L: We come together today to worship God.
P: We come to hear Scripture read and The Word proclaimed.
L: We hear The Word through the lens of Tradition.
P: We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses - aware of all those who have come before.
L: We hear The Word through the lens of Reason.
P: We give thanks to God for the gift of our minds, inquisitive, curious, wrestling.
L: We hear The Word through the lens of Experience.
P: We bring all that we are, all who God created us to be, our whole lives to the receiving of God’s Word.
L: We humbly ask you, Lord, speak to us anew.
P: Speak to us anew, Lord.
All: Amen.
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
Tuesday, September 7, 2021
Call to Worship, Re-Entry of Sanctuary
L: Surely the Presence of the Lord is in this place.
P: It is good to be in the house of the Lord!
L: Grace, you have been faithful.
P: It hasn’t been easy but we’ve trusted that God is with us.
L: God has guided us, never leaving our sides, with us for every step of the way since the last we gathered together.
P: And still we pray for God’s guidance and protection.
L: We pray that we can help keep each other safe.
P: And we support each other in this journey - wherever we are in it.
L: We continue to pray for our children, the immunocompromised, and all who carry the heavy burdens of this world.
P: Help us continue to be a joyous and caring Christian community together.
L: And help us proclaim, wherever we are for worship, here in the sanctuary, worshipping in our homes - help us proclaim:
All: Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place. Amen.
P: It is good to be in the house of the Lord!
L: Grace, you have been faithful.
P: It hasn’t been easy but we’ve trusted that God is with us.
L: God has guided us, never leaving our sides, with us for every step of the way since the last we gathered together.
P: And still we pray for God’s guidance and protection.
L: We pray that we can help keep each other safe.
P: And we support each other in this journey - wherever we are in it.
L: We continue to pray for our children, the immunocompromised, and all who carry the heavy burdens of this world.
P: Help us continue to be a joyous and caring Christian community together.
L: And help us proclaim, wherever we are for worship, here in the sanctuary, worshipping in our homes - help us proclaim:
All: Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place. Amen.
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Call to Worship for Easter 6 B
L: How will they know we are followers of Jesus?
P: They will know we are Christians by our love.
L: Truly, when we love God: we love our neighbors.
P: They will know we are Christians by our love.
L: It is also so that when we love our neighbors, we are loving God.
P: They will know we are Christians by our love.
L: This is the greatest commandment given to us: that we love one another as Jesus loves us.
P: They will know we are Christians by our love.
L: Let us worship the one who has shown us that there is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
P: They will know we are Christians by our love.
All: Alleluia! Amen!
P: They will know we are Christians by our love.
L: Truly, when we love God: we love our neighbors.
P: They will know we are Christians by our love.
L: It is also so that when we love our neighbors, we are loving God.
P: They will know we are Christians by our love.
L: This is the greatest commandment given to us: that we love one another as Jesus loves us.
P: They will know we are Christians by our love.
L: Let us worship the one who has shown us that there is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
P: They will know we are Christians by our love.
All: Alleluia! Amen!
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Shortened Great Thanksgiving Inspired by Acts 8:26-40
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right and a good and joyful thing. Therefore, Almighty God, with thankful hearts we praise you for the amazing love, grace, and forgiveness you gave to us through Jesus Christ. We thank you that you are every working to expand your Church.
We look towards that day when people from every corner of the Earth will flow toward your holy mountain. Where there is no East or West, where all are one in Christ Jesus.
And so we recount your story and remember the love that poured out from you - how your love has always been present and active in the world and manifest itself in Jesus, our Savior. How through the incarnation and resurrection, love became available to all.
And so we remember, on the night before he was betrayed and killed by the state, he was gathered together with his disciples at a table like this, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said:
"Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me."
When the supper was over, he took the cup, blessed it, gave it to his disciples and said:
"Drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the New Covenant, poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
God’s love is present at this table - God’s love offered to you, God’s love offered to me, God’s love offered to all. Unconditional, unending, ever-present, ever reaching love. And so we pray:
Holy, Loving God, pour out your Spirit on us gathered here,
And on these gifts of bread and juice.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ
That we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed and reconciling.
Through your Son Jesus Christ,
With the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
All honor and glory is yours, almighty God,
Now and forever, Amen.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right and a good and joyful thing. Therefore, Almighty God, with thankful hearts we praise you for the amazing love, grace, and forgiveness you gave to us through Jesus Christ. We thank you that you are every working to expand your Church.
We look towards that day when people from every corner of the Earth will flow toward your holy mountain. Where there is no East or West, where all are one in Christ Jesus.
And so we recount your story and remember the love that poured out from you - how your love has always been present and active in the world and manifest itself in Jesus, our Savior. How through the incarnation and resurrection, love became available to all.
And so we remember, on the night before he was betrayed and killed by the state, he was gathered together with his disciples at a table like this, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said:
"Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me."
When the supper was over, he took the cup, blessed it, gave it to his disciples and said:
"Drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the New Covenant, poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
God’s love is present at this table - God’s love offered to you, God’s love offered to me, God’s love offered to all. Unconditional, unending, ever-present, ever reaching love. And so we pray:
Holy, Loving God, pour out your Spirit on us gathered here,
And on these gifts of bread and juice.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ
That we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed and reconciling.
Through your Son Jesus Christ,
With the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
All honor and glory is yours, almighty God,
Now and forever, Amen.
Call to Worship inspired by Acts 8:26-40
L: Come, let us gather together!
P: I belong here.
L: Come, let us hear the story of Jesus!
P: This story is for me.
L: Come, let us recount his death and resurrection.
P: I am loved.
L: Come, let us live lives that share the joy of our Lord.
P: So that all may say: I belong. This is for me. I am loved.
All: Alleluia and Amen!
P: I belong here.
L: Come, let us hear the story of Jesus!
P: This story is for me.
L: Come, let us recount his death and resurrection.
P: I am loved.
L: Come, let us live lives that share the joy of our Lord.
P: So that all may say: I belong. This is for me. I am loved.
All: Alleluia and Amen!
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Call to Worship for Easter 3 Year B, Luke 36b-48
L: We are witnesses,
P: That the Messiah suffered and died and rose again on the third day.
L: We are witnesses,
P: to God’s love, poured out for us and for all.
L: We are witnesses,
P: sharing God’s love with all we meet.
L: We are witnesses,
P: to the hunger of our neighbors, the cries for justice in our streets.
L: We are witnesses.
P: Our lives and actions proclaim the goodness of our God.
L: Through our witness, may all experience the Risen Lord.
All: Alleluia! Amen!
P: That the Messiah suffered and died and rose again on the third day.
L: We are witnesses,
P: to God’s love, poured out for us and for all.
L: We are witnesses,
P: sharing God’s love with all we meet.
L: We are witnesses,
P: to the hunger of our neighbors, the cries for justice in our streets.
L: We are witnesses.
P: Our lives and actions proclaim the goodness of our God.
L: Through our witness, may all experience the Risen Lord.
All: Alleluia! Amen!
Thursday, January 7, 2021
Prayer for Baptism of the Lord Sunday following Attempted Coup
Siblings in Christ,
We have just responded to the word of God by reaffirming our baptisms and the vows we have made there within.
We would be remiss during this time of prayer to not reflect on how our baptismal vows, our calling as children of God, and recent world events coincide.
Bishop Easterling released a statement that was endorsed by The United Methodist Church Council of Bishops. I would like to read you part of his statement:
“It is tempting to call for peace, for order and unity. And while we do need to reclaim the peace, we can only do so while speaking the truth of today's horror. It is time to name our reality, to name the deep divisions and hatred being played out in the Senate chamber and throughout the People's House. It is another watershed moment; a time to raise our voices to heaven and take stock of who we, as Americans, have become.
This alarming occupation and violence at the U.S. Capitol are symptomatic of the vitriol and poison that now infects our culture. It disheartens. The rioters who climbed the steps and walls of the Capitol sought to overturn the law, a fair election, and justice, and claimed their motivation was to defend God and their freedoms. They waved banners emblazoned with the words, "Jesus Saves," but this is not what Emmanuel came to earth to embody. This is a perversion of the Gospel. This should drive all of us to our knees.”
As the Bishop said, this should drive us all to our knees. And so at this time, let us pray.
As we pray I will say, “God of our Baptism” and together we will respond, “Help us live as your children.”
Lord, today we do renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of our sin.
We name them now before you:
We renounce the pervasive power of sin: that which separates us from perfect love of God and neighbor: Lies, prejudice, envy, greed.
We reject that deep seated and pervasive and desperate desire for power that infects us all. A desire to keep power which breeds corruption and violence - of which we saw the deadly effects of yesterday.
We repent of all of this. We recognize that which is within us and we pray Lord, root it out. Wash us clean with your baptismal waters.
L: God of our Baptism,
P: Help us live as your children.
Lord, truly help us to accept the freedom and power you give us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
May we start by naming them for what they are: white supremacy, racism, xenophobia, bigotry, violence.
There is much evil. And there is much confusing evil and good. Our world can get us all turned around thinking up is down and down is up. Help us center ourselves on you, Lord. Give us the freedom to see clearly that which is good: You and loving our neighbor and that which is Evil: violence, power struggles, war. Empower us to resist. Empower us to repent. Empower us to recognize when we need to turn around, and return to you.
L: God of our Baptism,
P: Help us live as your children.
P: Help us live as your children.
Lord, truly help us to accept the freedom and power you give us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
May we start by naming them for what they are: white supremacy, racism, xenophobia, bigotry, violence.
There is much evil. And there is much confusing evil and good. Our world can get us all turned around thinking up is down and down is up. Help us center ourselves on you, Lord. Give us the freedom to see clearly that which is good: You and loving our neighbor and that which is Evil: violence, power struggles, war. Empower us to resist. Empower us to repent. Empower us to recognize when we need to turn around, and return to you.
L: God of our Baptism,
P: Help us live as your children.
Lord, may we place our whole lives in your grace. May our actions and our words reflect your goodness. May we bring glory to you in all we do and profess. Through us may all the people, people of all ages, nations, and races, know the love and goodness of Christ.
L: God of our Baptism,
P: Help us live as your children.
God, you are good. May we ever thank you for all you’ve given us and for the gift of baptism: that you adopt us as children and if children then heirs together with Christ. We lift up our thanksgivings before you, awash in the waters of baptism.
L: God of our Baptism,
P: Help us live as your children.
God, you are good. May we ever thank you for all you’ve given us and for the gift of baptism: that you adopt us as children and if children then heirs together with Christ. We lift up our thanksgivings before you, awash in the waters of baptism.
L: God of our Baptism,
P: Help us live as your children.
Redeemer, you know our hearts. Break them open for what breaks your heart. May we be instruments of your love and peace. It is with open hearts and open hands that we hand over to you in prayer those whom we love; those who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit; those who are dying, the mourning, the dead. Be with all in need of your grace and mercy.
L: God of our Baptism,
P: Help us live as your children.
We are your children, you, our good and faithful parent who hears our prayers. And so now, let us pray with the confidence of children of God, the prayer that Jesus taught us.
Our Father...
P: Help us live as your children.
Redeemer, you know our hearts. Break them open for what breaks your heart. May we be instruments of your love and peace. It is with open hearts and open hands that we hand over to you in prayer those whom we love; those who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit; those who are dying, the mourning, the dead. Be with all in need of your grace and mercy.
L: God of our Baptism,
P: Help us live as your children.
We are your children, you, our good and faithful parent who hears our prayers. And so now, let us pray with the confidence of children of God, the prayer that Jesus taught us.
Our Father...
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