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

Call to Worship, Prayer: Life-Giving Trinity

Here’s a Trinitarian call to worship and opening prayer from The Minor Keys blog.

Call to Worship and Opening Prayer:

God, the Life-Giving Trinity

The words God speaks

are the life and sustenance

of all that exists.

The life Jesus gives

is the re-creation and renewed birth

of all that is broken and worn.

The Spirit’s stirring in our souls

is the inspiration

for creativity, compassion, joy, and community.

Life-giving, life-restoring, life-fulfilling God;

may our whole lives be worship.

In all things, may we seek to connect with

and to reflect your love and your hope.

~ posted on The Minor Keys. http://theminorkeys.blogspot.ca/  

Pastoral Prayer: Christ the King

Here is an opening or pastoral prayer inspired by the scripture texts for Proper 29B (Christ the King or Reign of Christ Sunday). It was written by Thom Shuman and posted on Lectionary Liturgies.

 

Prayer

Almighty God:
from the beginning of time
to the end of eternity,
you have chosen 
to use your power and majesty
     to love us,
     to redeem us,
     to shape us as your people.
 
King of Kings 
and Lord of Lords:
you became weak
     so you could confront
     the strength of sin and death,
confounding their ridicule
with your resurrection.
 
Spirit of God,
resting upon us:
may your power enflame us
     with your peace;
may your peace touch us 
     with your grace;
may your grace fill us 
     with your hope;
may your hope lead us
into your Kingdom.
 
God in Community, Holy in One,
may your word be on our lips,
as we pray together as Jesus
has taught us, saying,
(The Lord’s Prayer) 

 

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

Benediction in a Time of Pandemic

Here’s a lovely benediction from Rev. Nora Vedress, Pastor at Calvary United Church in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Benediction

So now we leave this space of worship

And while so much of the road ahead is uncertain,

the path constantly changing,

we know some things that are as solid and sure

as the ground beneath our feet,

and the sky above our heads.

We know God is love.

We know Christ’s light endures.

We know the Holy Spirit this there,

found in the space between all things,

closer to us than our next breath,

binding us to each other,

until we meet we again,

Go in peace.

~ submitted by Rev. Nora Vedress, Calvary United Church in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Benediction: John 3: 16-17

Here’s a benediction based on John 3:16-17.  It comes from the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website.

Benediction

(based on John 3: 16-17)

Just as God’s Word was sent into the world

to heal and redeem,

so God sends you into the world this day

to be light and love, healing and hope.

Go now to be light for the world!

And may the grace and peace of God the Creator,

the Redeemer, and the Sustainer

come upon you this day

and remain with you always. Amen.

— taken from “O Merciful God: God of Wisdom: Prayers for the Fourth Sunday in Lent,” written by Rev. Kathryn Matthews Huey and the Rev. Susan A. Blain.  Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website.

Confession: John 3: 14-15

Here’s a thoughtful invitation into confession from Steve Garnaas-Holmes. It was posted on Unfolding Light.

Invitation to Confession

(inspired by John 3:14-15

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
so must the New Human be lifted up,
that whoever trusts may have eternal life.
~ John 3.14-15

You have to look your evil in the face to be healed.
The snakes that plagued the Hebrews in the desert
were their betrayal come back to bite them,
their being Eden's serpent.
The cure was to gaze at their sin.

So we gaze upon the Crucified One, our victim,
and look our awfulness in the eye
and only there grasp forgiveness,
and only then become truly alive.

On the cross is lifted up
our racism, our violence, our materialism,
our deep seated me-first-ism.
Posted there is our last text to God,
“I'll let you know when I need you.”
We look at it, look at it hard,
to get free of the lie that we're just fine,
the lie that keeps us from knowing
how deeply we are forgiven,
how vastly we are blessed,
how infinitely we are loved. 

~ written by Steve Garnaas-Holmes and posted on Unfolding Light. https://www.unfoldinglight.net/

Trinitarian Prayer: Called to Community and Unity

Here’s a Trinitarian prayer from Rev. John Creasy of The Open Door Presbyterian Church, a missional church community in Pittsburgh. It was written, “for this particular time of COVID and racial injustice.”

Prayer

Christian trinitarian theology may be the most unique aspect of our faith. We believe in one God who is communal in nature. We believe in one God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe in one God who is three as much as one. We believe in one God who is drawing all of creation unto God’s self, bringing community and unity through love.

In this time of racial injustice and unrest we pray that we might experience the grace and humbleness of God the Son. Help us to humble ourselves, even unto death, for the sake of our siblings. Lord, teach us to not strive for anything, but in all things humble ourselves, as you did through the incarnation and in your crucifixion. Give us your grace that we might always extend grace to others.

In this time of pandemic and calls for racial justice we pray that we might be like God our Divine Parent, Father and Mother, loving beyond our comprehension. Through this love you birthed the universe, the vastness of galaxies and the preciousness of infants. Father God, teach us to embrace our siblings with the love that only a parent knows. Mother God, give us your patience to never give up on one another or the causes of justice in our world.

In this time fear and anxiety, Holy Spirit, commune with us. Equip us, strengthen us, convict us and encourage us toward becoming a more holy and complete church. We confess that we have pushed you aside, squelching your work within us because we are afraid of what a Spirit driven life will mean. We ask, Holy Spirit, that your power would be made known in your church and in your people. We pray that you would build the beloved community of God here in our midst.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, give your church and all of your people, the community made known in the trinity. Help us love one another as we would have them love us back. Help us feed the hungry as we would want to be fed in our time of need. Help us comfort the mourning as only a loving parent can comfort. Help us heal the sick and lift up the broken-hearted, as you, the great physician of body and mind, would do.

~ written by Rev. John Creasy, The Open Door Presbyterian Church (https://www.pghopendoor.net/) and Garfield Community Farm (http://www.garfieldfarm.com/)

Opening Prayer for Trinity Sunday

Here’s an opening prayer from Rev. Dr. Libby Grammar, Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Martinsville, VA.

She writes, “I feel like unity and love are such core parts of the Trinity, and they are so needed in our world.”

Trinity Sunday: Opening Prayer

God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity,

We ask for your presence to enter this space.

We know that in self-giving love,

Your very nature teaches us how to love one another.

Father and Creator,

Son and Redeemer,

Spirit and Advocate,

We call upon you to teach us this hour.

Teach us to pray.

Teach us to love.

Teach us to be one, as you are one.

With all of our divisions we create with our own biases,

From social class to race,

From gender to age,

From ability to different abilities,

We know we still have much to learn.

Teach us this hour, we pray,

in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught us all to pray, saying: Our Father…

~ submitted by Rev. Dr. Libby Grammer, Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Martinsville, VA. https://fbcmartinsville.com