Sit a moment under this blossoming tree.
Take in its sweet fragrance.
What does it matter what you believe? There are no words.
You do not reason; you inhale.
A bee buzzes about your head, and you let him.
He is not after you, but the flowers.
Close your eyes in prayer. Let your mind buzz and hum
while you inhale the fragrance of God
A path to yourself
When your path diverges, wonder this:
which way leads to myself?
Is my name on this path or someone else’s,
their expectations, their images?
Does this path lead to my truest, deepest self,
or merely satisfy an anxiety?
On this path would I walk
the way I want to walk?
Can I walk this path with gratitude,
trusting blessing to abound?
Will this path separate me,
or lead me to connect more deeply with all creation?
Can I imagine God unfolding in me
on this path?
The path that invites you to be authentic
is for you. Travel it with confidence.
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
OT 24 – 17th Sunday after Pentecost
September 15, 2024
Lectionary Texts
Proverbs 1.20-33 —Sophia, the Wisdom of God, calls out to us to listen.
Psalm 19 — The heavens are telling the glory of God…. God’s law is perfect, reviving the soul…. Clear me from hidden faults…. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you.
James 3.1-12 — The difficulty, and importance, of taming the tongue.
Mark 8. 27-38 — “Who do you say I am?” …”The Human One must suffer, be killed, and rise…” “Take up your cross and follow me.”
Preaching Thoughts
Proverbs 1.20-33
Sophia, the Wisdom of God, a feminine character, is an eternal companion of God, and also a self-expression of God. Not unlike how we Christians speak of the Holy spirit, or how John says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” So Sophia is really God calling to us.
The image of Sophia calling out to us to listen is not dividing us into those who are “right” and “wrong.” She’s just trying to help us live. I think of watching a young girl, maybe 7 years old, who wanted to go on the bumper cars. Her dad said “let’s go,” but she insisted on going by herself, and bolted ahead. Her parents shouted some instructions to her but she wasn’t listening. When the cars started up hers just sat there. She didn’t know that she had to press the button on the floor to make it go. She sat there, fuming, the whole time. Behold the tragic perplexity of those who ignore God. Sophia is calling out to us with truth about how to live. It is to our own detriment that we don’t listen.
Psalm 19
All Creation is God’s self-expression. We say we “see God in nature,” but we seldom take ourselves seriously: that “Nature” isn’t just God’s creation, but God’s own being made real, God’s presence incarnate—the Body of Christ. Part of our deep sin as that we think of “Nature” as “out there,” when in fact we ourselves are also Nature. We are creatures—mammals, to be specific—who exist in a complex ecology, even if we’re in what must seem to wild animals to be the solitary confinement of buildings in cities. The blood flowing in our veins, the air exchanging in our lungs, our incredible microbiome—it’s all nature.
“There are no words, but their voice goes out…” Creation “speaks” to us but not in words, ideas or fodder for dualistic thinking. God communicates in Creation as a lover communicates in a kiss. Creation communicates divine presence, and the grace of the Life Force that blesses everything, moves everything, raises every living thing. Life will live. This is the grace of God. Beauty, wordless and mysterious, surrounds us. This is the grace of God. Whales accompany us, crows learn from us, trees know things and communicate with each other. This is the grace of God. The mycelium beneath the trees, the mycorrhizal network of fungi and roots and bacteria, praise God in their sacred, life-giving interweaving.
This Life Force, this unending process of grace, this is the “law” of God. God’s law isn’t a rule we’re supposed to follow; it’s The Way Things Are, like the “law” of gravity, the laws of nature. The Life Force, the persistence of grace, is the law that is perfect, reviving the soul.
“But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.” Sin isn’t just willfully breaking a rule. It’s being our of harmony with God. And that happens all the time. A person sings out of tune precisely because they can’t hear how out of tune they are. Ask any musician: you constantly have to be listening and tuning up, and following the beat. Sometimes you don’t realize you’ve hurt someone until they tell you. We industrialized humans may not have known (well, a lot of us did) how we were offending against the laws of nature until things like pollution and climate change confronted us. So we continually pray to become aware of “hidden faults.”
James
Imagine being of such kindness and integrity that you never said anything false or mean. Imagine that all that ever came out of your mouth was gentle, true and respectful. Would there be any reason not to live like that, or to aspire to? Would that be possible? So we pray to learn to tame our tongues.
Mark
Who do you say I am? — Jesus asks two radically different questions. First, “Who do people say I am?” Mark sets this in the context of their being in Caesarea Philippi, a crossroads of many religions, cults and beliefs. So we’re ready for a wide range of what folks think. Who others say Jesus is includes rumor, gossip, and speculation. It also includes doctrine and all the teachings of the church. That Jesus is “the Son of God” or a savior or anything else—even Peter’s “right answer” that Jesus is the Messiah—that’s what other people say. Jesus asks the second, very different question. “Who do you say I am?” Jesus is not asking for hearsay, or conjecture, but relationship: “Who am I to you?” Who is Jesus to you? How do you experience Jesus? What’s your relationship like? How does Jesus enter into your life, your awareness? What’s he like for you? Jesus is great enough that we experience him in many, many different ways, even seemingly contradictory. (Sometimes Jesus is a teacher and sometimes he’s just silent. Sometimes he knows it all and sometimes he shares my not knowing. Jesus laughs at my foibles—but he never laughs at me. He asks hard questions. He’s a trickster. He holds me when I’m disgusting. He believes in me when I’m a failure. He’s a mirror, and also an icon. He shows me what God is like, and also what I can be like. He carries me in his heart. He gets a kick out of me. He wants me to take all of his love, drain him dry, and spill it out into the world.) OK, that is a little tiny bit of who Jesus is to me. How about you? Preach on that.
Messiah — Jesus sternly orders them not to say he is the Messiah—for at least three reasons. For one, in that charged atmosphere of political repression, if Pilate or Herod heard it, it could get him killed. (Sure enough, he was right about that.) And also because in their context “Messiah” meant “liberating warrior,” and that wasn’t what Jesus had in mind. But they wouldn’t know that until after the cross and resurrection, so now was not the time to use that kind of language.
Petros — And maybe also Jesus wanted people to answer his question for themselves, who Jesus was for them, rather than just conform their ideas to what the disciples said about him. (Do not be conformed, but be transformed….) Even Peter’s “right” answer could be wrong. In fact in the very next moment Jesus says he’ll be crucified and rise again, Peter says “God forbid!” and Jesus says “Get out of my way, you satan.” The name Peter means “Rocky,” as in “On this rock the church is built.” But when we become attached to our “right” answers Petros becomes Petrified and we’re unable to move, unable to accept new realities, unable to be transformed. So Jesus discourages labels or titles for himself. Let people come to it on their own.
Vulnerability — Jesus pivots from Peter’s high-falutin’ label of Jesus as Messiah to Jesus’ own image of his calling: that we will suffer and die at the hands of political power. This is how Jesus sees God’s, power in the world: not through combat and domination but in vulnerability, shared suffering and profound forgiveness.
Son of man — Jesus names the one who is rejected as the “Son of Man,” the usual way he speaks of himself in the third person. It’s a loaded metaphor. It means an ordinary person— a human child. But as Jesus embodies what it means to be human, he reveals humanity at our best, so it really means “The Truly Human Person.” Jesus shows us a new way of being human, free from old bondage: so it also means “The New Human.” And on top of all that it has messianic overtones as one who will rule all people, in Daniel 7.13. And yet at root the “Son of Man” is still just an ordinary person… which means whenever Jesus talks about the Son of Man he doesn’t just mean himself; he means us also. So even as he says he’s the one who will suffer, die and rise, he seems to be including us in that story. And then, sure enough, he does: “Take up your cross and follow me.” We can’t hold beliefs about Jesus without implicating ourselves in his life ad ministry.
Take up your cross — Clearly to take up your cross doesn’t mean to have a certain belief, which means no more than wearing a cross-shaped piece of jewelry. Nor does it mean to endure an inconvenience, as in “that’s your cross to bear.” No, it means our willingness to suffer for the sake of love. It’s tragic how unclear we are about this. The cross we “take up” is a symbol of nonviolence in the face of empire, forgiveness in the face of evil, and willingness to suffer for the sake of love. To take up our cross means to submit our lives to the demands of love, whatever the cost. It means to enter into the suffering of Jesus, which means to enter into the suffering of the world. So it also means to enter into the death-and-resurrection of Jesus.
Loose your life to save it _ Jesus talks about “life” and “death” on two levels. The surface level is the life of our physical and social survival: our security, image and comfort. But there’s another level: our spiritual well-being, our connection with God. We have to let go of the things of the surface level to experience the life of the deeper level. (Paul speaks of this as living according to the spirit instead of the flesh.) So much of our culture is driven by pursuit of power, security, esteem and approval, requiring us to abandon what really makes us alive: humbly, gratefully, trustingly receiving the grace of God. To willingly forfeit the treasures of the ego seems like “death” to us, but beyond it is the mystery of life that is “eternal,” that is, given by God, absolute, and infinite. We lose our life to save it.
Gain the world, lose your life Think of the times we choose to “gain the world,” and forfeit the chance to revive our souls. Think of the many ways we pursue false life, cling to artificial substitutes, settle for cheap imitations, instead of living real life. “Real life” isn’t just “living it up,” it’s not just having a good time, it’s not just “life the way we want it.” It’s life in relationship with God. (What else do we think heaven is?) We have to lose the world, and all its flimsy attractions, to tend to our soul. What we truly are is our soul—not our possessions, our experiences, or our memories, but our being in God. There’s nothing you can give in exchange for that. There’s no way you can pay for that. You can only receive it, and receive it from God, and receive it in empty hands.
Worship Note
Consider using Psalm 19.1-6 as a call to worship, verses 7-10 as a Response to the Hebrew Bible reading, and verses 11-14 as a prayer of confession:
Call to worship:
Leader: The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.
All: Day to day pours forth truth,
and night to night declares knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
yet their truth goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens God has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and nothing is hid from its heat.
Hebrew Bible Reading Proverbs 1. 20-33
Psalm (Psalm 19.7-10)
Response: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.
Response…
Prayer of Confession (Psalm 19.11-14)
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.
Your truth guides your servant;
in observing it there is great reward.
But who can detect their errors?
Clear me from hidden faults.
Save me from insolence;
do not let it have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
… Silent prayer… The word of grace
Call to Worship
1.
Leader: Jesus, we come to you in need.
All: We reach out in brokenness, and you heal us.
We stay with you in love.
You are the fountain of life, and you give us your spirit.
We follow you in service.
In gratitude we offer ourselves in openness and anticipation,
that you will shape us by your Word and send us in your love.
Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, come. Alleluia!
2.
Leader: God of life, we praise you!
All: God of all Creation, we are in wonder!
Mother of all people, Father of the poor, all humanity is your praise.
In the Spirit of Christ, who calls us, we honor you.
In the name of all who love you, we thank you.
In the company of all who all who long for life, we worship you.
Your Christ calls us to life, calls us to compassion, calls us to follow.
Alleluia! Rise in us, Spirit of Life, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
3.
Leader: The heavens are telling the glory of God!
All: The law of God is perfect, reviving the soul.
Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”
We come, O Christ, to lay down our lives,
to take up our cross, and to follow you.
Lead us, Lord, to abundant life.
May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts
be delightful to you, O giver of Life. Alleluia!
4. [Psalm 19.1-6]
Leader: The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.
All: Day to day pours forth truth;
night to night reveals wisdom.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
no voice is heard.
Yet their truth goes out through all the earth,
and their message to the end of the world.
In the heavens God has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and nothing is hid from its heat.
We join all creation in praising God!
We join in harmony to worship our God!
5.
Leader: Jesus, we come because you have called us.
All: We offer ourselves to you in service.
We come because you have healed us.
We offer ourselves in gratitude.
We come because yougive us your spirit, and we need it.
We offer ourselves to you in openness and anticipation.
We worship God, in the name and the Spirit of Jesus. Alleluia!
Prayer
1.
Spirit of mercy, though you are infinite, you come to us, embodied, near, and intimate. We thank you for the presence of Jesus; he is a mystery to us, and yet we love him. Open our hearts so we may behold him among us: teaching, healing, loving, setting us free. We pray in the grace and power of your Spirit. Amen.
2.
God of all life, God of new life,
let your wakening Word come to us like morning
and call us up out of our little selves
to become your people, great with love.
Call us, revive us, and make us new,
in the grace of Christ. Amen.
3.
God, you have given us the world, but it will not profit us to gain the world but lose our life. There is nothing we can give in exchange for life. Therefore we come to you, to hear your Word, to be changed into the likeness of Christ, so that we make truly take up our cross and follow Jesus. We pray in the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
4.
Gracious God, you reveal yourself to us in word and silence, in clarity and mystery, in the song of our souls and the work of our hearts. Source of all compassion, you call us to receive your love, and to become your love in this world. We open our hearts to your presence. We open our spirits to your will. We open our souls to your Word. In your presence for us, may we be present for you, for the sake of the world. Amen.
5.
Gracious God, we proclaim Jesus as the Messiah but we still want to know what that means. We need to hear his word to us, to see what it is to follow him. May your Spirit move us closer to him, that we may follow him more faithfully. Amen.
6.
Gracious God, Jesus calls us to let go of our attachments and to follow him. We confess that we cling to the things of this world; forgive us, and heal our hearts, so that we may faithfully let go and follow freely. Speak your Word to us again; bless us now, that as scripture is read and your good news proclaimed, we may hear what you are saying to us today. Amen.
Listening prayer
Beloved, you ask us
to lose our life in order to save it.
Empty-handed, we turn to you.
We let go of all,
all,
to receive you.
Reading
1. Adapted from Psalm 19
All Creation expresses God’s nature.
It silently speaks a deep wisdom.
There are no words; our reason cannot grasp it.
But God’s will is in it, infinite in wisdom.
What God has in mind is a Truth that gives life.
To understand this is wisdom;
to see this clearly is deep joy.
To know God’s will is life’s deepest treasure.
But how can we know?
How can I see myself accurately?
God forgive me for all the faults
I don’t see in myself.
Grant me your wisdom, and show me your ways.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart
be in harmony with your grace,
O God, our rock and out redeemer.
2.
Psalm 19 – A paraphrase
Creation sings the glory of God;
the galaxies utter their prayers daily.
Each day is a word of God’s story;
each night discloses the truth.
Oh, they don’t talk with words,
their only language is silence.
But their message saturates the world,
and sings out to the edge of the universe.
God has set the sun at home in this world,
and every day it comes to marry us,
comes to dance with vigor and grace.
It comes to our world from another,
and fills the earth with its light,
no one is left out
from its divine, life-giving warmth.
God’s love is all that we need;
it restarts our hearts.
God’s wisdom is as sure as gravity;
it sustains even the unwise.
God’s ways are pure beauty,
delighting the soul.
God’s desire allures us,
enlightens our eyes.
Live in wonder and awe and you become holy;
you slip into the eternal.
The voice of God is What Is;
pay attention and you truly live.
Throw away money for this kind of wisdom,
even what you actually need.
Abandon all your loves for this Love,
your favorite things, your most precious.
God, your love portrays me better than I;
when I listen I become myself.
But who can see themselves clearly?
Save me from my hidden faults.
Cut me loose from my attachment to myself.
Set me free from my fears.
Help me live as a servant to life,
not hurting or destroying.
God, may all my thoughts and words and actions
be in harmony with your delight—
my Lifeboat, my Lover,
my Life.
Prayer of Confession
1.
God of grace, we come to you in humble honesty.
Who can detect their errors?
Clear us from hidden faults.
Forgive the sins we know and those we don’t.
Transform our desires,
so that in all we do our thoughts and words and actions
may be pleasing to you.
2.
Gracious God, Jesus calls us to let go of our attachments and to follow him. We confess that we cling to the things of this world. Forgive us, and heal our hearts, so that we may faithfully let go and follow freely. Speak your Word to us; bless us now, that we may clearly see our hidden faults, that our hearts may be changed, and that we may trust your grace. Amen.
3. [Psalm 19.11-14]
Pastor: Trusting in God’s tender mercy,
let us confess our sin to God with one another.
God of mercy, your truth guides your servant;
in observing it there is great reward.
All: But who can detect their errors?
Clear me from hidden faults.
Save me from insolence;
do not let it have dominion over me.
Then we shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts
be acceptable to you, O God, our rock and our redeemer.
[Silent prayer… Words of grace]
4.
Gracious God,
you are One; you are the source and the unity of all things.
But in our fear we have broken away;
Each of us has gone our own way.
Separate from you,
we have hurt ourselves and one another.
Faithful God, we, your creatures, are broken.
Receive us as we are; take us in your gentle arms.
Heal our wounds, forgive our sin,
and root us again in your grace,
that we may live in unity with you and with others.Amen.
Response / Creed / Affirmation
1. [ Col. 1.15-20, 26]
Christ is the visible appearance of the invisible God,
the beloved older sibling of all creation.
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 we are reconciled 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.
We give our hearts to you, O God,
Creator of all that is, and all that is to come.
We follow Jesus, your Word made flesh, who loved without limits.
For his love he was crucified; but in love you raised him from the dead.
He calls us to follow him, and so we pray that you enlarge our lives
and set us free from ourselves, that with his Spirit alive in us
we may love without limit, take up our cross, and join him.
We trust your Spirit in us to give us this life of love,
to lead us in forgiveness and healing,
to enter into the mystery of eternal life
in the name and the company of Christ. Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer
[The body of the prayer may be read responsively or by the presiding leader(s) alone.]
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
We praise you, God: the heavens are telling of your glory;
all Creation is your praise.
We turn to you, God, at your invitation,
for Wisdom cries out; she has set her table,
and we come to feast.
Your ways are perfect, reviving the soul;
and so we come, that you may bring us to life again.
When we are lost you show us the way.
When we are imprisoned you set us free.
The very lives we cling to hold us back;
but we let them go; we turn to you;
we lose our lives so we may receive life from you.
And so we come to this table, the Feast of Life, with joy.
With the heavens that sing your glory,
and all Creation that praises you, we too sing your praise.
[Sanctus, spoken or sung:]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest.
[or alternate version]
Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ,
who embodies your love.
He is our teacher, our healer, our companion,
our priest, our chief, our savior.
He was rejected by the powers;
he suffered and died in love;
and he was raised, calling us
to let go of the lives we cling to
and receive life from you alone.
(The Blessing and Covenant) *
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
[Memorial Acclamation, spoken or sung:]
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
—or—
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in glory.
[or alternative]
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ,
willing to suffer for the sake of love,
unwilling to gain the word and lose our lives,
ready to take up our cross and follow Christ
for the sake of the healing of the world,
in the power of your Spirit
and the light of your grace.
[Spoken or sung]
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.
Prayer of Dedication / Sending / after Communion
1.
Gracious God, we thank you for
the mystery that you give yourself to us /
this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. …
….You bless us that in our giving is our receiving; in our searching is our finding; in our living for you we find your purpose for us. God of love, send us out in ministry for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
2.
… We thank you that you come among us in the person of Jesus. Give us faith to receive him, to follow him, and to serve with him in healing the world, in the light of his name, and in the power of your Spirit. Amen.
3.
… By your Spirit in us may we take up our cross and follow Jesus, willing to suffer for the sake of love. May we transcend our selves and become one with Christ, infinite in love, for the sake of the healing of the world. Amen.
4.
… By your grace may we take up our cross and follow Jesus into the streets and homes, into the prisons and shelters, to the hurting and also the powerful, in the name and the Spirit of Christ, for the sake of the healing of the world. Amen.
5.
…. Free us from our clinging and our fear. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, that we might follow Jesus with all our hearts, and so find life that is eternal in you. Amen.
Suggested Songs
(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)
Be Thou My Wisdom (Tune: Be Thou My Vision)
Be thou my Wisdom and grant me your sight.
Help me to see by your love’s perfect light.
Love, be my compass, my balance, my Way:
guide from within what I choose day by day.
Grant me the wisdom to seek and to learn, to
pray for your leading and wait and discern.
Help me to listen with all of my heart,
listen for all of the Truth you impart.
Grant me your Wisdom: a heart that’s made pure,
courage to follow a love that is sure.
Led by your Spirit, listening still,
help me to know and to follow your will.
I Take Up My Cross (Original song)
[Dialogue between soloist & Congregation.]
Lyrics:
Congregational Refrain: : Letting go, I am held. I take up my cross and follow.
Solo:
1. Jesus, you call to me, and draw me into your life. (Refrain…)
2. Christ, I leave all behind, to follow you in love. “
3. I yield my life to you, for you alone are God. “
4. Loved with your costly love, I’ll suffer for the sake of love. “
5. Christ, make my one desire to be to serve you in love. “
Wisdom (Original song)
[Prov. 7.4, 3.13-18; Ps. 25.4]
Wisdom, you are my sister;
let us talk together hand in hand.
Teach me the ways of your heart;
help me to understand.
OT 24
Lectionary Texts
In Jeremiah 18. 1-11 God says, “You are the clay and I am the potter. I reshape you as I see fit.”
Psalm 139 prays, “God, you created me.” (Knitted and woven, specifically, which were women’s work). “You know me; you are always with me. Help me to avoid doing evil.”
Philemon was apparently indebted to Paul, and owned a slave, Onesimus, who had possibly run away to work with Paul. In this letter Paul returns Onesimus and asks Philemon to set him free, not as an obligation, which Paul could have demanded, but in love, asking Philemon to see Onesimus not as an inferior but as a brother.
In Luke 14. 25-33 Jesus invites us to love at all costs. And he gets honest about that cost. If you’re building a tower you first count the cost to make sure you can finish. To truly follow Jesus is to carry the cross, letting go of all that we cling to and our loyalty to everything and everyone but God—even our own loved ones. Don’t lose your saltiness, Jesus says.
Preaching Thoughts
Luke
“Hate father and mother..” — Strong language, typical of Jesus. Obviously he doesn’t mean dislike, enmity or mistreatment. (Notice how he defends “honor your father and mother” in Mark 7.11). He means honoring your discipleship even above family loyalty. We easily surrender our beliefs or our integrity to avoid upsetting people we care about (well, yeah, and even strangers). We “go along to get along.” This can be hardest in families or bonds of significant friendship. How many folks don”t talk politics” with family members? Jesus invites us to stand for who we are, even when the resistance is costly. That’s when we really become ourselves. Of course, the point is not to start family arguments; some disagreements are best left untested. But not arguing about our beliefs is one thing; staying true to them is another. That’s what counts.
“Carry the cross.” — A “cross to bear” is not an annoyance. It’s our willingness to suffer for the sake of loving others. And love requires suffering. Mayne not much, but always at least a little. Sometimes a lot. Every parent knows your heart will be broken a thousand times. But you do it, because the cost is actually a good deal. Love is worth it. But don’t think it won’t hurt. “Count the cost.” — I think people need help discerning the difference between the authentic cost of discipleship and unrelated struggle or suffering. Not every “thorn in the flesh” is a result of our love, forgiveness, generosity or work for justice. “Stuff happens.” On the other hand, we often minimize just how much we have to let go of to really live lives of love, forgiveness, humility, vulnerability, reconciliation, healing and justice. Each of us needs to discern: What do I need to let go of to be perfectly loving? What are the things I cling to that are likely to hold me back from loving deeply, forgiving entirely, or risking for the sake of others?
“Salt is good.” — What a cryptic, evocative image. Be salt. There’s not much correct doctrine to it, nor any clear senses of definition. In the context of carrying the cross, it seems to mean “be loving.” Its ambiguity invites us to ponder: What feels like “salty” living to you? Loving? Kind? Authentic? Simple? Bringing out other people’s beauty, as salt brings out other flavors? It certainly seems to describe behavior, not belief. Who has “salted” your life? What do you value in that? The image of salt invites a lot of play, imagination and storytelling.
Call to Worship
1.
Leader: Creator God, divine artist, you fashion the universe with skill and beauty.
All: We praise you!
Jesus the builder has shaped our hearts with loving hands and a steady eye.
We thank you!
Holy Spirit, breath of new creation, you continually fashion us anew.
We worship you. We open our hearts to you.
We surrender ourselves to your shaping hands. Alleluia!
2.
Leader: God, you have searched us and known us.
All: Holy Mystery, we wonder; and we praise you.
Where could we escape your presence? Even in the farthest desolation, you are there.
Loving Presence, you accompany us; you sustain us, and we thank you.
You have formed our inner nature; you create us by your grace.
How vast is your love! We praise you,
for we are astoundingly and wonderfully made.
Search us, and remove whatever is evil in us,
and lead us in the way everlasting.
3.
Leader: Creator God, we praise you!
All: We thank you and we worship you.
God, you search us and know us;
you are all about us, within us and among us.
Your presence is everywhere; help us to be aware.
Come be with us now, God, and help us in our worship.
Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
4.
Leader: Creator God, you are the potter; we are the clay.
All: Shape us by your Word.
By your grace help us to turn from the things we possess
and worship you with all our heart and mind and soul and strength.
By your grace help us to take up our cross and follow.
Savior of the world, we devote our hearts to you. Alleluia!
Collect / Prayer of the Day
1.
Potter God, shape us by your Word. Fashion us with your divine skill. In your grace re-make us in your image. Speak to us, and your Word will call us to new life. Amen.
2.
God of love, Christ calls us to take up our cross and follow him. But we confess that we hold back; we cling to many things. Grant us the faith to trust your grace, to let go of all that burdens us, and to take up Christ’s love for the world and follow him in faith and service. Speak your Word to us, call to us in our fear, and give us courage to follow. Amen.
3.
God, we want to worship you. Christ, we want to follow you. Living within us, you know better than we what holds us back. Spirit, rise up in us now, and bend us toward you. You are the potter; we are the clay. Shape us by your Word. With your steady hands upon us, change us from one degree of glory to another, and form us into your delight. You are the weaver. Weave the threads of our hearts into the tapestry of your image, the Body of Christ, our Savior and our brother. Amen.
4.
Gentle God, you know that we cling to many things in this life. Help us now to let go of them all, and to open ourselves to your presence and your Word. As your scriptures are read and your good news proclaimed, help us to hear your voice, and to allow ourselves to be changed, in the Spirit of Christ. Amen.
5.
God of love, Jesus called his hearers to leave behind their worldly attachments and follow him. Lead us by your grace to let go of everything to which we cling, so that we can be open to your Word. Open our hearts, so that as the scriptures are read and your good news proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you are saying to us today. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Great Potter God,
we confess we have had a mind of our own,
and shaped our lives as we have chosen,
not as you have hoped for us.
In stillness we repent.
Lay your strong and gentle hands upon us,
and reshape us according to your delight.
Forgive our sin, heal our wounds,
and shape us by your grace,
as vessels of your light.
Readings
Poetry by Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Response / Creed / Affirmation
1.
Loving God, you are our creator. You create all things in your love; you create us as an image of your love. You are the potter; we are the clay. We submit ourselves to your shaping hands.
Loving Christ, you who perfectly embodied God’s love, who taught and healed, who fed the hungry and gathered the outcast: you call us to follow you. You were willing to pay the cost for your radical faithfulness to God: you were crucified. But God raised you from the dead. The way of the cross is not the way of death, but the way of Life! Christ, you call us to surrender all and follow you. We submit ourselves to your life-giving Way.
Loving Spirit, it is by your power alone that we are faithful, You breathe in us; you give us grace to take up our cross and follow. Make us people of trust and forgiveness, people of prayer, people of resurrection. You are the potter and we are the clay: mold us and shape us according to your will. Amen.2.
Leader: God, like a thoughtful grandmother you knit each of us a life.
All: Like a weaver at her loom of beauty you weave us together.
Like an artful potter you shape us for your purposes.
And when we are distorted you re-shape us again.
You are the beauty that draws us toward life.
You are the love that beckons us out of self-centeredness
and toward our sisters and brothers in compassion and gratitude.
You are the treasure that is worth the greatest cost.
Alleluia! We gladly give up everything and turn to you.
Bless us, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
Listening Prayer
(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)
Eucharistic Prayer
[The body of the prayer may be read responsively or by the presiding leader(s) alone.]
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your heart.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
(Sanctus)
Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ,
(The Blessing and Covenant)
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
(Memorial Acclamation)
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ,
(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.
Prayer of Dedication / Sending
Prayer after Communion
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. You have shaped us by your Word; now send us into the world to embody that Word, forsaking all our possessions, our habits and attachments, to follow Christ with courage, to heal the broken and set free the oppressed with compassion, and to praise you in all things, by the grace and power of your Holy Spirit in us. We pray, as we live, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Suggested Songs
(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)
I Am Open (Original song)
Dear gentle Jesus, I open to you
the deepest secrets of my soul.
My heart is open, wounded and broken.
Heal and forgive and make me whole.
Open, I am open, open to your grace.
Beloved Jesus, my eyes are open;
your healing touch restores my sight.
Like open windows, they shine, and in flows
your glory filling me with light.
Open, I am open, open to your grace.
My wounded Jesus. Your arms are open,
our hurt and dying to embrace.
When I would close them, hold my arms open,
to be so loving by your grace.
Open, I am open, open to your grace.
Now risen Jesus, my life is open,
a flower unfolding in the sun:
by your light growing, and boldly showing
the love of God, as you have done.
Open, I am open, open to your grace.
I Take Up My Cross (Original song)
Congregation:
Letting go, I am held. I take up my cross and follow.
Cantor
1. Jesus, you call to me, and draw me into your life.
2. Christ, I leave all behind, to follow you in love.
3. I yield my life to you, for you alone are God.
4. Loved with your costly love, I’ll suffer for the sake of love.
5. Christ, make my one desire to be to serve you in love.
OT 22 – 12th Sunday after Pentecost
August 31, 2025
Lectionary Texts
Jeremiah 2. 4-13 — “What wrong did your ancestors find in me that they went far from me? … Those who handle the law do not know me… You have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug leaky cisterns that hold no water.”
Psalm 81 —“I relieved your shoulder of the burden. .. Open your mouth and I will fill it. But you won’t listen to me. If you did I would satisfy you.
Hebrews 13. 1-8, 15-16 — Show love, and hospitality to strangers (some have entertained angels without knowing it). Care for those in prison, exercise fidelity in relationships, and and be free of the love of money. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Do not neglect to do good and share.
Luke 14. 7-14 — Choose the humblest seat… Invite those who cannot repay the favor.
Preaching Thoughts
Jeremiah
The prophet offers us a lovey image. His criticism is not just that we’re disobedient to God’s command to love our neighbor. When we go our own way and turn from God we abandon the fountain of life Then we become desperate for life, clinging and competing, fighting against each other and withholding life from others. You can see the consequences today: racism, poverty, hate, violence, suspicion of immigrants, mass incarceration…. These are not just political problems. They’re symptoms of our life-denying ways. Using Jeremiah’s image, imagine if we drank deeply of the waters of life. That life would flow through s naturally. We would be moved to share, to love our neighbor, to do justice.
Hebrews
Hebrews provides the antidote to the sickness Jeremiah has diagnosed: share! Do good, show hospitality, avoid love of money. Hebrews offers us bracing medicine for our legal system. “Remember those in prison as though you were in prison with them, and those who are being tortured as though you yourselves were being tortured.” (This is a good time to stop pretending torture—including solitary confinement, beatings and other methods—doesn’t happen, even in our American prisons.) This good advice for all our acts of mercy: avoid playing the role of the gifted savior; be in solidarity; take on the suffering of others as your own. That is the most radical kind of sharing and hospitality. If we are afraid to get close to that suffering.. maybe we’ve not drunk deeply enough of the fountain of life.
Luke
Jesus is not a fan of social status. He says of social capital the same as he does of financial capital: sell everything and give to the poor. Stop seeking status. Practice humility. It doesn’t mean you think poorly of yourself; it means you stop striving to appear better than others.
Back in the 1970’s I worked with adolescent girls involved in prostitution. In their world everything, not just sex, was an exchange. You didn’t give something without getting something. Honor, shame, debt and obligation were finely calibrated. Everybody knew who owed exactly what to whom. Jesus’ culture was more like that than ours, but we all fall into that. If someone has done you a favor you owe them, right? If they’ve wronged you they owe you. But Jesus believes in a world in which everything is a gift. Nobody owes anybody anything. (“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”) So, Jesus says, practice giving stuff away. Have a dinner for folks who can’t repay you. Not because you want them to feel indebted, or so you can appear oh-so-generous (oops! there goes your humility!), but because God’s grace is free and your gifts are like that. Because generosity is a way to drink of the fountain of life.
Call to Worship
1.
Leader: Creator God, Holy of Holies, Great Mystery, Generous Love,
All: we worship you.
Jesus Christ, Humble Savior, Embodied Love, Faithful One,
we thank you.
Holy Spirit, Divine Presence, Flowing Love,
we praise you. We open our hearts to you. We sing of your glory. Alleluia!
2. [May also be a response, prayer of confession, or invitation to communion.]
from Psalm 81
Leader: I hear a voice I had not known: “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder.”
All: O God, you have saved us; you have blessed us. We praise you!
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
O Christ, you invite us to your table. We come with joy, and we thank you!
“But you have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for yourselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.”
O Spirit, we confess that we have turned from you. Forgive us, renew us and give us life. We open ourselves to your grace. Alleluia!
3.
Leader: Creator God, you are the fountain of life.
We turn to you. We drink from you. We rejoice in you.
Risen Christ, our loving brother, you set us free.
You feed us at the banquet of you grace. We give thanks to you.
Holy Spirit, you fill us with humility, generosity and compassion.
Alleluia! We open our hearts to you. Come and fill us.
Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
4.
Leader: Generous God, we praise you!
All: Humble Christ, we greet you!
We are poor, and you have invited us to your feast.
We are unable to repay you, and you have brought us to your table.
We are beneath you, and yet you humbly serve us,
and lavish upon us great gifts.
Alleluia! We thank you for your mercies. Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
Collect / Prayer of the Day
1.
God of grace, you give yourself to us, humbly, with delight, mostly invisibly. We receive you with gratitude. We enter into your heart. We welcome you into ours. We open the doors of our minds, that you may enter. We open the windows of our hearts, that your light may shine in. Welcome. Amen.2.
God of love, you speak softly in our hearts. You call us into this world with your love. Speak to us now; awaken us with your grace, shape us by your Word, and lead us into lives of compassion, courage and beauty. Amen.
3.
God of abundance, you make this life a wedding party, and invite us to your banquet of grace. We come now to celebrate your faithful love, to feast on your Word, and to be made new by your grace. We open our hearts wide: fill us with your Spirit, in the name and the presence of Christ. Amen.
4.
Gracious God, our pride means nothing before you. You bless the humble and feed the poor. Like beggars we come to you. Like children we open our hands to your grace. Give us the humility of Christ, that we may embody his generosity and hospitality, in the power of your Spirit. Come to us, God; speak to us, and feed our souls. Amen.
5.
God of truth, you spread the banquet of life before us. We feast upon your Word. We come in hunger to hear and understand, to know your love and to shine with your Spirit. Open our hearts, so that as the scriptures are read and your good news proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you are saying to us today. Amen.
Listening Prayer
(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)
1.
God of abundance,
you have invited us to your table.
Humbly we come.
We cannot repay your grace.
But we can rejoice in one another,
and in each other’s company
feast on your Word.
2.
God, you are the fountain of life.
We turn to you,
and drink deeply
of the flowing waters
of your grace.
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.
Loving and faithful God,
you are the fountain of our life,
yet we have turned away,
seeking life elsewhere.
We have cut ourselves off from life’s deep abundance,
shriveled our own glory,
and strangled our compassion.
Forgive us,
bring us back,
and change our hearts,
so that we might drink deeply from your grace. Amen.
[Silent prayer… The Word of Grace]
Response / Creed / Affirmation
1.
Leader: God of love, you create us in your image and call us in your grace.
All: We are your Beloved, special in your eyes and chosen for great tasks.
Christ, you come to us in lowly form. You heal us and lift us up and give us our lives.
We are your companions: nothing special, but blessed by your love.
Holy Spirit, you live in us and move us by your will.
We are your earthen vessels, holy in our ordinary lives, powerful in your hands.
Speak to us, lead us, and use us according to your delight. Amen.
2.
We believe in God, creator of all things, the fountain of life, who provides for us with grace and abundance.
We trust in Jesus Christ, who made God manifest among us. He healed the sick, raised up the downtrodden, ate with sinners, and spoke the Word of God. He died in love for all people, and none are undeserving. Crucified by the powers of oppression, he was raised by the power of love, and lives among us now, inviting all to the feast of God’s love and generosity.
We live by the power of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of trust and hospitality. As the Body of Christ, in unity with the whole universal church, we devote ourselves to live in love in the name and the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Alleluia!
Listening Prayer
(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)
God you are the fountain of life.
We turn to you,
and drink deeply
of the flowing waters
of your grace.
Eucharistic Prayer
[The body of the prayer may be read responsively or by the presiding leader(s) alone.]
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
God, we thank you, for you invite us to your table.
You put us in the place of honor.
You set the finest table, and serve us.
You offer us love we can’t return.
You give us Creation; you give us your delight.
You are the fountain of life,
and we drink deeply of your flowing grace.
In thanksgiving, in the company of all who are grateful,
we sing your praise.
[Sanctus, spoken or sung:]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest.
[or alternate version]
Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ.
He fed the hungry and healed the sick.
He took the lowest place, and served us.
He served in humility, suffering death,
yet you raised him in glory.
(The Blessing and Covenant) *
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
[Memorial Acclamation, spoken or sung:]
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
—or—
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in glory.
[or alternative]
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ,
humble in spirit, generous of heart,
aware that in our hospitality
we may welcome angels unawares.
All glory be to you, loving God.
[Spoken or sung]
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.
Prayer after Communion
1.
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. In your Spirit may we give ourselves to others. By the grace you give us may we honor the angels we entertain. Send us out now to serve, to give without expecting return from any but your grace, in the name and Spirit of Christ. Amen.
2.
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Send us, strengthened by gifts beyond our comprehending, into the world, to share your love in humility and generosity, and to invite others to your table, that the day may come when we feast with all Creation in harmony at your table of grace. Amen.
3.
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. In our hunger you have fed us the finest food; in our poverty you have served us as royalty. Send us into the world with the humility of Christ, to serve those whom the world rejects, to give to those who cannot repay, to honor those whom the world thinks unworthy. Send us to share your feast of life with all, in the name of Christ and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Suggested Songs
(Click on title to view on the Music page.)
We Feast On Your Love (Original song)
Chorus: We drink from your presence.
We feast on your love.
This is the banquet we’ve been dreaming of. (Repeat.)
You gather us: no one’s unworthy,
and no one is “greatest” or “least.”
You multiply what we offer,
so multitudes may feast. — Chorus
We hunger and thirst for your spirit,
we open ourselves to your grace.
In flows the mercy you offer
in every time and place. — Chorus
We taste the sweet wine made from water,
our bread is your body you give.
“Drink of the water I give you,
so you may truly live.”
OT 23 – 13th Sunday After Pentecost
September 7, 2025
Lectionary Texts
Jeremiah 18. 1-11 — “You are the clay and I am the potter. I reshape you as I see fit.”
Psalm 139 — “God, you created me.” (Knitted and woven, specifically, which were women’s work). “You know me; you are always with me. Help me to avoid doing evil.”
Philemon — Paul’s letter appealing to Philemon to release his slave Onesimus.
Luke 14. 25-33 — Carry the cross. Hate father and mother… Carry the cross; building a tower, count the cost. Don’t lose your saltiness.
Preaching Thoughts
Luke
“Hate father and mother..” — Strong language, typical of Jesus. Obviously he doesn’t mean disliking, enmity or mistreatment. (Notice how he defends “honor your father and mother” in Mark 7.11). He means honoring your discipleship even above family loyalty. We easily surrender our beliefs or our integrity to avoid upsetting people we care about (well, yeah, and even strangers). We “go along to get along.” This can be hardest in families or significant friendships. How many folks don’t talk politics with family members? Jesus invites us to stand for who we are, even when the resistance is costly. That’s when we really become ourselves. Of course, the point is not to start family arguments; some disagreements are best left untested. But not arguing about our beliefs is one thing; staying true to them is another. That’s what counts.
“Carry the cross.” — A “cross to bear” is not an annoyance. It’s our willingness to suffer for the sake of loving others. And love requires suffering. Sometimes not much, but always at least a little. Sometimes a lot. Every parent knows your heart will be broken a thousand times. But you do it, because the cost is actually a good deal. Love is worth it. But don’t think it won’t hurt. “Count the cost.” — I think people need help discerning the difference between the authentic cost of discipleship and unrelated struggle or suffering. Not every “thorn in the flesh” is a result of our love, forgiveness, generosity or work for justice. “Stuff happens.” On the other hand, we often minimize just how much we have to let go of to really live lives of love, forgiveness, humility, vulnerability, reconciliation, healing and justice. Each of us needs to discern: What do I need to let go of to be perfectly loving? What are the things I cling to that are likely to hold me back from loving deeply, forgiving entirely, or risking for the sake of others?
“Salt is good.” — What a cryptic, evocative image. Be salt. There’s not much correct doctrine to it, nor any clear senses of definition. In the context of carrying the cross, it seems to mean “be loving.” Its ambiguity invites us to ponder: What feels like “salty” living to you? Loving? Kind? Authentic? Simple? Bringing out other people’s beauty, as salt brings out other flavors? It certainly seems to describe behavior, not belief. Who has “salted” your life? What do you value in that? The image of salt invites a lot of play, imagination and storytelling.
Call to Worship
1.
Leader: Creator God, divine artist, you fashion the universe with skill and beauty.
All: We praise you!
Jesus the builder has shaped our hearts with loving hands and a steady eye.
We thank you!
Holy Spirit, breath of new creation, you continually fashion us anew.
We worship you. We open our hearts to you.
We surrender ourselves to your shaping hands. Alleluia!
2.
Leader: God, you have searched us and known us.
All: Holy Mystery, we wonder; and we praise you.
Where could we escape your presence? Even in the farthest desolation, you are there.
Loving Presence, you accompany us; you sustain us, and we thank you.
You have formed our inner nature; you create us by your grace.
How vast is your love! We praise you,
for we are astoundingly and wonderfully made.
Search us, and remove whatever is evil in us,
and lead us in the way everlasting.
3.
Leader: Creator God, we praise you!
All: We thank you and we worship you.
God, you search us and know us;
you are all about us, within us and among us.
Your presence is everywhere; help us to be aware.
Come be with us now, God, and help us in our worship.
Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
4.
Leader: Creator God, you are the potter; we are the clay.
All: Shape us by your Word.
By your grace help us to turn from the things we possess
and worship you with all our heart and mind and soul and strength.
By your grace help us to take up our cross and follow.
Savior of the world, we devote our hearts to you. Alleluia!
Collect / Prayer of the Day
1.
Potter God, shape us by your Word. Fashion us with your divine skill. In your grace re-make us in your image. Speak to us, and your Word will call us to new life. Amen.
2.
God of love, Christ calls us to take up our cross and follow him. But we confess that we hold back; we cling to many things. Grant us the faith to trust your grace, to let go of all that burdens us, and to take up Christ’s love for the world and follow him in faith and service. Speak your Word to us, call to us in our fear, and give us courage to follow. Amen.
3.
God, we want to worship you. Christ, we want to follow you. Living within us, you know better than we what holds us back. Spirit, rise up in us now, and bend us toward you. You are the potter; we are the clay. Shape us by your Word. With your steady hands upon us, change us from one degree of glory to another, and form us into your delight. You are the weaver. Weave the threads of our hearts into the tapestry of your image, the Body of Christ, our Savior and our brother. Amen.
4.
Gentle God, you know that we cling to many things in this life. Help us now to let go of them all, and to open ourselves to your presence and your Word. As your scriptures are read and your good news proclaimed, help us to hear your voice, and to allow ourselves to be changed, in the Spirit of Christ. Amen.
5.
God of love, Jesus called his hearers to leave behind their worldly attachments and follow him. Lead us by your grace to let go of everything to which we cling, so that we can be open to your Word. Open our hearts, so that as the scriptures are read and your good news proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you are saying to us today. Amen.
Listening prayer
Loving Christ,
hold us with your mercy;
strengthen us with your grace,
that we may hear your challenge,
accept hard teachings,
and follow you no matter the cost,
by the power of your Spirit. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Great Potter God,
we confess we have had a mind of our own,
and shaped our lives as we have chosen,
not as you have hoped for us.
In stillness we repent.
Lay your strong and gentle hands upon us,
and reshape us according to your delight.
Forgive our sin, heal our wounds,
and shape us by your grace,
as vessels of your light.
Response / Creed / Affirmation
1.
Loving God, you are our creator. You create all things in your love; you create us as an image of your love. You are the potter; we are the clay. We submit ourselves to your shaping hands.
Loving Christ, you who perfectly embodied God’s love, who taught and healed, who fed the hungry and gathered the outcast: you call us to follow you. You were willing to pay the cost for your radical faithfulness to God: you were crucified. But God raised you from the dead. The way of the cross is not the way of death, but the way of Life! Christ, you call us to surrender all and follow you. We submit ourselves to your life-giving Way.
Loving Spirit, it is by your power alone that we are faithful, You breathe in us; you give us grace to take up our cross and follow. Make us people of trust and forgiveness, people of prayer, people of resurrection. You are the potter and we are the clay: mold us and shape us according to your will. Amen.
2.
Leader: God, like a thoughtful grandmother you knit each of us a life.
All: Like a weaver at her loom of beauty you weave us together.
Like an artful potter you shape us for your purposes.
And when we are distorted you re-shape us again.
You are the beauty that draws us toward life.
You are the love that beckons us out of self-centeredness
and toward our sisters and brothers in compassion and gratitude.
You are the treasure that is worth the greatest cost.
Alleluia! We gladly give up everything and turn to you.
Bless us, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
Eucharistic Prayer
[The body of the prayer may be read responsively or by the presiding leader(s) alone.]
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
We thank you, God, for we are wondrously made.
You know us inside and out, and are with us always.
Even in the farthest places you are with us;
even in the darkest times you are light.
You set us free from all that enslaves us,
and ask us to set one another free.
Like a master potter you shape us by your love.
And so we come to your table to be re-shaped again,
singing your praise:
[Sanctus, spoken or sung:]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest.
[or alternate version]
Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ,
who loved even at the cost of his life,
and asks us to do the same.
Under an oppressive power he was crucified,
but by your infinite grace he was raised from the dead.
(The Blessing and Covenant) *
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
[Memorial Acclamation, spoken or sung:]
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
—or—
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in glory.
[or alternative]
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ,
with courage and compassion no matter the cost,
salty with your love,
for the sake of the healing of the world.
[Spoken or sung]
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.
Prayer of Dedication / Sending
God of love, you have shaped us by your Word; now send us into the world to embody that Word, forsaking all our possessions, our habits and attachments, to follow Christ with courage, to heal the broken and set free the oppressed with compassion, and to praise you in all things, by the grace and power of your Holy Spirit in us. We pray, as we live, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Prayer after Communion
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. In the love of Jesus you have salted us with your love, that we may serve you for the sake of justice, with courage and compassion. May this mystery live in us always. Amen.
Suggested Songs
(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)
I Am Open (Original song)
Dear gentle Jesus, I open to you
the deepest secrets of my soul.
My heart is open, wounded and broken.
Heal and forgive and make me whole.
Open, I am open, open to your grace.
Beloved Jesus, my eyes are open;
your healing touch restores my sight.
Like open windows, they shine, and in flows
your glory filling me with light.
Open, I am open, open to your grace.
My wounded Jesus. Your arms are open,
our hurt and dying to embrace.
When I would close them, hold my arms open,
to be so loving by your grace.
Open, I am open, open to your grace.
Now risen Jesus, my life is open,
a flower unfolding in the sun:
by your light growing, and boldly showing
the love of God, as you have done.
Open, I am open, open to your grace.
I Take Up My Cross (Original song)
Congregation:
Letting go, I am held. I take up my cross and follow.
Cantor
1. Jesus, you call to me, and draw me into your life.
2. Christ, I leave all behind, to follow you in love.
3. I yield my life to you, for you alone are God.
4. Loved with your costly love, I’ll suffer for the sake of love.
5. Christ, make my one desire to be to serve you in love.
OT 21 – 11th Sunday after Pentecost
August 24, 2025
Lectionary Texts
Jeremiah 1.4-10 — Jeremiah’s call. “I am too young.” … “I am with you. I have put my words in your mouth.”
Psalm 71.1-6 — I take refuge in you. You are my hope, from my youth.
Hebrews 12.18-29 — You have not come to something that can be touched…You have come to the assembly of the firstborn, and to Jesus. Don’t refuse God. We’re receiving a kingdom that can’t be shaken.
Luke 13.10-17 — Jesus heals the bent over woman.
Preaching Thoughts
Jeremiah
God gives a Word to each of us, regardless of our age or training. (Note how both Jeremiah and the Psalmist give encouragement to youth as vessels of God’s Word and will.) We don’t all have an authoritative word that is “appointed over nations, to pluck up and pull down,” but each person’s truth carries weight. Your calling then is to discern: what is God’s Word in you? How is God present in you? How does God’s grace shine forth in your life?
By the way, none of us has words that are “appointed over nations, to destroy and overthrow.” God’s word has that power; we’re only the messengers, the vessels. Again note our temptation toward judgment and destruction. God’s word doesn’t actually overthrow particular nations, but it overthrows Empire: human power structures and oppressive systems.
Hebrews
Looking for God’s self-disclosure? Don’t expect all the Hollywood special effects we get in the Bible. Look in a community of love. “See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking.” That takes patient, prayerful listening. True faith involves more listening and less posturing. This is an invitation to humble, willing discernment, not a lot of pronouncements. How do you discern God’s voice in your life? In the life of your community? God’s voice won’t be a literal sound, but a “warning” (v. 25), a nudge, from heaven. God’s voice shakes things up, but the Realm of grace remains steadfast, a “kingdom that cannot be shaken.” You know those moments when you quietly got the sense there was a different reality afoot than you had thought—and it changes everything? In this way God is quiet, and yet also a “consuming fire.”
Luke
Jesus has a wonderful way of asking “Where does it hurt?” He walks into the synagogue, looks around, and sees a wound, a point of pain. Two, in fact. Well, three: the bent over woman, and also the ruler of the synagogue, and also the hurting people under his rule. Healing the woman, he gets the ruler’s attention and engages him as well. We don’t know if the ruler’s hurts (that lead him to be so hurtful) are healed, but at least they’re addressed. And the people’s hunger for grace is addressed: the crowd rejoices at the wonderful things he’s doing. Presumably it’s not just that the woman is healed but maybe Jesus has instigated a renewed sense of freedom, healing and compassion in the community.
Imagine being “bent over.” Imagine the pain. Imagine not being able to “stand up” for what you care about. Imagine not being able to look anyone in the face, but only seeing the ground. Imagine being in a permanent posture of subservience. Imagine feeling there’s “something wrong with you.” Imagine you’re in a wheelchair. Imagine what all of this might do to your relationships with other people… and maybe with God. Imagine being told that your healing is inappropriate, or less significant than a religious tradition. Imagine all the religious traditions that keep us bent over. Think how many dimensions of this woman’s life Jesus heals
The woman is an icon for us all. Where are you bent over? What’s limited, suppressed, in pain? What cuts off your ability to look people in the eye, or allow them to see you face to face? What makes you wonder if God is punishing you, or why, at least, God doesn’t help you? What are the voices that prevent your healing, that consider your well-being not important? Where are we as a culture bent over, repressed, distorted, in pain? What are the voices that say, “Come back later for healing?” Remember the people who told Martin Luther King, Jr. that he was moving too fast. Or people who respond to calls for justice that the change would be too much, too soon.
Jesus schools the synagogue ruler on how to do Bible study: not by ‘splaining, but by enacting it. It’s not just a literal transliteration (“It says here don’t work on the Sabbath”) but listening for God’s Word. What is your lived experience of Sabbath? You let your animal go free. Remember Deuteronomy 5.12-15: “The seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you… or any of your livestock…. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt… Therefore the Holy One your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.” The Sabbath is about liberation. Well then, “ought not this woman whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?”According to scripture setting this woman free is exactly what Sabbath is all about. Any questions, class?
Jesus isn’t “refuting” the scripture; he’s both digging deeper and also applying it. Rules aren’t for their own sake. (“The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath” [Mk. 2.27]). They’re for the sake of love. So he asks in Mk. 3.4, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?” Everything is for the sake of love. Everything.
In our joy over the woman’s healing it’s easy to overlook the significance of the ruler’s objection. This story encourages the bent-over woman in us and among us; it also convicts the disapproving ruler in us. How is the ruler of the synagogue bent over, bound by Satan? Where is he in me? In what ways to I resent or impede the healing of others? How do I feel about the liberation of people I look down on? When in my mind do religious, political or cultural traditions or values outweigh other people’s need for wholeness or freedom? Who are the people I’m happy to keep suppressed because I don’t want to have to face them eye to eye?
Call to Worship
1.
Leader: Holy Mystery, we are your children.
All: We turn to you in wonder and in need.
Loving Christ, you lay your hands on our wounds.
We come bent over, and rise in praise.
Holy Spirit, you give us power to heal.
Touch us; change us; send us out as new people.
2.
Leader: God of life, our breath is your praise.
All: God of love, our joy is your name, and we honor you.
Brother Christ, our healing is your passion.
Virtuoso of love, our wholeness is your doing, and we thank you.
Holy Spirit, you breathe in us, and give us beauty.
Spirit of Love, our life is your glory and we worship you. Alleluia!
3.
Leader: Creator God, light of the sun and summer’s embrace,
warmth of our lives and beauty of each day:
All: We praise you! We stand in awe.
We open our hearts like a morning meadow to your light.
Risen Christ, brother and teacher, prince of healing and presence of God:
We greet you. We bow in humble thanksgiving.
We open our minds to your wisdom like a river drinking from a spring.
Holy Spirit, power of love and light of grace within and among us:
We welcome you. We open our bodies to you like breath, like food.
Enter us, and re-create us in your grace.
Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
4.
Leader: Creator God, we praise you.
All: Risen Christ, we greet you!We were been bent over, but you raised us up.
We were wounded, but you healed us.
We were oppressed, but you set us free.
Alleluia! Come again, Jesus! Heal us, and set us free!
Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
Collect / Prayer of the Day
1.
Gracious God, Jesus healed the bent over woman. Speak your Word and heal what is bent in us. Lay your hand on us and grant us your grace and mercy. By your Spirit may we rise in gratitude and praise you with lives of love and service. Amen.
2.
God of healing, there is much in us that is bent down, that is distorted, that is not free. Reach out and touch us with your Word: heal us, and make us new by your grace. Speak to us as we hear your scripture, as we reflect, and as we re-direct our lives, in the spirit of Christ. Amen.
3.
God of gentle mercy, we worship you not because you lord it over us, but because you raise us up. We come to you bowed down with cares and fears, with wounds and needs, and with hunger for your grace. Speak your Word and lay your hand upon us, so that we may be made whole again. We pray in the name of Jesus, your healer and your Presence. Amen.
Listening Prayer
(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)
Gentle God,
our souls are bent over.
Lay your hand on us,
set us free,
and give us power to stand
in your light.
Prayer of Confession
1.
Pastor: The grace of God is with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, we open ourselves in honesty to God.
God of love, help us to see ourselves with the eyes of love,
to see what is in us that is loving,
and what is not loving.
God, we recall when we have received your gift of healing, and we give thanks.
[silent prayer…]
We recall when we have resisted your healing for ourselves or others, and we seek your grace. [silent prayer…]
We call to mind those places where we still need healing, and where we may be called to be a healing presence for others, and we open our hearts to your Spirit. [silent prayer…]
God of mercy, in Christ you have touched us, healed us, and set us free.
Touch us, make us whole, and perfect your love in us,
that we may be wounded healers in this broken world. Amen.
[Silent prayer… The Word of Grace]
2.
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.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you,
that our hearts are bent over and we are quite unable to straighten ourselves.
Forgive our sin,
heal our hearts,
and set us free from what prevents us
from living in your perfect love,
in the Spirit of Christ.
[Silent prayer… The Word of Grace]
3.
God of grace,
we confess that we are uprooted from your love,
and that we do not know how to live.
Our spirits are bent over and unable to stand straight;
our faith is weak; our vision is dark;
our hearts are wounded; our desires are amiss.
Receive us with mercy, God;
forgive our sin, heal our hearts,
and restore in us your Spirit,
so that we may live in the present moment with joy,
walking in your ways and delighting in your will.
O God, we surrender to your perfect grace.
[Silent prayer… The Word of Grace]
4.
God, we confess we are bent over.
Our compassion is stunted, bent by forces within us and around us.
Lay your hand on us and raise us up.
Heal what is broken; set free what is repressed.
Confront the voices that tell us our healing shouldn’t be.
Disarm the voices that say others shouldn’t have what we have.
Disturb the powers that keep hearts bent down.
Confront the powers that keep people “in their place.”
Raise up your Spirit in us, that we may attain the stature of Christ,
that we may stand boldly for justice,
for healing of this bent-over world.
Lay your hand on us, Jesus, and make us whole by your grace.
Response / Creed / Affirmation
We’ve been set free! Therefore we trust in God, Creator of all, who in the beginning set light free into the world, who rescued us from slavery and liberated us from exile, who overthrows the power of injustice and oppression, who redeems all Creation.
We’ve been healed. Therefore we follow Jesus, child of God and brother to all, teacher and healer, who resisted the power of evil and set people free in body, mind, heart and soul, as persons and as a community. He was crucified and was raised, and in his rising defeated the oppression of death itself. We entrust ourselves to his grace and his leading, as he lays his hands upon us.
We’ve been empowered. Therefore we live by the Holy Spirit, the presence of God in us. We live by the grace of forgiveness and the power of resurrection, as one church, the Body of Christ. We devote ourselves to the way of liberation, healing and grace, for the sake of the transformation of the world, in the name and the spirit of Christ. Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer
[The body of the prayer may be read responsively or by the presiding leader(s) alone.]
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your heart.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
Loving Creator, we thank you for the gift of this world.
We thank you for the gift of Sabbath,
that we may rest and be free.
Lovely One, we praise you for the mystery of our bodies,
for their beauty and abilities, and how they hold us.
You give us one another, to bear us up when the flesh is weak.
Beautiful Savior, you heal us; you make us whole.
You condemn oppression and confront injustice;
you release us from all that binds us, and set us free.
Therefore with all Creation we sing your praise.
[Sanctus, spoken or sung:]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest.
[or alternate version]
Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ,
who healed the sick and fed the hungry,
who lifted up those who were bent low.
He noticed the downtrodden, and reached out to the hurting.
For his opposition to the powers of oppression
he was crucified; but you raised him from the dead.
We rejoice in the wonderful things he is doing.
(The Blessing and Covenant) *
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
[Memorial Acclamation, spoken or sung:]
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
—or—
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in glory.
[or alternative]
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us,
that we may be for the world the Body of Christ,
healed by you grace,
and empowered to undo the yoke of slavery
and to set free all who are bowed down,
for the sake of the wholeness of the world,
to your glory.
[Spoken or sung]
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.
Prayer of Dedication / Sending
Gracious God, we give you these gifts as symbols of our lives. Receive them with love, bless them with grace, and use them according to your will. You have healed us, set us free, raised us up, and given us strength and stature. Send us into the world now, trusting in your grace, to heal and to set others free, for the sake of the transformation of the world, in the name and the Spirit of Christ. Amen.
Prayer after Communion
God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. May we, who have been healed and set free, never oppress others, but work for the healing of the world, in the name and the Spirit of Christ. Amen.
Suggested Songs
(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)
Becoming Whole (Original song)
We are a broken people becoming whole again.
We are a wounded people being healed again.
We are a hungry people being fed again.
We are a captive people walking free again.
…plus additional verses
Christ our Healer (Tune: Ode to Joy or HOLY MANNA)
Christ, our healer, you have touched us, reaching through the dark divide,
healing broken hearts and bodies, casting death’s old shroud aside:
raised us from our bed of sorrows, put your arm around our pain,
raising us to new tomorrows, bringing us to life again.
Christ, our teacher, in our healing you have given us your gift:
grace to bless, your love revealing, pow’r to heal and hope to lift.
In your Spirit, your forgiveness, your compassion we embrace
ev’ry wounded, shamed or silenced child of God with gentle grace.
Christ, our savior, you are going on to every town and field,
on to every land and people, on until the world is healed.
Use us in the whole world’s mending, use us as your healing hands,
’till as one the world, made whole, takes up its mat with joy and stands.
God, we are broken (Tune: Be Thou My Vision)
God, we are broken, for all flesh is weak.
Grant us the healing and peace that we seek.
For all that pains us, beyond our control,
grant us your healing, our bodies made whole.
God, we are broken; our hearts are not one.
Sometimes it seems that our souls come undone.
Bring us renewal and calm in our soul.
Grant us your healing and make our hearts whole.
God, we are broken: for families and friends
suffer when love fails and faithfulness ends.
May your forgiveness and grace play its role.
Grant us your healing; make covenants whole.
God, we are broken, for many are poor,
and we ignore those who lie by our door.
God, may your justice like great rivers roll.
Grant us your healing; make all people whole.
God, we are broken for hate and all war
wound us so we are not free anymore.
Make us one people from pole to pole.
Grant us your healing, and make the world whole.
Jesus, My Healer (Tune: Fairest Lord Jesus)
Jesus, my healer, come to me and touch me;
lay your hand upon my soul.
All of my woundedness gently embrace and bless
and, though I’m broken, make me whole.
Source of our healing, God, our Re-Creator,
your deep joy is to raise and bless.
Your faithful promises and all our trusting hope
are stronger than our dark distress.
Spirit of healing, move among your people
to bear the blessing that flows from you:
with tender love to bless the world’s brokenness
and share the grace that made us new.
Prayer Song (Original song)
God, you hold us in you care
as we turn to you in prayer.
You hear our yearning by your grace;
we return your warm embrace.
We await your revealing,
your love and your healing.
All things shall be whole again. Amen. Amen.
God, you hold them in your care
whom we name now in our prayer.
Use the blessing of our soul
by your grace to make them whole.
We await your revealing,
your love and your healing.
All things shall be whole again. Amen. Amen.
God, we hold you in our care;
We receive you now in prayer.
Let us listen; let us tend.
Rest here, welcome, holy friend.
We await your revealing,
your love and your healing.
All things shall be whole again. Amen. Amen.
Amen, amen, amen.
Song of Healing – (Tune: Finlandia)
O God of love, O God of grace unending,
come heal your people, body, mind and soul:
those who know grief, whom sorrow is befriending,
the sick and struggling, who know sorrow’s role.
Heal those whose backs beneath their loads are bending;
come set them free. Come heal and make them whole.
Use us, O God: complete the nations’ mending:
make us your hands; show us our healing role;
make us your eyes, your light in all defending;
let healing flow; O, let your justice roll.
Help us, O God, your Holy Spirit lending,
to heal and bless, to make the dear world whole.
With our Bodies (Tune: Finlandia)
Creating God, we praise you with our bodies,
this miracle in love you have designed,
these mysteries that see and feel and listen,
that move and breathe, and cradle heart and mind,
that, old or young, and awkward, lithe or graceful,
bind us to earth, and to all humankind.
Oh dancing God, we praise you in all movement,
in hands that heal, create things, or caress,
in wombs that birth, in feet that humbly bear us,
in throats that sing, and lips that love confess.
Oh, may our bodies praise you in their being,
with joy embrace, and touch and dance and bless.
OT 20 – 10th Sunday After Pentecost
August 17, 2025
Lectionary Texts
Isaiah 5. 1-7 — I planted a vineyard… but it yielded bad grapes. I will dismantle the vineyard.
Psalm 80 — A cry from exile: Restore us; let your face shine, that we may be saved. Why have you let your vineyard languish? Restore us.
Hebrews 11.29 – 12.2 — Faith: crossing the Red Sea, Jericho, Rahab… the (gruesome) suffering of the saints… Cheered on by a cloud of witnesses, we press on
Luke 12. 49-56 — “I came to bring fire…. Households will be divided…. Look at the signs of the times.”
Preaching Thoughts
Isaiah
The “chosen people” are not chosen to be God’s favorites: they’re chosen to do a task, which is the work of justice. When we fail that task we betray our chosenness.
Hebrews
The list of heroes and martyrs could include people in our own centuries who have suffered for the sake of justice and healing. Like those in the text, none of them saw the final fruits of their labor, for the struggle for justice continues—and will long after we are gone. “So great a cloud of witnesses” is a fine reassurance, often cited at funerals, but in this context it’s not about people welcoming us into an eternal winner’s circle; it’s our cheering squad urging us on to do what they did: to spread love and work for healing and justice, to “run with perseverance the race that is set before us.” Jesus is not just the object of our faith; he is the pioneer of our faith, the leader we courageously follow behind, joining in his work.
The gut-wrenching list here of various manners of death and torture might seem too much to recite in worship. But it’s important to acknowledge the extent of human capacity for cruelty, and that torture just this gruesome goes on in our world every day. Ideological suppression, genocide, abuse and assault occur more than we want to acknowledge—some of it perpetrated in our name, on our behalf. The good news, in the words of the United Methodist baptismal vows, is that we are called to “accept the power God gives you to resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.”
Luke
“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! — We might be tempted, as James and John were in Luke 9.54, to think of it as the fire of judgment that just happens to favor us and target others—and that we have the power to control. Neither is true. It’s the fire of the Holy Spirit. Jesus does not have kind words for our fondness for conflict, judgment and destructive behavior, even—or especially—in the service of our perceived righteous cause. God’s fire isn’t destructive; it’s purifying, like a refiner’s fire. The fire Jesus is talking about is energy, not destruction.
“I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!” — We get a glimpse of Jesus’ very human concern to pass on his message and his way of being while he still has time—mindful of what probably awaits him in Jerusalem.
“Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” — Again our temptation may be to suppose Jesus is asking us to create division, but he’s simply lamenting divisions already among us: the truth is upsetting to people who rely on the accepted illusions of the culture, and they will resist such truth. Think of the push-back against critical care theory or the climate crisis. In speaking of family divisions Jesus echoes Micah 7.6: “The son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household.”
Call to Worship
1.
Leader: Eternal God, you set all Creation before us.
All: In wonder we praise you.
Loving Christ, you save us, heal us, lead us and encourage us.
In awe we thank you.
Holy Spirit, you fill us with your beauty and power.
In gratitude we worship you.
We open our hearts to you. Transform us by your grace. Amen.
2.
Leader: Holy One, you are present for us.
All: We come to be present for you.
You create us and sustain us.
Each of us is your miracle.
By your Spirit help us be true to the miracle you have created.
Shape us, guide us, and fill us with your grace. Alleluia!/
3.
Leader: Creator God, we are the vine you have planted. You created us to bear good fruit.
All: We thank you, and pray that your beauty may ripen in us.
Christ, you are the vine and we are your branches.
We praise you, and pray that we may be faithful to you, deeply rooted in your love.
Holy Spirit, you are the miracle of growth and fruitfulness within us.
Alleluia! We worship you and pray that you will fill us
and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
4.
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.
Strengthen us in our faith, O God,
and stir up our love for you, our passion for life,
and our desire to be present in this moment.
Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
5
Leader: Creator God, you have made us in your image.
All: Our being is your praise.
Loving Christ, you have blessed us with your mercy.
Our lives are your thanks.
Holy Spirit, you fill us with your grace.
Our service is our worship. In the power of your presence,
we bear your grace into the world, in the name of Christ.
Collect / Prayer of the Day
1.
God of abundant grace, you spread out Creation like a feast before us. You pour out your love like rain upon us. You stir in our souls like the molten earth beneath our continents. Help us to receive. Help us to trust. Help us now to listen for your Word, and be renewed in your Spirit. Amen.
2.
true to your love, true to the glory that is our own souls. Bless us that we may not conform to this world, but be transformed by a new mindfulness, the mind of Christ. We pray in the grace of your Spirit. Amen.3.
God, we know how to pay attention to many things, to all sorts of news and noises. Help us now to pay attention to you, to pay attention to the present moment, to listen for the truth in scripture, in our worship, and in ourselves. Amen.
4.
God of Truth, you are who you are, not who we want you to be. Jesus was who he was, not who others pressured him to be. Your Spirit is in us as it is, not as others wish. You know us as who we are, not what others think of us. Speak to us now your truth; call us to your Word, that coming close to you we may come close to ourselves, and live out our true calling in this world. We pray in the name and the company and the courage of Jesus. Amen.
Listening Prayer
(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)
Living God,
we are your vine,
planted in your love
and rooted in your grace.
We sink our roots deep in you;
may your Spirit may flow through us,
and your love bear fruit in us.
Prayer of Confession
1.
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.
God of abundant life,
we are the vineyard you have planted to bear fruit,
but we are full of weeds.
Forgive us.
Pull our weeds, strengthen your vine,
and make us more fruitful,
by your loving grace. Amen.
[Silent prayer… The Word of Grace]
2.
God of grace,
we confess that like uprooted vines
we are not grounded in your love;
that we do not know how to live.
Our faith is weak; our vision is dark;
our hearts are wounded; our desires are amiss.
Receive us with mercy, God;
forgive our sin, heal our hearts,
and restore in us your Spirit,
so that we may be rooted in your presence,
and bear the fruit of your love.
God, we surrender to your perfect grace.
Response / Creed / Affirmation
We trust in you, God, Creator of all; you have made each living being as an utterance of your Word; you call us to be true to the Word in which you have created us.
We follow Jesus, who fulfilled his calling as your Anointed One and embodied your love. He fed the hungry and healed the broken. He taught your truth when others did not want to hear; he loved and forgave those whom others rejected. He stood against systems of injustice, and for his resistance he was killed. But you raised him from the dead, and he reigns with you, and his mercy is our only judge.
We live by the power of your Spirit, enabling us to forgive unendingly, to trust radically the power of resurrection, to serve the world humbly yet fiercely as the Body of Christ. We thank you and we give ourselves to you, that in all things we may be true to the Gospel, by your grace. Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer
[The body of the prayer may be read responsively or by the presiding leader(s) alone.]
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your heart.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
God of the swirling stars, the flowing brook, the loving heart,
you call us to your table.
God of the awakened soul, of healed flesh and forgiven hearts,
we come with joy and thanksgiving.
You create all things in your love. You claim us in love. You set us free for love.
And so we come to this table, a table like no other,
that unites us, blesses us, and makes us new.
So we sing your praise, with joy and gratitude,
in one voice with all creation.
[Sanctus, spoken or sung:]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest.
[or alternate version]
Blessed are all who come in your name, and blessed is Jesus, your Christ.
He loved and taught, healed and blessed all people.
True to your love and grace alone,
and not conforming to the fears and desires of those around him,
he embodied your grace, and gave himself in love.
[The Blessing and Covenant….] *
Whenever we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection until he comes again.
Remembering these, your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
[Memorial Acclamation, spoken or sung:]
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
—or—
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in glory.
[or alternative]
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, that receiving the Body of Christ,
we may become anew the Body of Christ.
By your Spirit in us, may we be shaped by your Word,steadfast in your truth and living with your love.
Make us one with Christ, one with each other,
and one in ministry to all the world,
to your glory and your delight.
[Spoken or sung]
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.
Prayer of Dedication / Sending
1.
Gracious God, we give you our lives, symbolized in these gifts. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. You have given us all we need to face our challenges, to live with courage and beauty, and to work for justice and healing for the sake of the wholeness of all Creation. Send us now to do your will, by the power of your Spirit, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Suggested Songs
(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)
Do Justice (Original song)
Do justice, love mercy,
walk humbly with your God.
O help us humbly live
your justice, your love, your mercy.
Vine and Branches (Original song)
You are the vine and we are your branches,
one with your life and rooted in your heart.
Flowing with grace, with life you fill us,
strengthened that nothing can break us apart.
You are the vine and we are your branches.
Deep in our hearts your life is flowing through.
Rooted in you, we grow and flourish.
You live within us, and we live in you.
You are the vine and we are your branches.
One common blood flows though all of our veins.
We all are part of one another.
We all are branches of one living vine.
You are the vine and we are your branches,
flowing with power greater than our own,
bearing your fruit to all Creation,
till all the seeds of your love have been sown.
Alleluia.
OT 19 – Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
August 10, 2025
Lectionary Texts
Isaiah 1.1, 10-20 — God says “I don’t want your religious words and rituals. Do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed and advocate for those who are powerless.”
Psalm 50 — God says “I don’t need your sacrifices. I want your faithfulness.”
Hebrews 11.1-3, 6-16 — Faith is the assurance of unseen things. The examples of Noah and Abraham.
Luke 12. 32-40 — It is God’s god will to give you the kingdom. Let go of your possessions. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be. Be alert servants ready for the householder’s return. The Human One is coming unexpectedly.
Preaching Thoughts
Isaiah
Again the prophet rails not against private sins but corporate ones: systemic injustice, particularly against the poor. (Note verse 10: this is the sin of Sodom: not sexual perversity but economic perversity.) Isaiah has nothing against worship and ritual. He’s simply asking that it reflect our desire for justice, not just trying to get good with God. In Mt. 9.13 and 12.7 Jesus quotes Hosea’s version of it: “I desire mercy, not sacrifices.” He says the same in Mk. 12.33 as well.
Hebrews
“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” — For Christians hope isn’t about the future; it’s not just wishful thinking. It’s trust in what’s already here, but unseen. We trust God not because we think God will act but because we know God is acting. Hope is trusting in that unseen grace; faith is reaching out to connect with it even when we can’t see what’s next.
Luke
“Do not worry…” — We often say “There’s nothing to eat,” or “I don’t have a thing to wear” when that’s not really true. Most of us are nowhere near the abject poverty we claim to be afraid of. No doubt you’ve heard people complain that tithing would make them so poor they’d be be a burden—when in fact they’d only be 10% closer to the way many other people live quite comfortably. If we’re worried, it’s probably a sign we’re addicted. If we’re seeking God’s love and justice, what we need will be provided.
Most of us are addicted to money. We think we need it to be happy, and we can’t let go of it. We’re exactly like drunks who say “Oh, I could give up drinking any time, I just haven’t yet…” But until we quit, we’re hooked. The only way to sober up in our addiction to money is to quit: give it away. “Sell your possessions and give generously.” Until then we’re just whining about something we haven’t even lost. People resent preachers “asking for money,” but in fact the preacher is showing you how to get free.
Jesus is not only talking about letting go of our materialism and our addiction to comfort. He’s also getting at how we place all sorts of other values ahead of love. Whatever we cling to—reputation, familiarity, entitlement—is our “drug of choice,” and we need to let go of it.
Churches worry about what to eat and wear—that is, budgets and buildings—but not about their mission and ministry. “Seek the kingdom,” Jesus says. That’s why it’s not the change of subject it seems to be when Jesus talks about the coming of the householder and the unexpected thief. We need to be ready to serve, and put our possessions at God’s disposal, at a moment’s notice. Otherwise the thief of our selfishness will sneak in and commandeer our stuff. Whether a church or an individual, we need to ask always: Am I putting my treasure to God’s use, or clinging to it?
“It is your Abba God’s good pleasure to give you the whole empire.”— We whine about the little things we want, but God has given us everything. Wow. Beyond all our talk about “seeking” the Realm of God, it’s actually right here in our laps. It’s given, in both senses of the word. If we seek to create a community of love, healing, reconciliation and justice, we will have what we need. External conditions will remain external.
“The Kingdom.” The Realm of God has three dimensions: 1. The absolute sovereignty of God, the reliable mystery that Love, our Abba-Amma God, is the Creator, center, power and law of life and the universe. We may ignore it but we can’t escape it. To “receive the Realm of God” is to awaken to this blessed reality. 2. A field of love, like a magnetic or electrical field. When we live in harmony with it we “have life, and have it abundantly.” In disharmony, we find ourselves in a “outer darkness.” 3. God’s hope for the world. God is still creating a world of justice and wholeness, attested to by Jesus and the prophets, but not yet fulfilled. It is still “coming.” We don’t have the power to force or prevent it, only the choice to live in harmony with it or out of tune with God’s delight. For God to “give us the Realm” doesn’t mean we have ownership or control, but we have access and belonging.
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Notice it’s not the other way around. Don’t wait till you feel like being generous. You may never. Sometimes we have to move our treasure—to give it away—to awaken our hearts to what we really care about.
Call to Worship
1.
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.
God of grace and abundance,
you give us all things, even your whole Realm.
We eat from your hands; we rest in your lap.
Deepen our gratitude, trust and compassion.
Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
2.
Leader: Eternal God, provider of every good thing, we praise you.
All: We are in awe; this is our worship.
Loving Christ, your grace is overflowing.
We are grateful; this is our worship.
Holy Spirit, you empower us to do justice and join the work of love.
We are ready; this is our worship.
It is your good pleasure to give us the whole Realm.
How can we but serve you, in joy and love?
Collect / Prayer of the Day
1.
God of abundant grace, you spread out Creation like a feast before us. You pour out your love like rain upon us. You stir in our souls like the molten earth beneath our continents. Help us to receive. Help us to trust. Help us now to listen for your Word, and be renewed in your Spirit. Amen.
2.
Gracious God, it is your pleasure to give us your Spirit, to give us your grace, to give us your whole Realm. Open our hearts so that we may always be ready to receive and to share your blessings. We pray in the name of Jesus, fountain of your grace. Amen.
3.
God of love and justice, we are not here to impress you with a good worship service. We are not here for our own sake. We are here to hear your Word, to be set to work doing justice, caring for our neighbors, and serving others. Shape our lives according to your Word, guide us by your Spirit, and send us forth in the name and the company of Christ, for the sake of the mending of the world. Amen.
Listening prayer
1.
Holy Mystery of Love,
you are our treasure;
our heart is with you.
You offer us the whole world of your grace.
By your Spirit may we receive.
2.
God of love,
we are your willing helpers,
ready to be set to service.
Come to us,
speak to us,
and put us to work
in the Realm of your Love.
Prayer of Confession
Pastor: The grace of God is with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, we open ourselves in honesty to God.
God of love, help us to see ourselves with the eyes of love,
to see what is in us that is loving,
and what is not loving
God, we recall when we have been in harmony with you, or with life, and we give thanks. [Silent prayer…]
We recall when we have been out of harmony, and we seek your grace. [Silent prayer…]
God of mercy, in Christ you have shown us your grace.
Forgive us, heal us, and perfect your love in us.
[Silent prayer…]
Dearly Beloved, by the grace we know in Christ,
I proclaim that all your sins are entirely forgiven,
and you are set free to live by the grace of the Holy Spirit
now and to eternal life. Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer
[The body of the prayer may be read responsively or by the presiding leader(s) alone.]
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your heart.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
Abba God, it is your good pleasure to give us your whole Empire.
All of Creation you give to us, and all of your grace that surrounds us.
You seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, and care for the widow.
You ask us to do the same.
Consider the ravens: who neither sow nor reap;
they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet you feed them.
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
yet, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.
You shower us with your grace and nourish us with your love.
Therefore with all Creation we sing your praise.
[Sanctus, spoken or sung:]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest.
[or alternate version]
Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ,
who gave us your riches and shared with us us your abundance.
He offered us unfailing treasure in heaven,
where no thief comes near and no moth destroys
He fed the hungry, healed the sick, and included the rejected.
He freed us from worry and taught us to trust your grace.
He stood against the powers of Empire,
promising instead your Empire of Grace.
For his resistance he was crucified, but you raised him from death.
(The Blessing and Covenant) *
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
[Memorial Acclamation, spoken or sung:]
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
—or—
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in glory.
[or alternative]
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ,
dressed for action, with lamps that are lit.
By the strength of these gifts empower us to do your will,
to seek justice, rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan, and care for the widow,
for the sake of the healing of the world,
to your glory, in the name of Christ.
[Spoken or sung]
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.
Prayer of Dedication / Sending
Gracious God, we give you our lives, symbolized in these gifts. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. You have given us all we need to face our challenges, to live with courage and beauty, and to work for justice and healing for the sake of the wholeness of all Creation. Send us now to do your will, by the power of your Spirit, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Suggested Songs
(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)
All of the Gifts I Have (Tune: Fairest Lord Jesus)
All of the gifts I have, all that is within me,
you give to me, O God, with care;
all of my prayers and skills, passions and energies
you grant to me to freely share.
Here are my hopes and dreams, attitudes and deepest loves,
all of the treasure to which I cling.
I will not hold them in, stilling my ardent song,
but serving you I’ll freely sing.
In all I keep or give, may I do my very best
in everything I say and do,
in harmony with you, only to love and bless,
with joy, to serve and honor you.
Communion Song (Tune: Amazing Grace)
Dear Jesus, when we break our bread with those who are in need,
we then by grace commune with God, and it is you we feed.
When we sit down and eat with those who hunger and who thirst,
we know that we are also poor, and you have fed us first.
So call us to your table, Love, your grateful children, call:
where we receive your grace, unearned, and turn to share with all.
Do Justice (Original song)
Do justice, love mercy,
walk humbly with your God.
O, help us humbly live your justice,
your love, your mercy.
Giving Heart (Tune: O WALY WALY, or The Water is Wide- Gift of Love)
O God of grace, you set us free
and feed us all abundantly,
so help me trust the gifts you give,
with giving heart and hands to live.
Come, Spirit, come, and set me free
from all I cling to fearfully.
Come heal my heart, my fears relieve,
so I may give as I receive.
Your Bread of Life transforms us, Lord,
so we become your living Word.
Our lives no more are ours to hold,
but yours to share with all the world.
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 for 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 18 – Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
August 3, 2025
Lectionary Texts
Hosea 11.1-11 — When Israel was a child I loved him, but my people are bent on turning away from me. …Yet.. how can I give you up? I will not execute my anger. I am God, and not human.
Psalm 107 — A series of vignettes of God’s saving grace. Some wandered hungering in deserts; God feeds the hungry (vv. 4-9). Some sat in darkness; God shatters the doors (10-16). Some were sick; God healed them (17-22). Some sailed in ships; God brought them to safety (23-30). God raises up the needy.
Colossians 3.1-11 — You have been raised with Christ. Seek the things that are above. You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Put to death selfish passions. You are clothed with a new self.
Luke 12.13-21 —Be on your guard against greed. The parable of a rich man would build bigger barns—but dies instead.
Preaching Thoughts
Hosea
This scene is a great rejoinder to the idea of hell. Sure, God is upset with us, but she will never reject her children. She loves us, and nothing is stronger than that. We readily anthropomorphize God, making God into a really big human being, with human emotions. But— “I am God and not human.” Even God’s wrath is loving, and not just “tough love,” but deeply kind and desiring of connection. God’s love is not self-serving, but actually love—concern for our sake. God always draws us us closer, and never pushes us away.
It’s also one of those places where scripture offers us a feminine image of God. It doesn’t actually indicate a gender, but it sure sounds like what a mom does, doesn’t it? Go with it.
If God is our parent we are all one family. We are all equally loved, equally belonging. Our nasty little sibling rivalries are pointless— all the ways we separate ourselves, create distinctions, privilege and exclusion, insiders and outsiders, saved and unsaved. God is loving, and angry, but still loving to all of us.
Colossians
You have been raised with Christ; seek the things that are above. — God rescues us from the fear-and-anxiety world we live in, a deadly world of having to be good enough and failing and pretending we’re good enough anyway. God raises us with Christ: lifts us out of that death-world and into a new reality, a world in which we are loved and free. Having been delivered into a new world we’re invited to exercise a new kind of consciousness. To “set your mind on things above” doesn’t just mean to daydream about heaven. It means to focus on the love of God and not the things of the world. It means to practice a God-oriented consciousness: accepting, free of dualistic judgment, open to paradox, mindful of grace in everything, avoiding illusions that reinforce our biases but seeking the truth, and rooted in love. We see things as Christ sees them. When we focus our mindfulness on God, and devote ourselves singularly to the work of being vessels of God’s grace, everything else falls into place; priorities align, and we are free from the burdensome distractions of our fears and desires.
You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. — Meditate on that for half an hour. Or a lifetime. Once you thought of yourself as an isolated individual, but now you know you’re part of Christ. Your former self, your old way of life, taken. Your new life hidden. You don’t have to explain it or justify it. People won’t get it anyway. You can’t see it. It’s there, shining, but hidden. Don’t look for it; just be it. You are with Christ. In good company, in in safe hands. You are in God. You don’t have to look for God; you won’t see God anyway. You are inside God. Such a vision of God’s intimate love, enveloping us, transforming us, bearing us, birthing us…It’s like being in the womb of God with Jesus.
When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. — Christ is not just a model for your life; Christ is your life. Christ is living in you, through you. As ordinary and imperfect as your life is, it shines with God’s glory, since God is in it. It’s not arrogant to see the glory of God in you. It’s in everybody. Part of what it means to “set your mind on things above,” to live with a Christ consciousness, is to see this.
Put to death whatever in you is earthly. — Don’t get hung up on sex. “Passion and evil desire” and even “fornication” isn’t just about sex. It’s about wanting stuff for ourselves that isn’t ours, or that hurts other people. Sill, anger, slander, malice and abusive language mean what they say. Do not lie, because lying comes from fear, and we’ve been set free from fear. (Imagine if our politicians were all actually Christian!)
You have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. — Faith is not just about being—being saved, being a Christian. It’s about becoming. God is continually transforming us. “Renewed” doesn’t mean restored to a former state. It means being made new.
There is no longer Greek and Jew…—Certainly there are differences, but what Paul is pointing to is hierarchies and divisions of privilege and exclusion. God loves everybody exactly the same. All of us, with all our differences, are equally part of Christ. Being in Christ asks us to give up our notions of who’s more or less deserving.
Luke
In the Gospel of Thomas this parable ends (like, often, death itself) more abruptly. After the rich man’s speech to himself, it says, “These were the things he was thinking in his heart—but that very night he died.” Boom.
All that stuff you obsess about, all the Things you gather, hoard, protect, cherish— really, do they matter? What are you actually grasping at? Security? Power? Esteem? Protection from want? Everything with which you fill your barns or your hands or your mind or your time, every bit keeps you from filling your life with love, with generosity, with God.
If you know you are about to die soon, what do you most care about? Well then that’s what you actually care about. Why not care about that right now? What are the worldly things—fears, desires and attachments— that keep us from loving perfectly?
Call to Worship
1.
Leader: Creating God, you breathed life into us, and made us yours.
All: Our breath is yours.
Loving Christ, you heal us, guide us, and give yourself to us.
Our blood is yours.
Holy Spirit, you pulse through us with the energy of your love.
The fire in our eyes is yours.
We worship you with our silence and our voices, our presence and our lives.
2.
Leader: Generous God, you give us abundant life.
All: We thank you. We praise you.
Gentle Christ, you heal us in mercy and grace.
We love you. We serve you.
Holy Spirit, you breathe your song of beauty in us.
We open ourselves to you. We worship you. We cry, Alleluia!
3.
Leader: Loving God, you have raised us with Christ.
All:We have died, and our life is hidden with Christ in you.
Give us minds shaped by your grace.
Clothe us in the new life.
Renew your image in us.
Spirit of love, transform us by your grace. Amen.
4. [Hosea]
Leader: Mothering God, you birthed us in love.
All: You called us by name.
You lifted us to your cheek.
You bent down to us and fed us.
You taught us to walk.
You led us with love.
And yet we run from you.
Still, you reach out to us in love.
Your compassion grows warm and tender.
By your grace, we turn back to you.
You return us to our home.
We worship you in humility and gratitude.
Hold us in your loving arms.
Collect / Prayer of the Day
1.
God of love, in this complicated life we cling to many things. Release our grip on all that Stuff. Give us grace to let go, to be present here with you, to listen for your Word, and to receive your grace. We pray in the name and the company of Jesus. Amen.
2.
Extravagant God, you have been rich toward us with many gifts. Of all the things you have abundantly provided for us, we become attached to many things. Help us to let go of them all and cling only to your love and grace. We seek you in your Word, and we seek our own souls in your love. Open our hearts and help us be present for you, who are infinitely present for us. Amen.
3.
Gracious God, we thank you for this time with you. Help us to let go of our attachments to what we think we want, long enough to listen to you. Help us to set our minds on your grace. Prepare us to be changed, and to listen to you, so that we may trust and follow and serve. Amen.
Listening Prayer
(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)
1.
God of love,
we have died, and our life is hidden
with Christ in you.
We rest in that mystery,
and open ourselves to your loving presence.
2.
God of grace,
all that we cling to
we now let go.
In poverty of spirit,
we open the hands of our hearts
to you and your Word of love.
Prayer of Confession
1. (Col. 3)
Pastor: God of grace, you have raised us to new life.
We call to mind those times we have clothed ourselves in the new self,
and we give thanks.
[Silent reflection…]
We call to mind those times when we have fallen into the old life,
and we seek your grace.
Heal us, God, forgive us, and continue to renew us in the image of our Creator.
[Silent reflection…]
Dearly beloved, by the grace we know in Christ,
I proclaim to you that your sins are forgiven.
You have died, and your life is hidden in Christ.
When Christ, who is your life, is revealed,
then you also will be revealed with him in glory. Amen.
2. (Luke)
Pastor: God of grace, you have given us all good things.
We call to mind those times we have let go of the goods and values of this world
and clung to your love alone.
We remember and give thanks.
[Silent reflection…]
We call to mind those times we have clung to the goods and values of this world
as if they were ours, as if they were us.
We confess, and we ask your forgiveness.
[Silent reflection]
Dearly beloved, by the love we know in Christ,
I proclaim to you that your sins are forgiven;
by God’s grace you are free to live by the Spirit alone,
now and to eternal life. Amen.
Readings
Colossians 3.1-11, my paraphrase
Since you have been raised into new life with Christ, let your consciousness be shaped by that life, intimately close to Christ, close to God. Set your minds at a higher level, on essential things, not on meaningless distractions. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ— who is your life— is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Christ in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is self-centered: grasping for what is not yours, betraying your true nature, being controlled by selfish passions and desires and greed (after all, that is the true nature of idolatry). God’s fierce desire for our transformation burns in us when we live by these energies. These are ways we all once followed, when we were living that life.
But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and disrespect. Be truthful with one another, seeing that you have stripped off your old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with a new self, which has a whole new frame of mind, reflecting the image of its creator. In this renewal there is no longer insider and outsider, religious and non-religious, native and immigrant, superior and inferior; but Christ is all and in all!
Eucharistic Prayer
[The body of the prayer may be read responsively or by the presiding leader(s) alone.]
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your heart.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
We thank you, God, for you create us in your image.
You claim us, and you are faithful to us.
You are abundantly generous to us.
You have raised us up to new life in Christ.
You walk with us toward a new world of mercy and justice.
You set us free from all that oppresses,
and call us to end all oppressing.
You offer us true abundance of life—
not possessions, but love that cannot be taken from us. We thank you and with all Creation we sing your praise.
[Sanctus, spoken or sung:]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest.
[or alternate version]
Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ.
He taught and healed; he fed the hungry and restored the outcast.
He showed us the wonders of your grace,
so, forsaking all others, we might give ourselves to you.
He gave himself completely, dying for his stand for mercy and justice.
But you raised him from the dead, and still he calls us to life.
(The Blessing and Covenant) *
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
[Memorial Acclamation, spoken or sung:]
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
—or—
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in glory.
[or alternative]
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may be for the world
the Body of Christ, clothed in the new life, vessels of your love,
generous with our lives and rich toward you,
for the sake of the wholeness of the world,
in the name and the Spirit of Christ.
[Spoken or sung]
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.
Prayer of Dedication / Sending
Gracious God, we give you these gifts as symbols of our lives. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. You give us our lives as your gift to us. We give them to the world as our gift to you, in the name and Spirit of Christ. Amen.
Suggested Songs
(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)
Always New (Tune: Gift of Love (“Water Is Wide”) or Tallis’ Canon)
O God, you make me always new.
Each breath I breathe is life from you,
a gift of love that sets me free.
Beloved, breathe new life in me.
O Christ, you call me to new birth
like God’s creation of the earth,
to leave the things I’m fastened on
and walk into the rising dawn.
O loving Spirit, live in me.
Forgive my sin and set me free.
Give me new birth, life from above,
that I may live in your deep love.
Children of the Heavenly Mother (Tune: Children of the Heavenly Father)
Children of the Heavenly Mother,
gather gladly with each other,
for you call us to your table
bringing gifts as we are able.
You have held us and caressed us,
washed and taught us, healed and blessed us;
now you cherish and adore us
and you set our lives before us.*
You have birthed us, and have freed us;
with your body now you feed us.
In this grace, O loving mother,
we are one with one another.
So we praise you, heavenly Mother,
Holy Spirit, Christ our brother,
All Creation sings together
honor, thanks and praise for ever.
* With communion: “and you set this table for us.”
O Faithful God (Tune: Finlandia)
O faithful God, whose steadfast love is sure,
O Loving Father, Mother kind and strong:
your Covenant forever will endure;
you bind us to your heart our whole life long.
No matter how rebellious is your child,
in you we are brought home and reconciled
You hold us, God, in kinship with each other.
We have been loved and held when we would run.
We all are siblings, all born of one Mother;
though we would flee, you join us all as one.
Our deepest wounds come from our deepest love,
and so our highest hope for life above.
So teach us God, to bravely love each other,
for all belong within your house of grace,
to give our enemy, who is our brother,
our steadfast mercy, and a wide embrace;
for in our love, though we be right or wrong,
we know the grace to which we all belong.