Jesus Calms the Storm
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle B
Celebration Through Praise
Pastoral Invitation (Pastor and Ministers)
Pause for what one may call a "pregnant pause," even several moments after the congregation is silent and waiting for you to begin. Wait until the people are edgy, and even anxious, for you to begin. Then, slowly and deliberately say, "Peace, be still." Again, wait for several moments before continuing. Then add, "Are you ready to begin corporate worship?" If no response, ask again and again until you get a response. (Idea borrowed from my Lectionary Worship Workbook, published by CSS, 1990.)
P: We are here to listen to your voice.
M: Speak to us the words we need to hear.
Response
"Praise the Lord, God's Glories Show," Henry Francis Lyte, 1834; alt.; Robert Williams, 1817; harm. David Evans, 1927.
Prayer of Praise
Incorporate the idea of the storms in our lives, and the calming peace promised by the risen Christ -- not only for ourselves and immediate families, but for the storms around the world.
Celebration Through Confession And Forgiveness
Introduction to the Act of Confession
Write down the names of one, two, or three storms in your life. (Wait.) Consider how those storms affect your relationship with family, friends, co-workers, schoolmates, and so forth. (One minute of silence.) What is your behavior that keeps the storms blowing? (One minute of silence.) Many of us prefer to blame others for our storms. (Two minutes of silence.) Following the silence, offer a two- or three-sentence corporate prayer of forgiveness for the contribution that each of us makes to the creation of our own storms.
Introduction to the Act of Forgiveness
We say that we want the peace which Christ promises. Yet, we spend so much of our day rushing here and there, to and fro. Christ invites us to claim his peace, beginning now. Receive the gift.
Response
"O God of Love, O God of Peace," Henry Williams Baker, 1860; alt. 1987; Cantica Spiritualia, 1847.
Celebration Through The Word
Message with the Children of All Ages
Invite someone who has been in rough, even dangerous, waters. Ask that person to describe the thoughts and feelings of such an event. Allow that person's experience to lead into the scripture. Conclude with the promise of Jesus that his presence brings us peace, not the peace of the cemetery, but peace for the road, as John Bunyan describes in Pilgrim's Progress.
Reading from the Scripture
Use the message with the children; conclude with Jesus' words, "Quiet, be still." And the disciples' words, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him."
Proclamation of the Good News
Incorporate these ideas: (1) Some of us may fear life's storms so much that we choose to stay safely moored in the harbor, never to relate to the world's fears, tragedies, hurts, pain, lethargy. If so, we will never hear Jesus' words, "Peace, be still." (2) Making decisions to follow Jesus is painful, uncomfortable, death of the old self. Unfortunately, many of us want all of the benefits and joys, without the agony and suffering that go with obedience to the risen one. Out there in the storms, we can, we will hear the powerful words of Jesus, "Peace, be still."
Response
"Peace Like a River," traditional spiritual, from Folk Encounter. Sing the first stanza only; sing it as a round. (See Appendix I for address.)
Celebration Through Thanksgiving And Intercession
Remember those multitudes in the world who never will experience anything resembling peace in their world because of hunger, thirst, violence, noise. Remind the people of their call to bring the peace of Christ to whatever storm is gathering, or, already blowing.
Celebration Through Commitment
Stewardship Challenge
Continue the theme of the previous prayers. Conclude with Malcom Muggeridge, the British journalist's remark, "There is nothing serious under the sun except love of fellow mortals and of God."
Charge to the Congregation and Receiving the Invitation
God invites, calls, urges us to grapple courageously, to cooperate creatively, to venture cooperatively, for the sake of the way, the truth, and the life.
Hymn of Commitment
"Kahm Kahm hahn Bom Sanaoon," (Lonely the Boat), Helen Kim, 1967; transliteration: Samuel Yun, 1989; trans. Hae Jong Kim (b. 1935); vers. Hope C. Kawashima, 1987; Dong Hoon Lee, 1967.
Charge to the Congregation
The storms will continue to rage. Some of those storms you and I initiate every day of our lives, by what we say or fail to say, by what we do or fail to do. In the midst of our next storm, stop and listen carefully, intensely, obediently to Jesus' words, "Peace, be still!"
Meditation
Former Sister Corita, in her book, To Believe in God, wrote, "To believe in God is to lay down together our minds to rest a while, while we mind one another's thinking."
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of Holy Spirit hymns; or, "Our Father in Heaven" by J. S. Bach.
Hymn of Commitment: "Praise the Lord, Who Reigns Above," based on Psalm 150; Charles Wesley, 1743.
Response to the Prayer of Praise: "The Lord's Prayer," West Indies version; melody transcribed by Olive Pattison, 1945.
Response to the Scripture: "Cause Us, O Lord," Ron Nelson.
Response to the Message with Children: "Put Your Hand in the Hand," words and music by Gene MacLellan, from Folk Encounter. (See Appendix I for address.)
Hymn of Commitment: "Give to the Winds Thy Fears," Paul Gerhardt, 1656; trans. John Wesley, 1739; alt., Samuel Howard, 1762; alt.
Music for Dismissal: "God, You Spin the Whirling Planets," Jane Parker Huber, 1978; Franz Joseph Haydn, 1797. Invite the people to consider the words of the hymn, and then sing it.
Pastoral Invitation (Pastor and Ministers)
Pause for what one may call a "pregnant pause," even several moments after the congregation is silent and waiting for you to begin. Wait until the people are edgy, and even anxious, for you to begin. Then, slowly and deliberately say, "Peace, be still." Again, wait for several moments before continuing. Then add, "Are you ready to begin corporate worship?" If no response, ask again and again until you get a response. (Idea borrowed from my Lectionary Worship Workbook, published by CSS, 1990.)
P: We are here to listen to your voice.
M: Speak to us the words we need to hear.
Response
"Praise the Lord, God's Glories Show," Henry Francis Lyte, 1834; alt.; Robert Williams, 1817; harm. David Evans, 1927.
Prayer of Praise
Incorporate the idea of the storms in our lives, and the calming peace promised by the risen Christ -- not only for ourselves and immediate families, but for the storms around the world.
Celebration Through Confession And Forgiveness
Introduction to the Act of Confession
Write down the names of one, two, or three storms in your life. (Wait.) Consider how those storms affect your relationship with family, friends, co-workers, schoolmates, and so forth. (One minute of silence.) What is your behavior that keeps the storms blowing? (One minute of silence.) Many of us prefer to blame others for our storms. (Two minutes of silence.) Following the silence, offer a two- or three-sentence corporate prayer of forgiveness for the contribution that each of us makes to the creation of our own storms.
Introduction to the Act of Forgiveness
We say that we want the peace which Christ promises. Yet, we spend so much of our day rushing here and there, to and fro. Christ invites us to claim his peace, beginning now. Receive the gift.
Response
"O God of Love, O God of Peace," Henry Williams Baker, 1860; alt. 1987; Cantica Spiritualia, 1847.
Celebration Through The Word
Message with the Children of All Ages
Invite someone who has been in rough, even dangerous, waters. Ask that person to describe the thoughts and feelings of such an event. Allow that person's experience to lead into the scripture. Conclude with the promise of Jesus that his presence brings us peace, not the peace of the cemetery, but peace for the road, as John Bunyan describes in Pilgrim's Progress.
Reading from the Scripture
Use the message with the children; conclude with Jesus' words, "Quiet, be still." And the disciples' words, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him."
Proclamation of the Good News
Incorporate these ideas: (1) Some of us may fear life's storms so much that we choose to stay safely moored in the harbor, never to relate to the world's fears, tragedies, hurts, pain, lethargy. If so, we will never hear Jesus' words, "Peace, be still." (2) Making decisions to follow Jesus is painful, uncomfortable, death of the old self. Unfortunately, many of us want all of the benefits and joys, without the agony and suffering that go with obedience to the risen one. Out there in the storms, we can, we will hear the powerful words of Jesus, "Peace, be still."
Response
"Peace Like a River," traditional spiritual, from Folk Encounter. Sing the first stanza only; sing it as a round. (See Appendix I for address.)
Celebration Through Thanksgiving And Intercession
Remember those multitudes in the world who never will experience anything resembling peace in their world because of hunger, thirst, violence, noise. Remind the people of their call to bring the peace of Christ to whatever storm is gathering, or, already blowing.
Celebration Through Commitment
Stewardship Challenge
Continue the theme of the previous prayers. Conclude with Malcom Muggeridge, the British journalist's remark, "There is nothing serious under the sun except love of fellow mortals and of God."
Charge to the Congregation and Receiving the Invitation
God invites, calls, urges us to grapple courageously, to cooperate creatively, to venture cooperatively, for the sake of the way, the truth, and the life.
Hymn of Commitment
"Kahm Kahm hahn Bom Sanaoon," (Lonely the Boat), Helen Kim, 1967; transliteration: Samuel Yun, 1989; trans. Hae Jong Kim (b. 1935); vers. Hope C. Kawashima, 1987; Dong Hoon Lee, 1967.
Charge to the Congregation
The storms will continue to rage. Some of those storms you and I initiate every day of our lives, by what we say or fail to say, by what we do or fail to do. In the midst of our next storm, stop and listen carefully, intensely, obediently to Jesus' words, "Peace, be still!"
Meditation
Former Sister Corita, in her book, To Believe in God, wrote, "To believe in God is to lay down together our minds to rest a while, while we mind one another's thinking."
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of Holy Spirit hymns; or, "Our Father in Heaven" by J. S. Bach.
Hymn of Commitment: "Praise the Lord, Who Reigns Above," based on Psalm 150; Charles Wesley, 1743.
Response to the Prayer of Praise: "The Lord's Prayer," West Indies version; melody transcribed by Olive Pattison, 1945.
Response to the Scripture: "Cause Us, O Lord," Ron Nelson.
Response to the Message with Children: "Put Your Hand in the Hand," words and music by Gene MacLellan, from Folk Encounter. (See Appendix I for address.)
Hymn of Commitment: "Give to the Winds Thy Fears," Paul Gerhardt, 1656; trans. John Wesley, 1739; alt., Samuel Howard, 1762; alt.
Music for Dismissal: "God, You Spin the Whirling Planets," Jane Parker Huber, 1978; Franz Joseph Haydn, 1797. Invite the people to consider the words of the hymn, and then sing it.
