Ten Healed of Leprosy
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle A Gospel Texts
Celebrating God's Presence And Power
Invitation to the Celebration
As grateful people, welcome to the last worship in Pentecost. Identify how you came to worship today. (Pause.) Who would be willing to express how you came into the sanctuary? (Give time for responses; we need not rush through worship.) Let them know, honestly, how you came. It's okay not to be perfect and always in control.
Response
Everyone: Thanks for creating us, Lord. Your creation of us amazes us. You acted out of your love in Jesus, and that gives us hope forever. Thanksgiving means choice; and choice is made freely. Thanksgiving means life, life pulsating with courage. Thanksliving means acting out our faith; for our faith is seen in our actions. We celebrate with thanks.
Hymn of Praise
"We Gather Together" (Netherlands Folk Hymn, 1625; trans. Theodore Baker, 1894; harm. Eduard Kremser, 1877).
Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving
In this prayer, avoid self-aggrandizement, and the notion that we are superior because we have so much more than others.
Celebrating Our Forgiveness
Call to Confession
We have used or heard the phrase, "God, thank you for our many blessings" hundreds of times. Do we ever consider the impact of our prayer?
1. If God is the provider, why are so many without even the necessities, while we thank God for our luxuries? (One minute of silence.)
2. Today, in the confession, I invite us to use this time to repent, rather than to thank. Think about those things/that stuff we had to have, which in a short time appeared in our garage sales or garbage bags. (Pause until the people feel uncomfortable.) Perhaps our "many blessings" are actually "many cursings." Because the more we have, the more we want. Perhaps we are the rich young ruler who chooses to turn away. We may turn away by saying that we really deserve all that we have. To turn to God, we will need to give up our self-righteous attitude, which insists that we have all of this stuff, because God, somehow, favors us above all the rest of the creation. NOT! If we read the Scriptures carefully, God seems to favor the poor and powerless, those at the bottom of the economic and social ladder. (Silence for two minutes.)
P: Lord, have mercy on us.
M: Christ, have mercy on us.
P: I invite us to keep taking a look at ourselves in light of the Gospel.
M: We seek forgiveness for turning our backs to others, for claiming superiority over others, for living out our God-given freedom without taking responsibility.
P: We confess to you, Lord, who we are, what we believe, where we go apart from you, and there is no health in us.
M: By your Spirit, make us thankful people, who live grateful lives -- with less.
Response
"Lord, Have Mercy Upon Us" (The Worshipbook, 1972; arr. David N. Johnson, 1972).
Call to Pardon
God forgives only those who repent, that is, those who change their attitude and behavior. How could it be any other way? So, today, this week, examine your blessings. Check off which ones may or have become cursings. Write them down, and make them a part of your daily prayers. Identify one of them now; write it down. (One minute of silence.) No, Jesus never said that the rich will not enter the Kingdom. It's more difficult, he said, because we spend more time with our riches, and what they can buy, than with God. We too easily depend on our riches, whatever form they take, to save us, rather than Christ. So, what are you willing to let go, and let God take over? (One minute of silence.)
P: Christ's spirit has set us free and made us responsible to express thanks, to live thanks.
M: We express thanks, we live thanks because we know that the past is forgiven, that the future is before us.
P: I invite us to love life, and the people who share it with us.
M: We embrace life in Christ; we live life in Christ.
Response
Chorus only to popular song, "Let It Be."
Celebrating the Word
Message with the Children of All Ages
Edward Spencer was a student at Northwestern University in 1850. One day, while walking along the shore of one of the Great Lakes, he noticed a boat sinking. For the next several hours, he swam out to the survivors, bringing them to shore one by one. He saved seventeen lives. But the ordeal broke his health. He could not pursue his intended career. As an old man, he acknowledged that not one of those people ever thanked him. Now, that sounds similar to today's Scripture. I invite you to remain while the drama group enacts this story.
Reading from the Newer Covenant
(Plan well in advance.) Have ten people carry signs identifying some of today's "lepers." Suggestions: viral infections, MS, cerebral palsy, AIDS, cancer, deaf, blind, deformed, lame, leper. Have them dress the part if possible. As Jesus "heals" them, they throw their signs on the ground, and run out of the sanctuary. In a while, one returns. Jesus asks, "Weren't ten healed; where are the other nine? Isn't anyone going to turn and praise God for what's been done, except this stranger?" Jesus then touches the person and says, "Go on your way. Your faith has made you whole." And the person replies, "Thanks, Jesus."
Proclamation of the Good News
Consider these ideas:
1. Gratitude is the "memory of the heart."
2. If you lost everything, except your life, for 24 hours, and then, at the end of the 24 hours, you were able to have returned to you the five most important things, what would they be?
3. It was left to the Samaritan, the hated enemy of the Jews, the one who had no business being with them in the first place, to return and reply, "By the way ... thanks." Which of the ten are you? And you? And you? Am I?
Response
"I Will Give Thanks With My Whole Heart" (Christopher L. Webber, 1986, 1988; arr. Johann Sebastian Bach, c. 1708).
Celebrating Our Obedience
Stewardship Challenge
What if you lost everything, except your life, for 24 hours? At the end of the 24 hours, you were able to have returned to you the five most important things. What would they be? (One minute of silence; write down your responses.) Then ask, how many of you included "God" on your list? (Pause before receiving the offering.)
Prayer Following the Offering
By your Spirit, Lord, teach us how to use our money, checkbooks, credit cards for the building of your Kingdom, rather than ours.
Hymn of Commitment
"The World Abounds with God's Free Grace" (David G. Mehrtens, 1980; George Frederick Handel, 1749; harm. C. Winfred Douglas, 1941).
Charge to the Congregation
"If we cannot or will not give thanks to God for what we receive, then I invite us to give thanks for what we have escaped" (author unknown, slightly revised).
Meditation
"Poverty does not prohibit gratitude; prosperity does not produce it" (author unknown).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Prelude to Caprice #3," E. Nanny.
Hymn of Praise: "O Be Joyful in the Lord," based on Psalm 100; Curtis Beach, 1958; alt., 1972.
Response to the Newer Covenant: (Choir) "The Guiding Christ, Our Shepherd," Lloyd Pfautsch.
Response to the Stewardship Challenge: "Adagio," Vierne.
Hymn of Commitment and Thanksgiving: "Now Thank We All Our God," Martin Rinkart, 1636; trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1858; alt., 1972. Lindell Sawyers has written a revision of this hymn, which appeared in Monday Morning, September 12, 1988. This magazine is a publication of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). See address in Appendix I.
Response to the Benediction: Tune: "Kum Ba Ya,"
"We are thankful, Lord. We give thanks.
We are thankful, Lord. We give thanks.
We are thankful, Lord. We give thanks.
O Lord, we give thanks." (repeat for as long as you want)
Music for Dismissal: "Gigue from 1st Suite," J. S. Bach.
Invitation to the Celebration
As grateful people, welcome to the last worship in Pentecost. Identify how you came to worship today. (Pause.) Who would be willing to express how you came into the sanctuary? (Give time for responses; we need not rush through worship.) Let them know, honestly, how you came. It's okay not to be perfect and always in control.
Response
Everyone: Thanks for creating us, Lord. Your creation of us amazes us. You acted out of your love in Jesus, and that gives us hope forever. Thanksgiving means choice; and choice is made freely. Thanksgiving means life, life pulsating with courage. Thanksliving means acting out our faith; for our faith is seen in our actions. We celebrate with thanks.
Hymn of Praise
"We Gather Together" (Netherlands Folk Hymn, 1625; trans. Theodore Baker, 1894; harm. Eduard Kremser, 1877).
Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving
In this prayer, avoid self-aggrandizement, and the notion that we are superior because we have so much more than others.
Celebrating Our Forgiveness
Call to Confession
We have used or heard the phrase, "God, thank you for our many blessings" hundreds of times. Do we ever consider the impact of our prayer?
1. If God is the provider, why are so many without even the necessities, while we thank God for our luxuries? (One minute of silence.)
2. Today, in the confession, I invite us to use this time to repent, rather than to thank. Think about those things/that stuff we had to have, which in a short time appeared in our garage sales or garbage bags. (Pause until the people feel uncomfortable.) Perhaps our "many blessings" are actually "many cursings." Because the more we have, the more we want. Perhaps we are the rich young ruler who chooses to turn away. We may turn away by saying that we really deserve all that we have. To turn to God, we will need to give up our self-righteous attitude, which insists that we have all of this stuff, because God, somehow, favors us above all the rest of the creation. NOT! If we read the Scriptures carefully, God seems to favor the poor and powerless, those at the bottom of the economic and social ladder. (Silence for two minutes.)
P: Lord, have mercy on us.
M: Christ, have mercy on us.
P: I invite us to keep taking a look at ourselves in light of the Gospel.
M: We seek forgiveness for turning our backs to others, for claiming superiority over others, for living out our God-given freedom without taking responsibility.
P: We confess to you, Lord, who we are, what we believe, where we go apart from you, and there is no health in us.
M: By your Spirit, make us thankful people, who live grateful lives -- with less.
Response
"Lord, Have Mercy Upon Us" (The Worshipbook, 1972; arr. David N. Johnson, 1972).
Call to Pardon
God forgives only those who repent, that is, those who change their attitude and behavior. How could it be any other way? So, today, this week, examine your blessings. Check off which ones may or have become cursings. Write them down, and make them a part of your daily prayers. Identify one of them now; write it down. (One minute of silence.) No, Jesus never said that the rich will not enter the Kingdom. It's more difficult, he said, because we spend more time with our riches, and what they can buy, than with God. We too easily depend on our riches, whatever form they take, to save us, rather than Christ. So, what are you willing to let go, and let God take over? (One minute of silence.)
P: Christ's spirit has set us free and made us responsible to express thanks, to live thanks.
M: We express thanks, we live thanks because we know that the past is forgiven, that the future is before us.
P: I invite us to love life, and the people who share it with us.
M: We embrace life in Christ; we live life in Christ.
Response
Chorus only to popular song, "Let It Be."
Celebrating the Word
Message with the Children of All Ages
Edward Spencer was a student at Northwestern University in 1850. One day, while walking along the shore of one of the Great Lakes, he noticed a boat sinking. For the next several hours, he swam out to the survivors, bringing them to shore one by one. He saved seventeen lives. But the ordeal broke his health. He could not pursue his intended career. As an old man, he acknowledged that not one of those people ever thanked him. Now, that sounds similar to today's Scripture. I invite you to remain while the drama group enacts this story.
Reading from the Newer Covenant
(Plan well in advance.) Have ten people carry signs identifying some of today's "lepers." Suggestions: viral infections, MS, cerebral palsy, AIDS, cancer, deaf, blind, deformed, lame, leper. Have them dress the part if possible. As Jesus "heals" them, they throw their signs on the ground, and run out of the sanctuary. In a while, one returns. Jesus asks, "Weren't ten healed; where are the other nine? Isn't anyone going to turn and praise God for what's been done, except this stranger?" Jesus then touches the person and says, "Go on your way. Your faith has made you whole." And the person replies, "Thanks, Jesus."
Proclamation of the Good News
Consider these ideas:
1. Gratitude is the "memory of the heart."
2. If you lost everything, except your life, for 24 hours, and then, at the end of the 24 hours, you were able to have returned to you the five most important things, what would they be?
3. It was left to the Samaritan, the hated enemy of the Jews, the one who had no business being with them in the first place, to return and reply, "By the way ... thanks." Which of the ten are you? And you? And you? Am I?
Response
"I Will Give Thanks With My Whole Heart" (Christopher L. Webber, 1986, 1988; arr. Johann Sebastian Bach, c. 1708).
Celebrating Our Obedience
Stewardship Challenge
What if you lost everything, except your life, for 24 hours? At the end of the 24 hours, you were able to have returned to you the five most important things. What would they be? (One minute of silence; write down your responses.) Then ask, how many of you included "God" on your list? (Pause before receiving the offering.)
Prayer Following the Offering
By your Spirit, Lord, teach us how to use our money, checkbooks, credit cards for the building of your Kingdom, rather than ours.
Hymn of Commitment
"The World Abounds with God's Free Grace" (David G. Mehrtens, 1980; George Frederick Handel, 1749; harm. C. Winfred Douglas, 1941).
Charge to the Congregation
"If we cannot or will not give thanks to God for what we receive, then I invite us to give thanks for what we have escaped" (author unknown, slightly revised).
Meditation
"Poverty does not prohibit gratitude; prosperity does not produce it" (author unknown).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Prelude to Caprice #3," E. Nanny.
Hymn of Praise: "O Be Joyful in the Lord," based on Psalm 100; Curtis Beach, 1958; alt., 1972.
Response to the Newer Covenant: (Choir) "The Guiding Christ, Our Shepherd," Lloyd Pfautsch.
Response to the Stewardship Challenge: "Adagio," Vierne.
Hymn of Commitment and Thanksgiving: "Now Thank We All Our God," Martin Rinkart, 1636; trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1858; alt., 1972. Lindell Sawyers has written a revision of this hymn, which appeared in Monday Morning, September 12, 1988. This magazine is a publication of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). See address in Appendix I.
Response to the Benediction: Tune: "Kum Ba Ya,"
"We are thankful, Lord. We give thanks.
We are thankful, Lord. We give thanks.
We are thankful, Lord. We give thanks.
O Lord, we give thanks." (repeat for as long as you want)
Music for Dismissal: "Gigue from 1st Suite," J. S. Bach.
