Opening Prayer: A Haven

Here’s a simple opening prayer/prayer of invocation from the Northumbria Community website.

Prayer of Invocation

Lord, take this song
and fill it with Your presence.
Let it bring a word of hope
to weary care-full hearts.
Take this song
and fill it, Lord.
Fill it with Yourself.

Lord, take my life
and fill it with Your praises.
Let me speak a word of peace
that Jesus brings in me.
Take this life
and fill it, Lord.
Fill it with Yourself.

Lord, take this place
and fill it with Your blessing.
Let it be a haven
where the poor in spirit sing.
Take this place
and fill it, Lord.
Fill it with Your praise.

~ from the Northumbria Community website. http://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/morning-prayer/

Blessing for Transfiguration Sunday

Here’s a closing blessing/benediction for Transfiguration Sunday.  It was written by Rev. Sandi McGill and posted on Starters for Sunday.

Blessing

Go now
sure footed in faith
with eyes wide open
and waiting for God’s glory
to surprise you
in unexpected ways
And the blessing of God
Father, Son and Spirit
Mystery, Sign and Hope
be with you
and those whose lives you touch
now and always
Amen

~ written by  Rev Sandi McGill and posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/

Ash Wednesday Prayer

Here’s an Ash Wednesday prayer from Stephen Fearing’s Wild and Precious Life blog.

Ash Wednesday Prayer

God with whom we walk this Lenten path,
Bless us this day as we begin the long journey to the cross.
Come to this place and remember your covenant with us.
Remember the promise you made with us mere mortals
to remain with us despite our dust.
Shower your Spirit upon us
for we need direction on this long road ahead.
Care for us, your children, as we weather this winding road,
following the faithful path of your Son, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

~ written by Stephen Fearing, and posted on Wild and Precious Life. http://www.stephenmfearing.com/

Prayer of Confession: John 4

Here’s a prayer of confession inspired by John 4: 4-42.  It was written by Joanna Harader.

Prayer of Confession
(inspired by John 4: 4-42)

God of living water, we confess the dryness of our lives:
the brittle words we have thought and spoken . . .
the relationships that are crumbling . . .
the arid perspective that centers on self . . .
the cracked and jagged edges of our world . . .
Hear our confession, O Christ,
and rain down your mercy upon us.

[Silence]

Assurance of Pardon

Jesus says,
“Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty.
The water that I will give will become in them a spring of living water.”

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

Video Suggestion: Thirst

If you are exploring the idea of thirst in your worship, here’s a YouTube video worth watching. 


A Pouring Confession

Here’s a prayer of confession on a water theme.  It comes from the Leader website.

A Pouring Confession

Supplies needed:
  • Five clear glass containers of varied shapes, each 2/3 full of water
  • A tall clear glass container large enough to hold all or most of the water in the five small containers
  • A large glass bowl
  • Small votive holders with white or off-white candles

Set up:
Off to the side of the main visual environment, place a table covered a dark cloth (blue or purple). Place the empty glass bowl at one end. At the other end of the table, place the tall glass container. In between, arrange the five clear glass containers filled with water. Two readers read the following prayer antiphonally; a third person stands behind the table to pour out the water with each confession.

Prayer of Confession

1 & 2:   Let us confess the excuses we have made
            for not living in the reality of the kingdom of God:
(pause)

1:         For our blindness to the needs of others
2:         and our preoccupation with our own agenda,

Water is slowly poured from one of the small containers into the tall glass one as the congregation sings “Kyrie” (Lord, have mercy), or something similar.

1:         for our failure to pay attention to the still, small voice in our lives,
2:         for our surrender to fear and self-protection,

Water is slowly poured from one of the small containers into the tall glass one as the congregation sings “Kyrie” (Lord, have mercy), or something similar.

1:         for harsh words spoken to our friends,
2:         and love withheld from our enemies,

Water is slowly poured from one of the small containers into the tall glass one as the congregation sings “Kyrie” (Lord, have mercy), or something similar.

1:         for seeking success rather than faithfulness,
2:         for praying without acting,

Water is slowly poured from one of the small containers into the tall glass one as the congregation sings “Kyrie” (Lord, have mercy), or something similar.

1:         For our life choices this week
2:         that have not contributed to greater love and justice in the world.

Water is slowly poured from one of the small containers into the tall glass one as the congregation sings “Kyrie” (Lord, have mercy), or something similar.

While the next lines of the prayer are offered, the person who has been pouring water lifts the large water-filled container and slowly pours all the water into the large bowl.)

1:         O Lord,
            you are our strength and our might;
            you have become our salvation.
2:         Listen to what God says:
            “I have taken away the judgments against you;
            I will remove disaster from you,
            so that you will not bear reproach for it.”

1 & 2:   With joy we will draw water from the wells of salvation.

~ “A Pouring Confession” comes from Fall 2012 Advent-Epiphany Resources on the Leader website. http://www.leaderonline.org/supplement.htm

Readers' Theatre: Romans 5: 1-11

Here’s a simple readers’ theatre setting of Romans 5: 1-11, set for two voices.

Readers’ Theatre: Romans 5: 1-11

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith,
we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 
Because of our faith,
Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand,
and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials,
for we know that they help us develop endurance. 

And endurance develops strength of character,

and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 

And this hope will not lead to disappointment.
For we know how dearly God loves us,
because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

When we were utterly helpless,
Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person,

…though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good…

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us
while we were still sinners. 

And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ,
he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 
For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son
while we were still his enemies,
we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God 
because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Prayer for Drought

“Jesus said, ‘People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water.
But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether.” John 4:13

Lord God, spring of living water,
give to those who live in dry and barren lands
the vision needed to see them as they might be,
the skill and resources needed to irrigate them efficiently,
the equipment needed to make them fertile,
and, more than these,
the spiritual insight needed to recognize
that in you alone the thirsty may find true satisfaction.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

~ written by Michael Saward.  Posted on The Jubilate Group website. http://www.jubilate.co.uk/liturgy/

Monologue: Another Woman at the Well

Here’s a monologue inspired by John 4: 1-42, where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well.  It was written by Mark Diller Harder.

Another Woman at the Well
(inspired by John 4:1-42)

The picture was all wrong. This couldn’t be what I was seeing, could it? First there was ‘that
woman.’ It figures. She always marched to her own drummer and standards. Unconventional,
awkward, embarrassing. No one else would go to Jacob’s well at noon, in the middle of the
day. But I guess the rest of us women have not always been so friendly or hospitable to her.
The town well, lifeblood of the community, given by our great ancestor Jacob - his very flocks
and people drank water from there. Water! The source of all life. Without water we perish.

This well is as sacred to me as any shrine or temple, that’s for sure. There are rules to this
well too. Don’t draw water in mid-day. Don’t be caught there with men, certainly not talking
with them. And don’t even think of being there with an outsider, as a Samaritan, especially
not with a Jew – given our shared, yet antagonist histories – they think they are so much
better! This is our well! They can keep by-passing our whole territory and our well and our
much needed water for all I care.

But there I was, at noon, and watching her draw water. And this man, coming right up to her.
I moved closer to watch. He didn’t look like anyone we knew. He had the look of a Galilean. It
looked like he was asking her for a drink. Unbelievable! I moved closer, I caught some words.
Something about water and living water. She looked confused. He kept right on going.
“Everyone who drinks of this water will never be thirsty again. The water I give will become in
them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” And they just kept talking. It was as if they
were close relatives in the privacy of a family home. Family, husbands, worship, prophecy,
theology for goodness sake – nothing was out of bounds. It’s as if he knew her whole story –
but could talk about it without all the judgment – she mattered, she was important.

You should have seen the look on the faces of the other men when they returned. They must
be some sort of followers, disciples of this… prophet? The women left her jug, and ran back
to the city. It was as if she was a new woman. She had changed. For the first time ever,
people listened to her. She spoke the words ‘Messiah.’ Suddenly people were flocking there
because of her! She was so compelling! Whatever it is, I want some of that water!

~ written by Mark Diller Harder, St. Jacobs Mennonite Church, January 2010. Posted in the From Our Churches archive on the Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre website.  http://resources.mennonitechurch.ca/FileDownload/12319/Another_Woman_at_the_Well.pdf

Prayer: God, Meet us at the Wells

Here’s a prayer of petition inspired by John 4: 5-42, where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman as she draws water from the well.  It was written by Roddy Hamilton.

Prayer
(inspired by John 4: 5-42)

God:
meet us at the wells
where we are lonely
where we are forgotten
where we are hurt by others
and give us to drink
of the grace that brings life again

God:
speak to us in the trysting places
where the sinners gather
where the prejudices are made known
where our histories are broadcast
and give us to drink
of the forgiveness that brings peace again

God:
Renew all that we are and have been
fill us with a new future
inspire us with recreation
pull us into resurrection
and give us to drink
from the promise of heaven

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Mucky Paws. http://www.nkchurch.org.uk/index.php/mucky-paws

Confession: Quench our Thirst

Here’s a prayer of confession inspired by Exodus 17:1-7 (where God provides water from the  rock) and John 4 (where Jesus converses with the woman at the well).  It was written by Rev. Renee C. Jackson, and posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website.

Prayer of Confession
(inspired by Exodus 17: 1-7, John 4)

God of mercy, hear the prayers of your thirsting people.
For every time we have attributed your miracles in our lives
to our own hands alone,
Forgive us, we pray.

For every time we promised to trust you but turned to our own way
when your response did not come soon enough
or in the way we expected,
Grant us mercy, O God.

For the many opportunities to extend forgiveness
that we have refused,
Show us what it means to love, again, dear Lord.

For each way we put our own understandings above your wisdom,
For each time we resist your command to be reconciled with those
who believe differently from us,
Direct us in the way of peace, we pray.

For our silent sins, our quiet acts of violence,
and our indifference to the suffering round us,
Forgive us, Loving One, and quench our thirst with your grace;
Remake us into vessels of tenderness and compassion.
For Christ’s sake we pray.  Amen. 

Words of Assurance
(inspired by Romans 5, John 4)

Because of God’s great love for us,
we have peace with God and access to God’s grace
all through Jesus Christ
who, while we were still sinners,
died to free us from the bondage of sin.
Therefore, we may ask of Christ
to give us the living water that quenches the dryness of our souls.
In this we know we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God!

~ from Thirsting for Grace: Service Prayers for the Third Sunday of Lent, written by the Rev. Renee C. Jackson.  Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/

Readers' Theatre: John 4: 5-42

Here’s a readers’ theatre setting of John 4, where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well.  It is set for three voices.

Readers’ Theatre: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
(John 4: 3-28, 39-42)

Narr:    Jesus and his disciples left Judea and returned to Galilee.
            The trip took them through Samaria.
            After a time, they came to the Samaritan village of Sychar,
            near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 
               Jacob’s well was there;
            and Jesus, tired from the long walk,
            sat down beside the well for a rest.
            The disciples ventured off to look for provisions.
            It was about noon, and before long
            a Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water.
            Jesus said to her,

Jesus:  Would you please draw some water for me, and give me a drink?

Narr:    The woman was surprised,
            for Jews usually refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. 

Woman: I can’t believe that you, a Jew, would even speak to me,
            much less ask me for a drink of water!

Jesus:  If you only knew the gift God has for you
            and who you are speaking to!
            Because if you did, you would ask me,
            and I would give you living water.

Woman: Sir, you sit by this deep well,
            a thirsty man without a bucket in sight.
            Where would you get this living water?
            Do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob,
            who laboured long and hard to dig and maintain this well
            so that he would have clean water to share with his sons and daughters,
            his grandchildren, and his livestock? 
            How can you offer better water than he and his family enjoyed?

Jesus:  Drink this water, and your thirst is quenched only for a moment.
            You must return to this well again and again.
            But the water I offer you is different.
            I offer water that quenches thirst forever.
            It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within you,
            giving life throughout eternity.
            You would never be thirsty again.

Woman: Please, sir, give me this water!
            Then I’ll never be thirsty again,
            and I won’t have to keep coming here to get water.

Jesus:  Go and get your husband.

Woman: I don’t have a husband.

Jesus:  Technically you are telling the truth.
            But you have had five husbands
            and are currently living with a man you are not married to.

Woman: Sir, it is obvious to me that you are a prophet.
            So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist 
            that Jerusalem is the only place of worship,
            while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, 
            where our ancestors worshiped?”

Jesus:  Woman, I tell you that neither is so.
            The time is coming when it will no longer matter
            whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.
            Believe this: a new day is coming—in fact, it’s already here—
            when the importance will not be placed on the time and place of worship
            but on the truthful hearts of worshipers.
            You worship what you don’t know, while we worship what we do know,
            for God’s salvation in coming through the Jews.
            The Father is spirit,
            and He is seeking followers whose worship is sourced in truth
            and deeply spiritual as well.
            Regardless of whether you are in Jerusalem or on this mountain,
            if you do not seek the Father,
            then you do not worship.

Woman: I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ.
            When he comes, he will explain everything to us.
           
Jesus:  I am the Messiah!

Narr:    Just then his disciples came back.
            They were shocked to find him talking to a woman,
            but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?”
            or “Why are you talking to her?”

            The woman went back to the town, leaving her water pot behind.
            She stopped men and women on the streets
            and told them about what had happened.
            And because of her testimony, the village of Sychar was transformed—
            many Samaritans heard and believed.
            They approached Jesus and repeatedly invited Him to stay with them,
            so he lingered there for two days on their account.
            And as he spoke to them, many more came to believe.
            They began their faith journey because of the testimony of the woman at the well;
            but when they heard for themselves,
            they were convinced that Jesus was God’s Anointed –
            the Saviour sent to rescue the entire world.

~ this setting drew inspiration from The Voice Bible translation of Scripture, copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. http://www.hearthevoice.com/

Prayer of Confession: Water from a Rock

Here’s a prayer of confession inspired by Exodus 17: 1-7, where God provides water from a rock in the wilderness.  It comes from the Global Ministries website.

Prayer of Confession
(inspired by Exodus 17: 1-7)

God of mercy, hear our prayer.

When your desert people cried out to you in hunger and in thirst,
you gave them bread from heaven and brought out water from the rock.

When the poor and needy seek sustenance and there is none;
when their tongues are parched with thirst, you answer them:

“I, the God of Israel, will not forsake you!”

We—your people, too—hungry and thirsty for righteousness,
cry out: “Do not forsake us!”

But your answer comes, confounding and convicting:
“Do not forsake me!” you say.

“You, Lord?” we respond. “When did we see you?”

Then, like a feast spread before us,
you reveal your fullness in our neighbor’s longing gaze.

In your mercy you have created enough for our neighbor and for us,
except that we desire so much.
In your mercy you show us that our unbridled desire is killing both of us.
In your mercy, you show us the connection between our need for righteousness
and our neighbor’s need for water.

Free us from our greed, O God of mercy.
Pound righteousness from our stony hearts—like water from a rock—
that our neighbor may know no want;
that our lives might once more be full. Amen.

~ from Worship Resources for Lent and World Water Day 2014, compiled by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.  Originally posted on the Global Ministries website (United Church of Christ, Christian Church - Disciples of Christ) http://globalministries.org/water/water-worship-worship-resources.html

Litany of Blessing: Psalm 121

Lift up your eyes!  Look around.
Where does our help come from?

Our help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

God will not let you stumble and fall;
the One who watches over you
will never slumber or sleep.

God will keep safe from all of life’s evils;
from your first breath to the last breath you breathe,
from this day forward and forever.

So go in peace to love and serve God and your neighbours.

Prayer: God of Abram and Nicodemus

Here’s a prayer inspired by two of the suggested scripture readings for the second Sunday of Lent (Year A):  Genesis 12:1-4 (God’s call to Abram) and John 3: 1-17 (Nicodemus’s encounter with Jesus).  It comes from the Brummhart Publishing website.

Prayer
(inspired by Genesis 12: 1-4, John 3: 1-17)

God of Abram and Nicodemus,
God of all of us who think we are
too old or too poor or too small or too weak or too busy,
God of all of us daunted by the sheer wonder
of the plan you lay out before us:
we come to you now, aware of all you have done for us,
            and yet still struggling with our doubts.
Birth us all anew, O God;
hear us and help us on our journey.

God of Abram and Nicodemus, we pray for this world
where so many wander homeless
not by choice, but out of necessity,
            where so many are looking
for milk and honey or a great Name to rescue them.
We pray for all the people in this world, especially . . .
We pray for the women and men who lay down their lives
for the safety of brothers and sisters and neighbors . . .
We pray for those who lead us . . .
Birth us all anew, O God;
hear us and help us on our journey.

[Silence]

God of Abram and Nicodemus,
we pray for all those who long for a new beginning:
      those who are imprisoned,
      those who are estranged,
      those who have left loved ones behind,
      and those who are ill or infirm, especially . . .
Give them all new life by the power of your Spirit.
Help us to see how we can be present with them
as your hands and feet.
Birth us all anew, O God;
hear us and help us on our journey.

[Silence]

God of Abram and Nicodemus,
            we pray for your holy Church . . .
Give us the courage to leave everything behind and follow you.
Give us the faith to act on what we do not understand.
Bless us to be a blessing to everyone in your Name.
Birth us all anew, O God;
hear us and help us on our journey.

[Silence]

Birth us all anew, O God.
Hear us and help us on our journey.
Help us to grow up again,
     to accept not only earthly things but heavenly things,
     to lift up your Son and be lifted up ourselves,
     to let your Spirit move us beyond our understanding.
God of Abram and Nicodemus and all of us,
            hear us and help us
even as surely as the Spirit blows among us,
            all for the sake of your dear Son,
            who taught us when we pray to say:
 Our Father, who art in heaven . . .

~ posted on the Brummhart Publishing website. http://www.brummhartpublishing.com/

Readers' Theatre: Romans 4: 1-17

Here’s a readers’ theatre setting of Romans 4: 1-17. It is set for two voices.

Readers’ Theatre: Romans 4: 1-17

One:    Abraham was, humanly speaking,
            the founder of our Jewish nation.
            What did he discover about being made right with God?

Two:    If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God,
            he would have had something to boast about.
            But that was not God’s way. 
            For the Scriptures tell us,

One:    Abraham believed God,
            and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.

Two:    When people work, their wages are not a gift,
            but something they have earned. 
            But people are counted as righteous,
            not because of their work,
            but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. 

One:    Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth
            to Abraham and his descendants
            was based not on his obedience to God’s law,
            but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. 
            If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law,
            then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. 

Two:    For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it.

One:    The only way to avoid breaking the law
            is to have no law to break!

Two:    So the promise is received by faith.
            It is given as a free gift.

One:    And we are all certain to receive it,
            whether or not we live according to the law of Moses,
            if we have faith like Abraham’s.

Two:    For Abraham is the father of all who believe. 
            That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him,

One:    “I have made you the father of many nations.” 

Two:    This happened because Abraham believed in the God
            who brings the dead back to life
            and who creates new things out of nothing.

Readers' Theatre: John 3: 1-17

Here’s a readers’ theatre setting of John 3: 1-17, the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.  It is set for three voices.

Readers’ Theatre: John 3: 1-17

One:    There was a man named Nicodemus,
            a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.
            After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus.

Two:    Rabbi, we all know that God has sent you to teach us.
            Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.

Three:  I tell you the truth,
            unless you are born again, 
            you cannot see the Kingdom of God.

Two:    What do you mean?
            How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb
            and be born again?

Three:  I assure you,
            no one can enter the Kingdom of God
            without being born of water and the Spirit. 
            Humans can reproduce only human life,
            but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 
            So don’t be surprised when I say,
            ‘You must be born again.’ 
            The wind blows wherever it wants.
            Just as you can hear the wind
            but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going,
            so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.

Two:    How are these things possible?

Three:  You are a respected Jewish teacher,
            and yet you don’t understand these things?
            I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen,
            and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 
            But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things,
            how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 
            No one has ever gone to heaven and returned.
            But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. 
            And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness,
            so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 
            so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

            For God loved the world so much
            that he gave his one and only Son,
            so that everyone who believes in him
            will not perish but have eternal life. 
            God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world,
            but to save the world through him.

Pastoral Prayer: Lent 2A

Here’s a pastoral prayer for the second Sunday of Lent, Year A.  It was written by Paul Sauer, and posted on the Lutheran Forum website.

Pastoral Prayer
for the second Sunday in Lent

Heavenly Father, as you sent Abraham out to a new place and a new land, so you invite us to anticipate worlds and realms beyond our imaginations. As we journey in faith, bless us with your presence that our new life in your new world may be as real as this day we call “today.”

The day of the Lord is coming: He abounds in steadfast  love.

Holy Spirit, our heavenly helper, you call us to worship the LORD, our keeper. He does not slumber nor sleep. He preserves our lives forevermore.

The day of the Lord is coming: He abounds in steadfast  love.

Lord Jesus Christ, life-giver to the dead, with the Father and the Holy Spirit you call into existence things that do not exist, things too wonderful for us to even imagine. You justify the ungodly with your own righteousness, and by faith we receive your grace as a pure gift.

The day of the Lord is coming: He abounds in steadfast  love.

Lord Jesus, as you taught Nicodemus heavenly things, give us ears to hear your Heavenly Word, and a heart to accept your grace of a new birth from above. As you were lifted up upon the cross for us, so lift our hearts in faith that we may have eternal life with you.
The day of the Lord is coming: He abounds in steadfast  love.

We bring to mind those persons among us in need of healing. Hear our prayers offered in faith that you already know the names of all who seek your touch:______.

The day of the Lord is coming: He abounds in steadfast  love.

Though we remember we are dust and to dust we shall return, we remember that we are your precious dust. Amen.

~ written by Paul Sauer, and posted on Lutheran Forum. http://www.lutheranforum.org/

Monologue: John 3: 1-21

Here’s a monologue inspired by John 3 :1-21, where Nicodemus meets Jesus.  It was written by Mark Diller Harder.

Nicodemus Monologue
(inspired by John 3:1-21)

I came in the dead of night. I hid in the shadows. I had heard of Jesus, had watched him from
a distance. He was a dangerous man, a radical - I dare say, a heretic. At least that’s what we
called him in the Sanhedrin - the Jewish court of religious law and court of public opinion. We
opposed him at every front. He was getting too big for his britches! And yet, there was
something about him that kept nagging in the recesses of my mind. There were all these
signs. I wanted to get closer to find out more, but I was scared, for myself, for my reputation,
for my integrity as a scholar, a Pharisee. It was like there were hot burning coals, dangerous,
they could burn you, but I wanted to reach out and touch them, to feel their heat, to sit by
their light, to see if this was all for real.

So I came in the shadows, hidden in the darkness, where no one could see me or judge me.
I asked him my questions – putting on a bit of an edge, keeping my rhetorical distance –
even though inside the questions were burning me up. His answers were so full of riddles
and twists – well over my head - and yet so full of truth and insight they drew me right in.
‘Rabbi’ I said, ‘we know that you are a teacher from God – for no one can do these signs
apart from God’s presence.’ The answer: ‘no one can see the kingdom of God without being
born again – born from above.’ Born again?!? How can anyone be born after having grown
old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb? ‘No one can enter the kingdom of
God without being born of water and Spirit.’ And on Jesus went – talking about the Spirit and
the wind blowing where it will, and earthly and heavenly things. I couldn’t keep up. God so
loved the world. The light has come into the world. My head was spinning. I was face to face
with a light of truth so bright I couldn’t take it all in. I retreated into the safety of the shadows,
but I knew I would be back – no matter what the cost. This Jesus was the real thing.

~ written by Mark Diller Harder, St. Jacobs Mennonite Church, January 2010. Posted in the From Our Churches archive on the Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre website.  http://resources.mennonitechurch.ca/FileDownload/12314/Nicodemus_monologue.pdf

Litany: God Loved the World So Much

Here’s a litany inspired by John 3:16.  It was written by Roddy Hamilton

Litany
(inspired by John 3: 16)

1:         God loved the world so much
            that God sent Jesus the son
            so that all who believed in him
            would have eternal life

2:         God loved the world so much
            love gave everything it had
            that anyone who grasped the story of love
            would be grasped by love’s story
            and find what is eternal

1:         God loved the world so much
            heaven opened up itself completely
            so that whoever welcomed the kingdom in
            through works of love and justice
            would find the lasting wholeness of life

2:         God loved the world so much
            Jesus put on flesh and lived among us
            so that the face of God would be clear to humanity
            and the word of God would be clearly heard
            that no life is cheap enough to destroy

1:         God loved the world so much
            God went there Gods-self
            so that anyone who banked on love
            would discover life’s ultimate value
            and in so doing live in its fullness

2:         God loved the world so much
            God let Jesus gamble everything on love
            through to crucifixion and death
            so that all who ventured to love in that way
            would know what had been distilled in eternity

1:         God loved the world so much
            that God sent Jesus the son
            so that all who believed in him
            would have eternal life

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Mucky Paws. http://www.nkchurch.org.uk/index.php/mucky-paws

Litany: We Need You, God

Here’s a litany for the start of Lent from Katherine Hawker.

Litany for Lent

Because temptation is woven into the fabric of our lives,
and we know the weariness of forty days in the desert,
and the beckoning power of sweet fruit,
and the vain promises of the world,
we need you, God.
We need you, God.

Because we see the broken before the whole,
and the half empty cup, and the unfinished task,
and the thirst in freedom’s quest,
we need you, God.
We need you, God.

Because we trust in what we can see,
and we are blinded by our prejudices,
and we do not know what we do not know,
we need you, God.
We need you, God.

Because our need for correctness exceeds our need for truth,
and our excuses preempt the cry of the wounded,
and our celebration of blessing is mindless of those displaced,
we need you, God.
We need you, God.

Because you came among us,
and breathed into our sinewy souls,
and healed our pain and let us wound you,
and loved us to the end,
and triumphed over all our hatred,
we need you, God.
We need you, God.

~ written by Katherine Hawker (inspired by Iona Community Worship Book, 2002). Posted on Ponderings. http://www.liturgyoutside.net/blog/2011/02/litany-for-lent-a/

Prayer at the Start of Lent

Here’s a prayer for the beginning of Lent from Signs Along the Way.

Prayer

Creator, Sustainer and Savior,
You lead us through the late winter wilderness of Lent. 
As we trudge through the stuff of our lives,
show us, guide us, and remind us of your presence. 
Help us to see and praise you in, around and through our days. 
Connect us to you in our experience as we walk toward the veiled cross. 
Amen.

~ posted on Signs Along the Way. http://vicarbill.wordpress.com/category/prayers/

Readers' Theatre: Romans 5: 12-19

Here’s a two-voice readers’ theatre setting of Romans 5: 12-19, from The Voice translation of Scripture.  For an alternative setting, see this post.

Readers’ Theatre: Romans 5: 12-19

Consider this:
sin entered our world through one man, Adam;

and through sin, death followed in hot pursuit.
Death spread rapidly to infect all people on the earth
as they engaged in sin.

Before God gave the law, sin existed, but there was no way to account for it.

Outside the law, how could anyone be charged and found guilty of sin?

Still, death plagued all humanity from Adam to Moses,
even those whose sin was of a different sort than Adam’s.

You see, in God’s plan,
Adam was a prototype of the One who comes to usher in a new day.

But the free grace bears no resemblance to Adam’s crime
that brings a death sentence to all of humanity;

in fact, it is quite the opposite.

For if the one man’s sin brings death to so many,
how much more does the gift of God’s radical grace extend to humanity
since Jesus the Anointed offered His generous gift.

His free gift is nothing like the scourge of the first man’s sin.
The judgment that fell because of one false step brought condemnation,
but the free gift following countless offenses results in a favorable verdict—

not guilty!

If one man’s sin brought a reign of death—that’s Adam’s legacy—
how much more will those who receive grace in abundance
and the free gift of redeeming justice
reign in life by means of one other man—Jesus the Anointed.

So here is the result:
as one man’s sin brought about condemnation and punishment for all people,
so one man’s act of faithfulness makes all of us right with God
and brings us to new life.

Just as through one man’s defiant obedience
every one of us were made sinners,
so through the willing obedience of the one
many of us will be made right.

~ taken from The Voice Bible translation of Scripture, copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. http://www.hearthevoice.com/

Invitation to Confession: Psalm 32

Blessed are those whose wrongs have been forgiven,
whose sin is hidden from sight.
Blessed are those whose sin is covered,
who no longer lie to themselves, or others.
Come, let us confess our sins to the Lord.

Let all who are devoted to God speak honestly to God,
while God is listening.
For then, when the floods come, the rushing water will not reach us.
God is our hiding place, and will keep us out of trouble,
surrounding us with songs that remind us we are free.
Come, let us confess our sins to the Lord.

For God will teach us, and show us the way we should go.
God will keep watch over us.

Come, let us confess our sins to the Lord.

Readers' Theatre: Lent 1A

Here’s a two-voice readers’ theatre setting which combines two of the scripture readings for Lent 1A: Romans 5: 12-19 and Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7.  For an alternative setting of Romans 5: 12-19, see this post.

Readers’ Theatre
(Genesis 2: 15-17, 3: 1-7; Romans 5: 12-19)

One:    The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden
            to tend and watch over it.

Two:    But the Lord God warned him,
            “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—
            except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
            If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

One:    The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made.
            One day he asked the woman,

Two:    Did God really say you must not eat the fruit
            from any of the trees in the garden?

One:    Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,
            It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden
            that we are not allowed to eat.
            God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it;
            if you do, you will die.’

Two:    You won’t die! 
            God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it,
            and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.

One:    The woman was convinced.
            She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious,
            and she wanted the wisdom it would give her.
            So she took some of the fruit and ate it.

Two:    Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her,
            and he ate it, too. 
            At that moment their eyes were opened,
            and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness.
            So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

(Pause)

One:    When Adam sinned, sin entered the world.

Two:    Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone,
            for everyone sinned. 

One:    Yes, people sinned even before the law was given.
            But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. 
            Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—
            even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did.

Two:    Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.  
            But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift.
            For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many.
            But even greater is God’s wonderful grace
            and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.  

One:    And the result of God’s gracious gift
            is very different from the result of that one man’s sin.

Two:    For Adam’s sin led to condemnation,
            but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God,
            even though we are guilty of many sins.  

One:    For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many.
            But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness,
            for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death
            through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Two:    Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone,
            but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God
            and new life for everyone. 

One:    Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners.

Two:    But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.

Prayer for Others: Lent 1A

Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights in the desert.
Let us pray for all who hunger in body or soul,
that our Father in heaven would satisfy their needs.

Father in Heaven: we pray for all those
who are faced with temptations or trials that seem too great for them.
Keep all your people strong in the face of temptation,
teach us all to rely on you at dark times of attack,
and let your Word be our only strength.
Bless those in positions of leadership
so that they can lead wisely and with justice,
and so that they may resist all temptation to abuse your power.

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

We pray for young Christians and those whose faith is fragile,
that they may be strengthened against the temptation of unbelief.
Help us to support each other at moments of weakness
and give us the strength to stand strong for others.
Support all believers,
and don’t let them ever be put to shame for their beliefs.
We pray for all those who are preparing for baptism or confirmation
and we ask that you would use this time of preparation
to strengthen and grow their faith in you.

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

Stand by all those who are hungry or homeless,
that they may not be tempted to despair.
Keep those who are struggling with illness strong in their faith,
so that they can lean on you through the tough times ahead.
We especially pray for your healing hand over (insert name(s) here).

Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer

Father in heaven,
receive the prayers of your sons and daughters who seek your favour.
Free us from all evil,
so that we may serve you in peace and joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

~ posted on cowadmin.s3.amazonaws.com/.../Prayer-of-the-church-Lent-1A.doc‎

Prayer: Let Me Hunger Enough

“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes
from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

Lord, let me hunger enough that I not forget the world’s hunger.
Lord, let me hunger enough that I may have bread to share.
Lord, let me hunger enough that I may long for the Bread of Heaven.
Lord, let me hunger enough that I may be filled.

But, O Lord,
let me not hunger so much
that I seek after that which is not bread,
nor try to live by bread alone. Amen.

~ from Banquet of Praise: A Book of Worship Resources, published by Bread for the World.  http://www.bread.org/