OT 9 - A

Call to Worship
Be still!
The One who cradled the remnant of creation
in the cleansing waters calls us here.
Be still! And know this:
At the present time, God cradles us in safety
even as fear floods all around us.
Be still! And know who God is.
The One who is with us in every moment:
past, present, and future.

Prayer of the Day
In every city center
where lives teeter on the edge;
in every suburban home
where lives can be trapped
in the quicksand of complacency:
you are there, Helping God.

In every corridor of power
where nations hurl insults
or whisper hope;
in every prejudice
rooted in fear;
in every grace-filled conversation
between strangers:
you are there, Strength of the World.

In every heart that welcomes
the broken and beaten-down of the world;
in every reconciling embrace
of those we once boasted
were our enemies:
you are there, Spirit of Refuge.

God in Community, Holy in One,
early in the morning, your glad rivers
of hope and joy flow through us,
as we lift our prayers, saying,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
When we gather to praise our God, we remember that we are people who tend to choose our will over God's. Accepting God's power to create us as new people in Christ, let us confess our sins before God and one another, as we pray,

Responsive Prayer of Confession
In the lonely neighbor next door, you come to us,
but we do not recognize you;
in the cries of the children sleeping in the street, you call,
but we do not hear you;
in the laughing hug of an old friend, you bless us.
but we cannot feel you.
Forgive us, and make us new.
In the immigrant who sits beside us on the bus, you accept us,
but we will not shake your hand;
in the family member who tells us to 'forget it,' you forgive us,
but we dare not let go of what they have done to us.
Forgive us, and make us new.
In a broken world, we see your mission,
but we insist on doing everything our way;
in the outcast, the poor, the needy, we find you,
but we do not care what is happening to you;
in your death and resurrection, we find life,
but we are unable to believe you.
Forgive us, and make us new.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
There is no shame in the good news - only hope, only life, only joy, only peace.
Even now, God is forgiving us; even now, God is making us new. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
You put an end
to the corruption of chaos,
Ark of our hearts,
filling its emptiness
with creation's beauty.
You whispered your dreams,
and the mountains echoed with praise;
you shaped us in your image
and the heavens saw your work.
You placed us right
in the center of your goodness,
giving us the solid foundation
of your heart as our home.
But we decided to stand
on the shifting sands of sin,
not fearing death's flood.
You sent the prophets
to remind us that
you were not ashamed
of your hopes for us.
But we would not keep
our covenant with you,
and so you sent Jesus,
to offer us the justice
of your righteous love.

So, with those who have found
their refuge in you in every time and place,
we lift our songs of thanksgiving:

Sanctus

Holy are you, Creator of all life,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Peace.
He could have stayed
in the haven of glory,
but came to walk our streets,
bringing the dawn of redemption.
He could have prided himself
on his signs and wonders,
but faithfully did your will.
Making no distinction
between your children,
he went to the cross,
willing to sacrifice his life,
to put an end to
death's control over ours.

As we remember his life, his death, his resurrection,
as we long to not be ashamed of his gospel,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:

Memorial Acclamation

Here, on this Table
are your gifts -
the bread and the cup.
But even more,
are the gifts of grace,
of hope, of peace.
So pour out your Spirit
upon all these gifts,
and those who gather
in this place and this time.
As we eat of the Bread of life,
may we reach out to those
starving for justice and peace.
As we drink from the Cup of joy,
may we live out our faith
by serving those damaged
by the violence of our world.

And when we enter heaven,
our feet on the firm foundation
of your love and grace,
we will gather around your Table once more,
singing our praises to you forever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time - A

Call to Worship
When our hearts are so heavy, it seems
we cannot carry them through the day,
God will give us compassion through our friends,
so we will not bear the load alone.
When our words are so inadequate
it seems we cannot speak them,
God will give us hope
so we can break forth in songs of joy.
When we have so lost our way
we stumble in the shadows of life,
God will give us light,
so we can find the living waters.

Prayer of the Day
To those who hunger and thirst
in the loneliness of life,
you nourish us with compassion;
to those who huddle
in the shadows of unhappiness,
you bring the light of joy.
You love us like a mother, Holy God.

To those held captive
by the stress of daily living,
you whisper, 'let go; cling to me.'
To those who wonder each morning
what they should wear to school,
you hand a bouquet of daisies.
You watch over us like a father,
Jesus of our hearts.

For those who stumble through life,
you fill in the potholes of our worries;
for all those forgotten
by all rushing by them,
you tattoo our faces on your palms,
so you will see us
every time you pray for us.
Like our parents,
you remember us,
Spirit of Joy.

God in Community, Holy in One,
Father, Brother, Mother,
hear us as we pray as we are taught,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Called to be servants and stewards of mysteries, we worry more about how others will judge our hairstyles or choice of shows. Let us go to God's store, where we will find grace and mercy, before wasting our blessings on the trinkets of the world.

Unison Prayer of Confession
You tell us not to worry, Mothering God,
but we cannot seem to help ourselves.
With refrigerators full of food,
we still make grocery lists;
with closets so full we cannot shut the doors,
we run out and buy new outfits;
with a simple invitation to 'follow me,'
we form committees to help us decide.

We lift our hearts to you, Tender God, so you would fill them with your mercy and hope. May we continue to seek your kingdom in every moment to come, hoping and trusting in the peace and love of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
Like a nursing child fed by its mother, God's mercy calms and quiets us, so we can receive all that God wants to give us.
We welcome all that God gives to us, and will share these gifts with everyone we meet. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
You called, Gentle Heart,
and creation stepped out of
the shadows of chaos
into the light of goodness.
You would feed us
from grace's bounty,
you would shelter us
from the hazards of nature.
But we could not stop worrying
about what to wear,
or how long our lives would last,
so we turned to sin and death
for comforting answers.
Prophets came, assuring us
that you had not forgotten us,
but longed to help us.
When we continued to trust
in the world's seductions,
your compassion overflowed
as you sent Jesus
to bring us back to the waters
of life and hope.

So, with those of every time and place,
we lift our hearts to you,
bursting into songs of joy:

Sanctus

Holy are you, God of Peace,
and blessed is Jesus Christ,
your Compassion, our Savior.
When our days were filled
with despair, he came
bringing the day of hope.
When our days overflowed
with grief and pain,
he came to bring
the day of joy and life.
When our names were down
on death's calendar,
he came to bring
the day of salvation.

As we remember all the days of his life,
the preaching, the teaching, the healing,
the sacrifice for us, the resurrection for all,
we celebrate that mystery we call faith:

Memorial Acclamation

Pour out your Spirit
upon these simple gifts
from creation's goodness,
and upon your children
gathered in your name.
Given as a sign of your love,
may the bread we eat
strengthen us to serve those
for whom the word
has no pity.
Given as a seal of your compassion,
may the cup we drink
nourish us so we can
guide our sisters and brothers
to your justice and peace.

And when all time has ended
and there is only that day which lasts forever,
we will gather around your Table,
feeding upon your grace and mercy,
as we lift our hearts singing your praises,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman

Holy Trinity - A

Call to Worship
Called to be faithful stewards of creation,
we come to worship:
to sing to the One who has created all
that is good, beautiful, and true
and who has shared everything with us.
Called to be disciples of Jesus Christ,
we come to learn:
to follow the One who meets us
in every moment of our lives,
in every place where we find ourselves.
Called to proclaim the good news of Easter,
we come to find the words:
to be taught by the Spirit who moves
in and through us, as we serve the world.

Prayer of the Day
Hearing your whisper,
creation tingles with anticipation,
knowing that goodness
and wonder are your heart's desires.
Listening to your instructions,
the universe shimmers with delight,
and all creatures fall down
to worship you.
Imaginative God,
you are as close
as the early morning breeze.

God spoke,
and you ran forth
to sprinkle the heavens
with the shimmering stars;
you poured the waters of grace
into the hollows of the earth,
so all life might emerge.
Bone of our bone,
flesh of our flesh,
you are as close
as the love which
fills our hearts.

God dreamed,
and you flowed over chaos,
shaping, spinning, weaving
the peace and joy
into the fabric of all life.
Your passion for hope
became flames which
dance in our hearts.
Spirit of fanciful faith,
you are as close
as a butterfly's wings
brushing our cheeks.

You are closer to us
than we ever dared hope,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and so we lift our prayer to you, saying
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
When God looks at us, the One who created us sees hope, joy, grace, life. But all too often, others see us as we are, broken, hurtful, sinful. Let us confess our deeds and words to the One who loves us, and longs to recreate us in the image of true life.

Unison Prayer of Confession
Why do you pay us any attention, Artist of Creation? Created in your image, we show faces filled with desire, and offer hearts filled with anger to those around us. Called to be disciples of Christ, we all too often are seen chasing after the false promises of the easy life. Offered the role of being stewards of creation, we think that everything that you have created is to be used up so we can enjoy life, with no thought about future generations.

Yet, you have declared everything you created to be good, even us, God of unexpected grace. So we know that, in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior, you will reshape our greed into generosity, our bitterness into blessings, and our brokenness into lives poured out in service to our sisters and brothers.

Silent prayers may be offered

Assurance of Pardon
Lives that are chaotic become cradles of peace; hearts malformed by meanness are reshaped into goodness; souls filled with despair are cleansed with grae.
This is the good news: the God who created us is the God who redeems us; the God who redeems us, is the God who sends us forth to serve. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
At the beginning,
God of Imagination,
you finger-painted
sunrises and sunsets
on the blank canvas of chaos.
You sang creation's cantata,
while suns, moons, and stars
kept watch over your delights.
You laughed, while
lions, tigers, and bears
danced joyfully in the meadows,
with everything that
wiggles, creeps, crawls
clapped their hands in time.
When you would have
clothed us in glory,
we found sin and death
to be a more comfortable fit.
Prophets came teaching obedience
and calling us to faithful lives,
but we continued to insist
on having control of our souls.
So, you sent Jesus,
to make our brokenness
whole once again.

So, with grace, love and unity
our faithful companions and teachers,
and with all the saints of every time and place,
we lift our songs of thanksgiving:

Sanctus

Holy are you, God over us,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, God with us.
He took off glory's garb,
to put on humanity;
he set aside heaven's honor,
to be crowned with thorns;
he spoke of love and hope,
silencing our enemy, pride;
he went into the grave,
to free us from death's grasp.

As we remember his life, death, and resurrection,
as we celebrate his recreative power in us,
we would speak of that mystery called faith:

Memorial Acclamation

Send your Spirit to move over
the gifts of the bread and the cup,
and to bring light and goodness
to those who gather around your Table.
As we break the Bread of life,
may we become living hope
to a world mired in despair.
As we drink from the Cup of grace,
may we cup your kindness and peace
in our hearts and souls,
so we might be poured out
to those who thirst for your
peace and gentleness in their lives.

And when your dreams which began at creation
are realized when all time comes to an end,
when we gather around your Table,
with saints and sinners, disciples and deniers,
we will find ourselves closer to you
that we ever thought we might be,
singing our praises forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Charge and Benediction
L: God, who created you in the divine image,
sends you forth:
P: we go, to reflect the presence of our
Creator to everyone we meet.
L: Jesus, who has redeemed you,
has established God's Kingdom in
our midst:
P: we go, to bring healing
to the broken of the world.
L: The Holy Spirit, who calls you to be
God's people, goes with you to many places:
P: We go, to tear down the walls that divide
us, and to build lives of hope for all of
God's children.
L: And now,
may the peace of the rolling waves,
the peace of the silent mountains,
the peace of the singing stars,
and the deep, deep peace of the
Prince of Peace,
be with you now and forever.
Amen.

(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman

Pentecost - A

Call to Worship
On this first day, the Lord's Day,
we gather in this place, with this people:
though we have different gifts,
we are blessed by the same God.
On that great day of Pentecost,
the disciples gathered together:
though uncertain, they trusted God's future,
though many, they were one in Christ.
On the last day of all time, God's daughters
and sons will be together, in one place:
until then, we will talk of God's dreams,
with every breath we take, with every moment we live.

Prayer of the Day
Astonishing Creator,
at Pentecost,
you could have been
calm, cool, analytical -
but you decided to no
longer play it safe,
but once again
(and for all time),
unleashed the Spirit
into our babeling
and humble-jumble lives.

Like an artist using
a variety of mediums,
Living Water,
you proclaim good news to us:
to those who hunger for hope,
you feed them
from the banquet of justice;
to those parched by loneliness,
you hold that precious cup
overflowing with your tears
to their cracked lips.

Unbridled Spirit,
you calm us when
we are racing around
like four-year-olds
playing tag;
you come rushing
through our soul's backyard,
knocking our dirty lives
off the closed-lines,
to shawl us in
salvation's spring garb.

May our words please you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we pray as Jesus taught us,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
Called to be one body, we live as fragmented members. Our selfish desires, our lust for more, our belief we have no need of others, leads not to unity, but to division. Let us confess our brokenness to the God who saves us.

Unison Prayer of Confession
In the arguments which divide us, Hope's Heart, we cannot hear your voice calling us to be one. In the rush to judge others who speak, dress, or look different from us, we cannot stop to experience your grace. In our devotion to our selves and our needs, we cannot open our hearts to receive your gifts.

Silence our babeling lives, Sculptor of Salvation, so we might hear the clear, sweet voice of the Spirit, announcing that we are forgiven, calling us to proclaim the good news to all the world, baptizing us into the Body of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
On this day, as on every day, God stands, arms wide open to embrace us; heart wide open to forgive us. Friends, this is the good news.
God's glory is forever; God's grace will never end. We will rejoice in God's healing hope, as long as we have breath. Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Architect of the universe:
when chaos had grown old and wrinkled,
you sent Spirit to give it a new face -
imagining, shaping, painting -
until the starlight shimmered
on the watery deeps
and the earth trembled
from the trees dancing in delight.
You created critters which tip-toe
across our floors at night,
and great whales that play
hide-and-seek with submarines.
You formed humanity in your image,
and filled us with your Spirit,
so we could sing praises
to you every moment.
But sin and death
took our breath away
with their fireworks made
of futility and fear,
and we chased after them
clapping our hands in delight.
Prophets came, entreating
your daughters and sons to come home,
but we thought they were drunk
on ecstasy's sweet wine.
So, you sent Jesus,
hoping to get our attention
with glory made flesh.

So, with all who have gone before us,
and all who will come after,
we sing our songs of praise:

Sanctus

Holy are you, our only Hope,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son.
When our souls thirsted
for your presence,
he came,
to offer us a drink of grace.
When our hearts cracked
from the strain of unbelief,
he came,
to
mend us with faith.
When we had lost our way,
he came,
to follow agony
to it's bitter end,
so we could begin
our journey home to you.

As we remember his life, his death, his rising,
as we celebrate the fulfillment
of the Spirit he promised,
we sing of that mystery we call faith:

Memorial Acclamation

Pour out Pentecost's Spirit
upon these gifts of the bread and cup,
and on your daughters and sons
who hunger for your goodness.
As we eat of the Bread,
may grace dance in our hearts,
so we will want
to rush out with healing
for a broken world.
As we drink for hope's Cup,
may it cascade through us,
filling us with your
undying compassion,
till we become lives
of flowing love
to a parched people.

And when that great day comes
when you gather your children
in one place, around one great Table,
we will receive the Spirit,
being fed by your Servant, Jesus,
and sing to you
with one voice, one heart,
God in Community, Holy in One.
Amen.

(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman