Call to Worship, Prayer: World Communion Sunday


Here’s a call to worship and prayer of the day from Thom Shuman.

Call to Worship

Welcome to this place:
where children and seasoned citizens sit side by side,
where heaven and earth embrace in peace,
where God has been, is, and always will be.

Welcome to this place, as we gather with all of God's children:
where we find God's love,
where we hear the tender voice of Jesus,
where the Spirit teaches us new songs.

Welcome to this place, where all is made ready by our God:
where we bring our hunger, and find food;
where we our brokenness, and find healing;
where we bring our very selves, and find acceptance.

Prayer of the Day

We will not find
that needed justice
in our apathy;
we will not find
that elusive wholeness
with our quarreling;
we will not find
our hoped for unity
with our doctrines;
we will not find
our misplaced love
with our hating;
we will not find
that rest we crave
in our overflowing planners;
we will not find
the peace you offer
in our well nursed grudges.

but
we will find you
in the brokenness of the Bread
and in the breaking of our hearts;
we will find you
when we drain the Cup,
refill it with our gifts,
and offer it to a little child;
we will find you
when we squeeze closer together,
making room at the Table
for all your people.

Help us to find you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray together, saying,
Our Father . . .

~ written by Thom Shuman, and posted on Lectionary Liturgies.  Visit that site for many other excellent worship resources.  http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/

Call to the Table: World Communion Sunday


Here’s an invitation to the Table written for World Communion Sunday (celebrated by churches around the globe on the first Sunday in October).  It was written by Joanna Harader.

Invitation to the Table

Leader: We gather around the Table in places far and near
Side 1: Eating Sourdough, Rye, Tortillas
Side 2: Crackers, Wafers, and Wonderbread–
All:       The body of Christ.
Leader: Drinking the wine or the juice
Side 1: from handmade chalices and silver goblets,
Side 2: golden spoons and little mini cups–
All:       The blood of Christ.
Leader: The bread and the cup unite us with all who would follow Jesus.
Side 1: This meal reaches back through the centuries.
Side 2: This table reaches around the world.
All:       Let us eat and drink with joy.

~ written by Joanna Harader, and posted on her Spacious Faith blog. http://spaciousfaith.com/      

See also the Great Thanksgiving she wrote for World Communion Sunday.  http://spaciousfaith.com/2011/09/28/wednesday-worship-piece-world-communion-sunday/

For more worship resources for World Communion Sunday, see this Christian Unity Resources Index.

Prayer: Breadmaker Supreme


Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving from the Diocese of Bath and Wells website.

Breadmaker Supreme

Take 3 kilos of flour says the recipe …

We thank you, Lord, for flour:
flour made from wheat or other grain,
grown in the mystery of the earth,
ripened in the warmth of the sun;
ripened, then cut down at the hearvest by the farmer’s skill,
ground by the miller,
sold by the shop assistant,
placed in the bowl…
we thank you, Lord, for flour.

We thank you, Lord, for salt:
Jesus told us we were to be salt of the earth,
and we must never lose our flavour.
The salt, which adds flavour to our food,
is also antiseptic to our wounds,
reminding us of the challenge to our faith
and the healing power of Jesus …
We thank you, Lord, for salt.

We thank you, Lord, for yeast:
that small yet living organism
that enables the bread to rise,
that reminds us of the fact that even small works done in Jesus’ name
can enable the kingdom to grow …
we thank you, Lord, for yeast.

We thank you, Lord, for water:
water, without which none of us could live,
water, which forms the other elements of our bread into dough,
which, having risen, and been formed and drawn into shape by human
hands, is baked to give us the staff of life;
water, which cleanses and renews us,
refreshes and revives us,
the water of baptism, which commits us to our faith …
we thank you, Lord, for water…

We thank you, Lord, for bread:
Bread, the basis of the food we eat,
bread for toast, for sandwiches, for bread and jam,
bread for bread pudding and bread for buns –
and bread that is broken and shared in communion with one another,
in remembrance –
remembrance of that night when Jesus sat with his friends at supper,
and broke the bread and gave it to them,
saying, “This is my body broken for you.”
We thank you, Lord, for bread.

~ posted on the Diocese of Bath and Wells website. http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/

Opening Prayer: Psalm 65


Here’s an opening prayer inspired by Psalm 65.  It was written by Michael Perry.

Preparing for Worship
(inspired by Psalm 65)

Our God, we come together to praise you,
and to renew our promises to you;
for you have overcome our failings,
you have forgiven our sins and answered our prayers:
thank you for sending the rain to make the land rich and fertile,
thank you for filling the streams with water,
thank you for providing the earth with crops,
for making the young plants grow,
thank you for the cattle in the pastures and the sheep upon the hillside;
thank you, Lord, for the harvest. Amen.

~ written by Michael Perry, and posted on the Jubilate website. http://www.jubilate.co.uk/   Visit that site for many other free worship resources and contemporary hymns.  If you use Jubilate material in worship, remember to report it on your CCLI license.

Call to Worship: Hebrews 1: 1-3


Here’s an opening call to worship based closely on Hebrews 1:1-3.

Call to Worship
(based on Hebrews 1:1-3)

Long ago, at different times and in various ways,
God spoke to our ancestors through the Hebrew prophets.
But in these last days,
we have heard God’s voice through His Son, Jesus Christ,
who has been given dominion over all things
and through whom all worlds were made.

He is the One who sustains the universe by the power of his command;
the One who gave himself to free us from the grip of sin and death;
the One who, even now, reigns in the heavens, seated at the right hand of God.
This is our God!  
Let's worship together.

Readers' Theatre: Mark 10: 2-16


Here’s a readers’ theatre setting of Mark 10:2-16, the gospel reading for Proper 22 B (Ordinary 27 B) – the nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  It is set for two voices.

Readers’ Theatre: Mark 10: 2-16

Some Pharisees came and tried to trap Jesus with this question:
“Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?”
But Jesus answered with another question:

What did Moses say in the law about divorce?

“Well, he permitted it,” they replied.
“He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce
and send her away.”

He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts. 
But ‘God made them male and female’ from the beginning of creation.
This explains why a man leaves his father and mother 
and is joined to his wife,
and the two are united into one.
Since they are no longer two but one, 
let no one split apart what God has joined together.

Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house,
they brought up the subject again. 
Jesus told them, 

Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else
commits adultery against her. 
And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else,
she commits adultery.

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus
so he could touch and bless them.
But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
When Jesus saw what was happening,
he was angry with his disciples.
He said to them, 

Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them!
For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 
I tell you the truth,
anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child
will never enter it.

Then he took the children in his arms
and placed his hands on their heads
and blessed them.

Readers' Theatre: Hebrews 1: 1-4; 2: 5-12


Here’s a readers’ theatre setting of Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12, the epistle reading for Proper 22 B (Ordinary 27 B) – the nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  It is set for two voices.

Readers’ Theatre: Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways
to our ancestors through the prophets.
And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.

God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance,
and through the Son he created the universe.
The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God,
and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.

When he had cleansed us from our sins,
he sat down in the place of honor
at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels,
just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.

And furthermore,
it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about.
For in one place the Scriptures say,

“What are mere mortals that you should think about them,
or a son of man that you should care for him?
Yet you made them only a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them authority over all things.”

Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out.
But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority.
What we do see is Jesus,
who was given a position “a little lower than the angels”;
and because he suffered death for us,
he is now “crowned with glory and honor.”

Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone.
God, for whom and through whom everything was made,
chose to bring many children into glory.
And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering,
a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.

So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father.
That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. 
For he said to God,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among your assembled people.”

Opening Prayer: Hebrews 1: 1-4


Here’s a prayer of praise and adoration inspired by Hebrews 1:1-4.  It was written by Moira Laidlaw.

Prayer of Praise and Adoration
(inspired by Hebrews 1:1-4)

We praise you, O God,
for breaking through to us in the person of Jesus, your Son, our Lord. 
When the words of the prophets went unheard
and when their actions were ignored,
you spoke the creative word once more. 
Bringing order out of chaos again—
this time not to bring a world into being, 
but to bring your very being into the world.
The essence of your love taking on our flesh.

In the midst of this congregation, we praise you.
With our lives, we worship you.

Gracious God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer,
to you be all glory and honour, now and forever.  Amen

~ written by Moira Laidlaw, and posted on Liturgies Online.  http://www.liturgiesonline.com.au/

Readers' Theatre: Mark 9: 30-37


Here’s a readers’ theatre setting of Mark 9:30-37, the gospel reading for Proper 20 B (the 17th Sunday after Pentecost).  It is set for two readers.

Readers’ Theatre: Mark 9:30-37

Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee.
Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there,
for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them.
He said to them,

The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.
He will be killed,
but three days later he will rise from the dead.

They didn’t understand what he was saying, however,
and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.
After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house,
Jesus asked his disciples,

What were you discussing out on the road?

But they didn’t answer,
because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.
He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said,

Whoever wants to be first must take last place
and be the servant of everyone else.

Then he put a little child among them.
Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,

Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf
welcomes me,
and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me
but also my Father who sent me.

Gospel Reflection: Mark 9: 38-50


Here’s a thoughtful prayer reflection from Anne Osdieck at The Center for Liturgy Sunday Web Site.

 

Gospel Reflection

(inspired by Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48)

 

For whoever is not against us is for us. Mark 9:40

Who is for us?

Jesus’ answer:

 

anyone
who extends a helping hand,
who shelters the homeless,
who cares for the earth,
who feeds the hungry,
teaches the ignorant,
stands for justice,
gives
a cup of water
in my name
is all for us,

 

and belongs to me.

 

Jesus,
all we want
is to belong to you.

 

~ written by Anne Osdieck, and posted on The Center for Liturgy Sunday Website of Saint Louis University.  http://liturgy.slu.edu/


Call to Worship, Prayer: Proper 21 B


Here’s a call to worship and opening prayer inspired by Psalm 24, Mark 9 and James 5, two of the suggested scripture readings for the 18th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21 B).  They come from the Ministry Matters website.

Call to Worship
(inspired by Psalm 124, James 5)

Blessed be the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth!
Praise be to God, the Giver of many gifts!
Our help is in God’s name, the One who calls us here.
We come with songs of praise,
with prayers too deep for words.
Blessed be the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth!
Blessed be the Lord!

Opening Prayer
(inspired by James 5, Mark 9)

Christ Jesus,
we come into your presence
from many different places.
We come with songs of joy
and shouts of gratitude.
We come carrying heavy burdens
and sighs of suffering.
As you welcome us into your house,
lift our burdens
and receive our praise.
Salt us with your grace
and flavor us with your mercy.
Bind us together,
that we may be at peace with one another
and be strengthened to go forth
in service to the world.
In your holy name, we pray. Amen.

~ Adapted from The Abingdon Worship Annual 2009, © 2008 Abingdon Press.  Posted on the Ministry Matters website. http://www.ministrymatters.com/


Confession: Proper 21 B


Here’s a thoughtful act of confession written by Thom Shuman.

Call to Reconciliation

We've tried to stop, haven't we? All the foolishness which causes us to stumble, all the mistakes which hurt others, all the words of peace we might speak, but don't. Let us join our voices as we open our souls to that tender Heart who longs to forgive us, praying,

Unison Prayer of Confession

When sin and death
hover around us,
like famished vultures,
you fill us with new strength
so they cannot feed on us;
when our bitterness
clamps tight around our hearts
with its steel-like teeth,
you pry us loose
with your scarred hands
so we might walk in faith with you;
when we stack our hurts
one on top of the another,
like kindling wood,
ready to set the match
of our anger to the pile,
you pour your spirit
of forgiveness upon them,
until they are soaked so thoroughly,
nothing can ignite them.

Our help, our hope, our life, our peace
are truly found in the name
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

The good news is this:
God loves the world so much as to make it a fit place to live;
God loves us so much as to reshape us into people of faith.
Like a cup of cold water,
forgiveness revives us, restores us, gives us new life.
Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

~ written by Thom Shuman, and posted on Lectionary Liturgies.  Visit that site for many other excellent worship resources.  http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/ 

Benediction: Psalm 124


Here’s a closing commission and benediction which uses Psalm 124 as its refrain.  It was written by Bruce Prewer.

Benediction
(inspired by Psalm 124)

Go in peace to enjoy and employ your gift of faith.
Our help is in the name of God who made heaven and earth.

Fear neither outward foe nor inner temptation.
Our help is in the name of God who made heaven and earth

Rejoice in your blessings and smile in your adversities.
Our help is in the name of God who made heaven and earth.

The inexhaustible grace of Christ crucified,
the tireless, eternal love of God,
and the live-in Guest who fills household of faith with many gifts,
will be with you this day and for evermore.
Amen!

 

~ written by Bruce Prewer, and posted on Bruce Prewer’s Home Page. http://www.bruceprewer.com/


Benediction: James 5: 13-20


Here’s a closing commission and benediction based on James 5:13-20.  It was written by Nathan Nettleton.

 

Commission & Benediction

(inspired by James 5:13-20)


Go now and celebrate wherever God’s name is honoured.
When suffering comes, pray in faith.
In times of joy, sing songs of praise.
Persevere in prayer and action
to bring the fallen back to the truth.

And may God save you from all that would harm you;
May Christ Jesus heal you and raise you up;
and may the Holy Spirit anoint you
and give you peace with one another.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
...In the name of Christ. Amen.

~ Copyright © 2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net


Commitment: A New Story


Here’s a prayer of commitment from Rev. Mindi’s Rev-o-lution blog.

Prayer of Commitment

Author of Salvation, write in us a new story.
Erase the sins of the past and create a new narrative,
one in which we seek Your love and justice in this world.
Write a new direction for our lives,
away from the busy-ness and cares of the world for success and stability,
and instead plot us towards ways of living Your compassion,
care and grace in the world.

Create new opportunities for us, O God,
to explore and live this adventure of life in bold and daring ways,
in which new insights may unfold for us.
Grant us the fullness of life by living for others,
as You taught us to love our neighbor as ourselves,
but most of all, may our story be about You,
about Your love for us,
and what Your love for us calls us to do. 
In the name of Christ,
who writes the new ending and beginning, we pray. Amen.

~ written by Rev. Mindi, and posted on her Rev-o-lution blog. http://rev-o-lution.org/

Christendom: A Psalm of Lament


Here is a psalm of lament for our changing world, written by Carol Prochaska.

Psalm of Lament for Christendom

I cry aloud to God
aloud to God that God may hear my distress
in remembering the church that once was
the church I have known and loved.
For this I am troubled.
In the night when I cannot sleep
my soul refuses to be comforted
my heart longs for the church that used to be.

I consider the days of old
and remember the years of long ago
back when the church had status and clout.
Proud to be we were the mainline folks.
Sunday mornings were reserved for church.
We were known as good citizens
praying the Lord’s Prayer and singing O Canada.
It was (they tell me) Christendom.
It was in so many ways a grand thing.
It was.
And I say, “It is our grief.”

The world is not as we thought.
The church is not as we thought.
So we cry out asking
“Are God’s promises at an end for these days?
It’s not our fault!”
It is (they tell me) just what it is.

I will call to mind the deeds of our God.
I will remember God’s mighty wonders.
I will meditate on God’s living word.
I will trust the God Jesus has revealed.

So beloved people of God
let us finish our grieving.
Make us ready God to walk unseen steps
With your love renew and transform us
so that we may become the church that is yet to be.

~ Carol Prochaska (March 2010). 
Posted on the Nelson United Church website. http://www.nelsonunitedchurch.ca/PrayersofthePeople/psalmofabundance.html

Prayer: As the earth welcomes seed


Here’s a prayer of invocation from the Sacred Pauses blog.

Prayer of Invocation

Christ Jesus:
As the earth welcomes seed,
we would like to welcome your word.
In long moments of silence…
By day and by night…
It begins to grow within us,
without our knowing how.
And so,
you make us
women and men
of communion.
Amen

~ posted on the Sacred Pauses blog. http://www.sacredpauses.com/

Haiku Invocation


Here’s a prayer of praise, invocation and confession in Haiku form (5-7-5 syllables).  It was written by Robert Rife, the music and worship minister at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Yakima, Washington, and posted on his blog, Rob’s Lit-Bits.

Haiku Prayer

I’m here to listen
To the beating heart of God
And hear the silence

Perfect in beauty
Shrouded in the mists of heav’n
You reign, exalted

Never ending one
See what no one else can see
Come, sweet intrusion

Come, save me, O God
Release me from my prison
That I might praise you

When separation
Comes to lonely, seeking souls
You share our longing

How can I untie
What knots of sin lie beneath-
That you, alone, see?

Guide with compassion,
Lead un-wholly hearts to cry
And, finally, see

Can you see them now
In suff’ring, never-ending?
Great One, release them

Never have I seen
The shining face of our God
So full of yearning

~ written by Rob Rife, and posted on Rob’s Lit-Bits. http://robslitbits.com/

Litany: Setting the Table


Here’s is a litany of preparation at the Lord’s Table.  It was written by Anita Monro.

Setting the Table

Grain is gathered from the field;
threshed and milled for flour.
We are formed from the grain of God’s harvest.
Flour is mixed with water to produce basic dough.
The water of baptism unites us.
Yeast is added to transform the mixture.
The vision of God’s realm draws us onwards.
Oil softens the dough and makes a new texture.
The Holy Spirit anoints us as the body of Christ.
A little salt improves the taste.
Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth.
The bread is kneaded and shaped, molded and baked.
It is God who makes us a holy communion.
Grapes are harvested and crushed for juice.
You are the vine, we are the branches, O Christ.
Juice and skins are mixed with yeast for fermentation.
God’s reign is coming. God’s hope is here.
There is a time of waiting; then a time of pressing.
God’s new life presses forth through the sediment of our lives.
And finally, the feast is here!
Let us celebrate the feast of our life in God.

~ written by Anita Monro and posted on the MAD-e-Lena blog. http://mad-elena.blogspot.com/   

Reflection: Punctuation

Here’s a creative reflection from Hillary Beasley, a high school English teacher.  It was posted on MINemergent’s Daily Communiqué.

Punctuation
  
god is in the single dot. the full stop.
even eternity must have paused
to catch her breath in bethlehem,
on calvary, in that hospital room with me.
  
god is in the comma, and god is
like outstretched hands, connecting
or a long pause, gasping.
  
god is in the exclamation's shout!
the anger, the fervor, the wonder!

god could be in the colon:
the answer.

god is in the semi-colon; god
joins what would remain apart.

is god in the question mark?
is the curve and unoffensive dot
the mark of the fall of 
a former zealot?
is it my downfall, my lack of faith?
or is it the curve of god's embrace?

~ written by Hillary Beasley, and posted on MINemergent’s Daily Communiqué, September 14, 2012.  http://www.facebook.com/EmergentVillage