Proper 4 / Ordinary Time 9 / Pentecost 2
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook, Series IV, Cycle C
Soul Motion
Object:
Atonement, [sometimes called at-one-ment] takes place where men and women, races, classes, and nations are made one, where reconciliation, release, renewal, the reunion of life with life are experienced.
-- J. A. T. Robinson, The Human Face of God
Call To Worship
Leader: We're here again! It must be Sunday! The Old Testament poet invites us to sing to God -- a new song! With the sky overhead and the earth suspended mysteriously in its place among the planets, it is easy for us to be awed and to sing and dance our praise.
People: We certainly do not want to bore God with repetitious songs or old dances.
Leader: Let's try some new songs, some new words, and some new rituals.
People: Hmm, we're not sure we are comfortable enough to do that.
Leader: How are you willing to stretch your faith and to honor God?
People: Let's sing a new song -- maybe the doxology toward the end of the service -- and speak different words. But let's not dance or try new rituals today.
Leader: Perhaps the earth and sky, the trees and animals will shout their joy!
People: We trust God to establish justice and fairness no matter what words we say and what rituals we do. For another day, we will practice new songs and new dances as our faith expands and as all our senses experience the living God!
Prayer Of Thanksgiving (Unison)
Living God -- we open our hearts and minds to you with words we think and with feelings that arise. We do not want to bore you with worn out arts nor with habits that are done without awareness. We do love you and want to proclaim your mystery wherever we are. In this hour, stretch our faith, enlarge our repertoire of praise, and expand our courage. Amen.
Call To Confession (Leader)
Perhaps this is the day to notice what we believe and how we integrate it with our view of the world and with our decisions. Pray with me and then continue your own prayer in silence.
Community Confession (Antiphonal)
Left side: Awesome God, we believe what we've been told without figuring out what is mythical truth and what is functional reality.
Right side: Gracious God, sometimes we are ignorant as to the effect of violent stories on our psyches and we continue to abuse our souls with obsolete views of blood and healing.
Left side: Creating God, open our eyes to your present activity in this world and in our minds.
Right side: Mysterious God, open our ears to your voice speaking in events, in conversations, and in beauty.
All: Merciful God, thank you for the myriad of ways you reveal yourself. We don't want to miss a single sound or sight; we don't want to ignore a single bit of radiance or shadow. Save us from our doting on our preferred ways of being. Do something new with us! Amen.
Word Of Grace (Leader)
Our experience with God the Creator is that of a healing and affirming Deity. In turn, God invites us to be in relationship with the Holy and with one another. In our attitudes and our actions, let us cocreate beauty and fairness. Jesus asks us to be good neighbors and to align ourselves with his teachings. We can do this and be at peace with God and with ourselves. Let it be so!
Sermon Idea
The 1 Kings passage is a success story for the prophet Elijah of ancient times with ancient rituals. It is a gory story, a story of animal sacrifice and human sacrifice. It is a story we see on the news of the mideast week after week: twenty-first-century people trying to appease Divinity as they understand him and in the process destroy land and humankind.
The gospel story is different; Jesus heals a person of another ethnic group. Both Jesus and the centurion are people of faith and they get their hopes met. As in some other biblical texts, the stranger is respected. This story is wholesome for adults and children and is consistent with other stories we have of Jesus. This story promotes peace rather than a hard-nosed deity demanding a particular kind of loyalty. If stretched a bit, the preacher might include the topic of immigration as well as ethnic differences as this text is exegeted.
In the Galatians passage, there is contention between Paul and some church folk. The question seems to be whether he is a legitimate apostle of Jesus. This is another story we hear again and again in the Christian church: Who shall have power and what is the real dogma.
This particular week, the title/theme might be: Mending Fences and Healing the Planet. The Paul and Elijah stories are not helpful to adults and youth trying to figure out their relationship with the Holy One and how to make the loving God tangible in this decade. These stories are helpful in understanding something of what is happening in Israel and Palestine -- the biblical feuds go on with lethal tools/weapons that maim the next generation psychologically, spiritually, and physically, not only in the mideast but throughout the global village. Do Christians want to perpetuate this violence?
As Christians, we are called to heal the sick, free the oppressed, and provide for those without life's basic necessities. "Let the children come" needs to be a lively and healthy encounter with the Holy. How else can there be peace across boundaries? How else can the land be cleared of mines (weapons and coal) so children have natural playgrounds? The preacher has the challenge of telling the Bible stories without allowing violence to be acceptable. Or perhaps the challenge is to acknowledge the evolution of human culture, human psyche, and Spirit from antiquity to now.
Contemporary Affirmation (Unison)
The Creating God is a great mystery, inviting us to be cocreators in this world.
The Christ is the teacher, calling us to live wholesome lifestyles that satisfy our souls.
The Holy Spirit is the live-in presence of the Creating God, urging us to welcome personal growth and to reach out to others.
The Body of Christ is the gathered friends of Jesus, sustaining one another through times of hardship, grief, and joy.
Life together allows us to worship God, walk with Christ, and respond to the Spirit.
Together, we sing, pray, listen, speak, and enjoy wine and bread.
Together, we make it from the cradle to the grave. We are not alone!
Offertory Statement (Leader)
If we share what we have, there is enough for everyone -- enough food, clothing, and money. Sharing our money means we can maintain this building and fill the shelves at the Community Pantry with good foods. Sharing our skills means we can keep this space beautiful and functional as well as construct a Habitat House downtown. Let's pass the baskets!
Doxology
Sovereign God Of All Creation (v. 1, modified), tune: GENEVA
Sovereign God of all creation, Ground of being, life and love;
Height and depth beyond description Only life in you can prove:
You are mortal life's dependence; Thought, speech, sight are ours by grace;
Yours is every hour's existence, Sovereign God of time and space.
Prayer Of Thanksgiving (Leader)
Generous God -- thank you for more-than-adequate resources to help make this place and our neighborhoods safe and lovely. Amen.
Intercessory Prayer (Leader or Readers)
Creating Spirit -- listening to the news disturbs our souls. Is there peace anywhere? Is there a collaborative attitude somewhere in our nation? Let wisdom spring up in Israel and in Palestine, in Iraq and in Iran, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and in America so that peace can escape from ancient feuds and a benevolent global village can be a reality.
Healing Spirit -- our mortality shows! Sustain us through life's stages and let us learn to grow and to learn something about ourselves and about you each day. When we feel down, let us look within to find the goodness in the shadows. When we feel up, let us share our delight with living. When we ache, let us experiment with massage and conversation, with heat and cool until we have relief. In our coming and going, we rejoice that we are held in your energy.
Designing Spirit -- we think we are created to be in relationship with Divinity and with humanity. Yet we often feel lonely and fearful. Let us learn to trust one another and to value our differences. Let us celebrate our similarities and revel in the good times we share. Thank you for the women and men who maintain this building and our programs so we may have a satisfying life together. Thank you for the prayers and tenderness that hold us together.
Singing Spirit -- even silence has a sound as the stars and planets move about space. Our silence is full of sighs and hmmms as we consider how our time is spent. Sing to us of new ways to think; sing of sustainable lifestyles so we can banish poverty, hunger, and homelessness. Let us listen carefully and understand.
Loving Spirit -- we know so many people who need care, so we pray for them. We name them in the quiet places of our minds: (pause for silent prayers) Thank you for being present with us. Amen.
Benediction (Leader)
We've considered the scriptures we've received.
We've sung our praise and prayed our angst.
We've honored God with our thoughts and our attitudes.
Go from here with a glad heart, a lively step, and hope for tomorrow.
Be peacemakers everywhere! God is your strength!
Music
Bring Many Names
Words: Brian Wren, 1987
Music: Carlton R. Young, 1987
WESTCHASE
Creating God, Your Fingers Trace
Words: Jeffery Rowthorn, 1974
Music: Thomas Tallis, 1561
TALLIS' CANON
Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth
Words: Jean Janzen, 1991, based on the writings of Julian of Norwich (14th century)
Music: Brent Stratten, 1994
JULIAN
Source And Sovereign, Rock And Cloud
Words: Thomas H. Troeger, 1987
Music: Joseph Parry, 1879
ABERYSTWYTH
-- J. A. T. Robinson, The Human Face of God
Call To Worship
Leader: We're here again! It must be Sunday! The Old Testament poet invites us to sing to God -- a new song! With the sky overhead and the earth suspended mysteriously in its place among the planets, it is easy for us to be awed and to sing and dance our praise.
People: We certainly do not want to bore God with repetitious songs or old dances.
Leader: Let's try some new songs, some new words, and some new rituals.
People: Hmm, we're not sure we are comfortable enough to do that.
Leader: How are you willing to stretch your faith and to honor God?
People: Let's sing a new song -- maybe the doxology toward the end of the service -- and speak different words. But let's not dance or try new rituals today.
Leader: Perhaps the earth and sky, the trees and animals will shout their joy!
People: We trust God to establish justice and fairness no matter what words we say and what rituals we do. For another day, we will practice new songs and new dances as our faith expands and as all our senses experience the living God!
Prayer Of Thanksgiving (Unison)
Living God -- we open our hearts and minds to you with words we think and with feelings that arise. We do not want to bore you with worn out arts nor with habits that are done without awareness. We do love you and want to proclaim your mystery wherever we are. In this hour, stretch our faith, enlarge our repertoire of praise, and expand our courage. Amen.
Call To Confession (Leader)
Perhaps this is the day to notice what we believe and how we integrate it with our view of the world and with our decisions. Pray with me and then continue your own prayer in silence.
Community Confession (Antiphonal)
Left side: Awesome God, we believe what we've been told without figuring out what is mythical truth and what is functional reality.
Right side: Gracious God, sometimes we are ignorant as to the effect of violent stories on our psyches and we continue to abuse our souls with obsolete views of blood and healing.
Left side: Creating God, open our eyes to your present activity in this world and in our minds.
Right side: Mysterious God, open our ears to your voice speaking in events, in conversations, and in beauty.
All: Merciful God, thank you for the myriad of ways you reveal yourself. We don't want to miss a single sound or sight; we don't want to ignore a single bit of radiance or shadow. Save us from our doting on our preferred ways of being. Do something new with us! Amen.
Word Of Grace (Leader)
Our experience with God the Creator is that of a healing and affirming Deity. In turn, God invites us to be in relationship with the Holy and with one another. In our attitudes and our actions, let us cocreate beauty and fairness. Jesus asks us to be good neighbors and to align ourselves with his teachings. We can do this and be at peace with God and with ourselves. Let it be so!
Sermon Idea
The 1 Kings passage is a success story for the prophet Elijah of ancient times with ancient rituals. It is a gory story, a story of animal sacrifice and human sacrifice. It is a story we see on the news of the mideast week after week: twenty-first-century people trying to appease Divinity as they understand him and in the process destroy land and humankind.
The gospel story is different; Jesus heals a person of another ethnic group. Both Jesus and the centurion are people of faith and they get their hopes met. As in some other biblical texts, the stranger is respected. This story is wholesome for adults and children and is consistent with other stories we have of Jesus. This story promotes peace rather than a hard-nosed deity demanding a particular kind of loyalty. If stretched a bit, the preacher might include the topic of immigration as well as ethnic differences as this text is exegeted.
In the Galatians passage, there is contention between Paul and some church folk. The question seems to be whether he is a legitimate apostle of Jesus. This is another story we hear again and again in the Christian church: Who shall have power and what is the real dogma.
This particular week, the title/theme might be: Mending Fences and Healing the Planet. The Paul and Elijah stories are not helpful to adults and youth trying to figure out their relationship with the Holy One and how to make the loving God tangible in this decade. These stories are helpful in understanding something of what is happening in Israel and Palestine -- the biblical feuds go on with lethal tools/weapons that maim the next generation psychologically, spiritually, and physically, not only in the mideast but throughout the global village. Do Christians want to perpetuate this violence?
As Christians, we are called to heal the sick, free the oppressed, and provide for those without life's basic necessities. "Let the children come" needs to be a lively and healthy encounter with the Holy. How else can there be peace across boundaries? How else can the land be cleared of mines (weapons and coal) so children have natural playgrounds? The preacher has the challenge of telling the Bible stories without allowing violence to be acceptable. Or perhaps the challenge is to acknowledge the evolution of human culture, human psyche, and Spirit from antiquity to now.
Contemporary Affirmation (Unison)
The Creating God is a great mystery, inviting us to be cocreators in this world.
The Christ is the teacher, calling us to live wholesome lifestyles that satisfy our souls.
The Holy Spirit is the live-in presence of the Creating God, urging us to welcome personal growth and to reach out to others.
The Body of Christ is the gathered friends of Jesus, sustaining one another through times of hardship, grief, and joy.
Life together allows us to worship God, walk with Christ, and respond to the Spirit.
Together, we sing, pray, listen, speak, and enjoy wine and bread.
Together, we make it from the cradle to the grave. We are not alone!
Offertory Statement (Leader)
If we share what we have, there is enough for everyone -- enough food, clothing, and money. Sharing our money means we can maintain this building and fill the shelves at the Community Pantry with good foods. Sharing our skills means we can keep this space beautiful and functional as well as construct a Habitat House downtown. Let's pass the baskets!
Doxology
Sovereign God Of All Creation (v. 1, modified), tune: GENEVA
Sovereign God of all creation, Ground of being, life and love;
Height and depth beyond description Only life in you can prove:
You are mortal life's dependence; Thought, speech, sight are ours by grace;
Yours is every hour's existence, Sovereign God of time and space.
Prayer Of Thanksgiving (Leader)
Generous God -- thank you for more-than-adequate resources to help make this place and our neighborhoods safe and lovely. Amen.
Intercessory Prayer (Leader or Readers)
Creating Spirit -- listening to the news disturbs our souls. Is there peace anywhere? Is there a collaborative attitude somewhere in our nation? Let wisdom spring up in Israel and in Palestine, in Iraq and in Iran, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and in America so that peace can escape from ancient feuds and a benevolent global village can be a reality.
Healing Spirit -- our mortality shows! Sustain us through life's stages and let us learn to grow and to learn something about ourselves and about you each day. When we feel down, let us look within to find the goodness in the shadows. When we feel up, let us share our delight with living. When we ache, let us experiment with massage and conversation, with heat and cool until we have relief. In our coming and going, we rejoice that we are held in your energy.
Designing Spirit -- we think we are created to be in relationship with Divinity and with humanity. Yet we often feel lonely and fearful. Let us learn to trust one another and to value our differences. Let us celebrate our similarities and revel in the good times we share. Thank you for the women and men who maintain this building and our programs so we may have a satisfying life together. Thank you for the prayers and tenderness that hold us together.
Singing Spirit -- even silence has a sound as the stars and planets move about space. Our silence is full of sighs and hmmms as we consider how our time is spent. Sing to us of new ways to think; sing of sustainable lifestyles so we can banish poverty, hunger, and homelessness. Let us listen carefully and understand.
Loving Spirit -- we know so many people who need care, so we pray for them. We name them in the quiet places of our minds: (pause for silent prayers) Thank you for being present with us. Amen.
Benediction (Leader)
We've considered the scriptures we've received.
We've sung our praise and prayed our angst.
We've honored God with our thoughts and our attitudes.
Go from here with a glad heart, a lively step, and hope for tomorrow.
Be peacemakers everywhere! God is your strength!
Music
Bring Many Names
Words: Brian Wren, 1987
Music: Carlton R. Young, 1987
WESTCHASE
Creating God, Your Fingers Trace
Words: Jeffery Rowthorn, 1974
Music: Thomas Tallis, 1561
TALLIS' CANON
Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth
Words: Jean Janzen, 1991, based on the writings of Julian of Norwich (14th century)
Music: Brent Stratten, 1994
JULIAN
Source And Sovereign, Rock And Cloud
Words: Thomas H. Troeger, 1987
Music: Joseph Parry, 1879
ABERYSTWYTH
