Call to Worship: The Triune God

Here’s a Trinitarian call to worship from Rev. J. Lee Hill. It was posted on the Worship Ways page of the United Church of Christ.

Trinitarian Call to Worship

Let us worship the Triune God.

Let us worship the One

who spoke in the beginning

and created something out of nothing.

Let us worship the Triune God.

Let us worship the One

who took on the clothing of humanity

to set those who were oppressed free.

Let us worship the Triune God.

Let us worship the One

whose Spirit rests continually upon us,

calling us from sorrow-filled endings

to bright new beginnings.

~ from Watch Night Service 2016, written by Rev. J. Lee Hill, Senior Pastor, Christian Fellowship Congregational UCC of San Diego. Posted on the Worship Ways page of the United Church of Christ website. http://www.ucc.org/worship_worship-ways

Prayer for Illumination: Psalm 99

Here is a prayer for illumination, a prayer traditionally spoken before the reading and preaching of the Word in worship. It was written by Amy Loving, and posted on The Worship Cloud.

Prayer of Illumination

(inspired by Exodus 13-16, Psalm 99)

Mighty God,

you spoke to your people in the pillar of cloud

as they walked together in the wilderness.

Speak to us through your Word today,

that we may hear you calling us

out of the wilderness places in our lives

and into new places you have promised to show us.

In the name of Christ, we pray.  Amen.

~ written by Amy Loving, and posted on The Worship Closet. http://worshipcloset.com/words-for-worship-18th-sunday-after-pentecost/

Call to Worship: Psalm 62

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by Psalm 62. It was written by Joanna Harader, and posted on her Spacious Faith website.

Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 62:5-12)

Our souls wait in silence;
our hope rests in God
our rock
our salvation
our refuge.
We will not be shaken.
In this time of worship,
we pour out our hearts
because we trust in God’s steadfast love.

~ written by Joanna Harader and posted on Spacious Faith. https://spaciousfaith.com/

Call to Worship & Prayer for Advent

Here’s a responsive call to worship and opening prayer inspired by Psalm 146 and Luke 1:46-56.  They were written by Joanna Harader, and posted on Spacious Faith.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 146 and Luke 1:46-56)

Our souls proclaim your greatness, O God.
And our spirits rejoice in you.
We will praise you as long as we live.
We will sing praises to you our whole lives long.
We will not trust in the powerful of this world,
But will trust in you–Creator of heaven and earth,
the One who gives food to the hungry,
the One who enacts justice for the oppressed.
Our souls proclaim your greatness, O God
As we worship you in this place,
As we light these candles in hope, peace, and joy.

Opening Prayer

Holy God of Joy,
We rejoice in the reality of who you are.

We live within the joy of your love for us.

Our contentment comes and goes.

Our happiness ebbs and flows.

Our feelings depend upon our circumstances,

our physical health, our brain chemistry.

But our joy is deeply rooted

in our identity as your beloved children.

And we give you thanks. Amen.

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

Call to Worship: Wilderness

Here’s a call to worship for Advent from Ann Siddall and the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre and Faith Community.

Wilderness

We have wilderness and dry land

at the heart of Australia.

We may not venture into it very often

but we know it is there,

it has its place on our maps.

More familiar to us, however,

is the wilderness in our own hearts,

the empty spaces in our own lives,

the desert of longings

that engulf us at Christmas.

Wilderness is a hard place,

but also a place of beauty and grace,

revealed by its sunsets and sunrises,

the glow of ancient rocks,

the moon shining on the sand.

Do not be afraid

of the desert places in your life,

for it is here

that the Good News

may be heard most profoundly.

May it be so.

~ written by Ann Siddall, and posted on the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre and Faith Community website. http://stillpointsa.org.au/prayer/prayers-and-liturgies/

Advent Reflection: Working for Good

God is with us in our suffering,

loving us, walking with us, comforting us.

I do not believe God is the cause or author of such suffering,

I do not believe God “allows” bad things to happen.

I can’t imagine why God would “allow” us to suffer.

I believe in a God who is always working for good,

a God who is somehow able

to take horrible, rotten things

and create something out of the rubble.

God came into the world

amidst violence, oppression, and despair

and was able to bring life from that darkness,

and I believe that God is with each one of us

in our challenges and suffering,

comforting us and consoling us

and trying to bring good

out of that which was so bad.

And that is what I think makes God, God.

~ written by Loren Richmond. Posted on Worship Words. http://worshipwords.co.uk/

Advent Wreath Litany: Longest Night

Here’s an advent wreath litany for a Blue Christmas or Longest Night service during the Advent season. It was written by Tim Graves and posted on LiturgyBits.

Lighting the Advent Wreath

We look around us and feel so sad, worthless, and discouraged.
And you remain with us. 

[light first candle]

We look around and see unspeakable violence, terrorism and hatred.
And you see who humanity can become. 

[light second candle]

We look around and find ourselves sliding into anger and hatred.
And you remind us who we are. 

[light third candle]

We feel sorry for ourselves. We think something is wrong with us.
And you see the good within. 

[light fourth candle]

We look around us and see death and destruction.
But you see hope. 

[light Christ candle]

We look around and see greed, power seeking,

and fear having its day.

We are ready to give up on our human kindred.
But you never give up.

You promise that despite these tough times

you never give up on humanity.

~ written by Tim Graves, and posted on LiturgyBits. https://liturgybits.wordpress.com

Opening Prayer for Evening Worship

Here’s a simple prayer for evening worship. It was written by Josh Walker and posted on Lighting Beacons.

Evening Prayer

Father God,

We rest in you.

Jesus the Son,

We rest in you.

Holy Spirit,

We rest in you.

Silence

Loving Father,

for the things this day that have brought us joy,

We give you thanks.

Healing Lord,

for the things this day that have brought us sorrow,

Bring peace.

Spirit of life,

in the closing of this day,

Give us rest.

O God,

you create all things,

drawing them to yourself.

You made time, space, and matter from nothing,

and yet through you they are given life and meaning.

May the words of these prayers,

brought from nothing,

rise to you as a sufficient offering of praise and thanksgiving. Amen

~ written by Josh Walker, in “Sunday Evening Prayer,” posted on Lighting Beacons. http://lighting-beacons-liturgy.com/

Prayer: In the Midst of Winter

Here’s a beautiful prayer from Cal Wick. It was posted on Leonard Sweet’s Preach the Story website.

Prayer

Lord,
In the midst of Winter,
when the days are cold and wind can pierce
….. remind us of the warmth of your love.

In the midst of Winter,
when days are short, dawn comes late, and dusk arrives early
….. remind us that in the darkness your light still shines.

In the midst of Winter,
when the flowers of spring still lie hidden in the earth,
when leaves are off the trees,
and the world can seem bleak
….. remind us that Easter is but a short time away.

And when in our lives
we feel as if we are experiencing a season of winter,
reach out to us with the power of your resurrection
so that we may feel the warmth of your love
and see your light
that alone can take away the darkness of our soul. Amen

~ written by Cal Wick, and posted on Leonard Sweet’s Preach the Story. https://preachthestory.com/resources/ 

Call to Worship for Longest Night

Here is a call to worship for a Longest Night or Blue Christmas service, or (as Cheryl Lawrie puts it), “a call to worship for those for whom this Christmas comes at too much of a cost.” It was posted on [hold this space].

Call to Worship: Alleluias

It takes faith beyond imagining

to have come to hear this story

if you are living things too difficult

to be made sense of

by an ancient memory of angels and wise men.

It takes faith beyond imagining

to have come to hear this story

when you know that it will be a greater miracle

than any virgin birth

for love to be born right now in our world.

The alleluias we sing today

will not be to drown out the world’s truths that would deny them;

but to pray they will hold us in their faith.

So we gather

the bewildered, the broken hearted, the fragile and the hopeful

the faithful and the faithless

because all we have left when we stand in the world’s darkness

is this longing for love to be born once again.

~ written by Cheryl Lawrie and posted on [hold this space]. http://holdthisspace.org.au/

Prayers of the People: Blue Christmas

Here’s a prayer of petition and intercession for a Blue Christmas or Longest Night service. It was posted on The Young Clergywoman Project blog.

Prayers of the People:

Blue Christmas

In the spirit of this season

let us now confidently ask our God

for all the good things we need:

For ourselves

as we participate in this Christmas

coping with our many different losses.

God, hear our prayer.

And in your mercy, answer.

For our families and friends,

that they may continue to help and support us.

God, hear our prayer.

And in your mercy, answer.

For any person we have loved who has died,

for all the losses we know in our lives,

that all may be redeemed by your Easter promise.

God, hear our prayer.

And in your mercy, answer.

For our family and friends,

that you may bless them with love, peace, and joy.

God, hear our prayer.

And in your mercy, answer.

For peace throughout the world

as proclaimed by the Christmas Angels

on that faraway hillside.

God, hear our prayer.

And in your mercy, answer.

For greater understanding of the lessons of love and acceptance

as taught by Jesus your Christ.

God, hear our prayer.

And in your mercy, answer.

God of great compassion and love,

listen to the prayers of these your people.

Grant to all,

especially the bereaved and troubled ones this Christmas,

the blessing we ask in the name of Jesus,

who taught us to pray, 

Our Father, who art in heaven….

~ from a complete Blue Christmas liturgy (“When Christmas Hurts”) posted on The Young Clergywoman Project blog. http://youngclergywomen.org/blue-christmas-service-when-christmas-hurts/

Call to Worship: Psalm 13

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by Psalm 13:3-6. It comes from the Godspace website.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 13: 3-6)

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;

lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him” –

lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

We come to you O Lord,

seeking answers to our questions.
We come to you O God,

because you are the Creator.

But I have trusted your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me.

We come looking for a song to sing;
We wait for your voice

to call us from beyond our fear.

~ from a longer “Litany for a Blue Christmas,” posted on the Godspace website. See the entire litany here: https://godspace-msa.com/2015/12/18/litany-for-a-blue-christmas/

Advent Prayer of Longing and Waiting

Here’s an advent prayer from Ann Siddall, and the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre and Faith Community.

A Prayer of Longing and Waiting

Holy One, we have waited

through many a long night,

for your coming:

like those of old our eyes

have been red from weeping,

our minds numb from anxiety,

and our hands held out in longing.

And this Advent season

sees us waiting again,

alongside our own struggles,

and alongside a world

torn apart by greed and need,

poverty and affluence,

hunger and obesity.

When will You come to us?

When will we see a star we can trust?

When will wise ones rise up in our midst?

When will humble workers see angels?

How long, O God, must we wait

for the promises to be fulfilled?

How long will You keep us waiting?

So as once more we play the waiting game,

unable to bring about the changes we seek,

unable to put an end to society’s pain,

unable to appease all the hunger,

help us to be tenacious,

unyielding in our expectation

that Christ has come, and Christ will come again. Amen. 

~ written by Ann Siddall, and posted on the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre and Faith Community website. http://stillpointsa.org.au/prayer/prayers-and-liturgies/

Invitation to the Table: Stronger than Death

Here is an invitation to the table from the Third Space website.

Invitation to the Table

We remember the time when Jesus faced
difficult decisions and destructive forces:
Facing his winter – the days and nights of his searching,
– in facing failure – in facing death

When we too experience the winter of our lives
may we find the courage to let go
and trust in your guiding, warming light.

And we remember
Jesus has shown us that life is stronger than death.

And as we share the bread and wine together
we remember the words and the actions of that ancient meal…
Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it,
and gave it to his friends.

He poured a cup of wine, offered thanks for it,
and shared it also with his friends.

Ancient symbols.

Common acts.

~ posted on Third Space. http://third-space.org.uk/

Solstice Blessing

Here’s a blessing for Solstice (the shortest day of the year) or a Blue Christmas or Christmas service. It comes from Roddy Hamilton and the New Kilpatrick Parish Church website.

Solstice Blessing

Sorrow not, the world is wrapped in sleep no longer
Sorrow not, the darkness has length no more
Sorrow not, the light is slowly creeping back
Sorrow not, birth is soon and very soon

Rejoice now, night will soon folded away
Rejoice now, the shadows will turn and shorten
Rejoice now, the time of dark is over
Rejoice now, light is coming into the world

Be now, light within the world
Be now, the curse that has closed the darkness
Be now, the release of life as light returns tomorrow
Be now, the birth place of the child of light

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on the New Kilpatrick Parish Church website. https://www.nkchurch.org.uk/original-liturgy  

Opening Invitation to Longest Night

Here is an opening for a Blue Christmas, Solstice, or Longest Nght Service. It was posted on the Third Space website.

Invitation to Longest Night

There is a winter in all of our lives,

a chill and darkness that makes us yearn
for days that have gone
or put our hope in days yet to be.

The winter, cold and bare as nature takes stock
rests, unwinds, sleeps until the time is right.
An endless cycle
and yet a perfect model.

We need a winter in our lives
a time of rest, a time to stand still
a time to reacquaint ourselves
with the faith in which we live.

It is only then that we can draw strength
from the one in whom we are rooted
take time to grow and rise through the darkness
into the warm glow of your springtime
to blossom and flourish
bring colour and vitality into this world

Thank you, God, 

for the seasons of our lives

~ adapted from  http://www.faithandworship.com/  Posted on Third Space. http://third-space.org.uk/

Prayer: On the Edge of Advent

Here’s a prayer for the start of the Advent season from Rev. Deborah Vaughn, hospice chaplain and minister in Maryland. The prayer was posted on RevGalBlogPals.

Advent Prayer

silently and gently
falling and failing
changing and resting
seeking you, Lord…

we watch
we wait
we dream
we pray…

for the earth to renew
for our hearts to soften
for your grace to cover us
for your justice to pour out
for time and space to listen
for courage to act

on the edge of Advent,
we sit with you…
we pause…
we hurt…
we repent…
we rage…

When will it be?

Will it ever be?

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Amen.

~ written by Rev. Deborah Vaughn, a hospice chaplain endorsed by the Alliance of Baptists, and Assistant Minister at Twinbrook Baptist Church in Rockville, MD. She blogs at An Unfinished Symphony. This prayer was posted on RevGalBlogPals. https://revgalblogpals.org/2017/12/01/friday-prayer-on-the-edge-of-advent/

Call to Worship: Solstice

Here is a call to worship for the end of the Advent season – specifically, the December solstice marking the shortest day of year.  It was written by Roddy Hamilton, minister at the New Kilpatrick Church in Bearsden, Scotland.

Advent Call to Worship: December Solstice

it is solstice night
it is the death of darkness

for an age
light has been slipping away
but now
no further

it shall return

and in the hearing of the darkness
the light says:
arise
shine
for your light has come

the promise frees itself from the frost
and long nights

there is an awakening
and in the hearing of the darkness
the light says:
the people who have walked in darkness
have seen a great light

the day now
shrunken yet
is filled with hope
and begins to stretch
pushing at the edges of darkness
scraping it away
with hope of new life

and in the hearing of the darkness
the light says:
for unto you a child is born
unto you a son is given

this is a darkness greater than any night
and the light more than the day

right in the heart of the deeper, human darkness
a manger is ready
as the age of brightness returns

the advent promise
has found a place
to chase the darkness
and make room for the light

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on the New Kilpatrick Church website. http://www.nkchurch.org.uk/

Advent Prayer for Others: Shed Your Light

Here’s a framework for an advent prayer of intercession from The Deacon’s Bench website. It is inspired by Psalm 80.

Prayer for Advent

(inspired by Psalm 80)

Holy One, healer of the world,

shed your light upon this world.

Holy One, healer of brokenness,

make us bold to share your light with others.

Holy One, healer of the world, we offer our prayers:

(The leader or people may add particular intercessions or thanksgivings.)

Lead us to wholeness

and make us shine with your light of healing love.

~ from Daily Prayer for All Seasons, posted online at the The Deacon’s Bench. http://deaconsbench.wordpress.com/files-and-forms/

Reflection: Stay Close to the Cracks

Here’s a thoughtful, timely reflection from Christine Sine’s Godspace website. It is a response to Leonard Cohen’s song, “Anthem” which reminds us (as Christine Sine writes), “that there is indeed a crack in everything but this is not a reason for despair but rather for hope because this is indeed how the light gets in.”

Listen to Cohen’s song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDTph7mer3I

Stay Close to the Cracks

Stay close to the cracks,

To the broken places,

where people weep

and cry out in pain.

Stay close to the cracks,

where God’s tears fall,

and God’s wounds bleed

for love of us.

Stay close to the cracks

where the light shines in,

and grass pushes up

through concrete.

Stay close to the cracks

where wounds

open doorways

to healing and wholeness and life.

~ Christine Sine, on Godspace. http://godspace-msa.com