Blessing: May God Bless Your Eyes

Here’s a blessing/benediction from Jan Richardson’s the painted prayerbook website.

Blessing

May God,
who comes to us
in the things of this world,
bless your eyes
and be in your seeing.

May Christ,
who looks upon you
with deepest love,
bless your eyes
and widen your gaze.

May the Spirit,
who perceives what is
and what may yet be,
bless your eyes
and sharpen your vision.

May the Sacred Three
bless your eyes
and cause you to see.

~ from In the Sanctuary of Women, copyright © Jan L. Richardson.  Posted on the painted prayerbook. http://paintedprayerbook.com/

Benediction: John 21: 15-19

Here is a responsive commission and benediction inspired by John 21: 15-19. It was written by Bruce Prewer.

Sending Out

(inspired by John 21: 15-19)

Christ asks if we love him?

If we say yes, he says; “Then care for one another.”

This is our opportunity to make a difference, to live lovingly

on the frontiers of his bright new world.

We cannot promise to do it perfectly, but we can give it a go,

relying on his abundant wisdom to take our small love,

and fit it into a larger pattern of good for all creation.

May God bless the world in which you move,

and bless your home and bless your friends.

May God bless the eyes with which you see,

and bless the ears with which you listen.

May God bless the way you use your hands,

bless the way you employ your tongues. (From a Celtic prayer)

As a bonus from the living God in Christ Jesus,

grace mercy and peace will be yours, today and always.

Amen!

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

Prayer: You Break In

Here’s a prayer from Roddy Hamilton’s Mucky Paws website. 

You Break In

You break in, O God,
on the road
you break in, O God,
exactly the way we don’t believe
you break in, O God,
and change everything

You break in, O God
with a call
you break in, O God
with an invitation
you break in, O God
with the truth

You break in, O God
with a new realm
You break in, O God
with a new world
You break in, O God
with your intent for the future

God, break in again
and call us to be your workers
God, break in again
and use the gifts we are to build your realm
God, break in again
and change our world once more.

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

Pastoral Prayer: After the resurrection

Here’s a pastoral prayer inspired by the events in John 21:1-19 and Acts 9:1-20. It was written by Rev Karla and posted on RevGalBlogPals (link below).

Prayer

(inspired by John 21:1-19 and Acts 9:1-20)

Holy Risen One,

Signs of your resurrection

surprise us with their ordinary sacred.

We go about our lives,

not knowing how to live into the new life you promise,

so we do what we know to do –

As the disciples go back to fishing,

we get back to business.

All the while,

in the back of our minds and hearts,

we grieve Your Absence,

we miss Your Presence.

And just as we start to think You were just a dream,

You show up as ordinary sacred,

grilling fish on the beach,

offering a small kindness through a stranger on the street,

a simple magic moment with a friend,

a tulip blooming in the rain.

Help us to remember that everything is different

in the living of our lives

because of You.

As we celebrate new life,

we are mindful of the places and peoples and creatures

who suffer in mind, body, and spirit.

We are mindful of war-torn countries,

and refugee children who pick scraps of bread off the street to eat…

We are mindful for those who deal with the stress

of caring for a loved one

and those whose bodies are racked with disease and sickness.

We pause here to remember them.

(pause to name concerns/or silent prayer)

Like Paul, make the scales fall from our hearts’ eyes

so that we can see your world in the way You see it. 

Clear our vision

so that we can love with the love you so freely offer us.

In the name of Christ, our brother and friend,

Amen.

~ written by Rev Karla and posted on RevGalBlogPals. https://revgalblogpals.org/2016/04/09/sunday-prayer-190/

Prayer: Call our Names

Here’s a prayer of petition and commitment inspired by biblical events following the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was originally posted on the Monthly Prayers page (now Weekly Worship) of the Christian Aid website. 

Prayer

(inspired by John 21:1-19, Acts 9, Luke 24:13-35)

Call our names, Lord. 
Call us as you called Saul,

when we are travelling in the wrong direction, 
when we are breathing threats, 
when our hearts are full of evil intent. 
Speak to us in unexpected voices 
and set us on a new path. 
Call our names, Lord.

Call our names, Lord. 
Call us as you called Ananias to be an instrument of healing, 
to be agents of change, 
to speak truth to power. 
Even when we are fearful of the cost, 
give us trust in your sending. 
Call our names, Lord.

Call our names, Lord. 
Call us as you called the disciples and invited them for breakfast, 
even though they did not recognize you. 
Help us to see that there will be enough food for everyone 
if we persist through the long night of waiting, 
if we take the risks of faith and sharing 
to reach the abundance of daybreak. 
Call our names, Lord.

Call our names, Lord. 
Call us as you called Simon Peter and asked for his love, 
then told him to feed and tend your people. 
May we see the connection 
between love of you and love of your people; 
that we too may feed and be fed, 
and follow you. 
Call our names, Lord.

~ originally posted on the Monthly Prayers page (now Weekly Worship) of the Christian Aid website. https://www.christianaid.org.uk/churches/weekly-worship

Confession: Acts 9:1-20

Here’s a prayer of confession and words of assurance inspired by Acts 9:1-20 and Psalm 30. They were written by Sandra Miller, and posted on the Worship Elements page of the Ministry Matters website.

Prayer of Confession

(inspired by Acts 9:1-20)

God of Forgiveness,
hear now the confession of our sins.
Our greed and our lust for power
create enemies where we should find friends.

We fail to offer comfort and aid
to those who are afraid and beat down
by the burdens of life.

We are as blind and willful as Saul
to the pain and the destruction
of our wrongdoings
and our well-meaning crusades.

Forgive us, merciful One.
Give us sight to see with your eyes,
that we may bring hope and peace to our world.
Amen.

Words of Assurance

(drawing on Acts 9:1-20 and Psalm 30)

God’s anger lasts but a moment,
but God’s favor lasts a lifetime.
The Lord forgives our shortcomings
and sends deliverance through Christ,
just as the Lord forgave Saul
and used him to spread the gospel.
Thanks be to God!

~ written by Sandra Miller, and posted on the Worship Elements page of the Ministry Matters website. http://www.ministrymatters.com/

Contemporary Call to Worship: Psalm 30

Here’s a contemporary call to worship litany inspired by Psalm 30.  It was written by Rev. Susan A. Blain.

Contemporary Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 30)

Sing praises to God, all you faithful ones 

God hears us in our fear and our sorrow

Where there was no way

God leads us in a new way

Where there was no mercy

God surprises us with fresh mercy

Where there was weeping

God invites us to step into a new dance.

— written by Rev. Susan A. Blain, and posted on the Worship Ways website. http://uccfiles.com/

Litany: Every Day is Easter

Here’s a litany for the season after Easter, from Roddy Hamilton’s Mucky Paws website.

Every day is Easter

When Thomas touched the wounds
and set himself free
it was Easter day

When Peter’s three “yes’s” to Jesus
finished his three denials
it was Easter day

When Mary ready to embalm the dead
ran in fear from the empty tomb
it was Easter day

When the disciples looked from afar
at a breakfast of fish on the beach
it was Easter day

When Emmaus became synonymous with welcome
and the breaking of bread with strangers
it was Easter day

When Paul was blinded by the light
and recognised the voice niggling in his head
it was Easter day

When the hungry are fed at the table
the same table as the rich
it is Easter day

When weapons are beaten to ploughshares
and peace is a word to be shouted
it is Easter day

When the stranger is welcomed in community
and the lonely are restored to relationship
it is Easter day...

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

Call to Worship: Sing Praises to our Lord

Here’s a responsive call to worship from Thom Shuman’s Lectionary Liturgies website.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 30)

Sing praises to our Lord:
who heals us and makes us whole.
Sing praises to our Lord, faithful children of God:
whose joy rises in our lives each and every day.
Sing praises to our Lord, faithful children of God; 
give thanks to God's holy name:
God's Kingdom is near to us;

God's peace resides in our hearts.

~ written by Thom Shuman, and posted on Lectionary Liturgies. http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/

Call to Worship: Psalm 30

Here’s a responsive call to worship based on Psalm 30. It was written by Jeff Shrowder, and posted on The Billabong.

Responsive Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 30)

Sing praises to the LORD,
and give thanks to God’s holy name
for the LORD our God has healed us
when we cried for help
and restored us in times of deepest despair.
The LORD has turned our sorrow into dancing;
taken our sackcloth from us,and clothed us with joy.
Sing to the LORD without end,
and give thanks to the LORD forever. 
Eternal and ever present God,
sustain and excite our gathered community;
arouse our expectancy;
subdue our expectations.
Come, silent Spirit, and embrace us.
Let the words we see and hear and speak and sing
be transformed by the Word made flesh, 
that our worship may be wholly yours, Lord God.
We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen

~ written by Jeff Shrowder, and posted on The Billabong. When including any of these resources in printed orders of worship, pew sheets and similar publications for congregational use, please include an acknowledgement, such as, "© Jeff Shrowder (http://thebillabong.info) Used with permission."

Call to Worship: Easter 3 C

Here’s a call to worship inspired by the suggested scripture readings for the 3^rd Sunday of Easter, Year C.  It was written by Rev. Quentin Chin.

Call to Worship for Easter 3 C

(inspired by Psalm 30 and John 21: 1-19)

Brothers and sisters.

If you lift your net and it is empty, 
Come here!

We’ll cast it out again into Christ’s abundance.

If you open your eyes but do not recognize the Holy One, 
Come here!

We’ll find the Risen Christ here among us.

If your life is filled with mourning, 
Come here!

Christ is leading a dance of joy.

Come here, sisters and brothers!

To give blessing and honor and glory to God!

~ from Feed My Lambs, written by Rev. Quentin Chin.  Posted on the United Church of Christ website. http://uccfiles.com/pdf/FeedmySheepEaster3April14.pdf

On Shore: A Reflection on John 21

Here’s a reflection on John 21:1-19.  It was written by William Loader, and posted on Bill Loader’s Home Page.

A Reflection on John 21:1-19

The blame forgotten,
shame covered,
Peter leapt into the sea.
Where tears once drowned hope
and denials became despair and self loathing,
now eyes had seen that figure on the shore,
that body once strung across the stained wood of execution.

A revived fishing business,
the dull depression of remembered cowardice,
of failed courage, 
bad dreams of abandonment,
a deep sea of pain,
now splashed with new hope.

Peter would make it to the shore.

He is risen. 
Peter is risen from the dead.
Three times denied.
Three times invited to love again
by him who three times prayed his own despair
and, three times mocked 'mid three crosses,
in three days rose to resurrect Peter.

Peter made it to the shore.

Others made it to the shore.
They ate together,
a fellowship of grace and rehabilitation,
of forgiveness and hope,
a symbol of the persistence of divine love,
also for you and me.

~ written by William Loader, and posted on Bill Loader’s Home Page.   http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/OnShore.htm

Dramatic Reading: Acts 9

Here’s a dialogue between Saul before his conversion on the Damascus Road and afterward (as Paul).  It was written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Mucky Paws.

Dialogue between Saul and Paul

(inspired by the events in Acts 9)

I am Saul

I am Paul

I am passionate about my faith

I am passionate about my faith

I will work tirelessly for what I believe in

and I recognize that may hurt others

in order to keep the faith

I will work tirelessly for my beliefs too

and I also recognize that doing so can hurt others

but living the faith is never going to be easy

I have made a choice to put myself on the line for my faith

and if those who are out to destroy the faith get in the way,

then I will move them out the way

I have made a choice to put myself on the line for my faith

and will continue to do so

even in the face of those who want to move me out the way

I am Saul

I am Paul

Faith is everything to me.

It must be kept true at all costs.

It is too vital to my culture,

my traditions and how I understand life

Faith is everything to me.

It must stand true at all costs.

It is too vital for the Good News

for traditions and culture to stand in the way

of this new understanding of life

I will seek out those who destroy the faith

I will seek out those who limit the faith

I will keep our borders pure

and our traditions clean from contamination

I will cross every border

and welcome in Jew and Gentile, slave and free

I am Saul

I am Paul

I will work for the authorities

I will work for Jesus Christ

I will hold tight to the church

I will break open the church

I will keep the faith pure

I will keep the faith growing

I will be the death of Christianity

And I will be its life

I am Saul

I am Paul

~ written by Rev. Roddy Hamilton, Minister of New Kilpatrick Church.  Posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/starters_for_sunday/ 

Call to Worship: Revelation 5: 6-14

Here’s a call to worship – or a closing commission? – inspired by John’s vision in Revelation 5:6-14.  It was posted by Wesley White on Kairos CoMotion Lectionary Dialogue.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Revelation 5:6-14)

one angel is enough for Mary
Jesus had access to ten thousand
now myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands
are arrayed before our eyes

that many angels singing
in unison or four-part harmony
or lovely parts infinite in scope
deafen wisdom and worship

our work is done for us
all that is needed is assent
get on the bandwagon
forever might escape without unanimity

join the angel band
lend your voice
creation's wall will fall
only pure love will be left

~ posted by Wesley White, on Kairos CoMotion Lectionary Dialogue.  http://kcmlection.blogspot.ca/2007/04/third-sunday-of-easter-c3.html

Contemporary Songs: Psalm 30

If you’re looking for contemporary Praise & Worship song suggestions to use with Psalm 30 (the suggested psalm for  Proper 5C, Epiphany 6B, Easter 3C, Proper 9C, and Proper 8B), you can find a list at my new blog, Contemporary Psalms. http://contemporarypsalms.blogspot.ca/  The blog is not finished (and likely never will be, since I keep coming across new songs!), but it’s a start.

Follow this link to Psalm 30: http://contemporarypsalms.blogspot.ca/2013/05/psalm-30.html

Prayer: Psalm 30

Here’s a prayer from Pray the Psalms, inspired by Psalm 30.

Prayer

(inspired by Psalm 30)

Gracious God, You are the healer. You are the One who makes bodies whole, who mends marriages, who binds up broken hearts. Though You often heal through various means – doctors, medicines, surgeries, loving friends, forgiveness – You are still the source of all health and healing. You are the One who defines wholeness and who gives it as a gift.

Dear Lord, continue to heal me where I am broken. You see those places, Lord, even when I don’t see them. Heal my fears, my sadness, my inner brokenness. Make me the whole person You have created and saved me to be.

Yet I know, Lord, that full healing doesn’t come in this life. I look forward to the time when I shall stand before You completed, made perfect through Your grace. In the meanwhile, may I discover more of Your wholeness each day.

~ posted on Pray the Psalms. http://praythepsalms.com/?p=180

Prayer: You Break In

Here’s a prayer of adoration and confession from Roddy Hamilton, Minister of New Kilpatrick Church. It was inspired by Saul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

(inspired by Acts 9: 1-6)

You break in, O God,

on the road

you break in, O God,

exactly the way we do not believe

you break in, O God,

and change everything

Why are your stories never mundane

Why can you not just leave us alone

and go and transform somewhere else

that is not as certain and sure of you

You just disrupt us and cause anxiety

We are not people of change

You break in, O God

with a call

you break in, O God

with an invitation

you break in, O God

with the truth

Why do you wait for us to respond

and never give up?

Why do you speak into our souls

the truth of how we live?

Why do you keep goading us, provoking us

disturbing us with the truth?

You break in, O God

with a new realm

You break in, O God

with a new world

You break in, O God

with your intent for the future

You always are a challenge to us

and we dream of that realm of yours we speak of so often

but what disturbs us most is how you want to get there

through us, your partners and companions,

with space enough for everyone

even those who persecute you

by doing nothing

God, break in again

and call us to be your workers

God, break in again

and use the gifts we are to build your realm

God, break in again

and change our world once more.

So be it

Amen

~ written by Rev. Roddy Hamilton, Minister of New Kilpatrick Church.  Posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website.  http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/starters_for_sunday/ 

Prayers of the People: Easter 3 C

Here’s a prayer of intercession for the third Sunday of Easter (Year C).  It was written by Rev. Roddy Hamilton, and posted on the Starters for Sunday website.

Prayer of Intercession

(inspired by Acts 9: 1-6)

Hear our prayer O God

as we hear your call

If only the world heard your voice as clearly as Paul

and recognized its truth and sharply

But as we do, and they have not

grant us the strength to be your voice in this world

So we pray for this world

so much violence and no solution;

so much that has been done rightly or wrongly;

and a fear and panic that no solution can be found

So for those who find prejudice a way of life we pray;

for those who are trapped and caught up we pray;

for those who have been displaced we pray;

and for those living with and making decisions we pray

Hear us

For all forms of prejudice;

for folk who physically or emotionally build walls we pray

for those who live with an extreme view of religion

for those who are self interested we pray

and for those who live a life beyond what is dehumanizing we pray

Hear us

For ourselves

for those who are our family and friends we pray;

those who we know are ill and those recovering;

those who are lonely, anxious, confused, stressed we pray;

and for those who bring colour back to life we pray

Hear us

So be it

Amen

~ written by Rev. Roddy Hamilton, Minister of New Kilpatrick Church.  Posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/starters_for_sunday/

Prayer of Intercession: After Easter

Here’s a prayer of intercession written for the days following Easter.  It comes from the World in Prayer website.

Prayers of the People:  After the Resurrection

"Go stand in the temple

and tell the people the whole message about this life." - Acts 5: 20

In these early days after the resurrection, we wonder what it all means.

We can relate to the women who fled the tomb with terror and amazement.

We understand Thomas and his need for proof that would come

only by touching the wounds and seeing the nail marks.

We understand the fear and confusion
that kept the disciples in the shadow cast by closed doors.

We also keep company with the travelers on the Emmaus road

who felt the strange burning of the truth and hope and love

weaving into the sadness that consumed them on their walk.

We find ourselves in the eternal movement
between fear and faith, doubt and conviction, wonder and worry,

and we trust that you are present with us, O God.

We trust that like the disciples we will be able to stand

and tell the whole message about this life that:

Love is stronger than hate
Life has the final word over death
Beyond what we can see with our eyes,

there is a bond of humanness that draws and keeps us together.

We watch with anxiety as the Korean peninsula reverberates with new tensions
and the fragile lines between North and South Korea

and the world wide community is strained once again.

In the midst there are also voices of reason and peace;

perhaps they speak in whispers, but they speak nonetheless.

May those whispers rise to shouts
that proclaim the way forward with words and not weapons.

As the machines of greed and war trample the world and its peoples,

we remember that there are seeds of justice and love and goodness and grace
that are planted and watered every moment of every day.

We give thanks for those who:

- rise early in the morning to prepare food

at countless soup kitchens around the world;

- search the night streets for lost children

and shepherd them to places of safety;

- keep watch amidst the sick and dying

in countless hospitals and in countless places;

- speak words of compassion in the face of hate.

It is a complicated and frightening world.
Strengthen us as we stand and bear witness to this whole life,

the life of the Risen One,

even Jesus Christ Our Lord.  Amen.

~ posted on the World in Prayer website.  http://www.worldinprayer.org/

Prayer: Revelation 5: 9-10

Here’s a prayer of praise based on Revelation 5: 9-10.  It was written by Nathan Bierma.

Prayer of Praise:

Mighty Lion, Slaughtered Lamb

Lord, you are worshiped in heaven

as both mighty Lion and slaughtered Lamb.

With the heavenly choir before your throne, we cry:

‘You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals

for you were slaughtered,

and bought us for God with your blood

out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,

and made us rulers and priests to our God

to reign on earth.’

~ written by Nathan Bierma