Worship Resources – Page 20

OT 17 — Pe + 9

Worship resources for:
8th Sunday after Pentecost — Ordinary Time 17 (July 25, 2021)

Lectionary Texts

In 2 Samuel 11. 1-15 David rapes Bathsheba and arranges her husband Uriah’s death.

Psalm 14 says that people do evil, thinking that there is no God who is aware of their deeds. But God defends the poor and powerless

In Ephesians 3.14-21 the author prays for us, that we may be rooted in love and that Christ will live powerfully in us.

In John 6. 1-21 Jesus feeds a crowd with a tiny bit of food, and then walks across the lake to the disciples in the boat. They are afraid but Jesus says, “I am. Do not be afraid.”

Call to Worship

1.
Leader: God of abundance, you provide Creation, overflowing with life and beauty.
      All: In awe we praise you.
Christ, you accompany us in our deepest struggles with infinite love and grace.
      In gratitude we thank you.
Holy Spirit, you fill us with all the gifts we need to serve you with compassion and power.
      In trust, we open ourselves to your presence. Alleluia!

2.
Leader: In our need and hunger, God —
      Congregation: you feed us abundantly!
In our fears and struggles
      you bear us through the storms!
God of grace, you bring us to a place of peace.
       We thank you. We worship you. We open our hearts to you. Alleluia!

Collect / Prayer of the Day

Steady God, life whirls around us. Life demands so much of us. So we turn to you, calm and generous. Your grace flows freely. We open ourselves in word and silence, in prayer and song, in meal and companionship, to the overflowing abundance of your presence and your grace. Hungry and trusting, we open ourselves toy you. Amen.

Response / Creed / Affirmation

        God, Creator of all, we rejoice that you are a God of abundance. In faith we pledge to live lives of abundant generosity.
        Christ, we rejoice that you are the bread of life, who accompanies us in our deepest struggles. In faith we entrust ourselves to you, even in times of struggle. You who have died and been raised rom the dead, bear us through the storms and bless us with your presence.
        Holy Spirit, we rejoice that you grant to us the power of sharing, the courage of faith, and the peace of your grace. In faith we give ourselves to your care and guidance, that in all things we may do your will, trust your grace, and share you love, in the name of Christ, Amen.

Listening Prayer

(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to intercessions)

1.
God of love, the grace that nourishes us is more abundant than we know; the mercy that bears us through our struggles is deeper than we think. And you are more present than we suspect, here and now. We open our hearts to your grace. In the little loaves and fishes of this moment, multiply your grace. In the little boat of our prayer, carry us across.

2.
Hungry for God, we gather.
But where will we find what will nourish us?
      We have but five little loaves, and two fish.
Jesus takes our lives, and multiplies them.
      We struggle against the wind and waves of our lives.
Jesus calms us, and brings us to a place of peace.
      Jesus, feed us. Bear us through the storm.
      Grant us your peace. Amen.

Prayer after Communion

1.
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. You give with such infinite generosity; help us so to be grateful, trusting and generous with our love, with our time and goods, with our blessing, for the sake of the world, in the name and Spirit of Christ. Amen.

Suggested Songs

All that we Hold (John)
God Strengthen you Within (Ephesians)

See music store.

OT 29 — (PE+ 20) — October 17, 2021

Lectionary Texts

In Job 38. 1-7 Job has finally broken down and asked God, “OK, I give up. Why do bad things happen to good people? God answers: “I can’t tell you. Did you create the world? Do you understand the cosmos? You can’t understand this, either.” But even in his suffering Job belongs to that vast, wonderful universe.

Psalm 104 sings in awe of God’s power and presence in Creation.

Hebrews 5.1-10: Jesus was called by God to a priesthood that he himself had not chosen. He accepted vulnerability and suffering, and surrendered to God’s grace. In this way he became a priest, one who leads us to God.

In Mark 10. 35-45 James and John (like all of us) desire the security of esteem and belonging. But Jesus says real life is to be found not in status, but in serving, in attending to others. We don’t lord it over others. We renounce coercion; instead our power is from beneath, to lift others up.

Call to Worship

1.
Leader: Eternal Creator, in the silence of galaxies
       All: your Word shines.
Loving Christ, in the voices of the hurting
       your Word cries out.
Holy Spirit, in the secrets of our own hearts
       your Word whispers.
       Give us faith to listen for your voice,
       and answer. Alleluia.

2.
Leader: Gracious One, you are our life.
       All: You are our Source, our security, our beauty.
Loving Christ, you are our healing.
       You are our courage, our healing, our hope.
Holy Spirit, you are our breath.
       You are our compassion, our generosity, our love.
       We worship you. Breathe new life in us, and set us free. Amen.

3.
Leader: Creator God, you hold all the universe in your loving hands.
       All: Eternal and almighty God, we praise you.
Gentle Christ, both human and divine, you chose the most humble path among us.
       Loving servant, we praise you.
Holy Spirit, you unfold your compassion within and among us.
       Present and life-giving Spirit, we welcome you into our hearts.
       In the name of Christ we worship you.

4.
Leader: Mighty God, Creator of the universe, you reign over all things,
and yet you stoop to help us, and humbly serve our needs.
       All: Radiant Christ, you who hold the worlds in your hands,
       you kneel to wash the feet of your betrayers,
       and humbly sit with the poor.
Eternal God, grant us your spirit of humble service.
       Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!

Collect / Prayer of the Day

Loving God, open the windows of our hearts, that the light of your love may flow in. Open our ears, that we may hear your Word. Open our arms, to embrace your way. Open our hands, that we may serve you with strength and joy. Speak to us; we are listening. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Loving God, we confess
we want to be safe, we want to be respected,
we want to feel good about ourselves,
we want to be in control,
more than we want to be faithful.
We confess our self-centeredness,
and surrender it to your grace.
Forgive us, open our hearts to your gift,
and strengthen us to follow Christ
in humble service.

Response / Creed / Affirmation

We love a God who reigns over us not with force and manipulation but with the power of love, to lift us up and set us free.

We follow Jesus, God’s Anointed, who shared the power of healing and forgiveness. He was crucified by the powers of domination, but he was raised by the power of love.

We live by the grace of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to serve humbly, to bless and not to threaten, to create and not destroy. By that Spirit we seek to serve, to forgive, to heal, and to lift up those who are oppressed. By that Spirit alone, and not by any power of this world, we receive life that is eternal and joy that sustains us always. Alleluia!

Suggested Songs

(Click on titles to view songs on the Music page.)

At Your Feet

Jesus, at your feet I bow.
I am yours completely now.
By your mercy show me how
to be loving.

Jesus, Master, you who save,
you have served me as a slave.
This, the perfect gift you gave:
to be loving.

In each hurting one I meet
it is you, O Christ, I greet.
Make my faithfulness complete,
to be loving.

God, I Surrender

God, I surrender myself to you,
all that I have and all I do.
All my desires I give to you.
Take them from me and make me new.

God, I surrender myself to you,
all that I have and all I do.
Trusting you wholly I follow you
Take my life and make me new.

I Am Listening

Speak, for I am listening.
My heart is open.
Speak, for I am listening,
open to your word.

OT 18 — Pe + 10

Worship resources for:
9th Sunday after Pentecost — Ordinary Time 18 (August 1, 2021)

Lectionary Texts

In 2 Samuel 11.26-12.13 The prophetNathan tells David a parable about injustice, evoking David’s anger, and then turns the story on David, confronting him about his rape and murder.

Psalm 51 is a prayer of repentance. We ask for God’s forgiveness, and that God create in us a new heart.

Ephesians 4. 1-16 Reminds us we are not just a random association of people: we are called as one body in the one spirit of Christ. We are called to live in love and peace. we all share Christ’s humility, patience and love. We are one in Christ’s Spirit.

In John 6.24-35 Jesus says he is the Bread of Life, real nourishment that gives life to all the world. The people keep getting hung up on their physical hunger, but Jesus speaks of a deeper hunger, and invites us to “believe,” that is, to open ourselves to what is given.

Call to Worship

Leader: Creator God, we praise you!
     All: Risen Christ, we greet you!
Holy Spirit, we are one body by your grace.
     Moment by moment you create us, and give us life.
We confess that we have sought life elsewhere,
but this hunger has only fed us death.
     God of Creation, have mercy.
We confess that in our hunger we have betrayed life.
     God of grace, forgive us.
Teach us that our hunger and thirst is for you alone.
Teach us to turn to you and receive life in each moment.
     God of life, have mercy.
Christ, you are the Bread of Life. Come and feed our hearts and souls.
    Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!

Collect / Prayer of the Day

1.
God of life, we are hungry for life.
Feed us the bread of life.
Spirit of breath, we live by each breath.
Help us to breathe deeply of you.
Christ, sign of God among us, we give our hearts to you.
Help us to listen, to feast upon your presence, and to enter into eternal life.
Amen.

2.
Leader: Gracious God, we are hungry for life.
All: You are the Bread of Life.
We are thirsty for love.
      You are the fountain of love and grace.
We come to feast upon your abundance.
      We come to feast upon your grace.
      Alleluia! We thank you. We praise you. We worship you. Alleluia!

3.
God of abundance and grace, we are hungry for life and love, but we divert our desires to other things. Redirect our hunger, O God, and transform our desires. Stir up our deep hunger for you, our thirst for truth, our deep desire for wisdom and compassion. Our mouths water for your Word. Speak to us, Lord of Love, and give us the bread of life. Amen.

Response / Creed / Affirmation

2. [from Ephesians 2.14-22; 4.11-16]
Christ is our peace. In Christ God has made us into one flesh. and has broken down every dividing wall between us.
In Christ God has created one new humanity, making peace, and reconciling all to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death all hostility through it.
Jesus came and proclaimed peace to those who were far off and peace to those who were near. In Christ all of us have access in one Spirit to God. So we are no longer strangers and aliens, but citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.
In Christ the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom we are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.
God has given us various gifts to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Beloved of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.
So we grow up in every way into the one who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

Listening Prayer

(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to intercessions)

Without thinking we seek food that perishes. But here in this silence we open ourselves to the food that endures for eternal life. There are no signs. There are no requirements. Only this, that we entrust ourselves to you, the Bread of Life. We come to you. Feed us, that we may never hunger for anything but you, never thirst for anything but your grace.

Eucharistic Prayer

#5, Bread of Life

Prayer of Dedication / Sending / after Communion

God of grace, as Jesus offered himself for others as nourishing bread, we give of ourselves, that we may be bread for the world, to feed the hungry, to strengthen the weary, to gladden the hearts of the hopeless, to bring about justice and mercy in the name and the Spirit of Christ. Amen.

Suggested Songs

See music store.

Bread of Life * unfinished

Every Moment is Manna * unfinished

Communion Song: Bread of Life
(Tune: HOLY MANNA)

Christ, you are the Bread of Life, who gives us strength and nourishes.
Here we feast on love and beauty, here your people flourishes.
In our sharing you are present, in our feast you enter in,
we become your Body, risen: we your servants, we your friends.

As you bless the bread and break it, as you give it out to share,
we ourselves are taken, given, sharing blessing everywhere.
May we be the yeast of justice; may we be the grain of love;
that your children all be fed, and grace and mercy all may have.

OT 30 — (PE+21)

October 24, 2021

Lectionary Texts

Job has asked God to explain suffering. Instead God invites Job to be mindful of the whole mystery of Creation. Now, in Job 42. 1-6 , Job says, “I accept that.” This is the original end of the story. Verses 10-17 come from a latter addition, written by someone who couldn’t accept it—who still wanted an explanation, and a happy ending!

Psalm 34 is a song of thanks: God helps us in our troubles. Taste and see that God is good! God looks out for the needy, and pays attention to the brokenhearted.

Hebrews 7. 23-28 is steeped in the culture of sacrificial offering for sin. It compares Jesus to priests who offer sacrifices to God on our behalf: unlike mere humans, Jesus lives forever, forever interceding for us. Jesus does not have to offer sacrifices for his own sin, but does so purely for our sake.

In Mark 10.46-52 Jesus heals a blind man who sits beside the Way. (The Way is both a roadway and also a way of life, the way of discipleship.) When Bartimaeus is transformed by his healing, he follows Jesus on the Way.

[Bartimaeus‘ cry to Jesus is the basis of the historic Jesus Prayer—“Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”— slightly altered in these resources.]

Call to Worship

1.
Leader: Creator of all, God, we open ourselves to the gift of all Creation.
       All: Jesus Christ, Beloved of God, have mercy on us, for we need you.
Loving Christ, we open our arms to your love and your healing.
       Jesus Christ, Beloved of God, have mercy on us, for we need you.
Holy Spirit, come fill us with your power and your grace.
       Jesus Christ, Beloved of God, have mercy on us, for we need you.
       We worship in gratitude, in trust and in joy. Alleluia!

2.
Leader: Creator God, source of our being, we turn to you for life and breath.
       All: O Love, have mercy on us!
Crucified and Risen Christ, bearer of forgiveness and healing, we turn to you for grace.
       O Love, have mercy on us!
Holy Spirit, divine presence and energy within and among us,
we turn to you on behalf of one another and the whole hurting world.
       O Love, have mercy on us, and grant us your peace. Amen.

3.
We have sought God, who has answered us, and delivered us from all our fears.
       We poor souls cried out, and the Holy One heard us,
       and saved us from every trouble.
Those who trust God have no want;
       they who seek the Holy One lack no good thing.
Bless the Eternal One at all times; let God’s praise be continually in your mouths.
       Alleluia! Christ Jesus, son of God, have mercy on us. Alleluia!

Collect / Prayer of the Day

Gracious God, like Bartimaeus we are blind to your ways and cannot see your grace. Open the eyes of our hearts, that we may see, and follow faithfully. Amen.

Bartimaeus Meditation

Like Bartimaeus you sit on the edge of your Way, your life.
Jesus shares the road with you: walks on your Way, your life….

Something in you yearns for his presence and his grace. Let it cry out….

Voices tell you to be quiet, that your yearning is unwelcome.
But Jesus stops. He stands still.
Imagine Jesus, in no hurry….

Jesus calls to you. He wants to hear you.
Note how Jesus’ invitation overrules those discouraging voices, and take heart….

Bartimaeus threw off his cloak to come to Jesus.
What do you need to throw off?…

You stand before Jesus. He gives you his full attention.
Give him yours….

Jesus says, “What do you want me to do for you?”
How does your heart respond?….

Jesus says “You faith has made you well.”
Your faith is not your beliefs: it’s your reaching out.
Jesus meets it. Give thanks…

Jesus tells Bartimaeus to go his way, but instead he follows Jesus.
What Way does God’s grace invite you to follow?….

Give thanks, and trust Jesus walks with you on the Way.

Suggested Songs

(Click on titles to view songs on the Music page.)

I am Listening [ Original song]

Speak, for I am listening.
My heart is open.
Speak, for I am listening,
open to your word

Please, I Want to See Anew [Original song]
[A dialogue between soloist and congregation]

Jesus, your brother, your Savior, says,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
Please, I want to see anew.
Jesus, please give me sight.
I want to see with the eyes of love.
I want to walk in the light.

Help us to see by the light of your grace,
aware of your presence, awake to you.

Heal all our blindness, the eyes we close;
Give us the courage to look with love.

Teach us the ways of your heart, O God.
Show us your path, the Way of Love.

OT 19 — Pe + 11

Worship resources for:
10^th Sunday after Pentecost — Ordinary Time 19 (August 8, 2021)

Lectionary Texts

In 2 Samuel 18.5-33 David orders his army to defeat his son Absalom’s rebellion, but to protect Absalom. Absalom, however, is killed in battle, and the news is reported to David.

Psalm 130 cries out to God from the depths of our sorrows. Trusting God to forgive and redeem us, we wait for God’s grace.

Ephesians 4.25 – 5.2 teaches us how to live in community, especially to speak the truth in love rather than speaking out of anger, resentment, blame or negativity. We are to imitate God and, like Jesus, be a “fragrant offering” for God.

In John 6. 35, 41-47 people resist Jesus’ self-description as the bread of life. He says, “Stop criticizing. No one comes to me unless God draws them.”

Call to Worship

1.
Leader: God of stillness, we come from busy lives, and surrender them to your grace.
    All: You are the home of our hearts.
We come with all our memories and feelings, alliances and attachments.
    You are the home of our hearts.
We come amidst all our swirling desires and emotions to find ourselves.
    You are the home of our hearts.
Here we find ourselves in you, every part of us, and all of us together.
    You give yourself to us, and we give ourselves to you.
    In joy we worship you. Alleluia!

2.
God, we did not come here on our own. You have drawn us us.
    We come led by the hunger of our hearts.
Jesus, Bread of Life, you offer yourself.
    You feed the hunger of our hearts.
Bread of Heaven, nourish us, that we may serve you.
    All hearts are hungry for you.
    Fill us with yourself, that we may be bread for the world.

3.
God of Grace, you have drawn us from nothingness into life.
    We praise you.
You have drawn us to this day, in this place.
    We thank you.
You draw us ever deeper into your love.
     Alleluia. Draw us deeper, God of life.

Collect / Prayer of the Day

1.
God of grace, we hunger for the bread of life that is Jesus. Feed us with your grace. Nourish your Holy Spirit in us, that through deep trust, we may enter into the life of your Beloved, Jesus, who promises to raise us up on the last day. Amen.

2.
Jesus, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
    Jesus, we hunger for you.
“No one can come to me unless drawn by God.”
   Jesus, you draw us in.
“Whoever trusts has eternal life.”
    Jesus, help us trust, and enter into the life of God.
    Amen.

3.
Gracious God, though we hunger for many things, they do not give us life. You alone are the bread of life. Help us to turn from these things and to seek you alone: to look to your presence and attend to your Spirit, to listen for your Word and to feast on your grace. Grant us that holy hunger, so that as your scriptures are read and your good news proclaimed, we will listen to your Word and trust it with faith. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

The grace of God be with you.

And also with you.

Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us confess our sin to God with one another.

God of life, you draw us toward you, and toward life.

But we pull away.

Many fears and desires tug at us,

and we distance ourselves from you, and from life.

Draw us into your heart now by your grace.

Forgive us, heal us, and make us new.

Help us always to surrender to the flow of your grace in us,

and to fall always, gently, into your arms.

[silent prayer]

People of God, by the grace we know in Christ, I proclaim to you
that all our sins are forgiven entirely, and we are set free
to live by the love and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God.

Readings

Jesus
by Steve Garnaas-Holmes

I am hungry for God.
Jesus makes my mouth water.

Jesus is my rabbi, my lover, my wonder, my dawn.
Jesus is not mine. I am his.
He is the one who points out the bird I did not see.
He opens my eyes, opens my heart.
He accompanies me; he precedes me.
Jesus is the one with whom I sit in any silence.
He comes to others in ways I will never recognize.
I want him to be my clothes, by body, my breath,
the thought of my words,
the nerve of my muscle.

He is a trickster,
fooling me into salvation against my will
again and again.
He has grabbed me by the heart
and hauled me into myself.
I am the grave he has died in,
I am the life he rises in.

I follow him.

Response / Creed / Affirmation

We give our hearts to God, Creator of all that is, who is still creating, from whom we receive life in each moment, in every breath; the Divine Lover who is constantly drawing us closer to God’s own heart.

We give our hearts to Jesus Christ, the fragrance of God, the presence of God, the embodiment of God’s grace among us. His teaching and healing and his dying and rising draw us nearer to God.

We live by the Holy Spirit, God’s urging within us. The Spirit leads and empowers us to live lives of forgiveness, love and service, to give of the gifts we have been given, and to embody God’s presence, each in our own way. In the Spirit we are the Body of Christ, devoted to building up one another, the church and the Reign of God, trusting in the power of resurrection and the mystery of the Life that God gives us.

Listening Prayer

(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to intercessions)

Bread of Life, feed our souls.
River of God, ease our thirst.
Bread of Heaven, enter us;
fill us with eternal life.
Amen.

Prayer of Dedication / Sending

Eucharistic Prayer

Preface

Blessed are you, O God, Creator of all things,

ruler of the world and all that is to come.

You have made the earth and all that fills it;

you have given us every good thing to eat.

When we wandered in the wilderness you fed us.

When we hunger for your grace you bring us to the feast,

the feast of grace in Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life.

By your mighty judgment you have overthrown the powers of evil;

and you have set us free.

The rich go away empty, but the hungry you fill with good things.

You provide manna in the wilderness, bread for the people;

you open your hand and feed every living thing.

Therefore with all Creation we sing as one voice:

Sanctus

Blessed are all who come in your name,

and blessed is Jesus, your Christ, the Bread of Life,

who strengthens our bodies and nourishes our souls;

who ate with the poor and the outcast,

and fed the multitudes by the power of your Spirit.

As Jesus shared the loaves and fishes, trusting you to provide,

so we feast with faith in the abundance of your Spirit and your grace.

[… The Blessing and Covenant …] (“Words of Institution”):

On the night in which he gave himself for us,

he took bread, blessed it,. broke it, and gave it to his disciples,

saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup,

blessed it with thanks and gave it to them, saying,

“Drink of this, all of you. This is my blood,

shed for you and for many, in a new Covenant,

which is the forgiveness of sin.”

Christ is our Passover from want to abundance,

from powerlessness to victory, from death to life.

Memorial Acclamation

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and all who share this meal,

and on these gifts of bread and cup, that they may be for us

the Body and Blood of the Beloved, Jesus Christ,

imperishable food that sustains us for eternal life

and strengthens us for service in your name.

As the grains are made one in this loaf, we are made one in your Spirit.
We offer ourselves in union with Christ’s sacrifice for us,

so that, trusting in the abundance of your grace,

we may give freely, serve boldly, and love abundantly.

Oh bread of life: take, bless, break, and give us,

as your bread of blessing in the world.

Amen.

Prayer after Communion

Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us.

Bless us that we may always hunger for the true bread of life, and never work for what does not lead us to eternal life. Send us into the world to be bread for others, so that all of your children might taste the bread of life. We pray in the name of Christ. Amen.

Suggested Songs

Drawing Me (John)

Out of the Deepest Depths (Psalm 130)

See music store.

OT 31 — (PE+ 22)

October 31, 2021

Lectionary Texts

In Ruth 1. 1-18 Elimelech and Naomi leave Israel because of a famine, and live in Moab, where their sons grow up and marry. Elimelech dies, as do both of the sons. Naomi returns to Israel, and says goodbye to her daughters in law, Orpah and Ruth. Orpah stays in Moab, but Ruth says, “No, I will go wherever you go. I will become one of ‘your’ people.”

Psalm 146: trust in God, not in worldly power. God cares for the poor and powerless, and lifts up those who are bowed down.

Hebrews 9. 11-14 compares Jesus’ death to the sacrifice of animals in the Old Testament: his blood signifies that we are made pure.

Of the hundreds of questions Jesus was asked, he answered all but three indirectly, with parables or another question. But in Mark 12.28-34 he answers directly: what is the most important commandment? To love God. And it has a twin: to love your neighbor.

Call to Worship

1.
Leader: Creator God, you are the Love that gives us life.
      All: You shower us with love, and we worship you.
Loving Christ, you give us the love with which we love God.
      You fill us with love, and we thank you.
Holy Spirit, you are the Love with which we love others.
      You fill us with love, and we serve you with joy. Alleluia!

2.
Leader: Creator God, how you love us!
      All: Alleluia! We praise you.
Loving Christ, how you forgive us and heal us!
      Alleluia! We thank you.
Holy Spirit, how you fill us with love for God and our neighbor!
      Alleluia! God of Love, we worship you.

Collect / Prayer of the Day

1.
God of love, you who create us in love and call us to love: we earnestly desire to love you with our whole hearts, our whole souls, our whole minds, and all our strength. Help us to love you and to love our neighbor, not by our own will but by your grace, your infinite love in us. We pray in the name of our Teacher, our Beloved, Jesus. Amen.

2.
Leader: God says, “Beloved, I give you my love!”
      All: How can we trust such good news?
Jesus says, “As God has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. “
      How can we receive such love?
We do not know how to pray, but the Spirit intercedes for us.
      Spirit of Love, enter our hearts, transform our lives,
      and fill us with you light,
      that we may truly love as we have been loved.,
      in the name and the Spirit of Christ. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

The grace of God is with you.
And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us come honestly before God.
We recall those times when we have been most in harmony with God’s love,
and we give thanks. {Silent prayer]
We recall those times when we have been most out of harmony with God’s love,
and we open our hearts to God’s mercy. [Silent prayer….]
By the grace we know in Christ Jesus, God forgives us entirely,
redeems us and sets us free to live by the power of the Spirit of love,
in the name of Christ.
Thanks be to God.

Response / Creed / Affirmation

We believe in God, who is Love, whose love is unconditional, perfect, absolute and eternal.

We follow Jesus, the Beloved of God, who embodied God’s love. In love he taught the curious, fed the hungry and healed the broken. In love he suffered our evil, and was crucified. And in love God raised him from the dead. Christ lives among us still in the eternal power of love.

We live by the power of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of love, the love of God flowing through us for the world. In that love we seek a world of justice and mercy; and we live lives of forgiveness, gratitude and courage. The Spirit of Love gives us life that is eternal, which is our power, and our hope and our joy.

Listening Prayer

(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)

Gracious God, your Word is a word of love.
We seek not merely to understand your words,
but to receive your love.
Speak to us now, that your Word may take root in our hearts,
and fill us with love for you and for our neighbors,
by the grace of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Suggested Songs

(Click on titles to view songs on the Music page.)

At Your Feet [Original song]

Jesus, at your feet I bow.
I am yours completely now.
By your mercy show me how
to be loving.

Jesus, Master, you who save,
you have served me as a slave.
This, the perfect gift you gave:
to be loving.

In each hurting one I meet
it is you, O Christ, I greet.
Make my faithfulness complete,
to be loving.

Eternal Life [Original song]

This is how we will know eternal life:
we will love one another.
I lay down my life, all that is mine alone,
that we may be raised together.

We are not bound by any earthy thing
when our lives we surrender to God
whose love is eternal life,
and so we will love one another.

God of all Gentleness [Tune: Be Thou My Vision]

God of all gentleness, God of pure love,
you do not watch us from heights far above,
you are no tyrant, but patient and mild,
present with grace in the poor, in the child.

God of all mercy, may we be the ones
bearing your love to your daughters and sons,
not out of pity but humbly, with grace,
for in the poor we see your human face.

God of all justice, give us hearts to care,
hope to free prisoners of fear and despair,
courage to challenge the ways that oppress,
deep love to reach out to heal and to bless.

God of compassion, your Spirit now pour
into us all, for it’s we who are poor,
hungry for justice, for healing and grace,
and for full life for the whole human race.

Love-sowing God [Tune: “Gift of Love” – The River Is Wide]

Love-sowing God, sow love in me.
Sow seeds of grace abundantly.
My soul be soil where love may root
and grow and bear your precious fruit.

Where habit’s feet and wheels have tracked,
my anxious work the soil has packed,
soften my soul with bliss or pain,
so love may enter in again.

My angry thorns, my selfish weeds,
God, clear away, and sow your seeds.
Despite the hungry, wanting bird,
Love, plant in me your living Word.

Love-sowing God, your labors done,
help me to trust the rain and sun,
receive your grace and faithfully
bear forth your love that grows in me.

Love Will Bear Us Over [ Tune: Holy Manna]

When our world is changing ‘round us and we long for good old days,
what that lasts will bear us over to new earth, new heaven, new ways?
Love will lead us when the path is unfamiliar, come what may:
set our heart to love our neighbors and our feet will find the way.

Christ gives us a new commandment: “Share the love that you’ve been given.”
When we do we’re resurrected, entering new earth and heaven.
When we love our neighbor more than caring for what used to be,
then our love will bear us over, then our love will set us free.

Open My Heart [ Tune: Open My Eyes]

Open my eyes that I may see everyone ‘round me lovingly,
shedding my labels, habits and fear, see with a heart that’s true and clear.
Patiently, God, may I behold each blessed life as it unfolds.
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine.

Open my ears and let me hear unspoken stories, unshed tears.
Help me to hear with love shining through stories that no one’s listened to.
Tenderly, God, help me to hold what is within each person’s soul.
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine.

Open my heart and grant me love, mercy for those I’m heedless of.
Help me to know each person I face as one you bless with gentle grace
Lovingly, God, please make me more mindful of those whom we ignore.
Open my heart, illumine me, spirit divine.

Set Me Free (to Love) [Original song]

From all that binds me, Love, set me free.
From all that binds me, Love, set me free.
Set me free, Love, set me free.
Oh Love, set me free to love.

From what I fear, O Love set me free….
From what I cling to, Love, set me free…
To live in perfect love, set me free….

OT 20 – Pe + 12

Worship resources for:
Sunday after Pentecost — Ordinary Time 20 (August 15, 2021)

Lectionary Texts

In 1 Kings 3. 3-14 Solomon has become king, and has built the temple in Jerusalem. In a dream God asks him what he wants from God. Solomon asks for wisdom, to be able to govern well and discern right from wrong. God agrees and, pleased that Solomon has not asked for riches or long life or power, promises to give Solomon riches and honor anyway.

In Psalm 111 we praise God; ask to be kept always mindful of God’s wonders, presence and faithfulness; and acknowledge that wisdom is born of wonder and awe at God’s grace.

Ephesians 5. 15-20 exhorts us to be sober, to be filled with the Spirit, to give thanks to God for everything, and to make our whole lives a spiritual song, “making melody in our hearts to God.”

John 6. 51-58 continuesthe sermon about Jesus as the Bread of Life. John invites us not simply to have opinions about Jesus, but to “eat his flesh,” to let him get into our insides and become a vital part of who we are. In this way we know real life, life that is connected to God, which Jesus calls eternal life.

Call to Worship

1.
Leader: Gracious God, we are hungry for life.
All: You are the Bread of Life.
We are thirsty for love.
You are the fountain of grace.
We come to feast upon your abundance.
We come to drink of your wisdom.
Alleluia! We thank you. We praise you. We worship you. Alleluia

Collect / Prayer of the Day

1.
God of abundance and grace, we are hungry for life and love, but we divert our desires to other things. Redirect our hunger, O God, and transform our desires. Stir up our deep hunger for you, our thirst for truth, our deep desire for wisdom and compassion. Our mouths water for your Word. Speak to us, God of Love, and give us the bread of life. Amen.

2.
O God, like the aroma of baking bread, the love of Christ draws us to you. Like the nourishment of a hearty loaf, the love of Christ strengthens us. Like the sharing of delicious bread, your Word brings us together. God, your grace feeds the deepest hunger of our souls. We come to the table of your wisdom, the feast of your love. Feed us your grace, O God. Amen.

3.
God of love, we do not ask you for riches or honor; we seek your wisdom, the wisdom of compassion and grace. Feed us with the wisdom of Christ, the Bread of life, that we may feast on your grace and serve you in faith, for the sake of all who are hungry for life. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Leader: Creator God, we confess that we have turned from you.
All: You offer us life; but we have sought life elsewhere.In our hunger we have been fearful and greedy,
selfish and and hurtful; and we have turned away from you.
God of love, have mercy.
Our hunger has only fed us death.
God of grace, forgive us.
Teach us that our hunger and thirst is for you alone.
Teach us to turn to you and receive life in each moment.
God of life, have mercy.
Christ, you are the Bread of Life. Come and feed our hearts and souls.
Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!

Response / Creed / Affirmation

        We trust in God, the Creator of all things, our Heavenly Parent.
        We follow Jesus, who loved and healed, who offered himself for the sake of others. He was crucified, but God raised him from the dead. Risen, he is the food of our souls.   We feast on him as the Bread of Life.
        We live by the Holy Spirit, the energy of Christ in our bodies and souls. Each moment, each breath, we commune with God in Christ. We desire always to draw closer to Christ, and to be more loving in the Spirit of God, trusting in the power of forgiveness and the mystery of resurrection, so that we ourselves are the Body of Christ, his flesh and blood. God help us to more freely, deeply and boldly be your people. Amen.

Listening Prayer

(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to intercessions)

God of life, we are hungry for life.
Feed us the bread of life.
Spirit of breath, we live by each breath.
Help us to breathe deeply of you.
Love of God, we release our desires for comfort and ease;
we pray for your wisdom alone.
Christ, presence of God among us, we give our hearts to you.
Help us to listen, to feast upon your presence, and to enter into eternal life.
Amen.

Prayer of Dedication / Sending / Prayer after Communion

God of love, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. You feed us with your Word and strengthen us with your grace. Deepen our hunger for you, and grant us faith to feast richly on the grace of Christ. Offer us now as bread for the world, in the name and the spirit of Christ. Amen.

Suggested Songs

Wisdom (see music store)

All Saints

November 1 or November 7, 2021

Lectionary Texts

Isaiah 25.6-9 foresees the coming war, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the dominance of ruthless people—and yet beyond that, a great feast symbolizing God’s establishment of a new reality that will “swallow up” death and destruction — not just for Israel but for all the world, as one community.

Psalm 24 says all Creation belongs to God. To get close to God, we devote ourselves to true living.

Revelation 21.1-6 also foresees a new reality—not just among human nations, but the entire cosmos: a new Creation. It is symbolized, an in Isaiah, by the city of Jerusalem, the end of death and sorrow, and abundant water to drink. “Behold,” God says, “I make all things new.”

In John 11. 32-44 Lazarus has died. When Jesus comes, both Martha and Mary, Lazarus’ sisters, insist that Jesus could have saved him. Jesus weeps at his tomb, and then calls the dead man to come out.

Call to Worship

1.
For all the saints who have led us through the ages, we praise you.
      For all the saints in our own lives
      who have loved us and shown us your grace, we thank you.
With all the communion of saints, we glorify you.
      Alleluia! God of all the saints, transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
2.
Leader: God, you have sent us saints who have guided and inspired us; and we thank you.
      All: You have given us saints who have loved and us and transformed us. We praise you.
May we be your saints, shining with your light, radiant with your love.
      Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!

Collect / Prayer of the Day

1.
Gracious God, we give thanks for the saints who have gone before us: people of all ages, even children, who have shined a light on the way with their love. Make us holy with the same love they had. Help us to hear your Word and to be changed by your Spirit in us, sanctified for your purposes, in the name of Christ. Amen.

2.
God of love, in the company of your saints, we are lifted by their faith. With them we are warmed by your grace and led by your Spirit. Sanctify us with them: restore in us our true, holy calling as your beloved people. May love be our worship; love be our lives. Amen.

3.
Beautiful God, we are brought together in your grace. We are blessed in one another’s company. We are transformed by your Word. Speak to us, and help us listen with our deepest hearts, so that we may become more and more ourselves, more true to the glory you have planted within and among us, and more faithful to one another. In your embodied Word, Christ living among us, come, Lord, and speak. Amen.

Listening Prayer

(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)

God of love, as Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb,
so you call us out of all that entombs us,
all that binds us, all that diminishes life.
Call to us; give us new life;
draw us into the light of a new day.
Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Beloved, God is with you.
      And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
      We lift them up to the Holy One.
Let us give thanks to the Beloved, our God.
      It is good to give God thanks and praise.

God of love, we thank you, for in love and for love
you create us in the image of your love.
      You claim us as your people and set us free from all that oppresses.
You have given us saints through the ages,
people who shone with your love and lit the way for us.
      You redeem us and empower us to join you
      in creating a world of mercy and justice.
Therefore with all the communion of saints we sing your praise:
      Holy One, all creation shines with your glorious presence.
       Hosanna in the highest.
       Blessed are they who come in your love.
Blessed is Jesus, who embodied your love for us,
and showed us how to love one another.

[The Blessing and Covenant….] *

With praise and thanksgiving we remember your loving acts in Jesus Christ.
       We offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
       in union with Christ’s offering for us.
And we proclaim the mystery at the heart of our faith:
      Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Pour out your Spirit on these gifts,
that they may be for us the Body and Blood of Christ.
       Pour out your Holy Spirit on us,
       that as the Body of Christ we may embody your love.
       Sanctify us, that we may live as your saints,
       in loving service to all the world.
       In this meal, in your Word living among us,
       and in your Spirit within us, perfect your love in us. Amen.

_______________
* The Blessing and Covenant
[I usually don’t print the words. I want people to be looking at the bread, not their bulletins.]

On the night in which he gave himself for us,
Jesus took bread, blessed it,. broke it, and gave it to his disciples,
saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup,
blessed it with thanks and gave it to them, saying,
“Drink of this, all of you. This is my blood,
poured out for you and for many, in a new Covenant,
which is the forgiveness of sin.”
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.

Suggested Songs

(Click on titles to view songs and hear audio clips on the Music page.)

Blessed [Original tune. Includes 4-part version for choir]

Dear God, receive me anew, mourning and poor in my soul,
hungry for what makes me whole.
Bless me by making me simple like you.

Refrain: Blessed are the ones who have nothing but God,
for God and God alone shall fill their lives.

Mercy please grant me anew. Make my heart pure by your grace,
humble, that I may see your face.
Bless me by making me gentle like you. Refrain

Courage please give me anew, peace in the world to make,
and to suffer for your Gospel’s sake.
Bless me by making me faithful to you. Refrain

Eternal Life [Original tune. Includes 4-part version for choir.]

This is how we will know eternal life:
we will love one another.
I lay down my life, all that is mine alone,
that we may be raised together.

We are not bound by any earthy thing
when our lives we surrender to God
whose love is eternal life,
and so we will love one another.

For Your Saints [ Tune: Joyful, Joyful]

God, we thank you for your saints and for their time among us here,
In their faith, their service and their ready smile we’ve felt you near.
In their steadfast love of others and their persevering grace,
we have known your living presence; we have seen your human face.

God, we thank you for the faith that lifts our hearts and lights our way,
for your hidden, healing presence walking with us day by day.
As we face death’s shadows, still we walk with courage and with love,
persevering in the faith that you have granted from above.

“Children, I will never leave you or forsake you,” you have said.
You have been our helper, God, so there is nothing that we dread.
By your grace that never fails us, guide, sustain and lead us on,
‘till we step with grateful hearts into the light of heaven’s dawn.

God Bless the Saints [Tune: Blest Be the Tie that Binds ]

God bless the saints we’ve known,
who loved us through the years,
who shared our struggles and cherished our joys
and held us and wiped our tears.

God bless the teachers and guides
whose wisdom brightens our days,
whose courage lifts our struggling hearts,
and shines your light on our ways.

God bless the quiet ones
who serve in humble ways
without their seeing the fruit of their faith,
yet live in prayerful praise.

God, help us be your saints
who trust your loving grace,
that we may be a holy blessing
in our own time and place.

OT 21 – Pe + 13

Worship resources for:
13th Sunday after Pentecost — Ordinary Time 21 (August 22, 2021)

Lectionary Texts

In 1 Kings 8. 1-43 the Ark of the Covenant, the chest containing the tablets of the law, representing God’s living presence, is brought into the newly built temple. A cloud fills the temple with mysterious darkness. Solomon then prays that the prayers of all who enter the temple, even foreigners, be heard.

Psalm 84 says, “How lovely is your dwelling place”—meaning the temple in Jerusalem, and also God’s presence with us. The song invites us to live in God’s presence, in God’s “house.” All of us, even wild creatures as insignificant as sparrows, are at home there.

Ephesians 6. 10-20 reminds us we are not struggling against other people, but against the power of evil. It invites us to “put on the armor of God”: to renounce the usual ways we protect ourselves,—through violence, coercion, defensiveness and assertion—and instead entrust ourselves in vulnerable nonviolence to love, faith and the grace of God.

In John 6. 56-69 Jesus repeats the image of himself as the bread of life, and takes it farther, inviting people to eat his flesh and drink his blood. In reaction to such a graphic and challenging image, some people quit following Jesus. He asks the twelve if they, too, want to leave. But Peter responds, “To whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Call to Worship

1.
Leader: God of love, we are hungry for your grace.
         All: You feed us the bread of life, and we thank you.
We are thirsty for your presence.
         You give us drink from the well of eternal life, and we rejoice.
We hunger and thirst for true love.
           We feast on your grace, and we worship you. Alleluia!

2.
Leader: Creator God, many voices in this world would claim our attention.
All: But to whom can we turn? You have the words of eternal life.
You form us in your image.
We are in awe. We worship you.
You beckon us like a loving parent.
We are in love, and we come to you.
You enfold us in your grace and fill us with your transforming Spirit.
Alleluia! Receive us, Heavenly Lover!
Heal us, Risen Brother!
Make us new, Spirit of Life! Alleluia!

3.
Leader: God’s love is made known to us in Christ.
All: We come to hear the good news.
We are hungry for God’s grace.
We come not merely to listen to Jesus,
but to consume him: to “inwardly digest,”
to make his love part of who we are.
In that holy hunger, we praise, we pray, we worship.
Alleluia! Come, Christ, and feed our souls. Alleluia!

3.
Leader: Creator God, we praise you!
     All: Risen Christ, we greet you!
Holy Spirit, we are one body by your grace.
     You alone are holy, and we worship you.
Glory be to you, O God of all Creation.
     Thanks be to you, O Christ, for our salvation.
You have the words of eternal life.
     Your teaching disturbs us; your wisdom challenges us,
     and yet, we choose to follow you.
Come then, and change our hearts.
     Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!

4.
Leader: Creator God, we praise you!
          You alone are holy, and we worship you.
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Holy One!
Even the sparrow finds a home in you.
          We come to you, and pour ourselves out to you;
          for you have the words of eternal life.
New every morning is your love, God of life,
and you are working for good throughout the day.
            Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!

5.
Leader: Creator God, how lovely is your dwelling among us!
How desirable is your presence with us.
How deeply we are attracted to be with you in intimacy and safety.
Alleluia! Holy Spirit, you invite us to take your grace into ourselves,
and so we come to you.
Fill us, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!

Collect / Prayer of the Day

1.
God of life, we hunger for your love, and you give us Christ, the bread of Life. So we come to feast on your Word, to listen and “inwardly digest,” and to be changed, that we too may be bread for the world. Feed us with your grace. Amen

2.
Gracious God, we have been promised that no one will be turned away who comes to Christ. We come to you now, to know your presence, to hear your Word, to be transformed by your grace. Speak to us, touch us, and take our lives as your own. We pray in the name of Christ and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

3.
God of Silence, God of the Word, your Christ, Jesus, has the words of eternal life. They are challenging words, sometimes frightening. We sometimes want to go away. Help us now to stay near, to listen with courage and with open hearts, so that your Word may live in our souls and transform us by your grace. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

1.
God of mercy, we confess to you
that we have struggled against other people—
     but we have ignored the struggle against our own evil.
We confess that we have taken on the armor of this world:
     we confess our domination and defensiveness,
     our willingness for others to be hurt to protect our comfort.
We confess that we have closed ourselves off from you:
     we confess the armor of our ego,
     our apathy and our distrust.
     Closed off, we have failed to love you with all we are,
     and to love our neighbor as you have loved us.
We open our hearts to you,
that we may undefended from your grace.
     Forgive us, heal us, and grant us the spirit of your mercy.
    Clothe us with the armor of your love.
[Silent prayer…]

Beloved of God, receive the good news gladly:
that in Christ we know that all our sin is forgiven entirely
and we are set free to live by the Spirit of God, in faith and love. Amen.

2.
Pastor: The grace of God is with you.
     All: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us confess our sin to God with one another.
     Gentle God, for all that we have done that diminishes life,
     that separates us from you and from others,
     we are sorrowful.
     We give to you our broken hearts.
     Receive us, bless us, and heal us.
     Forgive our sin, and restore in us
     the image of Christ.
[Silent prayer    …    the Word of grace….]

3.
Pastor: The grace of God be with you.
      All: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us confess our sin to God with one another.
     Gentle, healing God:
     for all that is not well in us we seek your healing;
     for all that is in disharmony with your grace
     we seek your transformation;
     from all that is a burden in us we seek relief;
     for all that is broken between us and you, and others,
     we seek your forgiveness, your healing grace,
     and a new way of living.
    Accepting what is. God, we open ourselves in your grace
    to what may be.
[Silent prayer    …    the Word of grace….]

Response / Creed / Affirmation

1.
          We trust in God, creator of all that is, provider of every good thing to eat.
            We follow Jesus, the Bread of Life, who embodied God’s love, made grace available to all, and gave himself in love for us. He was crucified and died, and was raised from the dead. We feast on his grace, and his love becomes the substance of our lives. In Christ we are all made one, as grains united in one loaf.
            We live by the Holy Spirit, the Yeast of God in us, who unites us, nourishes us and gives us strength to love our neighbors. Graced by the power of forgiveness, the promise of resurrection and the mystery of eternal life; protected only by the armor of God’s grace; we serve in the name of Christ for the sake of others, that in the power of the Holy Spirit we may be bread for the world. Amen.

2.
            We give our hearts to God, Creator of all that is, and all that is to come, who is revealed in Word and deed, and who is yet mystery; yet whom we know as love and the source of life.
            We follow Jesus, though his teachings upset our ways and his miracles upend our world, for his words are the words of life and his love is the light of life. He was crucified and was raised, and lives among us still, speaking to us, present with us, drawing us to him with alluring power.
            We live by the Holy Spirit, God’s power within and among us, which enables us to follow Jesus, to live lives of love, forgiveness, justice and healing, trusting in the power of grace and the mystery of eternal life. In the unity of the Spirit we live as one Body, the Body of Christ, devoted to self-giving service to the world in the name of Christ.

3.
            Creator God, how lovely is the dwelling you have made for us! You who create all things, we gladly awaken in your presence. You are our maker, our host, and our home.
            Risen Christ, how lovely is your dwelling with us! You invite us to feast at your table: to be nourished by your wisdom, to be healed by your grace, and to share in this banquet of life with all the other poor sinners of this world. You who taught and healed, you who died and were raised, you who are the Bread of Life, feed us with your presence, fill us with your spirit, and lead us by your Word. We desire with all our heart and mind and strength to die and live with you in the mystery of eternal life.
            Holy Spirit, love of God, how lovely is your dwelling within us! Sophia, Wisdom of God, how gracious is your invitation to feast at your table. You make of us one body, the Body of Christ. We give our hearts to you, that by your grace we may devote ourselves to lives of compassion, justice and joy, for the sake of the transformation of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.

Suggested Songs

How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place (Psalm 84) (Available in the music store).

Reign of Christ

November 21, 2021

Lectionary Texts

2 Samuel 23.1-7 recounts David’s last words: a just ruler is like a warm sunrise on a rain-washed meadow. God promises to uphold the just ruler, and undo the unjust ruler.

Psalm 132 recalls David’s promise not to rest until he had built a temple for God. In return, God promised that David’s descendants would reign over Israel forever.

Revelation 1.4b-8 is a hymn of praise to Christ, the “sovereign over the rulers of the earth,” who has set us free and made us into a new nation.

In John 18.33-37 Jesus is on trial for claiming to be a king. But “king” is a secular word that does not really describe who he is. Yes, Jesus prevails over all things, but not through political power: the truth of God’s love is his only power.

Call to Worship

1.
(Revelation 1.4-8)
Leader: Grace to you and peace
from the one who is and who was and who is to come,
and from the seven spirits who are before the throne,
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead, and sovereign of the rulers of the earth.
      All: To Christ, who loves us
       and whose blood was shed in freeing us from our sins,
       and who has made us to be a nation of priests
       serving our God and Life-Giver,
       to Christ be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Look! Christ is coming with the clouds,
for every eye to see,
even those who pierced Jesus—
on whose account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
       So it is to be. Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says God the Holy One,
who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
       Alleluia! With humble gratitude, we worship!

Collect / Prayer of the Day

1.
Eternal God, Creator and Sovereign of the Universe, you have established Christ as the ruler of all Creation. The world of human power and empire is an illusion. The real world is your Empire of Grace, ruled over by Christ, the living embodiment of your love. We come to align ourselves once again to your reign of grace. Speak your Word to us as citizens of heaven, that we may be loyal to you alone. We pledge allegiance to you and to no other, in the name of Christ. Amen.

2.
Eternal God, though we are beset by many powers, forces and authorities, we have only one God, who is you. We have only one Superior, who is Christ. Our highest allegiance is to you, and our greatest loyalty. Christ, you who are the Way and the Truth and the Life, speak to us now. May we hear with joy what you are saying, and may your Word have authority for us. We are the citizens of your realm; speak to us, beloved Sovereign, for we are listening. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Pastor: The grace of God be with you.
      All: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us confess our sin to God with one another.
      Gentle God, we confess that we have not allowed you to rule our lives.
      We have strained against your grace,
      and sought our own ways,
      and obeyed impulses not of your Spirit.
      Forgive us, and return us,
      so that your grace may rule in our lives.
      Sovereign God, your will be done. Amen.
SILENT PRAYER… THE WORD OF GRACE

Readings

1.
(Colossians 1.15-20)
Leader: Christ is the visible appearance of the invisible God,
the beloved older sibling of all creation.
      All: All things in heaven and on earth were created in Christ,
       everything visible and invisible,
       rulers and powers and systems and empires—
       everything was created through Christ and for Christ.
Christ came before anything,
and in Christ everything holds together.
       Christ is the head and the church is the body.
Christ is the Source of life, and has turned even death into a birth:
so Christ is first in every way.
       In Christ God lives completely.
Through Christ God reconciles us to God—
all of us, and everything on earth and in heaven:
in dying on the cross, Christ brought God and humanity together.
       This is the mystery, hidden for ages but now revealed:
       that Christ is alive in us. Alleluia!

2.
Philippians 2.5-11
Leader: Beloved, be of the mind of Christ
       All: who was divine
       and yet who did not cling to equality with God,
but became utterly empty,
       born a human,
       choosing the place of a slave.
In complete humility
       Christ was obedient to death,
       even death on a cross.Therefore God exalted Christ with a name above every name
       so that at the name of Jesus
       every knee should bend
       in heaven, on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess
       that Jesus Christ is Sovereign,
       to the glory of God the Giver of Life.

Creed / Affirmation

1.
       We trust in God, creator of all that is and that shall be, the One in whom all things exist, the Love who orders all of life.
       We follow Jesus Christ, who fully embodies God’s love and grace. Jesus taught and healed, suffered and shared, and gathered a community of blessing, inclusion and transformation. He proclaimed a Realm of grace counter to the ways of the world. He was crucified by the powers of violence and Empire; but by the power of your grace you raised Christ from the dead, and Christ lives and reigns among us as our savior, our servant and our superior.
       We live in the Holy Spirit, God’s presence within and among us, whose grace and power orders our lives. By that Spirit we devote ourselves to serve Christ as faithful subjects and companions, willingly foregoing power, security and esteem for the sake of enfleshing God’s love for the world, to the glory of God. Amen.

2.
       We give our hearts to You, God, eternal creator and ruler of all that is and all that is to come, whose power and grace is unsearchable yet evident in the world around us, hidden in the ordinary, present in all things.
       We follow you, Christ, our Superior and Sovereign, who appeared in Jesus among the poor, teaching, healing and doing miracles, gathering a community, and proclaiming your Realm of Grace. In your death and resurrection you have overthrown the powers of this world and established your Realm among us. The Risen Christ lives and reigns; Christ prevails even amidst all evil, suffering and injustice; Christ directs our lives and confirms our hopes. Hidden in your humble appearance, vulnerability and powerlessness, you are our Sovereign, and the ruler of all Creation.
       We live by your Holy Spirit within and among us, the power of your reign in our hearts that guides and strengthens us to do respond to your desire, to live in love, and to work as the Body of Christ for your realm of mercy and justice. We renounce worldly powers and values, and pledge allegiance to your love and grace, which redeems the world and grants the gift of eternal life. Amen.

Suggested Songs

(Click on titles to view songs on the Music page.)

Christ, Ruler of All Things [Tune: ST. ELIZABETH (Fairest Lord Jesus)]

Christ, ruler of all things, what is seen and unseen,
your love reigns; your grace is sure.
Beneath our fear and strife, death fails to conquer life:
your tender mercy still endures.

Christ, ruler of our hearts, come and reign within us.
Make us comrades, siblings, friends.
Your love be our life, our only power,
that gives us life that never ends.

Christ, ruler of the earth, bring your gentle justice:
your Realm come, your will be done.
Heal all oppression; fill us with mercy,
as faithful as the rising sun.

Christ, ruler of all things, of what is and is to come,
Risen One, our song we raise.
Rule in our living; guide us with tender love.
Your grace in us will be your praise.

Love Is Enthroned (Tune: Finlandia)

O, risen Christ, who once appeared among us,
you have ascended! Loud we sing your praise.
Though we may see no shadow of your nearness,
you have not gone; your loving presence stays.
You are no longer in one time or place,
but in all things, to radiate your grace.

Christ has ascended, reigning now above.
Love is enthroned at the Creator’s side.
All powers on earth are subject to Christ’s love,
who is our history’s unseen, gentle guide.
Though evil try to make this world its home,
Love is its Lord, and love shall overcome.

Go in the peace of Christ who is our Lord,
and gently heal, amid the fear and strife.
For we who eat and drink the living Word
are now Christ’s Body, and Christ’s earthly life.
We may not see the journey or the end,
but Christ still reigns, our ruler and our friend.

O Jesus, Wounded Sovereign [Tune: O Sacred Head Now Wounded]

Dear Jesus, you who suffer and walk among the poor
whose hearts and lives are broken, whose faith is still unsure:
despised, accused and battered, you do not say a word.
So powerless, yet loving!— you are my Sovereign Lord.

You bear no arms but loving, no threats nor flags unfurled.
You wear no kingly robes, but the sorrows of the world.
Yet your forgiveness conquers each worldly rule and reign,
and rises, whole, undaunted, from evil, death and pain.

While emperors abuse you, and people shrug or stare,
and dark injustice troubles the ones for whom you care,
your mighty grace arises, and hidden from our sight,
enfolds all living beings in your triumphant light.

Though Caesar cannot see you, and empires stumble, blind,
your Reign of love, triumphant, rules all of humankind.
The power of Creation, that showers us with grace,
is hidden in your weak hands, and in your trembling face.

O Jesus, wounded Sovereign, I pray, give me the nerve
without this world’s armor to love and bless and serve.
My master and companion, rule all eternity
with grace and deep compassion, and, Lord, begin with me.

O Sovereign Love (Tune: Amazing Grace)

Beloved, you who guard and guide and give for every need,
reign in my heart, O Sovereign Christ; direct each thought and deed.

O Sovereign Love, my root, my sun, my purpose and my peace,
I spurn the world’s vain, anxious rule, and trust your Law of Grace.

The Empire of your justice, God, with mercy’s clear command
shall be my home; my loyalty is to no lesser land.

In humble and obedient thanks I pledge my life to you,
to join your work of justice, God, to make the world anew.

Reign in my heart, O Christ, my Rule. In faith I am compelled
to serve you, who by love alone have conquered all the world.