts rattle our souls;
you give us words we need,
whenever we wander
onto the paths of trouble,
Spirit of Holiness.

God in Community, Holy in One,
you give us the words we need
to pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We can no longer flatter ourselves about how good we are. We do not need to make grandstand plays to get God's attention. We only need to confess our lives, as God makes good on the promises of grace and mercy. Join me as we ask God to reform us into God's children, praying together,

Unison Prayer of Confession
Heart of the Covenant: we have known your hopes for us, and disappointed every one of them; we have hear your words of faithfulness, and forgotten every one of them; we have seen your dreams for us, and turned them into nightmares.
Forgive us, Hope's Heart. Silence every blustering word, so we may hear your mercy; still every feeble attempt to justify ourselves, so we may be made right with you; melt every frozen heart, so we might be drenched in your river of joy. May Jesus Christ continue to live in us, so we might be free to live forever with you.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Be still and know the good news: God has not forsaken nor forgotten us, but redeems us.
Why should we be afraid? God is in our midst - forgiving, restoring, sending. Thanks be to God! Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 26 - A

2011-10-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

Texts: Joshua 3:7-17; Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37; 1st Thessalonians 2:9-13; Matthew 23:1-12

Call to Worship
L: When we stand at the edge of fear and worry,
P: God invites us to step into the waters of faith and trust.
L: When we stand at the edge of the world's pain and need,
P: Jesus invites us to step into the land of humble service.
L: When we stand at the edge of our hunger and thirst:
P: the Spirit invites us to sit at the Table of grace.

Prayer of the Day
God-ever-with-us:
you draw us near to your heart,
so that, cradled in compassion,
we might see the brokenness
of all who are around us.

Teacher-beside-us:
you draw us near to yourself,
so that, by following you,
we may discover the deep joy
of serving the broken of the world.

Spirit-within-us:
you draw near to us with your peace,
so that, reconciled and restored to God,
we may be the healers
to a world shattered by despair.

God in Community, Holy in One,
as we draw near to you in this time,
we lift the prayer you have taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We know how easy it is to do exactly the opposite of what we learn
from our Teacher, Jesus. So, let us draw near to our God, for in
confessing our failures, we will discover the grace and mercy God has
in store for us. Join me as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   When we come to the edge of your holiness, Constant Love, we
know how we have not lived as your children. We dam up for ourselves
your rivers of love, while the lives around us turn into deserts of
loneliness. All too quickly, we place our feet on the quicksand of fear,
not wanting to step across to your faith. We tie up our angers and
worries and burden our families and friends with them.
   Forgive us, Listener to our hearts. By your patient grace, give us more
time to practice our calling to discipleship, so we might learn all we need
to
live as sisters and brothers of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: This is the good news: God hears you, God forgives you, God
is with you as you journey into that land called Promise.
P: Let the redeemed of God say: this is indeed great news! Accepting
God's word of joy and grace, we will live as God's children in all
the days to come. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May creation's Guide be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Weary wanderers, offer your hearts to God;
P: who takes us by the heart to lead us back to faithfulness.
L: Do not hesitate, but step forward in joy into God's life.
P: We will do so, singing to the One who immerses us in hope.

Standing at the edge of chaos,
you cried out, Exalted Love,
and all creation sprang forth
from the goodness of your Word.
Grace overflowed from your heart,
racing through the deep valleys of hope.
Creating us in your image,
breathing life and joy into us,
you drew us near to you,
so we could live in joy with you.
But we chose to wander
through the deserts of death,
paving over Eden's promise with our sins.
Like a parent with her children,
you encouraged us to change,
sending the prophets to bring us back.
But we would not listen,
tying up the burdens of our lives
and putting them on their backs.
Then you chose to send Jesus,
to be the Witness to your
never-ending love for us.

So, with wanderers and witnesses,
with those who cried out to you,
and those who followed your promises,
we lift our songs with our sisters and brothers
who forever sing your praises:

P:   Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of steadfast love.
      All creation overflows with your grace and mercy.
      Hosanna in the highest!

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

You are holy, Creation's Guide,
and Jesus Christ, your Son, our Teacher,
is the One who comes to redeem us.
Seeing the barren lives we lead,
he came to till the rich soil
of your hopes and dreams,
that it might bear life in us.
Watching us stumble
along sin's side streets,
he takes us by the hand,
to lead us to your feast.
When we would allow our pride
to become entangled with death,
he gently takes this burden
from off our shoulders,
carrying it to the cross,
and leaving it behind in the tomb,
as he strides forth into
the promised land of resurrection.

As we remember his words and witness,
as we would let his teachings shape our lives,
we speak of what we believe, great is the mystery of faith:

P:   Christ was sent to be God's Witness.
      Christ is our Teacher of the Way.
      Christ will come to welcome us home.

Pour out your Holy Spirit
upon those gathered
from every corner of the world,
and upon the gifts of the bread and the cup.
as your grace fills us,
may we go forth,
in thanksgiving and humility,
to feed the hungry around us.
As the cup turns our parched souls
into fountains of hope,
may we overflow in service
to those who wander in our midst.

Then, when all time has ended,
when the truly humble find themselves
seated beside you at the Table in eternity,
we will join our voices in thanksgiving to
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 25 - A

2011-10-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

Here's the real liturgy for this Sunday. I take a Sunday off and get verything
goofed up. my apologies. Thom

Texts: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; 1st Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46

Call to Worship
L: We are invited to share in Christ's ministry of compassion.
P: We would widen our hearts so we might cradle the lost.
L: We are challenged to learn more about God each day.
P: We would open our minds that we might discern God's dreams for us.
L: We are summoned to let the Spirit be planted within us.
P: We would deepen our souls that we might grow in love.

Prayer of the Day
Every generation has found
its home in you,
God our provider,
and discovered that every moment
spent in your holy presence
lasts beyond all imaginable time.
You watch over us in the night,
cradling us in your arms
as tenderly as a nurse
cares for her children,
and her neighbor's.

Full of wisdom,
Imagination of Creation,
you humbled yourself
that we might learn
to love those
who have been swept aside
by a callous and cruel world.
Witness to God's grace,
you call us to act
in ways of love of peace
to all we meet in this life.

In the fresh breeze
   on a summer's day;
in the leaves dancing
   across autumn's lawns;
in the crisp, new snowfall
   crunching beneath our feet;
in the new life
   flowering in the spring:
from everlasting to everlasting
you proclaim God's grace to us,
Spirit of Life.

God in Community, Holy in One,
continue to be the dwelling place
of our minds, our hearts, our souls,
even as we prays as we have been taught,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We have been entrusted with the message of the gospel,
but all too often act as if the memos from sin and death have
more influence in our lives. Let us confess our sins, so we
might know God's great love for us.

Unison Prayer of Confession
As you know, God our healer, we stand on the edge of your
promises and hopes, yet cannot seem to let ourselves cross
over into the life you intend for us.
   We seek praise from our families,
yet are unable to tell them how much we love them;
   we care more about our needs and desires,
than for the struggles of our neighbors;
   we think more about the trash we read and see
than focusing on the Spirit of wisdom.

Forgive us, Everlasting God.
Renew our lives with your grace;
restore our hopes with your vision of tomorrow;
refresh our spirits with your joy which comes to us new in each moment
    in the gift of your Child, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept.

Assurance of Pardon
L: This moment, this morning, this day, and in all the days to come,
God's compassion and hope fill our lives.
What joyous good news!
P: Our hope is not in vain. God forgives our sins, and is the dwelling
place for all people. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God of compassion be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Each morning, God feeds us with steadfast love.
P: Each day, our hearts are filled with God's call to serve.
L: Children of God, sing your praises to God all our days.
P: We lift our joy to the One who is the dwelling place of all generations.

Refusing to let chaos
become our dwelling place,
God of the ages,
you called forth creation.
Whether in the blink of an eye,
or in moments spanning thousands of years,
deep valleys of hope were carved,
carpeted with grace renewed each morning.
You created humankind in your image,
knowing us face to face in love.
But we turned our gaze
towards that land of temptation,
chasing the false dreams offered by death.
Caring so deeply for us,
you sent prophets to call us home,
but their words withered in our hearts.
So you sent Jesus to bring
the message of good news,
and to lead us to
the promised land of eternal life.

Therefore, with those filled with the spirit of wisdom,
and those who were full of themselves,
with saints and sinners, prophets and pharisees,
we sing of your everlasting joy:

P:   Holy, holy, holy, God our dwelling place.
      You satisfy us with your love each morning,
      You comfort us in your grace each night.

      Blessed is the One who comes calling us to love:
          to love you without reservation,
          to love others without expectation,
          to love ourselves without self-condemnation.
      Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God our Peace,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Way of life.
Mindful of your hopes for us,
he came, so we might
discover you in our neighbor.
Soul of your soul,
he came, so we might
overflow with your grace.
Loving us more than himself,
he came, to defeat sin
and destroy death's grip on us,
so we might spend eternity
embraced in your life.

With remembrance of his life,
In the joy of the resurrection,
In anticipation of his return,
We proclaim that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ came, that we might know God's love;
     Christ died, that our souls might be healed;
     Christ will come again, that our hearts will be united with God's.

Pour out your Spirit of wisdom
on the gifts of this Table,
and on those who prepare to feast
on your bounty of grace.
As the bread fills us
with your love and hope,
we would go out to love
our neighbors with hearts
shaped by your joy.
As the cup refreshes
our minds and souls,
we would show our
everlasting love for you,
by serving the lost and forgotten
with lives molded by your compassion.

And when time, which was first wound at creation
has ticked its last moment,
when friends, neighbors, and strangers
are gathered around your Table,
we will join our voices singing your praises,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Charge
L: And now go forth,
To love God with all your heart, your mind, your soul:
P with passion, with prayer, with intelligence;
L: to love your neighbor:
P: with forgiveness, with service, with love;
L: and to love yourself:
P: with hope, with joy, with peace.

© 2011 Thom M. Shuman

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 24 - A

2011-10-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

Texts: Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99l; 1st Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22

Call to Worship
L:   Each morning, God's grace awakens us,
      each evening, God's peace cradles us.
P:   Compassion is our constant companion,
      as we go through work, school, the day.
L:   In every moment, God is present with us;
      God whispers words which can change our lives.
P:   Justice is our faithful teacher,
      pointing to where we can carry out fairness.
L:   When we find ourselves groping in the shadows,
      God's light will provide a way home.
P:   We turn the corner, and hope is waiting for us;
      we return home, and find a feast prepared.

Prayer of the Day
Steadfast Hope:
when we want
to make all the rules
so we can win every game,
you call us to your side,
put your arm around us
and whisper, 'play fair!'
When we tremble in fear,
worried that our lives
are about to crash to the bottom,
you place us in
the hollow of your heart,
and give us safety.

Word of Joy:
when we would follow
those who pretend
to be our saviors
to achieve their own ends,
you remind us that we have been chosen
to be examples of faith to others.
When we would
fill our pockets with
the treasures of temptation,
you ask us to empty them,
so we can become
servants of hope.

Crafter of Faith:
when others judge us on
our backgrounds, education, looks,
you teach us how
to treat all people as equal,
to welcome each person
as our sister or brother.
When we wonder how
our needs, our hopes, our lives
will be made known to God,
you mention us, by name,
in all your prayers.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we know you as
Glory, Grace, Goodness,
and lift our prayer to you, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We know, despite our sincere efforts to live in God's
way, that all too easily we slip off the path to the kingdom.
Trusting that God will answer our prayers and forgive us,
let us confess our sins, as we pray together,

Unison Prayer of Confession
Great Lover of Justice, hear our prayers:
called to treat all people equally,
   we take sides and pick favorites;
chosen to be your children,
   we arrogantly assume others are not so honored;
challenged to be examples of faith,
   we reveal our worst natures to our families and friends.

Forgive us, Giver of Rest.
Enable us to stop putting you to the test, so we can open
our hypocritical hearts to your healing touch of compassion
and hope. As Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, has given
all for us, may we give ourselves to you - confidently,
completely, faithfully.

Assurance of Pardon
L:   Hear the good news: the One who created goodness
      and beauty is also the One who shows no partiality,
      but offers grace and peace to all.
P:   God has heard our prayers and done the very thing we
      asked - forgiven us, healed us, restored us. Thanks be
      to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the exalted One be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Open your hearts to the One who knows you by name.
P: We offer ourselves to the One who is always with us.
L: Give thanks to God, all of you, in prayer and song, in silence and service.
P: We sing to the One who calls us to worship.

Holy and Honest God:
In establishing all that is
beautiful and joyful,
your glory banished chaos
and your goodness became
the shawl which warmed all creation.
You shaped humankind in your own image
and called us, each by name, favoring us with your love.
But we could not pass by sin and death
huddled in the cracks of chaos,
and turned towards them,
offering a safe place in our hearts.
Because you would bring
your people back to you,
you sent the prophets
to teach us your ways,
but we thought they were hypocrites,
speaking insincere words.
So then you sent Jesus
to show us your hope
and to reveal your dreams for us.

So, we join our voices with all your people
in every age, time, and place, who forever sing your praises:

P:   Holy, holy, holy! Lover of Justice and Peace!
      All creation sings of your hopes,
      echoing your dreams for us.
      Hosanna in the highest!

      Blessed is the One who comes to reveal your gospel,
      by word, by grace, by the Spirit.
      Hosanna in the highest!

Great Giver of Joy:
you loved the world so much
that you sent your very heart to us.
We did not welcome him
as your beloved Child,
turning our backs as he approached us.
His faithfulness to your way
revealed our idolatry of the world.
His plain spoken truth showed the lies
we all too easily accepted.
He went to the cross,
defeating sin and death,
so he could claim what is yours
and give us back to you.

As we offer you the gift of our prayers and thanksgiving,
we remember Jesus, your Beloved,
who bequeathed to us that mystery we call faith:

P:   We eat this bread,
remembering his brokenness;
      we drink this cup,
to be filled with his grace;
      we wait for Jesus to come again,
constantly proclaiming your love for us.

Holy Goodness:
pour out your Spirit of welcome
on the gifts of the cup and the bread.
Simple gifts made sacred by your presence,
may the grain which has
come to us from many fields
strengthen you people to go out
and serve in many neighborhoods.
May the cup which has been filled
by the fruit of many vines
nourish us with faith and hope
so our hearts will overflow with grace
to those who thirst for your presence.

And when your people
have been gathered together
from every corner of creation,
we will know one another by name,
lifting our voices to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
seated upon the praises of our hearts. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 23 - A

2011-10-02T16:15:00.001-07:00

Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14

Call to Worship
L: Here in this place, with these people,
    we come to worship the living God.
P: In you, O God, we hope;
    in you, Creator of love, we live.
L: Here in this sacred space, in these very moments,
    we are invited to the Table of Joy.
P: In you, Christ of the Way, we rejoice;
    in you, dear Brother, grace is as near as your heart.
L: Here on this day of gentleness and beauty,
    we are filled with the peace of God.
P: In you, O Spirit, we find our path;
    in you, Teacher of hope, we learn to serve.

Prayer of the Day
When we realize how we are
blessed beyond every imagining,
we can sing of your surprising grace
and your steadfast presence
to a world which has grown deaf
from the noise of empty clichés.
When we remember your love
which has no beginning and no end,
when we stand in grace's sweet waters
swirling around our hearts,
we can rejoice in your hope
which sees every person,
even those we would
never invite into our circles,
as your beloved child.
When we remember your call
to treat every single person
with dignity, justice, and hope,
we can share your peace
(even when we don't recognize it)
with a society which believes
violence is the solution
to every single problem.

God in Community, Holy in One,
as you live in us,
so we will live for others,
even as we pray as taught by Jesus,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Called to have the same mind as Christ, we often
spend too much time thinking about all those
ways which then lead us astray. But, if we confess
our sins, God will forgive us, and strengthen us
to be Christ's sisters and brothers. Join me as
we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   You would call us to your feast, Inviting God,
but our busy lives keep us from responding. You
remember every word we utter, every prayer we whisper,
but we forget all the little ways you care for us. You
would make your gentleness known through us, but
we lash out in anger and fear towards others.
     Forgive us, God of all hope, and remember your
Servant, Jesus Christ. In him, we can live in your way.
Through him, we can learn the dreams you have for us.
With him, we can open our arms and embrace all the
people we meet.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: As we are forgiven by God, we can begin to reflect
    on all those ways in which we can live justly, act
    honorably, love completely. This is indeed good
    news for us.
P: At the Wedding Feast, we are fed with grace, and
    nourished with joy, so we may go and bring hope
    and peace to everyone we meet. Thanks be to
    God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the One who works wonders be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: People of God, listen to the One who teaches you life.
P: Unlock our hearts, O God, that we might hear you.
L: Children of God, you are called to servanthood.
P: We sing praises to the One who fills us with compassion
     so we might know the deepest needs of those around us.

Silencing the noise of chaos,
God of wonder and might,
you created the heavens and earth,
your steadfast love poured out
into the oceans brimming with life,
your joy flowing into every valley of hope.
Your heart melted with love
as you created us in your image,
so we might live with you
in that garden of peace.
But we exchanged your dreams
for the seductive lies of death,
so we might graze in sin's fallow fields.
You longed to bring us back,
making your gentleness known
in prophets throughout the ages.
When we continued to refuse
your invitation to your heart,
you sent Jesus to us,
to round up all of your children
and lead them home to you.

So, with those who stood at the foot of mountains,
and those who continue on the journey,
we lift our hearts and voices,
praising your name forever.

P:    Holy, holy, holy are you, God of peace and justice.
        We have heard the good news of Jesus' grace;
        we have seen the service of his followers;
        we have received his hope from surprising people;
        we have learned to trust him in every moment.

       Blessed is he who came to make us known to you.
       Hosanna in the highest!

We praise your name, Catering God,
remembering your acts of grace.
Loving us with a passion beyond compare,
Jesus came to fill us with compassion.
Aware of our hunger for hope,
he feeds us with your steadfast grace.
Understanding death's grip on us,
he came to defeat it's power,
that we could live with you forever.

As we rejoice in the feast you provide,
as we remember the sacrifice, death and resurrection of our Lord,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

P:    We celebrate the birth of the Babe of Bethlehem;
        we remember the life which Jesus led;
        we rejoice in Christ's coming to us in glory.

In your gentleness and wonder,
God of all joy,
pour out your Holy Spirit on us,
and the gifts of your Table.
As the bread of life
not only feeds us,
but makes us one as Christ's Body,
may we bring healing
to our broken world.
as the cup of grace
not only refreshes us
but unites us in the Spirit of service,
may we go forth to be
a river of righteousness
flowing to those who live
in oppression and hopelessness.

And when we gather at the Table
you prepare for us in glory,
when we feast with all
our sisters and brothers
from every time and place,
we will join our voices
and praise you forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

© Thom M. Shuman

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 22-A

2011-09-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

Texts: Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Psalm 19; Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46

Call to Worship
L:   From north and south,
       from east and west, we come:
P:   God's people called to the Table
       where simple grace nourishes us.
L:   From down the street to across town,
       from single households to apartment dwellers:
P:   God's people are called to community,
       where we live and serve one another.
L:   From every class, every race, every status;
       from little one with sippy cups to elders with overflowing hearts:
P:   God's people are called to witness to God's hope,
       to offer peace to a shattered world.

Prayer of the Day
Seeing your children
in bondage and despair,
you brought them to freedom
by your compassion and hope.
Longing to create a people
who would care for one another,
you spoke simple truths
about integrity and justice.
Fill our worship
with sighs more precious than
all we value, Word Speaker.

You came,
not to build a grand scheme,
but to be our foundation of faith.
You came,
not to choose sides like us,
but to be that peace
which brings us together.
You came,
not worrying about what
lay ahead for you,
so we could see
your kingdom prepared for us.
Fill our worship
with your grace more precious
than our deepest fears, Word Bearer.

When we cling
to all which holds us back,
you empty our arms,
putting our past in a rummage sale.
When we hesitate
to stand with the lost,
you nudge us forward
with the wind of justice.
Fill our worship
with your peace more precious
than the brokenness we grasp, Word of Wisdom

God in Community, Holy in One,
hear the words of our hearts
as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We are good at rules: making them and then breaking them. Paul reminds us
at, when we gain Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we receive exactly
what we need - forgiveness, grace, hope. Let us confess our sins to God,
that we might know God's healing love for us!

Unison Prayer of Confession
   If we were to name all the gods we have before you, Rock of Redemption,
we would be here a very long time. We elevate politicians into saviors,
though they are as broken as we are. We misuse your name so much during the
day, we have trouble speaking to you in prayer at night. We are so busy, we
do not notice how creation witnesses to your goodness and grace.
    Forgive us, God our Hope. Help us to let go of what we value most, so
we may open our emptiness, our hearts, our lives to the healing and loving
presence of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:   Persistently, patiently, lovingly, God pours out grace and joy into
       our lives, healing our brokenness, forgiving our sin.
P:   Loved, we are sent to love;
       Forgiven, we are freed to forgive;
       Graced, we can offer our gifts to everyone we meet.
       Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the composer of heaven's music be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Beloved, God has created you for faithful living.
P: We lift our hearts to the One who calls us to be Christ's Body.
L: People of God, sing to the One who cleanses us of our fears.
P: We will dance with joy to the Table of peace and hope.

Chaos trembled as you spoke,
not wanting to hear
your goodness breaking it apart,
Rock and Redeemer of all.
creation sang oratorios for you,
while earth drummed out the rhythm.
Each day testified 'God is good';
each night whispered 'Glory!'
All that was beautiful and true
was created for us,
but wanting to know sin and death,
we exchanged the best you gave to us,
for the garbage they offered to us.
Using words and wonder,
silence and speech,
prophets came to call us back
into your covenantal love,
but we continued to yearn
for what we could not have.
Finally, you sent your Son,
in love, in hope, in peace,
that we would accept him
and the gift of new life.

So, with those who trembled at
the foot of your holy mountain,
and with those who press on to follow you,
we join our voices in praise to you:

P: Your Word opens our eyes to all creation;
     Your Word is the sweet taste of joy for hungry hearts;
      Your Word endures through every trial and triumph.

      Blessed is your Word which comes in your name!
      Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of all creation,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
Yearning for us to know you,
he came to be your face
of love and compassion for all.
Hungering for reconciliation
between you and your children,
he became the broken Bread of Life.
Aching for our release
from the agony of sin and death,
he suffered on the cross,
so we might be made well.

As we remember his goodness and gentleness,
as we celebrate his life in us,
we would speak of that mystery we call faith:

P:     Setting aside all he valued,
            Christ became our treasure;
         Setting aside his own life,
            Christ rescued us from sin;
         Setting aside our doubts and fears,
             we yearn for Christ's return in glory.

Here at your Table,
Redeemer of all creation,
pour out your Spirit
on the gifts of the bread and the cup,
and on our sisters and brothers in Christ.
Your Spirit gives us life,
so we may go and serve others.
Your Spirit heals our brokenness,
so we may bring healing to all.
Your Spirit graces us with peace,
so we may be peacemakers
for our communities.

And when we stand around your Table,
all hurtful words silenced,
all pain left behind,
with hope and grace our closest friends,
we will join our hearts and voices
with our sisters and brothers
who forever sing of your glory.
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 20 - A

2011-09-18T12:43:00.001-07:00

Texts: Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 78:1-4, 122-16; Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32

Call to worship
L: Becoming a baby,
P: Christ transformed all of us
     into his sisters and brothers.
L: Telling us stories we had forgotten,
P: God helps us to walk the paths of discipleship.
L: Becoming foolish in the world's eyes.
P: The Spirit teaches us all we need
     to find our way into the kingdom.

Prayer of the Day
When we think your job
is to listen to our petty quarrels,
you lean over,
put your finger to our lips,
whispering,
'let me tell you a story.'
Rock Splitter,
we worship you.

When we want to ask you
all sorts of questions,
and demand to see
your background check,
you put your arms around us,
gently saying,
'i want you to meet
some friends of mine.'
Self Emptier:
we follow you.

When we are burned out
by our chronic anger,
when our throats are parched
by our litany of laments,
you take us by the hand,
inviting,
'let's go get a cold drink
down at Rock's cafe.'
Sharing Spirit,
we adore you.

God in Community, Holy in One,
to whom we pray, as Jesus teaches,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
All too often, we tell God we will do better,
and be better, and then just go on living
the same way we always have. Let this
be the moment, when we tell our God of
our failures and faithlessness, so we can
go forth to work in that kingdom of grace
and hope. Join me as we pray,

Unison Prayer of Confession
   We would want to be fountains of hope
for others, God of glory, but people find
only hardened hearts. We would like to
be transformed people, but our stubborn
pride prevents us from bending a knee
to you. We long to stand with those
who are in need, but our selfishness
keeps our backs rigid in judgment.
   Forgive us, God who came down to us.
Humble us, that we might be true servants
to the broken and lost. Split open our
frozen hearts, that compassion might
flow freely to those who are hurting.
Fill our minds with the presence of your
Spirit, that we might learn how to follow
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, into
that kingdom of grace and hope.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: This is the good news: in Christ, God's
     plan for salvation was accomplished.
     You are forgiven, your are made new.
P: We will complete God's joy, by sharing
   compassion, forgiveness, hope, with
   everyone we meet. Thanks be to God.
   Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God who comes in humility to us be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Beloved, lift your hardened hearts to God.
P: We offer them to the One who will split them open
     so grace can flow into the world.
L: Children of God, sing to the One who turned the world upside down.
P: We open our mouths, praising God who shows us the way.

Streams of water flowed forth
when you split open chaos,
God of Wonder.
Rivers divided to create valleys and hills,
the sun became the beacon for each day,
the moon and stars our night lights.
You breathed your children to life,
and longed to hold us in your lap,
telling us stories of your goodness.
But while we told you
we would always do your will,
we went running off to join
with sin and death
in their quarrels with you.
You sent the prophets
to remind us of all
we had known and heard,
but we mocked them,
not letting them sway us.
Then you sent Jesus
to be the One
to work out our salvation.

So, with those who sing your praise,
and those who complain bitterly,
with those who wandered in the wilderness,
and those who stand in places of worship,
we lift our voices in wonder to you:

P:   Holy, holy, holy are you, Transforming God.
      All creation flows toward your heart.
      Hosanna in the highest!

      Blessed is the One who stands with those who have nothing.
      Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of Imagination,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord.
He put on humility's garb,
so we might be clothed
in the garments of grace;
he lowered himself
to walk the world with us,
so we might be lifted
from the depths of sin;
he suffered the death
of a common criminal,
so we might receive
the extraordinary gift of life
forever with you.

As we remember his willingness to give up glory,
as we celebrate his resurrection giving us hope,
we tell of that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ emptied himself on the cross,
         that we might be filled with life;
      Christ was called forth from the tomb,
          that we might confess him the Risen One;
      Christ will come again, calling us by name
          that God's joy be made complete.

Pour out your Spirit,
Nourishing God,
upon this Table of joy
and those who gather around it.
As you transform the simple gifts
of the bread and the cup
into grace beyond all imagining,
may we be changed
into fellow servants
with Jesus Christ our Brother,
people willing to offer ourselves
in service and humility
to those who have been
defeated by the world.

And when all time has ended,
and we are at home with you forever,
we will gather around the Lamb's Table,
joining our hands, hearts, and voices,
in never-ending praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 20 - A

2011-09-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

Texts: Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20:1-16

Call to Worship
L: In the prayers and the praise, in the words and the wonder:
P: we are given enough joy to live each day.
L: In the justice for the oppressed,
     in the unexpected generosity for the lost:
P: we are given enough compassion
     to use in service each day.
L: In the promises made to all,
    in the mercy offered to each:
P: we are given enough grace to share each day.

Prayer of the Day
Fresh as each morning
you come to us,
Crafter of manna.
Your grace rests
gently upon us,
waiting to be gathered,
to become the bread of life
we share throughout the day.

Fresh as compassion's justice,
you come to us,
Servant of the poor.
Choosing to give
as you desire,
you show us the last,
so we can make them first
in our hearts and hopes.
Doing no wrong,
you make us right
with God for all time.

Fresh as the water
which turns a desert
into a meadowland of flowers,
Spirit of uninterrupted grace,
you come to us.
When we would grumble,
you give us the gospel to live out;
when we would protest,
you teach us songs of praise;
when we would utter laments,
you fill us with God's laughter.

God in Community, Holy in One,
refresh us with your presence
as we pray as Jesus taught, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We continue to believe that we must earn
our way into God's heart. But God's grace
is given to each of us, for all of us, freely,
unconditionally, always. Let us open our
lives to this mercy as we pray saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
It seems we cannot decide, Cloud of Glory.
We say we will live to serve others,
   but end up meeting only our needs.
We claim to live in a way that honors Christ,
   but we do not take him to work, school, home.
We believe that the gospel can transform lives,
   (at least, for those who need it - not us).

Forgive us, Presence of Peace.
Instead of grumblers,
   may we be ambassadors of grace.
Instead of continual complaining,
   may we carry compassion to the hurting.
Instead of whiners,
   may we be workers with Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Savior, to reach out and bring the
kingdom of God to everyone we meet.

Assurance of Pardon
L: This is the good news: there is no ranking
    in God's kingdom. God graces everyone with
    the same gifts: mercy, restoration, new life.
P: God has kept the covenant. We have been
   forgiven, we have been made new people.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God of all mornings be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: Children of God, welcome the One who shares
      grace with us with childlike abandon.
P: We open our hearts so we might savor the
      sweet taste of joy and wonder.
L: People of God, bring your emptiness to
      this Table of hope and peace.
P: We sing praises to One who fills us with
       Christ's presence of service to others.

On that first morning,
when chaos saw your glory,
you brought out creation,
with stars and planets
swimming in the skies,
gazelles and giraffes dancing
through the fields of goodness.
You shaped humankind in your mercy,
and fed us with grace,
enough for each day.
Jealous that you were so gracious
to all of creation,
we grumbled that it wasn't enough,
and went searching for sin and death.
Prophets came, telling the stories
of your wonder and presence,
but for us, these were foolish words.
Finally, you sent Jesus
to come looking for us,
to show us your kingdom.
So, we join our voices with
wilderness wanderers and urbane dwellers,
those who, in every time and place
sing of your glory:

P: Holy! Holy! Holy! Glory to God's holy name!
    Our hearts will seek God,
    rejoicing in God's gentleness and grace.

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

You are holy, Cloud of Compassion,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Joy, our Hope.
Child of glory and grace,
he chose to come to us,
working in the fields of despair.
Hearing our complaints,
he came to speak
of your dreams for us.
Firstborn of all creation,
he came to defeat
that last enemy, called death.
As we remember his life and death,
as we come to the Table he has prepared,
we sing of that mystery called faith:

P: This is the bread God gives us to eat.
      This is the life Christ calls us to offer to others.
      This is the journey the Spirit takes with us.

Pour out your Spirit
upon your children gathered,
and upon the bread and the cup
you have provided for us.
As you feed us with the bread,
so flood us with compassion,
that we may go to serve
all who are lost and broken.
As you open you heart
so that the cup of grace
might be filled with your hopes,
send us out to bring the lost
home to your kingdom,
where they will be first in your joy.

And when all time has ended
and the whole family of God
is gathered around your Table,
we will join our voices together,
praising your forever:
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 19 - A

2011-09-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

Text: Exodus 14;19-31; pSALM 114; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35

Call to Worship
L:    In sacred times of word, wonder, and awe,
       in ordinary days of work and play:
P:    in every moment, God is with us.
L:    Whether we are stuck in doubt's mud,
       or standing on faith's shoreline:
P:    in every place, God is with us.
L:    In those who teach us
          and those who trouble us;
      in those who surprise us,
          and those who forgive us:
P:    in every person, God is with us.

Prayer of the Day
When we look over our shoulders
at fear shadowing us today,
you go before us into tomorrow,
making a path through
the sea of yesterday's doubts.
When our legs tremble
from the effort of standing up
for what you hope for all creation,
you stand at our side,
offering your hope's strength.
Cloud of Grace,
we offer our love to you.

When we turn our hearts
into deserts of stony bitterness,
you transform them
into oases of joy.
When we come up
with all sorts of rules
for those who come to us
seeking to find you,
you tear up the list,
stretching wide your arms
in welcoming grace.
Servant of all,
we offer our lives to you.

When we would clasp
old worries to our hearts,
you open our eyes to that hope
which paves the path ahead of us.
When we spend each day
consumed with doubts and fears,
you remind us that this day
is the time to honor God,
by serving God's children.
Mist of Mercy,
we offer our hearts to you.

God in Community, Holy in One,
as you are all to us,
so we would offer all we are to you,
even as we pray as Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
As we stand before God, we think of all
the ways we bicker with others, all those
times we have not shown mercy and grace
to those around us. Let us bow our hearts
and confess our sin to God, as we pray
together, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
It is never easy for us to confess
but deep down inside, we know that
    graced,
        we have trouble
        being grace-full to others;
    forgiven,
        we are eager to judge
        and punish all who hurt us;
    freed,
        we find ways to put restrictions
        on people we fear.
Forgive us, Servant God. You show
mercy more often than we deserve; you
pardon us more times than we can count.
And why? Because we are the Lord's -
sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ, who
died and lived again, so we might live
beyond death with you.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    God's hand of mercy is stretched out
       to us, making a way through all that
       threatens us, to touch us with grace
       and hope.
P:    We stand before our God, singing
       praise to the One who turns our despair
       into joy, our fears into faith. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God of hope be with you!
P: And also with you.
L: God, our God, leads us through the floods of fears
      into the future of wonder and hope.
P: We open our hearts to the one who journeys
      with us, in the past, in the present, into tomorrow.
L: God goes before us, preparing the Table piled high
      with grace and peace.
P:   We sing songs of glad thanksgiving to the One
       who fills us with goodness and mercy.

You stretched out your hand,
Cloud of Glory,
parting a way through chaos,
so your goodness might come forth.
You looked, and laughed out loud,
as seas ran forth in joy,
mountains played leapfrog,
and hills hopscotched with valleys.
Creation became a sanctuary
for those created in your image.
But we decided to live for ourselves,
every day becoming one in which
we could turn your dreams to ashes,
your overflowing love into
dust bowls of despair.
Out of pity, you sent the prophets,
those pillars of faithfulness,
but we wrangled with their gentle words.
So, you sent Jesus,
to lead us through evil's deeps,
to that freedom found only
in your kingdom of life.

Therefore, on this day,
when we stand in your grace
around your Table of life,
we join our voices with all
who offer praise to the One who saves:

P:    Living, we serve others in God's name;
       serving, we die unto ourselves;
       dying, we are given life eternal with God.

       Blessed is the One who comes forgiving us
        more times than we can count.
       Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Cloud of Joy,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Servant.
When we were weak in faith,
he came to strengthen us
with your everlasting hope;
when we were slaves to sin,
he came to lead us into
the promised land of mercy;
when our hearts became like flint,
he softened them with compassion;
when we could only focus on ourselves,
he came to die for us.

As we gather at your Table,
we remember his love for us,
his patience with our failings,
his hope in our willingness to follow,
his trust in that mystery we call faith:

P:    Baptized in Christ,
            we would live for him;
        forgiven through Christ,
            we would emulate him;
        putting on Christ,
            we wait for his return
        Alleluia! Amen!

Creator God,
send your Spirit in peace
upon us and these simple gifts
of the bread and of the cup.
As we share the bread,
we share the presence of Christ,
strengthened to go out
with forgiveness in our hearts.
As we pass the cup,
we share Christ's Spirit
with our neighbors,
and are called to welcome all
as our sisters and brothers,
especially those held captive
by the bitterness of the world.

As you gathered your children
to lead them to that promised land,
so you will gather all your children
from the very ends of time itself,
to seat us around your heart,
where we will feast on your grace,
lifting our hearts to praise you forever:
God our Maker,
Christ our Brother,
Spirit our Compassion,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

Thom

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 18 - A

2011-08-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

Texts: Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 149; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20

Call to Worship
L:    When two or three gather,
        Christ lives in every moment,
P:    where two or three gather,
        Christ is present with them.
L:    Where two or three gather
        to worship God,
P:    glad songs of praise are lifted,
        hearts are filled with hope.
L:    When two or three gather
        to serve God's creation,
P:    Christ is feeding the hungry,
        Christ is building shelters of peace.

Prayer of the Day
When we hold out our hands
to be cuffed by loneliness,
you clasp our wrists
to pull us into your heart.
When our lives are shattered
by the injustices done to those
passed over by the world,
your love puts us back together,
so we can serve them with your hope.
Emancipating God,
we praise you!

When we would build walls
between us and our neighbors,
you come to be the welcoming gate.
When we would curse someone
who has hurt us in our souls,
you sing us songs of blessing.
When we would focus only
on our needs and our desires,
you hand us the dinnerware
and ask us to set the Table.
Ever-near Salvation,
we would follow you!

When we would feed on
our bitter brokenness,
you would offer us
the Bread of reconciliation.
When we would grasp
the Cup of peace,
and drink it to the last drop,
you whisper, 'offer some
to those you don't like.'
Liberating Spirit,
we would be filled with you!

God in Community, Holy in One,
free us of all fears and doubts,
as we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
All we are called to do is to love - everyone.
Yet, as simple as it sounds, by our actions and
our words, we show how difficult a task it is.
Let us confess our failings as we pray together,
saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
You do not ask much of us, Guardian of hope -
to love, to serve, to welcome, Yet too often, it is
words of bitterness we speak to friends and family.
It is our stiff-with-judgment backs we offer to those
looking for help. It is our hardened hearts people
find, when they reach out, hoping to touch grace.
    Love lived as Compassion, forgive us. We
are broken, so make us whole through the life of
Christ. We are empty of peace, so fill us the
reconciling Spirit of Christ. We are alone, so
take us by the hand and lead us into your kingdom
of joy and grace, brought to us through Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    Gathered as God's people, we hear the
        good news: God has forgiven us, God
        has made us whole, God sends us to serve.
P:    We will not wear jealousy or resentment,
        but put on the garments of peace and hope.
        We are forgiven by our God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May God be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: People of God, open your hearts.
P: We open them to the One who feeds
        us with freedom and hope.
L: Children of God, sings songs of thanksgiving
        to the One who journeys with you.
P: Graced with abundant life, we join our hearts
       and voices in praise to our loving God!

The moment you spoke
and liberated chaos, Holy God,
time marked the beginning
of created beauty and glory.
You watered earth with tears of joy,
planting those seeds of hope and peace
so we might be fed by your heart.
But asked to simply be your children,
we could not obey that request,
but wandered off to feast
at the table groaning with lies and curses.
Your gracious word was sung
in new ways by the prophets,
but we tuned them out,
so we could listen
to the seductive songs of sin.
You sent us your hope
in Jesus Christ,
who came to set us free
and bring us home from
our exile in rebellion.

So, with those who longed for your coming,
packed and ready to journey into freedom,
we sing our praises in the company
of our sisters and brothers from every time:

P:    Holy! Holy! Holy! Living God of grace!
        All creation echoes your praise:
        creatures roaming the fields,
        dolphins splashing in the seas,
        eagles soaring in the bright sky.
        Glory to you forever and ever,
        God of the captives!

You are righteousness, God our Deliverer,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Child, our Brother.
Because we break your heart
with our words and deeds,
he came to shatter the chains
of our arrogance and selfishness.
Because we have become gluttons,
feasting on bitterness and fear,
he came to be the sweet Bread
of healing and hope.
Because we become drunk
on sin's soured wine,
he came to be salvation
poured into our parched souls.
Because death smiles at us,
waiting with open arms,
he came to gather us up
in the embrace of grace and life,
carrying us out of the empty tomb
into your life of joy forever.

As you have prepared this Table for us,
gather us as your children, so we might remember
all the promises fulfilled to us in Christ our Lord:

P:    When we eat of the Bread,
            Christ's life strengthens us;
        when we drink from the Cup,
            Christ's Spirit nourishes us;
        when we go to serve others,
            we proclaim Christ's death
            until he returns in glory.

As you bless the gifts
of the Bread and the Cup,
anoint us with your Spirit
which brings us together.
As your grace touches our lips
with hope and healing,
may we reach out our hands
to set free those captive to injustice.
As your peace is poured
into the empty corners of our hearts,
may we go forth to love
others as much as we love ourselves,
and to serve them
as we show our love for you.

And when time has marked the end of history,
and we gather with all our sisters and brothers,
all division done away with,
all brokenness healed,
all barriers pulled down,
and all your children set free from despair,
we will join our hands and hearts
around your Table of eternity,
singing praise through forever:

P:    Glory to you, Liberating God!
        Alleluia to you, Christ our Servant!
        Thanks to you, Spirit of Peace!
        Now and forever. Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 17 - A

2011-08-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

Texts: Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew
16:21-28

Call to Worship
L:    Gathered as God's people,
        we come to worship together:
P:    singing praises to the One who loves us,
        opening our hearts to the One who calls us.
L:    Called to be God's people,
        we come to share our lives together:
P:    to celebrate the joys of our hearts,
        to mingle our tears with God's.
L:    Challenged to follow Jesus to the end,
        we come to learn how to be disciples:
P:    offering our food to our enemies,
        giving a drink of water to those
        who have drained our souls.

Prayer of the Day
When we would rush
to get all our to-dos done,
you call to us to turn
and notice your compassion
burning (but not reduced to ashes)
for those living in misery.
When we hesitate,
you ask us to remove
all we think protects us from
the fire of your justice
so we can draw closer
to your heart's warmth.
YOU ARE the One we search for,
God of all held in bondage.

When we become
stumbling blocks to you,
you polish our stony resistance
so we can become smooth pebbles
on the path to your kingdom.
When we would tell you
how we think you should
bring about your hopes and dreams,
you show us your heart,
broken for the lost and the last,
so we will look to their needs
rather than thinking about our own.
YOU ARE the One
who leads us to freedom,
Servant of the poor.

When we believe we cannot speak
about your peace and hopes,
you give us words
which spill out of our hearts.
When we put our palms
over our eyes, afraid to look
at the suffering around us,
you fill our hands with grace,
sending us to serve your children.
YOU ARE the One who
teaches us new ways,
Impassioned Spirit.

God in Community, Holy in One,
YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE,
and we lift our prayer to you, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
In stories and in stores, in sandy deserts and
in rocky roads, at school events and Sunday
worship, we encounter God. We meet the One
who fills every moment with the sacred. We
confess our sins, in trust that we can turn
aside and notice God welcoming us with
forgiveness and hope.

Unison Prayer of Confession
God of Moses and Mary,
we could live at peace with others,
   but we choose to do wrong to them;
we could welcome those we do not know,
    but choose to close our hearts;
we could make outsiders our best friends,
    but choose the safety of our cliques.

Forgive us, Genuine Love, for our foolish choices.
Hold on to our shaky lives,
    until we learn to clasp your goodness to our hearts,
    so we can give it away to those around us.
Whisper your grace and hopes to us,
    until we can stop cursing our enemies,
    and bless them as our friends.
Smooth the rough edges of our arrogance,
    until we become polished enough
    to win the gold in being honorable.
Then, we would put aside our stumbling blocks
to discipleship, so we can follow Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Savior, as he leads us to your way
of denial and life.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    In our love for others, we discover God's
        love for us. In our forgiving of others,
        we learn once more how deeply God
        has forgiven us. Friends, this is the
        good news offered to us!
P:    We are God's children, called to be different,
        called to act different, called to live as new
        people. Thanks be to God. We are forgiven.
        Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God of burning bushes be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: People of God, offer your hearts to God,
       who calls to you from the mystery of grace.
P: We turn aside from our worries to open ourselves
        to the One who calls us to new life.
L: Children of God, remember all the joy and wonder
        which has been done for you.
P: We will lift our voices in praise to the One who is
         beyond all imagining.

In a moment, creation began,
and from that time on,
God of Freedom,
you began to pour out
your goodness and genuine love.
Earth laughed with flowers
and rejoiced with sunrises.
You shaped us in your image
and began to show us all
you wanted to give us.
But chasing after the temptations
and seductions of the world,
we tripped over the stumbling blocks
of sin and death, falling flat
on our fears and doubts.
Observing our misery in such living,
you sent the prophets
to call us back to you,
but we did not hear their cries.
Knowing we would continue
to suffer and lose our way,
you sent Jesus to come
and deliver us from our slavery.

Joining our voices with those
who have faithfully followed,
and with those who stumbled along the way,
we call on your name, singing praises to you:

P:    Holy, holy, holy are you, God of Wonder.
        Watching our struggles,
            your heart breaks;
        hearing our cries,
            you whisper our name;
        knowing our loneliness,
            you came to deliver us.

       Blessed is Jesus Christ, who comes in your name!
       Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Listener of cries in the night,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Child.
Hearing the pain of your heart,
    he came to speak of your hopes;
seeing the brokenness of our relationships,
    he came to make us whole;
knowing our fear of death,
    he came to defeat its power,
aware of what it would cost him,
    he journeyed to Jerusalem
    to embrace suffering and heartache;
hating evil so much
    he was willing to let it believe
    it had won the battle,
until he burst from the grave
bringing life for all
even as you raised him from the dead.

Remembering his wonderful works,
recalling his miracles, his words, his life,
we speak of that mystery we know as faith:

P:    Christ rejoices with us,
        Christ weeps with us,
        Christ died for us,
        Christ was raised for us.

As we prepare to gather around
your Table, God of Love,
pour out your Spirit upon us,
and on the gifts of the bread and cup.
Feed us on the rich food
of your forgiveness and grace,
so we might go forth
to feed all those we only know
by the name 'enemy.'
Quench our thirst for power
with the sweet wine of your servanthood,
so we might choose
    honor over fame,
    humility over pride,
    forgiveness over vengeance,
and in so doing,
lose ourselves in your life
of denial and service,
giving ourselves to others,
thus returning your love for us.

And when all moments come to an end,
and the time has come to gather around
that great feast in heaven,
there will be no enemy, no them, no us -
just sisters and brothers joining
hearts and voices in singing your praise,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 16 - A

2011-08-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

Texts:  Exodus 1:8 - 2:10; Psalm 124; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20

Call to Worship
L:    Our help is in the name of the Lord,
P:    who made heaven and earth.
L:    Our joy comes from the heart of God,
P:    who transforms us into open-handed givers of hope.
L:    Our grace comes from God's compassion,
P:    who breaks the bonds which tie us to sin and death.
L:     Blessed be the Lord our God!
P:    who reveals to us the One who brings us new life!

Prayer of the Day
When fear would enslave us,
you set us free by your faith in us;
when the currents of hopelessness
would sweep us away,
you cradle us in your promises;
when evil would exercise power,
you transform us into
members of the one Body,
so we can overcome its efforts.
You are always on our side,
All Watchful God.

Through the mouths
of children and youth,
you teach the foolish
the wisdom of your grace;
through the gentle lives
of those harmed by hate,
you open our locked hearts
to embrace the broken.
You are always by our side,
Heart of Compassion.

Reluctant to let go
of all our gifts,
you touch us with generosity's grace.
Hesitant as to what
we might do for others,
you teach us the skill set
of compassion and service.
Dwelling with loneliness,
you nudge us to welcome
the last and the least.
You are always at our side,
Spirit of Change.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we believe you are side-by-side with us,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
While we may yearn to be like Jesus, we
know that in our hotheaded choices, our
frantic lives, our impetuous words, we
are too often like Peter. But like him,
we can confess Christ as our Lord, speaking of
our need for your saving presence in our lives.

Unison Prayer of Confession
   We look for you in all the wrong places, God
of the lost, and wonder why we cannot find you.
We wander the corridors of power, while you are
on the sidewalks, beside the homeless. We sit
at the head tables of the world, while you are
handing out soup to the hungry at the kitchen's
backdoor. We applaud those who win the race,
while you are cheering on those in last place.
In forgiving us, God of new life, you would
transform our cold hearts into those melted in
service to others. In granting us mercy, you
challenge us to think of all those we have
ignored. In gifting us with grace, you enable
us to proclaim Jesus Christ, our Lord and
Savior, as the hope, the joy, the peace the world
seeks.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    It's not money, but our generosity with it;
       it is not power, but our willingness to
       humble ourselves; it is not our efforts,
       but Christ's gift, which transforms us into
       God's children.
P:    It is more than just how we think. In mercy
       and grace, our hearts, our lives, our spirits
       are transfigured and made new. Thanks be
       to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God of who watches over us be with you!
P: And also with you.
L: Children of God, open yourselves to the God of Moses and Miriam.
P: We raise our hearts to the One who changes the lives of all.
L: People of God, sing praises to the God of Jesus and Peter.
P: We raise our glad songs of joy to the One who is with us,
      in this time, and in this place.

If you had not been on the side
of all that is good, perfect, and acceptable,
God of Joy,
chaos would have ruled.
But you swept it away
in your flood of creation,
which thundered through valleys
carving majestic mountains,
which showered the soil
with life, with hope, with love.
Transforming us from earth's floor
into people in your image and heart,
you gifted us to live with you.
Sin and death begged us
to follow in their footsteps,
nursing our infantile foolishness
with their seductions and desires.
You sent the prophets
to be midwives to us,
bringing words of new hope;
but our anger flared up
at their intrusion in our lives.
So, after we had ignored
Elijah and Jeremiah, Miriam and Hannah,
you sent Jesus to us,
to open wide the gates
to the kingdom of your heart.

So, with those who remained faithful as slaves,
as well as with those who proclaim your Child,
we join our voices with those in every time and place,
singing your praises forever:

P: Holy, holy, holy are you, God who keeps watch over us.
     All creation is transformed by the wisdom of your Spirit.
    Hosanna in the highest!

    Blessed is the One who does not give up on us.
    Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of Imagination,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Messiah, your Son.
If he had not been on our side,
we would have continued
to wander sin's pathways
into death's oppression.
In compassion,
he came to reveal your heart;
in generosity,
he offered us the means
to escape from sin;
conscious of his choice,
he took up the cross,
where he was put to death,
and swallowed up by the grave,
sweeping away death's power
when he was raised to new life
by your love and hope.

So, as we remember his willingness
to come and be by our side,
we sing of that mystery called faith:

P:   Christ dies, taking our side against sin;
      Christ rose, taking God's side against death;
      Christ will come, taking us to his side and into eternity.

Renew us, God of all joy,
by the gift of your Spirit
upon the bread and cup prepared for us.
If the Spirit were not with us,
we would become gluttons,
stuffing ourselves on your grace.
But She sends us out
to empty ourselves for those
forced into hunger and despair.
She nourishes us with your hope,
so we might prevail
against all those powers
which would oppress your children
with injustice and hopelessness.

And when all powers have been defeated,
when evil has gone the way of chaos,
we will stand side by side at your Table
in that kingdom of eternal joy,
singing our thanksgiving to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 15 - A

2011-08-07T12:52:00.001-07:00

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

Call to Worship
L:    Here we can come together,
        people searching for healing and hope:
P:    here we are met by the One
        who would bless us with abundant life.
L:    Here we are called to gather
        as the family of God:
P:    we may find those who are strangers,
        yet are sisters and brothers of ours.
L:    Here we discover the truth that God
        makes no distinctions among us:
P:    here we are welcomed and embraced
        by the One whose arms are open to all.

Prayer of the Day
When we are alone,
you make us known
to our sisters and brothers.
When we are lonely,
you whisper, 'come closer,'
inviting us into your heart.
Great is your love for us,
Welcoming God.

When we wander lost and afraid,
you take us by the hand,
so we may settle in your kingdom.
When we hunger
for the crumbs of hope
which the world offers to us,
you feed us with
the fullness of your joy.
Great is your grace for us,
Accepting Christ.

When those around us
make clear they want nothing
to do with us, ever,
you persist in being our friend.
When we stand on
despair's welfare line,
you invite us to come
to a sumptuous feast.
Great is your hope for us,
Embracing Spirit.

God in Community, Holy in One,
you weep openly as you welcome us
into your heart and your hopes,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .

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

Unison Prayer of Confession
    We admit, Providing God, that we have
difficulties living as your children. We could
live in unity, but our words fracture relationships
with family and friends. We have been shown
the way to your kingdom, but turn into blind guides
when asked for the directions by others. When we
could offer others the precious oil of peace, we hand
them the vinegar of despair and rejection.
Have mercy on us, Healing Heart, have mercy on us.
When you call to us, may we listen with open ears,
understand with embracing hearts, and share your
grace with others, even as we have been graced by
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    Hear the good news for you: God has provided
        hope for you, filling you with joy, with mercy,
        with peace.
P:    As mercy leads to mercy, we will take these gifts
        to share with the world. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: The welcoming God be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: It is not crumbs, but the fullness of grace
      given to you at this table.
P: We open our hearts to receive God's goodness.
L: Like precious oil to anoint us, God pours hope and
       love into our lives.
P: How good it is to lift our praises to our God!

When chaos threatened to control,
you spoke out of your own mouth,
crying, 'let there be light!'
and creation burst forth,
rivers flowing like precious oil
through the valleys of love,
peace singing to all creatures,
whispering of the gift of unity.
Shaping us in the divine image,
you whispered to us, 'come closer,'
inviting us to live with you
in Eden's joy-dewed garden.
Sin and death, however,
dazzled us with their lies,
so we followed these blind guides
into a world scarce on hope.
You did not reject us,
but continued to call us
through the mouths of prophets;
you continued to gift us
with your faithful presence.
Your dreams would
not be dismayed,
as you sent Jesus,
your mercy to beget mercy
for all your children.

With those overlooked by the world,
with those who have sought you in every time,
we lift our songs of joy and praise:

P: Holy, holy, holy are you, God of this day of wonder.
     All creation would live in unity with you.
    Hosanna in the highest!

    Blessed is the One who is sent to all people.
    Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Joy of Creation,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
When he could have turned
a blind eye toward us,
he came that we might
be able to see our hope;
when he could have sent
us away from his side,
he drew us closer
to your mercy and love;
when he could have been
dismayed by our foolishness,
he went into death's embrace,
providing salvation for us.

As we remember his words of teaching,
as we remember his hopes for us,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ died, sent before us to preserve our life;
      Christ rose, rejecting death's claim on him;
      Christ will come, ordaining life forevermore for all.

Here in this moment and place,
we pray you would pour out
your Spirit of peace and joy
upon the gifts of the bread and the cup
and upon your children
who have gathered around the Table.
You do not give us crumbs,
but nourish us with compassion,
so we might go to serve
a world hungering for healing.
You do not touch our lips
with only a few drops,
but offer us great gulps of grace,
so we might offer peace
to a fractured and frightened world.

And when the famine of our despair is ended
and you gather all your children around you,
to be fed at the feast of the Lamb,
we will sing our thanksgiving songs to you,
as the precious tears of joy run down our cheeks,
praising you through all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 14 - A

2011-07-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

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

Call to Worship
Here, in this place, God welcomes all the dreamers, as well as the doubters:
here, the worriers and wanderers can call on God by name.
Here, in this time, we can remember all the ways God has graced us:
here, in these moments, we are reminded that God is with us, always!
Here are gathered those daring enough to step out of comfort into the unknown:
here, in this faith space, we will find the courageto cry out, 'God, save us!' in every situation.

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

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

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

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

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

Unison Prayer of Confession
It seems so easy to get into the boat and set sail on our journey, God of Promises. But when the winds of change begin to blow, we want to turn around and head back to the past's safe harbor.  When sin's waves crash over the side, we try to wrap ourselves in the cloak of pride thinking we will not get wet. When Jesus calls to us to get out and follow in faith, we look around, hoping he is not speaking to us.

Swamped by our fears, and sinking in doubt, we long for someone to help us - so save us, Holy One, save us! Stretch out your hand, so we might be lifted from our despair to hope, from our worries to trust, from our foolishness to faithful living. Then, we will dare to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, even if it means getting out of the sheltered lives we have built for ourselves.

   Silent prayers may be offered.

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

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

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

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

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
who is, who was, and who is to come.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.
You are worthy, Lord our God,
to receive praise and glory,
honor and blessing.

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

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

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

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

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

Praise our God all your servants,
honor God, you who would be faithful,
small and great, young and old.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.
Let heaven and earth praise God's glory:
all creatures in heaven, on earth,
and under the earth,
the sea and everything in it.
Let us praise and glorify God forever.
       Amen.
(The responses of the congregation in the Great
Prayer of Thanksgiving are adapted from a prayer
by St. Francis of Assisi)

(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 13 - A

2011-07-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

Texts: Genesis 32:22-31; Psal 17:1-7, 15; Romans 9:1-5; Matthw 14:13-21

Call to Worship
We come to this place of worship, to encounter the One who has called us here.
This Holy One - our God: is with us in every moment.
God is in our celebrations and joys, God is in our darkest nights of loneliness.
This Holy God - our God: blesses us and calls us by name.
As night fades before the coming Light, we meet the One who saves us - even from ourselves.
This God - our Holy God: touches us with the Spirit of hope.

Prayer of the Day
In the darkest moments
of our lives, Intriguing God,
we have struggled with you,
believing that if we were to beat you,
you would have to give us whatever we want,
not realizing you have already blessed us
with everything we need in life.

When our hunger for hope
overwhelms us, Gentle Jesus,
you fill us with your presence;
when our need for more and more
would pull us further and further
away from you,
you heal us of our desires;
when we look away from those in need,
your tears of compassion
cleanse our hearts.

We would leave our pain behind us,
and run through your streams of
living waters, Spirit of God,
that we might embrace
our sisters and brothers in peace,
knowing that our broken relationships
have been made whole.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayers to you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior,
Our Father....

Call to Reconciliation
We pick on sisters and brothers; we argue with our spouses; we fight with friends and neighbors - we all live broken lives. We even end up struggling with God, seeking to make God do our bidding. But it is God who can heal our brokenness, God who can reconcile our differences, God who can make us families once again. Let us confess our sin together, seeking God's promised blessing for each of us, as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
Here at the river's edge, Healing God, we are hesitant to cross over. For on the other side are all the people we have hurt. On that far shore is everyone we have ridiculed, scorned, ignored. Across the water stand the poor, the homeless, the lost - all those we have looked down on, believing that they are beneath us. On the other bank stands the cross we must carry if we are to follow Jesus.

Before we can cross, Most Holy One, we must struggle with you. We cannot meet the others, if we have not encountered you. Forgive us and reconcile us, not only to them, but to yourself. Bless us, that we would be a blessing to them. Re-name us and carry us across the river as faithful disciples of the One we are blessed to call our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Silent Prayers may be offered

Assurance of Pardon
Here, face to face, God meets us. Here, face to face, we can speak every longing in our heart. Here, face to face, God forgives us.
Here, face to face, we meet the One who has great compassion for us, and who forgives us of every sin. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The God of crossings and healings be with you.
And also with you.
People of God, lift your hearts to the One who travels every journey with you.
We lift them to the God who gives us rest when we are weary.
People of God, offer your praise and thanks to the God who feeds the hungry.
It is our greatest joy to sing to the One who fills our emptiness with grace and joy.

Standing at the edge of chaos,
you took all the goodness in your heart,
and shaped it into the glory of creation,
God of Imagination.
Looking up, you placed
the moons, stars, and planets
into the cradle of the sky.
You took the dust of the earth,
blessing it, and forming us
into your image of hope and grace.
We were filled with the
abundance of your constant love,
but we longed for the empty
promises of sin and death,
breaking your heart as
we followed after them.
Prophets came to tell the truth
of your everlasting covenant,
but we turned our backs on them.
So, to put an end to your great sorrow,
you sent Jesus to us,
bringing us all the gifts
you had stored up for us.

So, with those who stand at the edge of grace,
and with those who have crossed over to your peace,
we join our voices with all who forever sing to your glory:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God who listens to our prayers.
All creation beholds your face in righteousness.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who feeds us with grace and wonder.
Hosanna in the highest!

You are Holy, Redeemer of the lost,
and Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior,
is your true blessing and hope to us.
When he could have deserted us,
as we continued to stumble through sin,
he was filled with compassion,
and came to be with us in our pain.
When he could have kept silent
in response to our fears and doubts,
he told stories of your love and grace.
When he could have detoured
around our violence and anger,
he walked straight into death,
so we might be saved.

As we remember all the gifts he shared with us,
as we tell of his healings and feedings for all,
we speak of that faith which is often a mystery:

Christ died, compassion for us in his heart;
Christ rose, blessing God forever;
Christ will come, so that we are never sent away.

As we gather at the edge of your kingdom,
gathering once again at the Table,
we pray you would pour out
your Spirit of reconciliation upon us,
and on the gifts of the bread and the cup.
You feed us with this meal,
not that we might become gluttons,
but so we might become servants
in your kingdom of holiness.
Where we see only crumbs on the Table,
you see enough leftovers for us
to take to feed a hungry world.
Where we see only
the last few drops in the cup,
you see enough grace for us
to fill the empty hearts of your children
forgotten and alone in the world.

And when we come to the edge of eternity,
all of our struggles over, all our pain left behind,
we will gather around your Table of grace,
joining with all who will forever sing of your love,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 12 - A

2011-07-17T14:53:00.000-07:00

Texts: Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 105:1-11, 45b; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 45-52

Call to Worship
On this day of worship, we call on God's name,
and hear our own invitation to work for the good of all.
Gathered with neighbors and strangers, we call on God's hope,
and discover that a lifetime of service seems but a few days.
In this place of praise and prayer, we call on God's love,
and receive that grace which is as old as creation, yet as fresh as each morning.

Prayer of the Day
You shape us in your image,
not so we might puff up with pride,
but we might humbly serve others.
You have chosen us,
not because we are so special,
but that we might become hope
to a world bloated on despair.

Searcher of hearts,
we would tell of all your wonders.
You went and sold your life,
so you could buy us back
from sin and death.
You planted seeds of grace,
so that the lost, the little,
the least, the last, and even we
could make our homes in you.

Bearer of God's Heart,
we would tell all your stories.
You offer sighs from the depths
of the very heart of God,
when we cannot shape words.
With peace in your hands,
you step in to help resolve
all of our broken relationships.

Heart of reconciliation,
we would listen to your hopes.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we would tell of your presence in us,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We spend so much time accusing ourselves, judging ourselves, punishing ourselves for what we have done, or not done. But God would draw us closer to the Heart of forgiveness, that we might be filled with healing and grace. Join me, as we pray together,

Unison Prayer of Confession
What then are we to say about our lives, Searcher of our hearts? We know how often we have duped others with our deceit. We remember how often we promise one thing, only to do the opposite. We struggle to trust you, while we so easily listen to the promises of those who would pull us away from you.

Forgive us, Heart overflowing with mercy. Your grace is more powerful than any of our sins, your hope is more durable than our silly choices, your love will traverse anything, any thing, which separates us from you. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we are forgiven!

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Here the good news: the One who could accuse us, saves us from sin and death. The One who could condemn us, cradles us in grace. The One who could punish us, prays for us.
Now we know, there is nothing, no thing, that can separate us from God. Thanks be to the One who forgives us. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the Lord of the kingdom be with you!
And also with you!
Children of God, offer your hearts to the One who calls us to serve the world.
We embrace the God of the loving heart.
God's people, sing praises forever and ever.
We rejoice in the One who will not allow anything, any thing, to keep us apart.

Hearts overflow with praise,
Good and Generous God,
for from you flows all that we need.
You gathered up all your dreams
and shaped them into the gift of creation:
bright blue skies that flow forever,
kittens chasing butterflies in backyards,
children whose hopes know no end.
The seeds of grace and peace
blossomed into that garden
which could have been our home,
but we chose to go out and buy
the fallow fields of sin and death,
to harvest the pearls of rebellion.
Prophets came, to tell us of hearing
the deep sighs of your broken heart,
but we thought their words
to be flights of foolish fantasy.
So, your heart set so that nothing
might ever separate us from you again,
you sent Jesus to bring
your treasure of grace to us,
a treasure as old as the universe,
as new as your joy for each of us.

So, we join our voices with Jacob and Leah
with Rachel, Laban and all your children,
forever singing our praises to you,

Holy, holy, holy are you, word-keeping God.
All creation tells of your wonderful deeds.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who is your treasure of the kingdom.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Covenant Rememberer,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
the great Treasure of your heart.
He could have stayed at your side,
but came to cast his net to gather
sinners into your kingdom.
He could have shaken his head in silence
at all the foolish choices we make,
but told us stories of the One
whose heart overflows with mercy.
He could have left us on our own,
trying to make ourselves right,
but gave himself up to death,
to prove that nothing, nothing,
can separate us from your love.

As we remember his life, his teachings,
his death, and his rising to new life,
we would speak of that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, with love more powerful than hate;
Christ rose, with life too strong for death;
Christ will come, with grace too deep for words.

Heart of goodness and joy,
send your Spirit upon us now,
that She might enliven this bread,
so that fed, we might spend
the rest of our lives
in service to your children.
Immerse your Spirit
in the cup of mercy,
so that as we drink from it,
we may go forth to be poured out
in lifetimes of compassion and caring
to those who hunger for hope and healing.

And when that moment comes,
and you gather all your people
from every place and time,
to feast at the Table of grace,
we will lift our voices in praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 11 - A

2011-07-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

Texts: Genesis 28:10-19a; Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24; Romans 8:12-15; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Call to Worship
Early in the morning, we gather at the edge of heaven,
finding the gates flung wide open by the One who welcomes all.
Early in the morning, we come to this holy place of worship,
to be touched by the One who offers us grace and love.
Early in the morning, we worship God, who adopts us into the family,
to be filled by the One who would pour us out in service to the world.

Prayer of the Day
God-who-keeps-promises:
every word you have spoken
   of hope found in the depths of life,
   of healing surprising our pain,
   of grace jumping rope with children,
will all come true -
   even when our stubbornness
   deafens us to your whispers.

Jesus-who-sows-seeds:
every hope you have for us
   of kindness never ending,
   of persistent patience,
   of sacrificial service,
can be found -
   even when others cannot
   see them in us.

Spirit-who-leads-us-into-life:
every dream you have
   of peace becoming our best friend,
   of joy bubbling from our hearts,
   of strangers welcomed as kin,
will happen -
   even when we insist on
   living out our fantasies.

Behind us, under us, beside us, over us,
you are ever and always with us,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and so we lift our prayer to you saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Hiding in the cobwebbed corners of our lives, we hope God cannot find us and see how we truly act and speak. But God's light of righteousness shines on us, so that we might find comfort, hope, forgiveness. Let us confess our sins together, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
I've tried to hide from your searching gaze,
Love's Delight:
I've climbed mountains,
     and burrowed deep into earth's caverns;
I've fled to the farthest edges of my soul,
     and longed to sail in my fears to the dark side of the moon.
And wherever I go -
                              you are waiting for me!
Even in the dimmest corners of my heart,
your light is able to find me.

Lost,
     I am found;
afraid to speak of my sinfulness -
     you hear my stumbling words
     before i shape them in my mind;
unable to help myself -
     you redeem me through the gracious love
     of Jesus Christ, my Lord, my Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
In sorrow so deep we cannot find our way out,
      God cradles us in comfort;
in moments so dark, we stumble over ourselves,
    God lights the way;
in joy which cascades into our souls,
   God fills us with healing.
Even when we cannot see it, God's hope is all around us, surrounding us with peace and healing.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the God who knows you best be with you!
And also with you!
Worship the One who is with us at this Table, as well as in our hunger for hope.
How blessed we are to open our hearts to God.
Sing songs of wonder to the One who whispers in your soul.
We praise the One who surrounds us in every moment.

Into the shadows of chaos,
you shine your light of righteousness,
Creation Blesser.
You looked, and saw the sun
shimmering over green meadows;
you watched, as the moon
gleamed in the night sky.
When your Spirit came to lead us
through the gardens of your grace,
we ran and hid ourselves
under the shelter of death,
believing you would never find us.
You sent the prophets
to sow seeds of hope
in our shallow and barren souls,
but we collected them
and threw them out with the trash.
Then, groaning with the pain
of your shattered heart,
you sent Jesus to gather us up
and to bring us home to you.

So, with those who have gone into the deserts,
and found you waiting for them;
with those who have journeyed to the center
of faithful living, led by your Spirit;
we lift our voices, to sing your praises:

Holy, holy, holy, God who knows us completely.
All creation hopes for what is not seen.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes, laying his hand on us.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of all joy,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior.
When our lives had touched
the bottom of despair,
he came to lift us up
to the heights of your hope;
when we wandered to sin's edge
and dived in headfirst,
he reached in to pull us
to the safety of your love;
when we journey
to the center of death,
we find him waiting
to take us by the hand
and lead us into life.

As we remember all his stories of how we are to live,
as we recall how he lived according to your Spirit,
we speak of that faith we can only call a mystery:

When Christ made his bed in She'ol, God was there;
when Christ rose, God's hand took him into new life;
when Christ returns, God will lead us in the everlasting way;

You search for us,
finding us wherever we have run;
you take us by the hand
to lead us to this Table of reconciliation,
where the bread and the cup
have been prepared and blessed
by the gift of your Spirit.
Fed by the Bread filled with grace,
may we dare go live
at the farthest edges of despair,
to stand with those who have lost
all hope and life.
When our arid souls have been
watered by the Cup of love,
may we dare to carry
the light of your joy and freedom
to those living in the shadows
of injustice and oppression.

And when that day comes:
when those who have fled
to the edges of life to escape you,
and those who made their beds
in futility and foolishness
are gathered together in your heart,
to feast at the Table of the Lamb,
we will sing our praises to you
forever and ever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 10 - A

2011-07-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

Texts: Genesis 25:19-34; Psalm 119:105-11; Romans 8:1-11; Matthew 9:1-9, 18-23

Call to Worship
Your grace is a lamp for our hearts, O God.
Light our way through the shadows of this world.
When we struggle with questions and doubts,
tell us your stories of hope and grace.
When we are about to wander off into the wilderness,
show us the paths to your peace and joy.

Prayer of the Day
When we wonder
why life is the way
it seems to be,
you teach us how
to live for others.
When we would sell
our birthgift of grace
for a bowl of sin's stew,
you nourish us with
a serving of hope.
Prayer Granter,
listen to our hearts and words.

When we are convinced
we are only barren soil,
you plant seeds of grace
deep within us.
When our souls are as
parched as arid deserts,
you refresh us
with the waters
of goodness and mercy.
Story Teller,
fill our hearts with your words.

You come into our hearts,
to remove the bricks and mortar
from that great wall of hostility
we have built over the years,
setting us free to play
in the kingdom of peace.
You help us to let go
of our focus on ourselves,
so we may reach out
to share with others.
Emancipator,
send us forth to live your words.

God in Community, Holy in One,
with our hearts and with our words,
we lift our prayers to you, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
We talk about lives of faith, but are usually found walking down the streets of seduction and temptation. God sends the Spirit to live in us, so we might have life with God. Let us confess our mis-steps as we pray together,

Unison Prayer of Confession
We walk through the world, Life Giver, so focused on ourselves, that we do not notice sin laying traps for us. We choose favorites, hurting folks looking for love. In our rush to grasp what we want, we let go of your promises given for us. In resisting your claims on us, we turn our backs on your dreams for us.
Forgive us, Promise Keeper, and have mercy. Like Isaac and Rebekah, we are heirs of your trust; like Jacob, we receive your grace even when we have done nothing to deserve it; like Esau, we share in your promises. May Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, sow seeds of faithfulness and hope in our hearts.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
God leans over so that great heart of forgiveness and hope might touch our own, healing us and restoring us to new life.
Not condemnation, but God's compassion; not judgment, but God's justice; not a punishment, but God's grace. We are forgiven and loved. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The God of seasons be with you!
And also with you.
Offer your hearts to God, heirs of the promise.
We lift them to the One who sows seeds of grace in us.
May hope and wonder be on your lips this day.
We sing songs of grace and love to the One who waters us with peace.

Into the rocky heart of chaos,
you sowed the seeds of beauty,
Heart's Imagination.
Into the thorny soil of nothingness,
you cast hope and grace.
Creation sprang forth,
your goodness bubbling up
in streams flowing down
to crystal clear oceans;
your compassion planting all
we would ever need to live.
You sowed,
so we might feast
on your peace and grace,
but once we had tasted
the fruits of the flesh,
we hungered for more and more.
Prophets came to teach us
how to live your will,
but their words fell on thorny hearts.
So then, you sent Jesus,
to call us home to you,
doing for us what we could not do.

Therefore, for those who hunger for your word,
in every generation, in every time, in every place,
we lift our songs of thanksgiving to you:

Holy, holy, holy are you, Light and Lamp to all.
All creation is filled with your Spirit.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the Sower of salvation who comes to us.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Giver of all life,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Hope and Joy.
When he could have come
with words of condemnation,
he sat down and told stories
of forgiveness and hope.
When he could have claimed
the birthright due your own true Child,
he poured out his inheritance
of grace upon all sinners.
When we could not -
when we would not -
submit to your will,
he gave himself up
to sin and death
defeating their power
as he walked out of the tomb,
gripping our hearts
to lead us back to you.

As we remember his life, death, and resurrection,
as we listen once more to his words for us,
we would reflect on that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, severely afflicted for our sake;
Christ rose, given life according to your promise;
Christ will return, holding our lives in his hands forever.

As you send your Spirit
upon the gifts of your Feast,
may this Spirit of life
rest upon your children gathered here.
As the Bread of Life
feeds us with hope,
may we go out
to walk with all who stumble
along the paths of life.
As the Cup of Salvation
nourishes the rock gardens
of our barren souls,
may we become the foundation
of justice and peace for our communities.
As your Word of grace
prunes our thorny hearts,
may we welcome all those
who have sold their hopes
for a meal of broken promises.

Then, when all time comes to an end,
when we are called to your Table
for that great feast with our sisters and brothers,
we will grip one another's hands,
and join our voices in praising you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 9 - A

2011-06-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

Texts: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67; Psalm 45:10-17; Romans 7:15-25a; Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Call to Worship:
L:    We stand here today,
       in the presence of the Holy:
P:    who will show us the way
       to hope and grace.
L:    We come today
       to the spring of hope:
P:    where Jesus will draw for us
       all the living water we can drink.
L:    We speak from our hearts,
       lifting our praise and prayers:
P:    leaning over to listen, the Spirit
       hears us, filling us with peace.

Prayer of the Day
You bless us
beyond all reason,
that we might give
all that we have
(and all we are)
in service to you.
You speak hope
to our hearts,
that we might hear
the cries of your
little ones in our midst.
Your love is celebrated
in all generations,
Joyous Creator.

You befriend
all the outsiders
of every time and place;
you lead us by
the right way,
if we would but follow;
you rescue us
from our foolish wisdom,
carrying us like babies
into the kingdom.
Your grace is revealed
to every generation,
Servant of the weary.

You are the goodness
from which we draw life;
you are the comforter
who warms us
when death's chill comes;
you are the common sense
which helps us to live
God's gracious ways.
Your peace is celebrated
through all generations,
Spirit of rest.

In every generation, in our generation,
we would sing your praises forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
When we could delight in God's ways,
we seem to wander down the paths of
failings and foolishness. When we could
dance in joy, we shuffle our feet through
despair's dry dust. Let us confess our wayward
lives to the One who longs to forgive us, as
we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
We are sinners, Creator of gentleness, and
cannot make good choices. We know what
is the right thing to do, yet end up acting in
wrong ways. We know the gentle words a
friend needs, yet raise our voices in anger
and hurt. We hear you inviting us to crawl
up into your gracious lap, but run outside
to play with our old friend, evil.
Forgive us, Blesser and Blessing of our
hearts, and rescue us from our foolish lives.
Speak to our aching spirits with your healing
hope. Yoke us with Jesus Christ, our Lord
and Savior, so we might lead gentle and
gracious lives in the days to come.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    God deals faithfully and truly with us.
       Choosing to forget our mistakes, and
       to forgive our sins, God blesses us with
       love and hope.
P:    Blessed, forgiven, healed - we are God's
       new people, going out to bring others to
       the waters of life. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L; May the Lord of rest be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: All who are weary, yoke yourselves to the Lord of life.
P: We join our hearts with God's Heart of compassion.
L: People of God, lift your glad songs to the One who loves us.
P: Praise is on our lips, thanksgiving overflows from our hearts.

At the first moment of time,
you drew from the deep wells
of gentleness and goodness,
Compassionate Creator.
You wandered the fields,
planting the seeds which blossomed
into rainbows of beauty;
you walked in evening's coolness,
scattering the stars and moons
into the deep blue-black skies.
All that you made
was given to us that
we might eat, drink, and dance
with you forever and ever.
But we did not understand
all the blessing you offered,
choosing to sit in sin's marketplace,
as death played its
mournful tunes for us.
You offered us rest
from our wandering ways,
whispering to our souls
through the prophets' heartaches.
When we could not, or would not,
turn back to you,
you sent Jesus to
rescue us from ourselves.

So, with every generation before us,
with all who will come after us,
we lift our voices in praise to you:

P: Holy, holy, holy, God of the weary soul.
    Creation celebrates your name in all generations.
    Hosanna in the highest!

    Blessed is the One who offers our souls rest.
    Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of every moment,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
friend of the forsaken, Savior of all.
Graced with your glory,
he humbled himself to come to us,
to lead us back to you.
Yoked with your heart,
he came to bear our burdens,
so we might find rest
in your hope and healing.
Fed by your love,
he came to eat and drink
with all the outsiders,
so we might dance forever
in your kingdom of love.
Embraced by your gracious will,
he handed himself over to death,
carrying the heavy burden of our sins,
so the joy of resurrection
might be revealed to us.

As we remember his life, his death, his rising,
as we come to meal prepared for us,
we celebrate that mystery of faith
given to every generation:

P: Christ died, gentle and humble to the end;
    Christ rose, delighting in the new life given to him;
    Christ will return, offering us the yoke of resurrection.

To what shall we compare your grace,
God of all hope and joy?
You pour it out upon us,
and upon the simple gifts of the Meal,
through your Spirit of gentleness.
You feed us with the Bread of hope,
not that we might be satisfied,
but so we would go forth
to embrace the outcasts of our world,
eating and drinking with them,
offering your love to them.
You tilt the Cup of mercy to our lips,
not that we might become smug,
but so we would be dissatisfied
until all the broken are healed,
until all the homeless are sheltered,
until all the hungry are fed,
until all the lost are found,
until all the least are celebrated.

Then, when the last moment of time has come,
and creation is restored to goodness and beauty,
we will sit at the Table with the Lamb,
with all the sinners and saints,
with all the winners and losers,
with all our sisters and brothers,
celebrating your peace and joy forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Proper 8 - A

2011-06-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

Texts: Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42

Call to Worship
With joy and celebration, God welcomes us to this place.
How good it is to gather in God's house!
With joy and celebration, we welcome one another.
We greet each other by name; we are equal in God's Kingdom.
We open our hearts, to welcome God's love; we open our arms, to welcome God's people.
Here, every single one of God's children is welcome.

Prayer of the Day
You have invited us to this place,
Accepting God,
for this is where you want us.
Here, we learn to trust you,
and to faithfully follow where you lead us.
Here, we learn to listen to you,
and hear the words of life,
of hope, of healing.
Here, we learn to bring everything to you -
even our pain, especially our brokenness -
that we might be made whole.

Pilgrim Jesus:
you are with us in this place,
and in every place
where we live, work, play, pray.
And, if we dare to trust
this good news,
we discover that grace
which sets us free:
to treat one another
as sisters and brothers;
to use that grace
to break down every barrier;
to live that grace
in every moment of our lives.

We would receive you
into our hearts, Abiding Spirit,
knowing that you have brought us together,
and by the gift of your presence,
we are no longer strangers
but friends and neighbors
in your Kingdom.

God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father....

Call to Reconciliation
Created to live with one another and our God, we know the truth about our shattered lives and relationships. Yet, out of this brokenness, God shapes new people, giving every one of us a new start. Let us confess those things which separate us from one another, that we might be made one in Christ.

Unison Prayer of Confession
In your house, there is room for all; at your Table, we find a place set for us. Yet we admit, Inviting God, that we find it difficult to be as accepting as you and we find it easy to shoulder others away from your feast. You fling wide the doors to your kingdom, Welcoming God, but we are quick to try to shut them to those who are different from us. Your heart is open so that all might experience your grace, and we reluctantly remember our ungracious words and deeds.

Forgive us, God of every person: heal our broken lives; mend our fragmented souls. Open our hearts to your vision of the Kingdom where all are welcome, all are affirmed, all are beloved - even as we receive these gifts from Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silent Prayers may be offered

Assurance of Pardon
Can it be any clearer? God has created us to be a family - sisters, brothers, neighbors, friends. No longer strangers, we are all welcome in the kingdom of love, grace, and hope.
In Christ, we are one. There are no barriers, no differences, no divisions. We are a new people, forgiven and made whole. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord who provides be with you!
And also with you!
Lift your hearts to the One who frees us from sin.
We rejoice in God, who delivers us from death's power.
Offer songs of joy and wonder to the One who welcomes you to this Table.
We will sing to God, whose bounty fills our lives, our hearts, our souls.

With great joy and thankgiving,
we lift our songs of praise to you,
God of all life.
You did not withhold
your treasures from us,
but poured them out
in overflowing abundance for us:
sparkling streams, rolling clear and clean;
carpets of grass,
through which the wind tiptoes;
crystal blue skies freckled
with bright, billowing clouds.
All was created and called good by you,
and offered as gifts for us.
But when we could have danced
through Eden, free and joyous,
we chose to let sin bind us,
placing us on death's altars.
When we refused to answer you
when you called in the night,
when we turned deaf ears
to the prophets you sent to us,
you did not withhold your only son,
the Child you loved most of all,
but sent Jesus to come to us,
providing a way home to your heart.

So, we lift our voices, filled with joy,
joining them with the glad songs
of every place and generation,
all creation praising your name:

Holy, holy, holy are you, God who does not forget us.
All creation trusts in your steadfast love.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who gives a cup of living water to the thirsty.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of constant love,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior,
and the love of your heart.
When we thought you had forgotten us,
he came to remind us
of your eternal promises;
when we would lay in
the cradling arms of pain,
he came to make us whole;
when we prepared to sleep
in death's comforting bed,
he came to shine the light
of your love upon us,
and to welcome us home
in your kingdom of eternal life.

As we remember his hospitality to all,
as we would not forget his dying for us,
as we would celebrate his resurrection,
we would tell of that mystery we call faith:

Christ died, welcoming death on our behalf;
Christ rose, welcoming the gift of resurrection on our behalf;
Christ will return, on our behalf, so we might not lose our reward.

You send your Spirit
to rest upon the gifts
of the bread and the cup,
and to welcome all your children
to the feast of the Lamb of Life.
As we eat of that Bread
which makes us whole,
we would make room
for all of your children,
welcoming all who have been
rejected by the world.
As we drink deeply from
that Cup which gives us life,
we would leave this place
to go and be with all
who are bound by fear and failure,
by hunger and hopelessness,
by hate and persecution,
not withholding our
most precious possession,
but sharing our lives with them.
And when all time has ended,
when we are gathered as your family
at the table which you have prepared for us,
we will feast on the grace you provide,
praising you forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

Trinity Sunday - A

2011-06-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

Texts: Genesis 1:1 - 2:4a; Psalm 8; 2nd Corinthians 13:11-13; Matthew 28:16-20

Call to Worship
L:    Called to be faithful stewards of creation,
       we come to worship:
P:     to sing to the One who has created all
       that is good, beautiful, and true
       and who has shared everything with us.
L:    Called to be disciples of Jesus Christ,
       we come to learn:
P:    to follow the One who meets us
      in every moment of our lives,
       in every place where we find ourselves.
L:    Called to proclaim the good news of Easter,
       we come to find the words:
P:    to be taught by the Spirit who moves
       in and through us, as we serve the world.

Prayer of the Day
Hearing your whisper,
creation tingles with anticipation,
knowing that goodness
and wonder are your heart's desires.
Listening to your instructions,
the universe shimmers with delight,
and all creatures fall down
to worship you.
Imaginative God,
you are as close
as the early morning breeze.

God spoke,
and you ran forth
to sprinkle the heavens
with the shimmering stars;
you poured the waters of grace
into the hollows of the earth,
so all life might emerge.
Bone of our bone,
flesh of our flesh,
you are as close
as the love which
fills our hearts.

God dreamed,
and you flowed over chaos,
shaping, spinning, weaving
peace, wonder, and joy
into the fabric of all life.
Your passion for hope
became flames which
dance in our hearts.
Spirit of fanciful faith,
you are as close
as a butterfly's wings
brushing our cheeks.

You are closer to us
than we ever dared hope,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and so we lift our prayer to you, saying
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
When God looks at us, the One who created
us sees hope, joy, grace, life. But all too often,
others see us as we are - broken, hurtful, sinful.
Let us confess our deeds and words to the One
who loves us, and longs to recreate us in the
image of true life.

Unison Prayer of Confession
Why do you pay us any attention, Artist of
Creation? Created in your image, we show faces
filled with desire, and offer hearts filled with anger
to those around us. Called to be disciples of Christ,
we all too often are seen chasing after the false
promises of the easy life. Offered the role of being
stewards of creation, we think that everything that
you have created is to be used up so we can enjoy
life, with no thought about future generations.
Yet, you have declared everything you created
to be good, even us, God of unexpected grace.
So, we know that, in Christ Jesus our Lord and
Savior, you will reshape our greed into generosity,
our bitterness into blessings, and our brokenness
into lives poured out in service to our sisters and
brothers.

Silent prayers may be offered

Assurance of Pardon
L:    Lives that are chaotic become cradles of
       peace; hearts malformed by meanness are
      reshaped into goodness; souls filled with
       despair are cleansed with grace.
P:    This is the good news: the God who created
       us is the God who redeems us; the God who
       redeems us, is the God who sends us forth
       to serve. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May God in Community be with you!
P: And with you as well!
L: Shaped in the divine image, let us open ourselves to the Creator.
P: With grace-filled hearts, we come to the Redeemer's Table.
L: Called to be God's household, let us offer our praises.
P: We rejoice that, from many places, the Holy Spirit has brought us here to our home.

At the beginning,
God of Imagination,
you finger-painted
sunrises and sunsets
on the blank canvas of chaos.
You sang creation's cantata,
while suns, moons, and stars
kept watch over your delights.
You laughed, while
lions, tigers, and bears
danced joyfully in the meadows,
and everything that
wiggles, creeps, crawls
clapped their hands in time.
When you would have
clothed us in glory,
we found sin and death
to be a more comfortable fit.
Prophets came teaching obedience
and calling us to faithful lives,
but we continued to insist
on having control of our souls.
So, you sent Jesus,
to make our brokenness
whole once again.

So, with grace, love and unity
our faithful companions and teachers,
and with all the saints of every time and place,
we lift our songs of thanksgiving:

P: How majestic is your name in all the earth, Holy One.
    All creation greets you with glad songs of praise.
    Hosanna in the highest!

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

Holy are you, God over us,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, God with us.
He took off glory's garb,
to put on humanity;
he set aside heaven's honor,
to be crowned with disgrace;
he spoke of love and hope,
silencing our enemy, pride;
he went into the grave,
to free us from death's grasp.

As we remember his life, death, and resurrection,
as we celebrate his recreative power in us,
we would speak of that mystery called faith:

P: Christ died, crowned with death's thorns;
     Christ rose, crowned with resurrection's wonder;
     Christ will come, to crown us with glory and honor.

Send your Spirit to move over
the gifts of the bread and the cup,
and to bring light and goodness
to those who gather around your Table.
As we break the Bread of life,
may we become living hope
to a world mired in despair.
As we drink from the Cup of grace,
may we cup your kindness and peace
in our hearts and souls,
so we might be poured out
to those who thirst for your
peace and gentleness in their lives.

And when your dreams which began at creation
are realized when all time comes to an end,
when we gather around your Table,
with saints and sinners, disciples and deniers,
we will find ourselves closer to you
that we ever thought we might be,
singing our praises forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Charge and Benediction
L:    God, who created you in the divine image,
       sends you forth:
P:    we go, to reflect the presence of our
       Creator to everyone we meet.
L:    Jesus, who has redeemed you,
       has established God's Kingdom in
      our midst:
P:    we go, to bring healing
       to the broken of the world.
L:    The Holy Spirit, who calls you to be
       God's people, goes with you to many places:
P:    We go, to tear down the walls that divide
       us, and to build lives of hope for all of
       God's children.
L:    And now,
      may the peace of the rolling waves,
       the peace of the silent mountains,
       the peace of the singing stars,
       and the deep, deep peace of the
       Prince of Peace,
       be with you now and forever.
       Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

The Day of Pentecost - A

2011-06-06T05:28:00.000-07:00

Texts: Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:24-34, 35c; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13; John 20:19-23

Call to Worship
L:    On this first day, the Lord's Day,
       we gather in this place, with this people:
P:    though we have different gifts,
       we are blessed by the same God.
L:    On that great day of Pentecost,
       the disciples gathered together:
P:    though uncertain, they trusted God's future,
       though many, they were one in Christ.
L:    On the last day of all time, God's daughters
       and sons will be together, in one place:
P:    until then, we will talk of God's dreams,
       with every breath we take, with every moment we live.

Prayer of the Day
Astonishing Creator,
at Pentecost,
you could have been
calm, cool, analytical -
but you decided to no
longer play it safe,
but once again
(and for all time),
unleashed the Spirit
into our babeling
and humble-jumble lives.

Like an artist using
a variety of mediums,
Living Water,
you proclaim good news to us:
to those who hunger for hope,
you feed them
from the banquet of justice;
to those parched by loneliness,
you hold that precious cup
overflowing with your tears
to their cracked lips.

Unbridled Spirit,
you calm us when
we are racing around
like four-year-olds
playing tag;
you come rushing
through our soul's backyard,
knocking our dirty lives
off the closed-lines,
to shawl us in
salvation's spring garb.

May our words please you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we pray as Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Called to be one body, we live as fragmented
members. Our selfish desires, our lust for more,
our belief we have no need of others, leads not
to unity, but to division. Let us confess our
brokenness to the God who saves us.

Unison Prayer of Confession
In the arguments which divide us, Hope's Heart,
we cannot hear your voice calling us to be one.
In the rush to judge others who speak, dress, or
look different from us, we cannot stop to experience
your grace. In our devotion to our selves and our
needs, we cannot open our hearts to receive your gifts.
Silence our babeling lives, Sculptor of Salvation, so
we might hear the clear, sweet voice of the Spirit,
announcing that we are forgiven, calling us to proclaim
the good news to all the world, baptizing us into the
Body of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    On this day, as on every day, God stands,
       arms wide open to embrace us; heart wide
       open to forgive us. Friends, this is the
       good news.
P:    God's glory is forever; God's grace will
       never end. We will rejoice in God's healing
       hope, as long as we have breath. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Spirit of Pentecost be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: People of Pentecost, lift up your hearts.
P: Come, Holy Spirit, and fill our hearts with
     the flames of your justice for others.
L: Spirit's Children, join your voices in praise.
P: Come, Holy Spirit, to teach us new songs
     of compassion and service.

Architect of the universe:
when chaos had grown old and wrinkled,
you sent Spirit to give it a new face -
imagining, shaping, painting -
until the starlight shimmered
on the watery deeps
and the earth trembled
from the trees dancing in delight.
You created critters which tip-toe
across our floors at night,
and great whales that play
hide-and-seek with submarines.
You formed humanity in your image,
and filled us with your Spirit,
so we could sing praises
to you every moment.
But sin and death
took our breath away
with their fireworks made
of futility and fear,
and we chased after them
clapping our hands in delight.
Prophets came, entreating
your daughters and sons to come home,
but we thought they were drunk
on ecstasy's sweet wine.
So, you sent Jesus,
hoping to get our attention
with glory made flesh.

So, with all who have gone before us,
and all who will come after,
we sing our songs of praise:

P: Holy, holy, holy are you, God who sweeps away all barriers.
    All creation trembles as it rejoices in you.
    Hosanna in the highest!

    Blessed is the One who breathes the Holy Spirit on us.
    Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, our only Hope,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son.
When our souls thirsted
for your presence,
he came,
to offer us a drink of grace.
When our hearts cracked
from the strain of unbelief,
he came,
to mend us with faith.
When we had lost our way,
he came,
to follow agony
to it's bitter end,
so we could begin
our journey home to you.

As we remember his life, his death, his rising,
as we celebrate the fulfillment
of the Spirit he promised,
we sing of that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ died, giving his last breath for us;
    Christ rose, the fresh breath of resurrection filling him with life;
    Christ will come, breathing new life into us forever.

Pour out Pentecost's Spirit
upon these gifts of the bread and cup,
and on your daughters and sons
who hunger for your goodness.
As we eat of the Bread,
may grace dance in our hearts,
so we will want
to rush out with healing
for a broken world.
As we drink for hope's Cup,
may it cascade through us,
filling us with your
undying compassion,
till we become lives
of flowing love
to a parched people.

And when that great day comes
when you gather your children
in one place, around one great Table,
we will receive the Spirit,
being fed by your Servant, Jesus,
and sing to you
with one voice, one heart,
God in Community, Holy in One.
Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

7th Sunday of Easter - A

2011-05-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Texts: Acts 1:6-14; Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35; 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11; John 17:1-11

Call to Worship
L:    The hour has come to worship our God:
P:    to gather together as people of faith,
       to glorify the God of all grace.
L:    The time has come to devote ourselves to prayer:
P:    to bring the burdens we carry,
       to lift our hopes to the God who hears us.
L:    The hour has come to rejoice and make God's name known:
P:    to lift a song of thanksgiving,
       to praise God for all our blessings.

Prayer of the Day
Your love is so limitless
that the needy receive goodness,
and the prisoner finds
a well-paying job;
the homeless find your heart
open to them,
and all can place their worries
in your hands.
Parent of Orphans,
we will make your name known
to all the world.

We gaze at the sky
looking for you,
when you can be found
in the laughing play of children;
we wonder where you have gone,
while you are all around us
in our sisters and brothers.
Cloud Rider,
we will sing your name
to all the world.

When our hearts
are hardened by fears,
you melt them
with your hope;
when our lips
can only utter boasts,
you teach us songs
of humility.
Caregiver of Widows,
we will exult your name
in all the world.

We will make your name known,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as we have been taught, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
When we look to God in prayer, are we looking
for condemnation and punishment? Or do we
look for the One who promises to forgive us
and make us new? Let us pray to God for mercy,
as we offer our confessions, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
We cannot put it off any longer, Gracious God,
it is time to confess our unfaithfulness. Our
appetites for all things threaten to devour us
like hungry animals. We are reluctant to humble
ourselves to serve others, believing we are special.
We are afraid to share in the sufferings of children
and the elderly.
Forgive us, Voice of Mercy and Hope. Bless us
with grace and life, so we might rejoice in your love,
tell of your faithfulness, and join Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Savior, in making you known to all people.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L: Unfailing love, the Spirit of healing, the life
     of faith in Christ--all are Easter gifts God
     offers to us.
P:    We rejoice and are glad. We are blessed:
       with mercy, with hope, with joy. Thanks
       be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Lord of Easter be with you!
P: And also with you!
L: People of God, exult before the Lord.
P: Our hearts overflow with God's never-ending showers of grace.
L: Children of God, sing to the One who blesses you.
P: We will offer glad songs of thanksgiving in every moment.

On that first morning of creation,
Rider of the Cosmos,
you rose up and scattered chaos
and it melted into the silence
and beauty of the universe.
You hiked the valleys,
and rivers raced to keep up;
you showered goodness on the earth,
and planted a garden of grace
for your beloved children.
You would provide
all we could ever need,
but we looked longingly
after the delights of sin and death,
letting them devour us
with their hungers.
You sent the prophets
to remind us of your name,
but we were too busy
gazing at our exalted opinions
of ourselves to listen.
Then, you humbled
yourself to save us,
sending Jesus into our midst.

So, with those who share in Christ's suffering,
and all who make your name known
in every word they speak, in every act they undertake,
we sing loud songs of praise to you:

P: Holy, holy, holy are you, God of wonder and joy.
    All creation is jubilant with joy before you.
    Hosanna in the highest!

   Blessed is the One who gives eternal life to all.
   Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Pilgrim guide of prisoners,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
brother to all orphaned by sin and death.
When we were destined to be lost,
he came to find us;
when we thought
nothing could ever surprise us,
he shouldered our sins
carrying them to the cross,
where he was lifted up to his death.
Rising from the grave,
your spirit of resurrection
rested upon him,
so we might know you forever.

As we come to this Table remembering his life,
as we humble ourselves in the face
of his death and resurrection,
we will tell the world of that mystery called faith:

P: Christ died, resisting evil prowling all around him;
    Christ rose, the spirit of glory resting upon him;
    Christ will come, to restore all creation.

Here at this Table,
where the Bread and the Cup wait,
bless these gifts with your Spirit,
so salvation might fill our emptiness,
and grace might overflow our hearts.
As we eat the simple loaf,
may we humble ourselves
to exalt the broken and forsaken
the world has cast aside.
As we drink from the common cup,
may we become alert
to those opportunities
we are given to
provide for the needy,
to learn from the prisoners,
to be adopted by the orphans
of this time and place.

And when we are seated around
the Great Feast of Heaven,
with those who suffered to know glory,
and those who humbled themselves
in order to lead us to faithfulness,
we will join our hearts and voices
in never-ceasing praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One.
Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

6th Sunday of Easter - Year A

2011-05-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

Texts: Acts 17:22-31; Psalm 66:8-20; 1st Peter 3:13-22; John1 4:15-21

Call to Worship
L:    Here, in this place, in these moments,
      we can speak of what God has done:
P:    the One who is closer than our imagination tells us.
L:    Here, in these moments, with this people,
      we will sing of what God is doing:
P:    the One who lives in us, and calls us the Beloved of the Lord.
L:    In every place, at every moment, with every person,
     we dare imagine what God will do:
P:    the One who will move us to serve others,
      to be with them as surely as God is with us.

Prayer of the Day
Your imagination
cannot be confined
to any buildings, boxes,
or barricades we try to shape.
Your hope
cannot be captured
in any stone, wood, or
artifact we might create.
You live, you move,
you are our joy,
and we adore you,
God, our Creator.

Your love
cannot be intimidated
by any reluctance
in our hearts.
Your grace
cannot be incarcerated
in any prison our fears build.
You live, you move,
you are our salvation,
and we thank you,
Jesus, our Friend.

Your peace
cannot be overcome
by any anxiety
in our souls.
Your truth
cannot be drowned out
by sin's seductive songs.
You live, you move,
you are our hope,
and we worship you,
Spirit, our Lover.

You live, you move, you are our
God in Community, Holy in One,
and we pray together saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
If our consciences were clear, we would have no
need to confess. But we stand transparent before
God, who knows our thoughts, our hearts, our
misdeeds. Let us speak to the One who has promised
not to put us to shame, but to forgive us of our sins.

Unison Prayer of Confession
As painful as it may be, God of our lives, we will
try to speak our hearts. Called to live gently with our
families and friends, we cause great hurt by our words
and actions. Created in your image, we live as if it
were the evil one who shapes our hearts. Given the
simple command to love, we complicate it with our
expectations, our fears, our doubts.
You cannot overlook our sin, Loving God, and so
you sent Jesus to redeem us. Through the waters of
baptism, the fire of our failings is extinguished. Through
the grace of your heart, we are made whole. Through
the gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we do indeed
live, and move, and have our being with you.

Silence is kept.

Assurance of Pardon
L:    Do not be afraid of God. In love, God forgives us;
      in grace, God redeems us; in hope, God sends us
      forth to share this good news.
P:    Through Christ's resurrection, we become new
      people. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God who loves us be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: People of God, offer your hearts to the One
      who is known in love and wonder.
P: We lift them to our God who cradles us in grace.
L: Sing praises to the One who has shaped you in joy.
P: We lift our songs of thanksgiving to the God
     whose hope is greater than we dare imagine.

When chaos was all
that was known,
you became Lord
of heaven and earth,
as you poured your imagination
into creation's rich variety:
mountains and trees
casting long shadows
in the light of suns and stars.
You longed for us
to inhabit this goodness and beauty,
as your offspring formed
by your love and hope.
But we chose to live
with sin and death,
their altars of temptation
the objects of our worship.
In times of human rebellion,
you sent the prophets
to call us back
from those sin-splattered places,
but we could not obey.
Though you could not
overlook our disobedience,
you would not leave us parentless,
and so sent Jesus
to come to us in grace.

So, with the angelic choirs,
with those of this time and every moment,
we lift our songs of praise:

P: Holy, holy, holy are you, God of heaven and earth.
    All creation echoes with the sound of your praise.
    Hosanna in the highest!

    Blessed is the One who will not leave us orphaned.
    Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of imagination,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior.
When he could have
remained in glory,
he came to visit
those imprisoned by sin.
When he could have
stayed in heaven,
he wandered through
our fears and doubts,
to proclaim your love for us.
When he could have
been cradled in your right hand,
he took our side
against sin and death,
defeating their power
and authority over us.

As we remember the words he spoke,
as we recall his death and resurrection,
we will sing of that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ died, suffering for doing what was right;
    Christ arose, God's steadfast love surrounding him;
    Christ will come, the hope that is within us.

Pour out your Spirit
upon these gifts
of the Bread and the Cup,
and upon your children
who gather for your feast.
Welcomed by the Spirit,
may we become friends
with those the world rejects.
Fed by your love,
may we become joy
for those hurt and saddened.
Nourished by your grace,
may we become advocates
for those society has silenced.

And when we are led to
that abundant Table in heaven;
when we gather to feast
with everyone we love,
and everyone we have rejected,
your heart will echo
with our praises,
as we sing to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

Easter 5-A

2011-05-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

Texts: Acts 7:55-60; Ps. 31:1-5, 15-16; 1st Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14

Call to Worship
L:    The One who shaped the universe,
       crafts us into a community of faith:
P:    a people to shelter the homeless,
       a family to feed the hungry.
L:    The One who made kittens and elephants,
       shapes us in the divine image:
P:    so we can glow with grace
       as we welcome the hopeless and helpless.
L:    The One who blesses us with flowers and waterfalls,
       gifts us with the way, the truth, the life:
P:    so we can go to tell the story,
       to bring healing to a broken world.

Prayer of the Day
In you, Glory of Grace,
we will find that heart
which shelters us
when grief overwhelms us.
In you,
we will find the Parent
who crouches down on one knee,
to listen to us more carefully.
In you,
we discover that Face
which glows with joy
every time you catch
sight of us.

Through you, Servant's Heart,
we can hear that truth
which will cut us loose
from the world's net of lies.
Through you,
we will find our way
back to the paths of peace.
Through you,
we will have the lives
God envisions for us.

With you, Spirit of welcome,
we find the nourishment
we need to follow Jesus.
With you,
we are cemented,
by your grace and love,
with others into God's
community of hope.
With you,
we embrace all the nobodies
rejected by our world.

In you, through you, with you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayer as Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
The Stone tossed aside by the architects of sin and death, is the One who becomes the foundation for redemption, the cornerstone for grace and hope. We can confess freely and openly to God, who will not shame us, but forgive us and welcome us home.

Unison Prayer of Confession
  In humility, we must confess how we have not matured as your children, Gentle Parent. The hurting and helpless of our world cry out, and we cover our ears with hands which could be serving them. The forsaken and ridiculed of our neighborhoods and schools are looking for a community of acceptance, and we cover our eyes with hands which could welcome them. The lonely and grieving are listening for hope, and we cover our mouths with hands which could embrace them, as we sing gentle songs of grace to them.
Forgive us, Refuge of the broken. Our times are in your hands, so help us to believe we can be healed in this moment. Our hearts are in your heart, so transform ours that we can serve your children. Our lives are redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, so call us to give them away in his name.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    The good news is that in Christ, our sins are forgiven, our lives are made whole, we become God's own people. Do you not believe?
P:    We believe. And in believing, we will live as those chosen, not only to tell a Story, but to live it out each and every day.  Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Way, the Truth, the Life be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: Precious and chosen by God, offer yourselves in joy.
P: We open our hearts so we may grow into salvation.
L: God's own people, proclaim the mighty acts of God.
P: We sing the praises of the One who calls us into the light.

Chaos covered its ears,
Crafty God,
as you began constructing creation.
Joyous noise filled the air,
as rivers cascaded
through verdant valleys.
From the heavens
came love's raucous laughter,
echoing down mountain passes.
You would gladly guide us
along Eden's paths of peace,
but we shook off your hand,
rejecting your dreams for us.
Women and men were called
to tell the story
of your love and grace,
but we covered our ears
as we continued to drink
the soured milk of sin.
But continuing to believe in us,
you sent Jesus,
to show us the way back to you.

So, with saints and sinners,
with seniors and newborn infants,
with all called to be your people,
we sing our loud songs of praise:

P: Holy, holy, holy are you, God our shelter.
    All creation has received your mercy.
    Hosanna in the highest!

   Blessed is the One who whose times were in your hands.
   Hosanna in the highest!

In you, Foundation-building God,
we can find a safe haven;
and a guide for our lives
in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
With you at the beginning of time,
he became a newborn babe,
longing to share the milk
of grace and peace with us.
He became the cornerstone
of mercy and hope,
that rock standing forever,
while sin and death crumble
at the foot of the cross.
Believing in your promises,
he opens us to the beauty and life
you shape out of our grief and sin.

So, as we come to this Table of hope,
as we remember the truth of that life given for us,
we sing of that mystery called faith:

P: Christ died, showing us the Way through death;
    Christ rose, the Truth of God's promises;
    Christ will come, bringing Life for all of us.

And now we pray you
would fill these gifts
of the bread and the cup
with your welcoming Spirit.
As you open your heart
to feed us with your grace,
we would place our hearts in yours,
as we would go out to heal
the brokenness of our world.
As you pour the Cup of joy
into our arid souls,
we would see the rejected around us,
and rush together to embrace them.

And when we have followed the Way home,
when we gather around the Table
you have prepared for us,
we will sing our songs of thanksgiving,
ever praising you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

Easter 4-A

2011-05-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Texts: Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10

Call to Worship
Day by day, God leads us:
to the deep, deep pools of peace, to the green, lush lawns of grace.
Day by day, Jesus calls us:
to pour out ourselves in service, to anoint the stranger with hope.
Day by day, the Holy Spirit shows us:
the community we could be, the family we are called to become.

Prayer of the Day
Day by day, Gate of grace,
your love is poured
into the emptiness of our souls.
You share your joy
so we might be a blessing
to those all around us.
You are generous to a fault,
that we might have
glad and generous hearts.

Day by day,
Doorway to God's Heart,
you would lead us
down the streets of
discipleship and service,
uncomfortable as they
may seem to us,
knowing that at the
end of our journey,
we will find ourselves
at home with goodness and mercy.

Day by day,
Spirit of openness,
you watch over us,
so we will not wander
into the busy traffic
at the corner
of sin and death,
but will find our life
in the front yards
of the kingdom.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we open the gates of our hearts to you,
even as we pray, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
It is not just material things, but the 'stuff' that makes us who we are - our hearts, our hopes, our dreams - that we have trouble sharing with others. But the more we hoard, the less we trust God to use us, and all our gifts, in the work of the kingdom. Let us entrust our brokenness to our God, that we might be made whole, as we pray saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
Why is it so hard to trust in your grace, Generous Heart? You promise to pour out blessings upon us, but we are reluctant to let go of what we have. We put a lock on our hearts and feelings, while you share your precious Child with us. You call us home to dinner, but we would rather keep playing in the shadows of life.
Forgive us, Goodness and Mercy. Anoint us with the oil of grace, until our hearts overflow with praise. Fill us with the living waters of hope, so we can share with others. Feed us at your Table of joy, so we might follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, with glad and gracious hearts.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
When we would stand on sin's shoulders, trying to peer through the windows, God throws open wide the front door, so we can come in and live forever in joy.
We are led through death to life; we are fed at grace's table; we are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
May the Gate of Easter be with you!
And also with you!
People of God, live with glad and generous hearts.
We open our hearts to the One who prepares the Table for us.
Day by day, rejoice in the Restorer of your souls.
We will praise God, while seeking good for all people.

You stilled chaos,
Compassionate God,
so creation could burst
forth in joyous song.
You planted lush carpets
of grace where we could rest;
you filled pools with
the waters of peace;
you showed us
the hiking paths
through Eden's gardens.
But we chose
to devote ourselves
to that skimpy existence
offered by the world,
playing in the revolving door
of sin and death.
Prophets listened
to your heart breaking,
and called us back
to fellowship with you,
but we ignored their hopes.
When you could no longer
stomach our disobedience,
you sent Jesus
to re-open the door
to the kingdom.

Therefore, we would join our voices
with those of every time and place,
who lift their songs of praise to you:

Holy, holy, holy, God of bread and prayers.
All creation overflows with your goodness and mercy.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed isthe One by whose wounds we are healed.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Soul Shepherd,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
Heart Opener, Grace Giver.
Ridiculed and rejected by us,
he offers back friendship and hope;
trusting in you alone,
he devoted himself
to setting us free from sin;
braving the pain of death,
he healed the wounds
we caused ourselves,
to lead us hand-in-hand
to play in Joy's Garden.

So, as we remember his coming to find us,
as we celebrate his opening his heart to us,
we would tell of that mystery called faith:

Christ died while suffering unjustly;
Christ arose, becoming the Gate to eternal life;
Christ will return, calling us by name and leading us home.

Come, Holy Spirit,
to fill these gifts
of the bread and the cup
with your goodness and mercy
which never end.
As we are fed by hope,
open our gated hearts
that we might welcome
the weak and weary of our world.
As the cup of life
restores our arid souls,
may we follow Jesus,
that we might lead others
to the One who sings
the glad choruses of grace.

And when we gather
around that Table in eternity
which has been prepared for us,
and for those we have ignored,
we will break bread together,
our wounds healed, our hearts made whole,
forever singing your praises,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman

Easter 3 - A

2011-05-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

Texts: Acts 2:14a, 3641; Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; 1st Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35

Call to Worship
L:    Where shattered hearts are made whole,
       where wounded souls are healed,
       where life is stronger than death:
P:    there, the stone has been rolled away.
L:    Where the lonely become our friends,
       where a stranger is welcomed home,
       where hope is stronger than despair,
P:    there, we find Jesus walking.
L:    Where closed wallets are opened,
       where the anxious find serenity,
       where love is stronger than hate:
P:    there, Jesus is opening our eyes.
L:    The stone has been rolled away!
       Jesus is our companion on the journey!
       Our eyes are opened to the needs of others!
P:    Alleluia! Christ is risen!
       Alleluia! Christ is with us!

Prayer of the Day
Splattering the black-blue night
with the twinkling stars
and spinning fluffy clouds
out of the fabric of your hope,
you raised creation out of chaos,
Gracious God,
giving life and calling it good.

Walking with disciples
down grief's lonely road,
you sang of how
God had raised you from the dead,
so that listening,
they might believe;
believing,
   they might understand;
understanding,
   they might obey:
going forth to invite all
to follow you,
Bread of Life,
to feast on your love forever.

Reaching out your love to us,
so we would touch others;
filling us with your gifts,
so we could be a blessing to the world;
piercing our darkness with hope,
so we might bring healing
to the broken:
you raise us to new life,
Spirit of God.

God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Here! Christ is here! In our hearts, in our
lives, and in our midst. As on that road
to Emmaus, Jesus is with us--teaching,
loving, leading, feeding. Let us confess
how we have overlooked the presence of
the living Christ, and ignored the words
he whispers to our hearts, as we pray, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
We become comfortable, Joyous God, with our
lives, with our faith, with our friends and family.
We are so secure, your gospel jars us with your
hopes for us. We know we should tell your story,
but doesn't everyone who matters know it already?
We could invite others to your table, but then we
might have to share. We could welcome the
strangers, but worry they might feel uneasy
among so many unfamiliar faces.
Forgive us, God of Easter. Walk with us, so
we can become companions to the lost. Welcome
us, so we can include the hopeless and the
homeless. Love us, so we can share that love
with everyone we meet on our journey, as we
follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, into
life with you.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:    God loves us so much, God will listen
       to our cries, our prayers, our hopes, and
       our dreams. God's promises are for all,
       those who are right beside us, as well as
       those who live on the other side of the world.
P:    What can we give to God for us grace? We
       will lift our hearts to God, giving thanks for
       the mercy that has been given to us. Thanks
       be to God! Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Risen Christ be with you!
P: and also with you!
L: Disciples of the Lord of Easter, lift your hearts.
P: We offer them to the One who warms them with love.
L: Children of God, offer praises to the One who is in your midst.
P: We will lift our songs of thanksgiving to the One
    who is known to us in the breaking of the bread.

When silence was caught
in the traps of chaos,
you spoke a Word,
Heart of Hope,
and the rivers sang
sonnets of joy,
the stars rang with laughter,
and the valleys echoed
the choruses of all creation.
Made in the image of your love,
you considered us more valuable
that the finest jewels and metals.
You cupped your ear
to listen to our praises,
but heard only our complaints,
as we foolishly interpreted
the stories sin and death told us
as being the truth we should follow.
You longed to open our eyes,
but we were blinded by disobedience.
Your heart broken,
you sent Jesus to come to us,
to lead us back to you.

Therefore, we join our hearts and voices
with those right next to us, and those far way,
of every time, and from every place,
who sing forever your praises and glory:

P: Holy, holy holy are you, God who listens to us.
    All creation pays its vows to you.
    Hosanna in the highest!

   Blessed is the One who is your servant.
   Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, Ever listening God,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Having learned compassion
while sitting on Spirit's lap,
he came to be our Servant.
Walking by your side in creation's gardens,
he came to travel
pain and loss with us.
Listening to your promises
to all your children,
he came to tell us
of their fulfillment in hope.
Your Beloved Child,
he showed on the cross
that grace and love
are able to defeat sin and death
for all time.

Remembering his compassion and service,
made whole by his brokenness,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:

P: Christ died, that we might be born anew;
    Christ is risen, that our eyes might be opened;
    Christ will come, so we, our children, and all who
      are far way may be gathered together in you.

As we lift the Cup of salvation,
as we grasp the Bread of life,
pour out your Spirit
upon these simple gifts
and all who seek your presence.
As our eyes are opened
by the breaking of the bread,
may we see those around us
whose lives have been shattered
by an uncaring world.
As our hearts are thawed
by the sweet taste of grace,
may we serve them
to all who hunger of healing.

And when all time has come to an end,
when we are gathered around
the feast you prepare for all your children,
we will lift our hearts and voices,
singing your praises forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2011 Thom M. Shuman