Ministry Matters: Worship

VIDEO: Prayer Service for Oklahoma Tornado Victims

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:51:00 GMT

By Robert Spain

Bishop Robert Spain spoke this morning at UMPH's prayer service for the Oklahoma tornado victims.

ARTICLE: Devotion for Trinity Sunday

Sat, 18 May 2013 04:03:00 GMT

By Ministry Matters

From 56 Devotions on Short Notice, included with a subscription to the Ministry Matters Premium Library

Call

Grace and peace be to you from God our Creator and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer

O Trinity, supreme in being; O unity without beginning, all the powers of the universe sing your praise, standing in wonder before you. Heaven and earth, the heights and the depths, are in awe of you. Men and women bless you. The fire, the wind, the light, all serve you. All things created bow before you in faith and hope and love. Amen.

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:5-14

The Apostles Creed read in Unison

Suggested Hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy

"Grace be to you from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ." Not a surprising greeting in church! Yet this truly is a strange formula we've been using today—Father, Son and Spirit, or any of the more current forms—Creator, Redeemer, Guide. We have heard it so often it raises no questions in our minds. The over-all term Holy Trinity raises even fewer questions. It may be the name of a church you've belonged to, or a college your daughter is attending.

Years of usage have implanted these words in our vocabulary: "Glory be to God the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen. "

Try to write a paragraph explaining the notion of the Holy Trinity. If you do some research for such a paragraph you will be surprised to discover that the term is not to be found anywhere in the Bible!

First used 300 years after the death of Jesus, it came into the Christian vocabulary after a lengthy and fiery debate on how to formulate, find form for, what Christians had experienced. It did not arise from an airy debate by professors of theology on fine points of theory. It was the result of everyday Christians reaching consensus on how to put into words what they had shared in daily living.

How have we encountered God? How do we find words for our encounter with the deity? What appears to be the nature of God?

As they discussed the ways God had chosen to reveal the divine presences they found their thought gathering around three distinct categories. There is surely but one God, yet we have found God acting in three ways— three ways at least! God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

As soon as we use the word "person" we are in trouble. For the early Christians used the word in a different manner than we do. In Greek drama the persona was the mask used by an actor to represent feelings. Thus we have the happy face and sad face as the logo for theatre today. Then the term was transferred to the actual "role" played—thus we find old playbills that list the "dramatis personae"—the roles of the drama.

Now we are closer to the meaning. One God, yet three roles. A human analogy may help. Each of us plays at least three roles at home. One may arrive home, see the children playing ball hockey in the driveway, give each a pat on the shoulder and say, "How's it going?"—the paternal role. One walks into the house and greets one's spouse with a fairly passionate kiss—the spousal role. Same person—different style of action. Then a mother-in-law or father-in-law may be sitting in the living room. One gives a kiss, but a more chaste one this time—the filial role. We are perceived in three roles, yet remain one.

So God is not a unit but a union, not a unity but a community. There is in God, as in each of us, something that resembles a "society." Neither we nor God are single beings, living and loving alone. God, like us, yet in a magnitude we cannot imagine, is personal and loving. In the beginning God—but if God is love, then— in the beginning relationship.

Leo Rosten tells of the old Jewish fellow knocked down while crossing the street in front of a Cathedral. A priest seeing the accident rushed to him and fearing he might die, asked him, "Do you believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?" The old fellow gasped, "Oy, I'm dying and he's asking me riddles!" We may feel as dismayed in having to deal with fine points of theology at a time when there are many questions that seem more pressing. Yet our own response to life is shaped by our convictions. As one made in God's image I am expected, like God, to be "creative, in community, for the sake of others." Doctrine so practical engages us and directs us.

Prayer

O God of all life, you are present to us in the wonder of creation; in the quiet whisper of a spring breeze and in the thunderstorms that shake the earth. You are present also in the tall strong Son of Galilee, whose earthly life provides a pattern, whose death provides release from old captivities, whose rising awakens a fresh new hope. We know your presence, too, in the still small voice within that warms us when we stray from your ways, and encourages us when we might stop along the way. We are grateful for your coming in these ways. Amen.

For 56 Devotions on Short Notice and hundreds of other resources for teaching, preaching, worship, and Bible research, become a subscriber today.

VIDEO: Naming Jacob: The Power of Words

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:23:00 GMT

By Jessica LaGrone

Words are powerful, and we should be mindful of that when we speak them over our friends, our family, and especially our children. This clip is from Jessica Lagrone's teaching session on Jacob from Namesake, an exciting new Bible study from Abingdon Women.

VIDEO: Who You Are in the Heavenly Realm (Converge Episode 4)

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:22:00 GMT

By Shane Raynor

Grace Biskie, David Dorn, and Matt O'Reilly join Shane Raynor to discuss Ephesians 2, grace, access to God, the blood of Christ and more.

VIDEO: Are You a Hypocrite?

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:50:00 GMT

By David Dorn

Are you what Jesus defines as a hypocrite? You may be surprised by the answer when you introspect. Now there is a difference between acts of hypocrisy and being a hypocrite. Neither are good, but one involves singular acts; the other involves a lifestyle.

Small Group Questions

What do you think about when you hear the word "hypocrite?"

Can you think of examples of the difference between hypocritical actions and being a hypocrite?

What do you think of hypocrites in the church?

Can you explain why Jesus puts such an emphasis on what one thinks about and meditates on?

Do you think you could incorporate this prayer into your daily life? "Lord Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Question of the Day

Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Are you a hypocrite?

WEBSITE - http://preposterousproject.org/
TWITTER - http://twitter.com/#!/iampreposterous
FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/preposterousproject

AUDIO: Too Old for Ordination?

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:31:00 GMT

By Shane Raynor

The bigger question is not if it's okay to discourage people over 45 from going through the ordination process, but rather, why aren't we discouraging everyone from going through it?

Listen or Subscribe: iTunes | Audioboo | Soundcloud | RSS

Views expressed here are not necessarily those of Ministry Matters, UMPH, or any related organization or agency.

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: June 9, 2013

Mon, 13 May 2013 03:28:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1
L: In the midst of difficult times, we have new life from Christ.
P: When we think that there is no hope, God offers us healing love.
L: Come, let us praise the God of new life.
P: Let us sing and shout for joy.
L: Let us worship the One who is with us forever.
P: Thanks be to God for all God’s blessings. AMEN.

Call to Worship #2:
L: When we feel down-hearted…
P: Jesus says: “Rise!”
L: When we wonder if we can continue on our journey…
P: Jesus says: “I am with you. You have nothing to fear.”
L: When we hunger and thirst in our souls for relief…
P: Jesus says: “Come, follow me.”
L: Lord of hope and possibilities, be with us today.
P: Open our hearts and spirits to feed upon your healing word. AMEN.

Call to Worship #3:
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2036, “Give Thanks”, offer the following call to worship]
L: Whenever we feel alone, forgotten, alienated, Jesus reaches out to us to lift us from our fears and loneliness. Our weakness is turned to strength by Jesus’ healing touch.
Choir: singing “Give Thanks” through 1 time.
P: Our lives rest in the power and love of Jesus. Even though times may get difficult, Jesus is with us, offering hope and power.
Choir: singing “Give Thanks” through 1 time.
L: May our hearts be filled with love and strength as we respond to God’s awesome love for us.
P: May our spirits soar as we are lifted from our anguish to pinnacles of hope through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: singing “Give Thanks” through 1 time.

Call to Worship #4:
L: Praise the Lord with all that you have!
P: Praise and trust in the Lord with all your heart and soul!
L: For God is with us throughout all our lives.
P: God’s loving presence surrounds us and comforts us in times of trouble.
L: Rejoice in the Lord at all times, in all places.
P: For God with steadfast and loving to us all. AMEN.

PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer:

Lord of hope and light, shine into our darkness and bring hope to our souls. Remind us again of the wonderful ways you have cared for us when we were lost. Open our hearts to receive your loving spirit. Refresh our minds with knowledge of your everlasting power and compassion. We offer this prayer in Christ’s name. AMEN.

Prayer of Confession:
Lord of power and compassion, we are so overwhelmed in these times with fears. We fear that we will not have enough of whatever we need to survive. We fear the anger and hostility that abides in the world, in our own country, in our own neighborhoods. All around us is anxiety about living. And we draw into ourselves as a response to the needs. We want someone else to take care of those in need. We want someone else to fight our battles for us. We want someone else to stop the darkness. We feel as though we are drowning in the depth of despair. But you, O Lord, are the bright light, the power to heal, the reassuring hand of comfort and strength. You offer to us healing love, strength for our exhausted souls, courage to face whatever comes, with the full confidence that you are with us in all these times. Forgive our weakness and our little faith. Give us hearts of strength and hope. Enable us to be among those who would reach out to others with welcome, healing, forgiveness, and love. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

Words of Assurance:
God is reaching out for you today. God offers healing and encouragement out of God’s great love for you. It is a free gift - continually given by God. Thanks be to God. AMEN

Pastoral Prayer
Life swirls around us, O Lord. So many things are happening in our lives, in our neighborhoods, in our country, in your world. We can be so easily distracted and overwhelmed by the needs and difficulties. Remind us again that you are with us, offering compassion, strength, courage, hope. Help us to place total trust in you as we offer our prayers for healing, comfort, and hope this day. Place your healing hand on our hearts and spirits and encourage us to rise and be strong in hope for the needs of others. Enable us to be partners in ministries of peace and justice in this world of darkness. Bring your light and power to us, for we pray in Christ’s Name. AMEN.

Litany/Reading:
Using THE UNITED METHODIST HYMNAL, “It’s Me, It’s Me, O Lord” p. 352, offer the following presentation/reading. The refrain, sung by a soloist, should be sung very slowly. Each of the successive verses should increase in tempo and intensity. You may want to sing the refrain through again at the end of the reading.]

Soloist: “It’s Me, It’s Me, O Lord” UMH #352 - refrain
Reader 1: I’m about ready to give up! It feels as though every time I turn around someone or something is waiting to clobber me, to knock me down, to discredit me. I’m sick of it! I don’t know what to do. I feel like I’m in the middle of a deep, dark, whirlpool and I’m being drawn downward - I don’t know if I can fight it. Help me, Lord, Help me.

Choir: singing “It’s Me, It’s Me, O Lord” UMH p. 352, verse 1
Reader 2: I am responsible for the spiritual life of my congregation. I feel pulled this way and that way. There are so many demands on my energy and time. My family wants me to have time for them; those in the nursing homes and those who live alone need a visit, I have committee and team meetings so many nights during the month. I have to keep up with my own spiritual life, my studies, my work for you, Lord. I am drowning! Help me, Lord, help me.

Choir: singing “It’s Me, It’s Me, O Lord” UMH p. 352, verse 2
Reader 3: I am having trouble making ends meet these days. The harder I work, the further behind I seem to get. There are so many needs in my family. I feel pulled and frantic that I will not be able to meet them. I want the best for my children, for my friends, for my family, but I can’t seem to do enough. I feel as though I am sinking and will soon disappear. Help me, Lord, Help me.

Choir: singing “It’s Me, It’s Me, O Lord” UMH p. 352, verse 3
Leader: We are all in need of your healing love, O Lord of mercy and power. So many times we are overwhelmed by things around us over which we have little or no control. Help us to place our trust in you, Lord. Guide and lift us when we feel as though we can go no further. For we all stand in the need of prayer, in the need of your healing and transforming touch. AMEN.
[Optional: Refrain of “It’s Me, It’s Me, O Lord”, UMH 352]

Benediction:
Bless us and lift us up, O Lord. As we go from this place, give us courage and strength to witness to your love and power. For we ask it in Jesus’ Name.AMEN.

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

The traditional Color for this Sunday is Green.

Author's Note: Have you ever wondered if there is any hope left in the world? Have you looked around you and felt the chill of deep darkness? These feelings are certainly not uncommon. Each of us, at one time or another, encounters the desolation of fear and alienation. Today’s worship setting is a reminder that God is with us in our darkness; that God gives to us light, healing and transforming love. We can rise from the swirling waters of fear and doubt to new life in Jesus Christ. The variation in color is symbolic of hope rising from the darkness of despair. The candles represent each of us, and the large white pillar candle represents Jesus.

Surface: Have several risers in front of the worship center. The lowest should be about 1 foot off the floor, others should be about six to eight inches higher. Place several risers on the worship center, putting the tallest, about 8”, in the center back. You will place a cross on this riser.

Fabric: Cover the entire worship center in black fabric, including the risers in front of the worship center. Place a second covering of dark green (very dark forest green) over the risers. Add the third covering of medium green over the risers. Place squares of light green on each of the risers on the worship center. Place one square of white fabric on the center riser on which the cross will be standing.

Candles: On each of the risers, place 5-7 votive candles. On the worship center place two green pillar candles beside the cross. Place one white pillar candle in front of the cross.

Flowers/Foliage: Use ivy at the back of the worship center to soften the edges. You may also use ivy near the floor, but the color of the plants should be a dark green as opposed to a lighter color.

Rocks/Wood: Near the base of the worship center, by the black fabric, place stones and some small branches of wood.

Other: Place a cross on the center riser on the worship center.

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: June 9, 2013

Mon, 13 May 2013 03:17:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

Luke 7:11-17. These two passages are very similar stories about the raising from death of the only sons of widows. Both make two important points. The first point is that God is powerful. God, working through Elijah and Jesus, can even bring dead people back to life. The second point is that God is loving and caring. God saved Elijah and the widow and her son from starvation, and God raised the only sons of two widows. In each case the raising of the son is a response to the widowed mother's plight. (At that time a woman depended upon her male relatives. A woman with neither husband nor sons lived in dire poverty.)

The widow's angry accusation of Elijah and Elijah's frustrated speech to God are difficult for children. To accept the widow's speech, one must have some understanding of the Deuteronomic explanation of suffering and the role of anger in the grieving process. To understand Elijah's frustration, one must recognize Elijah's appreciation of the widow's help and recall all that Elijah had suffered as God's prophet. The easiest way to explain all this to children is simply to say that when we are really hurting, we sometimes say mean things. Because she was so upset about her son's death, the widow lashed out at Elijah and God. God understood and kept loving her. Because his friend the widow was so upset, and because he too grieved for her son, Elijah was upset also and told God so. God understood and kept loving him.

Because these stories link God's compassion with miraculous raisings, they may raise a difficult question in two forms. Intellectually curious children may ask, "If God has the power to raise these two sons from death, why doesn't God raise everyone?" Grieving children will ask, "If God could raise those people, why doesn't God raise (my loved relative)?" The only acceptable answer to either question is, "We don't know. That is one of God's secrets." This answer needs to be given with ample assurance that God loves us and cares for us, even when we don't understand. This assurance is critical for a grieving child—for whom this discussion best takes place not in worship but one-on-one, with lots of hugs.

Psalm: 146. This psalm is a happy list of what God does to help people. The activities are concrete and everyday, so children understand most of them as they are read. Do explain unfamiliar phrases: When a prince's "breath departs," he dies; "execute justice" means to provide justice; "those who are bowed down" or "the bent" have disabilities.

Epistle: Galatians 1:11-24. Paul was trying to establish his credibility with the Galatians on their terms. To do so, he insisted that he received the good news straight from God, that he was not someone else's student. Such credibility does not mean much to children, who are constantly dependent upon the knowledge and teaching of others. They are more likely to hear in the passage a summary of Paul's change from persecutor to preacher. A particularly alert older child may ask the mechanical question, "How did God tell Paul the good news while he was in Arabia?" Unfortunately, Paul didn't tell us the answer to that one.

Watch Words

Widow may be a new term for younger children. Explain it before using it to refer to the two mothers.

In speaking of death, use the concrete terms died and dead rather than euphemisms such as passed on. Stick to one or two simple terms, such as raised or brought back to life to describe what happened to the sons.

In speaking of God's powerful care, avoid providence entirely or feature it. (Remember that providence is most recognized as the capital of Rhode Island.)

Let the Children Sing

"I Sing the Almighty Power of God" and "For the Beauty of the Earth" are hymns through which children can praise God's love and power.

"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" is filled with impossibly big words and strangely abstract phrases describing God. Either avoid this hymn or sing it after exploring it in the sermon (see Sermon Resource 2).

The Liturgical Child

1. Read consecutively the two stories about sons being raised from the dead. Present I Kings as readers' theater, then read the Gospel story. Three readers (the Narrator, Elijah, and the Widow) take places in the chancel. The narrator stands in the middle or most prominent place. Elijah and the widow stand to either side where they can speak directly to each other and turn to speak to God. This is a task for well-rehearsed adult readers with dramatic flair. The Good News Bible offers the simplest translation.

Narrator: Our lessons today are stories about God's powerful and loving care. The first story is from 1 Kings 17:8-24. It is the story of Elijah and a kind widow. Hear the Word of the Lord! (Reads 1 Kings 17:87-10b).
Elijah, the Widow, and Narrator: (Read the dialogue in verses 10c through 24. Omit the "he/she saids" where it makes the reading smoother.)
Narrator: Thus ends our story from I Kings. Now hear a similar story about Jesus from Luke's Gospel. (Reads Gospel text.)

2. Ask a children's class to present Psalm 146 as a choral reading, highlighting its short phrases which name ways God helps people in need. Choose either the New Revised Standard Version or The Good News Bible.

ALL: Verse 1a
Solos: Verses 1b, 2a, and 2b
Solos (older child or class teacher: Verses 3-4
ALL: Verse 5
Solo: Verses 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 7c, 8a, 8b, 8c, 9a, and 9b
ALL: Verse 9c
Solos: Verses 10a and 10b
All: Verse 10c

3. In your prayers, praise God for all the wonders of summer: special summer activities such as swimming, hiking, and whatever summer sport is central for your children; and for the change of pace that comes when school ends.

Sermon Resources

1. Play with the how-great-is-God questions to explore God's great love and power:

"Who was there before God?" (Answer: No one. God always existed. You can't go back far enough to get away from God.)

"Who made God?" (Answer: No one. God always was and always will be.)

"How does God know what is happening everywhere all the time?" (Answer: We don't know how God does it, but we know God does.)

Make up more questions and answers. If you deal with such questions with an open, light-hearted attitude, children will gain a sense of security based on your certainty that God's love and power are bigger than we can imagine and sufficient to meet any need.

2. Invite worshipers to open their hymnals for ready reference while you work through some or all of the verses of "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise." No child will remember all the definitions or explanations. But children can sense that the words are more than we can understand because God is more than we can understand. They also can sense from you that the words and the God they describe are friendly mysteries, to be enjoyed rather than feared.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: June 9, 2013

Mon, 13 May 2013 02:58:00 GMT

By Hans Holznagel

Third Sunday after Pentecost

COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 Kings 17:8-24; Psalm 146; Galatians 1:11-24; Luke 7:11-17

THEME IDEAS

In all her well-known social and economic vulnerability in the ancient Middle East, few biblical characters embody the poor and oppressed more fully than the widow. In today’s stories, it is clear that the widows of the world are precisely whom God cares about. Elijah is sent by the Lord to a widow (I Kings 17); Jesus is moved by a widow’s plight (Luke 7). Both of these prophets of God become agents of miracles, showing holy love for those who have no refuge in society (Psalm 146).

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Psalm 146)

Praise the Lord.
Let all who draw breath praise the Lord.
Happy are those whose help is from God—
the One who made heaven and earth,
the One who created the seas and all that is in them.
Happy are those whose hope is in God—
the One who keeps faith forever,
the One who feeds the hungry
and defends the oppressed.
God will reign forever, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!
Let all who draw breath praise the Lord.

Opening Prayer (Psalm 146)

O God, who lifts us up,
sets us free, and watches over us,
visit us this day.
Lift our spirits,
and free our minds.
Open our eyes and hearts
to your words, your will,
and the miracle of your holy presence,
that we may encounter you
in the meeting of friends
and in kindness to strangers.
Lift us up, and set us free, O God.
Watch over us, we pray. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Psalm 146, 1 Kings 17)

Merciful God,
you know how we love miracles.
We love your healing, life-giving presence.
We confess that poverty and oppression
are less appealing topics.
Yet, we find you among the poor,
the downtrodden, the widow, the orphan.
In their midst we find you,
your prophets, and your miracles.
Dwell with us,
as we make the struggles of the oppressed
our own struggles.
Join us at your table,
as we join the effort to feed and clothe
those who live in want.
Grant us your compassion, we pray,
that we may truly be your people. Amen.

Words of Assurance (Psalm 146, Luke 7)

Hear the good news:
Those who seek will find help and hope in God.
In Jesus we are raised to newness of life.
Thanks be to God.

Passing the Peace of Christ (Luke 7)

As Jesus drew crowds in Galilee, so he draws us here
today. We are not alone. Let us greet one another with
signs of God’s peace.
The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.

Response to the Word (1 Kings 17)

Feed us, O God,
from stores that never empty.
Anoint us, O God,
with oils that never fail. Amen.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Invitation to the Offering (1 Kings 17)

A widow in great need shared what she had, and miracles of bread and renewed life ensued. Whatever our means, whatever our needs, we each have something to share. In gratitude to God, let us offer our tithes and gifts to the One who is faithful.

Offering Prayer (Luke 7, Psalm 146)

As crowds spread the word of Jesus’ power, O God,
so may we spread the word of your grace,
as we share these gifts and our very lives
with those in need.
May these offerings be instruments of your healing,
your justice, and your good news,
in this community and around the world.
In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (1 Kings 17)

Elijah was sent to someone in need—
not only to serve,
but that he too might also be served.
Wherever God sends you, go to serve,
but allow others to serve you as well;
and may the peace of Christ go with you.
Go in peace.

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (1 Kings 17, Psalm 146, Luke 7)

Strangers meet.
Oil and grain turn to bread.
The sick are healed.
The weary are lifted up.
The prisoners are set free.
The everyday becomes a miracle.
This is God’s work.
We are its witnesses.
Let us worship God.

Praise Sentences (Psalm 146)

Praise God! Praise God, O my soul!
As long as I live, I will praise God!
Praise God! Praise God, O my soul!
God will reign forever, for all generations!
Praise God! Praise God, O my soul!
Happy are those whose help is in God!
Praise God! Praise God, O my soul!
Praise God!

ARTICLE: Volunteer Prayer Teams for Worship

Sun, 12 May 2013 18:32:00 GMT

By James K. Wagner

How many times have we considered a Prayer Team but weren't sure what the group would do? Consider discussing the suggestions below with those who have volunteered to be part of this ministry.

Suggestions When Serving on a Prayer Team

1. Before the worship service begins, the prayer team members have a word of prayer with each other and discuss their pattern of praying with others.

2. In more formal healing services, especially if there are several prayer teams, the pastor or another worship leader may invite the prayer teams to come forward for a commissioning prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit to bless and anoint each one on behalf of the gathered congregation.

3. Memorize and practice this team pattern called L–A–P (adapted from Wagner, An Adventure in Healing and Wholeness, 139–40):

Listen (L): Listen to the prayer request. Ask each one who comes to your prayer station: Do you have a special prayer concern today? —Or— What would you like for us to pray about right now?

Anoint (A): Anoint the forehead with oil making the sign of the cross. You may use a thumb or forefinger. The traditional anointing pattern is to pray to God, the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. Others may feel more inclined to pray by simply addressing Jesus. Then each one on the team gently touches the one who came forward with the laying on of hands. Sample invocations: “I anoint you in the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, let us pray …” “I anoint you in the Name of Jesus, let us pray …”

Pray (P): Pray with the person who has been anointed with oil. The prayer partner who listened to the prayer request offers a brief, audible prayer. Everyone on the team is in an attitude of focused faith, compassion, and prayer.

Additional Considerations When Praying with Others

• Be brief in public prayer ministry. It is not necessary to have lengthy prayers or to rehearse the details of the problem to God who already knows.

• Confidentiality is a must. Keep all revealed personal issues and problems at the altar or prayer station.

• Those who come for prayer with complicated personal issues may be open to counseling and continuing prayer ministry after the healing service ends. Offer a brief prayer and then suggest that the person remain at the close of the service for further ministry or to make an appointment with the pastor to return at another time. This is a courtesy to the congregation and gives a helpful option to those who desire additional help.

• Team members who want personal prayers for healing and wholeness will pray with one another after ministering to the congregation (adapted from Wagner, An Adventure in Healing and Wholeness, 140).

Our goal is to concentrate on the presence of the healing Christ, to focus on the problem solver, rather than on the problem. We want to be more intentional in using spiritual therapy in the healing process.

“As Archbishop Richard C. Trent said, ‘We must not conceive prayer as an overcoming of God’s reluctance, but a laying hold of [God’s] highest willingness’ ” (James K. Wagner, Blessed to be a Blessing, [Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1980], 58).

excerpted from: Just in Time! Healing Services by James K. Wagner ©2007 Abingdon Press.
Used with permission. The Just in Time! Series includes several books which we've included in a Ministry Matters Premium Subscription, or you can order the print book below.

BLOG: Break Free

Sun, 12 May 2013 17:27:00 GMT

By Deborah Lewis

Here’s what I want for Mother’s Day: I want the church to break out of its bondage. I want us to stop our incremental “improvement” about how we speak and act in worship on Mother’s Day and claim a real holy-day instead.

Jessica Miller Kelley’s article earlier this week included some helpful and sensitive advice for making it through this Sunday’s worship without stepping on some of the biggest landmines. I appreciate her inclusion of the wide spectrum of mothering and her sincere effort to include mothers who may come to church on Sunday expecting the “traditional” celebration, while not excluding women who are dreading the day. But in her effort to include all sorts of women with all sorts of reproductive experiences, she effectively simplifies women’s experience. (And, though I’m sure it wasn’t her choice to use the photo, the accompanying picture of a mother and her baby didn’t help expand the topic.)

I finished her article thinking, It’s not all about (in)fertility. Mother’s Day is not only uncomfortable because some of us are unsettled or unhappy about our circumstances, whatever they may be. Mother’s Day is uncomfortable—especially in church—because it reduces womanhood to motherhood. Yes, it can be difficult to be a woman who has not borne children or one who has miscarried or one who cannot have children. But it is not all about (in)fertility issues. It is not all about having or longing for children.

At the most basic level, this is still a painful day because our culture and our church are still having the same conversation we were having 50 years ago: Can women “have it all”? When and how does a woman decide to be a mother? How should she prioritize or find balance between work and family life? And we are still not asking these questions about men. Notice that we don’t fret when Father’s Day is coming up. Notice that we don’t make serious, expectation-filled mention of men when we talk about women having it all. The onus is still on women to make the accommodations, to make it all work—or to stop working or to settle for being a “sub-par” mother.

The focus of our conversation on children or lack thereof simplifies and pokes at something potentially painful, and reduces the conversation back to our biological role. The focus on Mother’s Day in church is then like a spotlight aimed right on each of us women, all eyes on us, waiting for a performance we are not interested in giving on this narrow stage of expectation. The lines are prescribed and rehearsed and there isn’t really room for new plotlines. These are complicated issues and merely trying to avoid offending people, or worse, trying to name and include every reproductive experience possible, are both inadequate.

So I want the church to break free and to stop worrying over how to “do” Mother’s Day right in worship. I want a new conversation and a renewed focus.

I want us to remember our baptismal calling, that we are a family formed by God’s call. I want us to remember what we vow when one of our young ones is baptized, that all of us together as the body of Christ have responsibility for raising children in the faith. Sure, mothers of all sorts would continue to be lifted up as disciples who take on a special measure of this calling. But so would teachers, Sunday school teachers, police officers, fathers, social workers, artists—all men and women. Wouldn’t that be an interesting, theologically sound, give-us-a-reason-to-be-in-church way to observe this day and make it holy?

VIDEO: Why Is Jackie Robinson Important?

Sun, 12 May 2013 15:40:00 GMT

By Clay Morgan

The movie 42 tells the story of Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers who teamed up to integrate Major League Baseball in 1947. Until that time only white ballplayers could play.

This video explains why an athlete like Jackie transcended a game to impact American society and help kick off the modern civil rights movement.

In my opinion, 42 is a very good movie, a well told story about a part of U.S. history that holds great significance.

Clay Morgan is the author of Undead by Abingdon Press. Buy a copy and be sure to check out his YouTube channel usahistoryguy.

AUDIO: A Methodist and a Muslim Burial

Sun, 12 May 2013 02:03:00 GMT

By Shane Raynor

A United Methodist woman in Virginia has placed herself in the middle of a controversy involving the burial of Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Martha Mullen seems to be making the charge that no one wanted to bury Tsarnaev because he was Muslim, but the evidence simply doesn't support her claim.

Listen or Subscribe: iTunes | Audioboo | Soundcloud | RSS

Views expressed here are not necessarily those of Ministry Matters, UMPH, or any related organization or agency.

ARTICLE: Distilling Stillness

Wed, 08 May 2013 19:35:00 GMT

By Kirk Byron Jones

Why Stillness Makes Me Weep

I am used to it now: crying during my morning times of stillness. It doesn't happen all the time; when it does I just let the tears come. Why do I cry?

Sometimes, I cry at the point of having touched a moment of burdenless ness. There are spaces and places in stillness where I feel as light as a feather. All burdens, worries, and cares are lifted, at least temporarily, and it's if I can just float away if I choose to do so. It is a moment of being fully relieved of all I've been carrying. I cry for the relief I am feeling, and I think, in part for the realization that I had been carrying all I had been carrying. Sometimes we don't know how much we are bearing until we drop the heavy load. Considering the weight for the first time is enough to make me cry sometimes.

Sometimes I cry from a sense of having bumped into myself, my truest deepest self, free and unmasked. The roles we fill in life can camouflage, and sometimes compromise, who we are at our essence. It is possible to be so busy trying to be so many things to so many people, that we lose a sense of who we are without reference to others and their expectations. In stillness, as all others and all expectations are gathered together for a time in a merciful waiting area outside my consciousness, someone who I may not recognize at first glance, appears. The someone turns out to be me: the me who is me unadorned by all. When I feel a sense of my deepest self, free from all expectations, dependencies, and false identities, I cry. This me feels whole from the inside out. He does not exist for acceptance, he exists from acceptance. He has no need whatsoever to overdo and overreach in order to fit in, because he has been outfitted from within, in a beautiful and comfortable robe of unconditional love.

Coming into mysterious contact with the source of such love is another reason for my crying. I have come to believe in a God of lavish love, grace, and mercy. I know that this love is real because in some moments of stillness majesty, I feel love all over me. When the love is all over me, I am...I am in heaven...and I cry. Feeling God's love--and listening to Ella Fitzgerald sing and Louis Armstrong play--are the best proofs I have for the existence of God. Blessing on blessing, there are moments when I sense where the love is coming from: A Presence Whose grace is as relentless as the world can sometimes be heartless. This Presence comforts and empowers me afresh with one of my best truths of all: Amid all the worrying and wounding, there is set free in the world a Spirit of Relentless Healing that will not be stopped, no matter what.

So, in those moments of feeling fully released of all burdens, or feeling like I have come into the company of myself, or feeling filled to overflowing with God's love, l cry. And there is a rainbow amid the tears. Thus, many more days than not, I take what St. John of The Cross referred to as “the exquisite risk”: the risk of surrendering our deepest heartfelt space to the sway of a Spirit, most holy, chancing that the sightings will be worth the surrender. Mark Nepo offers more helpful light on the best risk of all:

The exquisite risk is a doorway, then, that lets us experience the extraordinary in the ordinary. It is always near. Truth opens it. Love opens it. Humility opens it. And if stubborn, pain will intensify to open it. Sadness can open it, if felt to its center. Silence and time open it, if we enter them and don’t just watch them.

The Secret Sensational Power of Stillness

"Be still and know that I am God." —Psalm 46:10

Silencing our mental chatter is arguably the most important practice of all when it comes to creating, managing, and sustaining a fulfilling life. Here's why. When we are thinking about this and that, we are living a small, albeit splendid, dimension of ourselves. No matter how meaningful and vital our rational thinking is, it’s never all we are.

Think of your mental self as being the tip of a majestic iceberg. Stay with the iceberg image. Though its tip is what is seen, its larger mass lies unseen, submerged under water. Moreover, the vast ocean surrounding its mass is yet another portion of its expansive reality. Similarly, your conscious mind is the tip of your total being. Your greater submerged mass is commonly referred to as the subconscious mind, the place where hidden knowledge is stored. But there is even more to us. The water surrounding our conscious and subconscious minds is God's Mind: Limitless Creative Wisdom flowing playful and free, far beyond what the eyes can ever see or the rational mind alone can ever perceive. Maybe this is why Jesus says in John 4:14, "But the water I will give will become in you a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." When we limit ourselves to just our thinking, our mental chatter, we are missing out on the dynamism and wisdom of our deeper and wider sacred dimensions. How do we explore these amazing, yet unsung and unseen, dimensions? We explore them through stillness and silence. Quiet the mind through silent prayer, meditation, or just being still and empty in the moment, and all God's enchanting universe opens wide and wonderful for holy adventure.

What David said about being still is truer than most of us ever allow ourselves to know. But, should we choose to, we can know, and marvel and revel daily in such unspeakable knowing. Stillness is no joke, or just maybe the biggest reason of all, to laugh and leap for joy!

VIDEO: John Wesley and Christian Orthodoxy

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:20:00 GMT

By Laurence Wood

Dr. Laurence Wood discusses whether or not orthodoxy was important to John Wesley and what this consisted of for him.

Source: Seedbed @ Asbury Theological Seminary

BLOG: A Mother's Day Prayer

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:17:00 GMT

By Magrey deVega

God of Provision and Unconditional Love,

On this day when we acknowledge the importance of motherhood among us, we first give thanks that you are a loving parent to us all. From your being all life was born, and in your bosom all creation is nurtured. You have formed us in your image as your children, and gathered us together as a brood under your wing. You have united us as kindred members of one human family, and we are grateful to be your offspring together. We celebrate your divine love, reflected in human expressions of motherhood.

We give you thanks for the mothers among us, and ask that you strengthen them in their daily tasks. Grant them wisdom in the lessons they teach, patience in the discipline they foster, and persistence in their promotion of decency and compassion, both by word and example. May they be given the honor and thanks they deserve but often do not receive.

We thank you for all motherly figures: grandmothers, aunts, sisters, wives, step-mothers, foster mothers, guardians, babysitters, teachers, health care providers, neighbors, friends, loved ones, and many others, who practice self-sacrifice and embody compassion to all who are privileged to be in their influence. Grant them vigor to carry on their work, and the satisfaction that the holy privilege of their task affords.

We acknowledge to you, O God, that even amid our grateful celebration, many of us come with restless spirits, reluctant to name the difficulties of this day.

For some, this day brings the sorrowful awareness of their own inability to conceive biological children. Draw your tender spirit near their feelings of self-betrayal, impotence, and grief, and remind them that those who struggle with infertility have always shared a special place in your heart. We pray for those who have suffered miscarriages, those fatigued by fertility treatments, and those struggling through the process of adoption. May they remember that in your power and through your church, they can still leave a lasting legacy beyond themselves.

For some, this day is marked by loneliness and grief, as they spend this first Mother’s Day as a widower, an orphan, or a parent who has lost a child. To those who today live in the wake of the death of a loved one, grant glimpses of the resurrection. Bring to them a steady restoration of their broken hearts, allow them to live into their future with hope, and empower them to carry out the legacy of lessons instilled within them.

For some, this is a day that surfaces ongoing tensions that exist within our personal relationships and family dynamics. We ask for healing from the wounds of our past, a path of forgiveness for wrongs both experienced and committed, and the rebuilding of trust forged in honesty, authenticity, and love.

We give you thanks for the wide spectrum of motherhood represented among us today: new mothers and young mothers whose children are in their most tender years; mothers of grown children who transition into empty nests and a new chapter of self-discovery; mothers and grandmothers of advanced years, whose twilight of life is marked by frailty of body but a potency of spirit. Theirs is a cumulative reminder that though our lives are marked by transition and change, your nurture and affection for all your children remains the same.

Therefore, remind us to live with a child-like faith, curious to every wondrous mystery, attentive to your every instruction, obedient to your every command, and willing to share with every one of your children. We give you thanks, O God, who is a loving Mother and Father to us all, and in whose name we pray,

Amen.

VIDEO: Mary Magdalene (Converge Episode 3)

Wed, 08 May 2013 02:43:00 GMT

By Shane Raynor

Was Mary Magdalene really a prostitute or does she owe her bad reputation to a 6th century Pope? Was she the first apostle? Jessica Kelley, Curtis Zackery, and Eric Van Meter join Shane Raynor to discuss these questions and more.

The Converge Podcast is also available at iTunes, or you can subscribe with any RSS reader or podcatcher.

ARTICLE: Mother's Day Worship: Plan with Sensitivity

Mon, 06 May 2013 20:19:00 GMT

By Jessica Miller Kelley

Mother’s Day is one of the unofficial “high holy days” of the church calendar. Like Christmas and Easter, the second Sunday in May often brings in visitors the church rarely sees, if only because Mom has requested that the family go to church together before their celebratory lunch.

Pastors know it will be a high-attendance Sunday and don’t want to let the mothers down, so churches brainstorm ways to honor the mothers in their midst on that special day. Common practices include having all the mothers stand, or passing out roses to all the moms.

Such practices, however—and the very celebration of Mother’s Day at all—are salt in the wounds of women who long to have children but instead struggle with infertility, miscarriage, or infant loss.

A Difficult Day

Jessica LaGrone, Pastor of Worship at The Woodlands United Methodist Church outside Houston, has seen Mother’s Day worship from a variety of perspectives. As a pastor, she wants to help families honor and give thanks for Mom in worship, and now as a mother of two, she is one of those women being honored. But for several years, Rev. LaGrone knew firsthand the pain of those women longing to be mothers, whose lack of living children made Mother’s Day a dreaded and hurtful observance.

“Mother’s Day was a really difficult day for me,” LaGrone said. “It called attention to the fact that I was different.”

After marrying at age 30, LaGrone and her husband, Jim, tried to conceive right away, but had difficulty and experienced multiple miscarriages. She chose to keep her fertility struggle private in church, to keep parishioners from feeling they would need to minister to her. That privacy kept LaGrone from having her grief “multiplied by 10,000” with each member of the church expressing sympathy, but also left her very lonely in her struggle, and left her exposed to stinging comments and questions about when we would she and Jim would have children.

Mother’s Day, during those years of infertility, especially brought to mind babies LaGrone had lost through miscarriage.

“‘Happy Mother’s Day’ gets used as a greeting just like ‘Merry Christmas,’” she said. “Just that phrase, if someone said it to me, felt like a blow rather than a greeting.”

Planning Worship with Sensitivity

Church leaders need to be cautious in planning Mother’s Day worship, recognizing the fact that, for many women in the congregation, the holiday raises painful or complex emotions.

With worship planning her main responsibility, LaGrone scheduled herself to give the prayer on Mother’s Day during those years, avoiding the difficulty of preaching or having to give a cheerful welcome to the service. Giving the pastoral prayer was healing for her, LaGrone said, and also an opportunity to pray “for all those women I knew of for whom Mother’s Day was more struggle than celebration.

“Sometimes I would list out possible reasons for the struggle, sometimes not.”

In her “Open Letter to Pastors,” written around Mother’s Day in 2012, blogger Amy Young lists out many reasons for the struggles women may feel on Mother’s Day in a prayer-like reflection she calls “The Wide Spectrum of Mothering.” The reflection, which would be ideal for use in worship, includes blessings for women of all stages and situations, with lines like:

“To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you.

To those who walk the hard path of infertility . . . we walk with you.

. . . To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms—we need you.”

LaGrone advises that churches focus less on recognizing mothers and more on the fact that we all have had a mother, acknowledging all those people who have nurtured us. Rather than preaching an entire sermon on “the gift of motherhood,” for example, pastors should preach on a broader theme and weave in the observance of Mother’s Day more subtly.

The Woodlands has used “man on the street”-style videos of staff members and congregants sharing memories of their own mothers to enhance worship and keep the focus away from practices that differentiate women with living children from those without.

Young recalls how alienated she felt as an unmarried, childless woman in her late 30s when a pastor asked all the mothers to stand. “I don’t know how others saw me, but I felt dehumanized, gutted as a woman,” she writes on her blog, Messy Middle. “Real women stood, empty shells sat.”

Hope and Comfort from Scripture

The barrenness that Young suggests with the words “empty shell” is an image with a long history and many recurrences in Scripture. The Woodlands’ support group for women struggling with infertility is called Sisters of Hannah, taking its name from Old Testament prophet Samuel’s mother, who “turned her sorrow into prayer,” as LaGrone describes it.

Israel’s story even begins with infertility, with Sarah’s barrenness as an obvious obstacle to the promise God gave to Abraham. LaGrone tells Abraham and Sarah’s story in the first session her Bible study, Namesake: When God Rewrites Your Story. “We read more about what Sarah thinks and feels than almost any woman in scripture,” LaGrone said. “Hope, failure, worry, jealousy, disbelief. Sarah is so well-described as a woman dealing with infertility.” Following Sarah, there are several more generations of infertility in the Genesis stories LaGrone will explore in her next study, Broken and Blessed.

Biblical women like Hannah, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Elizabeth are wonderful role models for women who long for children, though LaGrone cautions pastors to be careful when preaching their stories, which have happy endings.

“There is no promise that it will all work out,” LaGrone said. “‘Just pray and you’ll get pregnant’ can be a very damaging message.” The spiritual stigma of barrenness in biblical times lingers even today, with the erroneous idea that an unanswered prayer is a sign of weak faith.

The real message of the Bible’s infertility stories is not our faithfulness but God’s. Said LaGrone, “God loves to tackle stories where the odds are stacked against us.”

And that’s a message that gives hope to women and men facing any kind of struggle, on Mother’s Day and any other day of the year.

BLOG: Tending Our Spiritual Gardens

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:46:00 GMT

By Andrea Murdock

Spring is in the air! Finally, after what felt like an extended winter in much of the country, temperatures are warming up, ground is thawing, and trees are budding. This means that it is time to get out your gardening gloves. Tending a garden requires a lot of planning and even more follow-though. But the rewards you will reap are almost always worth it.

Consider three of the main types of gardens: the vegetable garden, the fl ower garden, and the rock garden. Each of these gardens represents a different way to use the ground for good. Vegetable gardens require strong soil, and their purpose is to produce food for physical nourishment. Flower gardens use a more delicate soil, and the plants in a flower garden usually require more tending than the sturdier vegetable plants. The flowers and other plants in these gardens work together to create a place of beauty as well as to enhance the existing beauty of the world around them. Rock gardens don’t need a particular type of soil. They are a planned space meant to de-clutter the landscape and to offer walking paths and places to rest. Their purpose is to invoke relaxation and clarity of mind.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Gardening means different things to different people. For some, it’s a way of life. Growing and harvesting not only puts food on the table but also provides income and participation in the global economy. For others, gardening is a hobby.

These gardeners may believe strongly in local, organic produce. Or maybe they find no greater joy than sitting outside among blooming plants after a long day inside a busy office. Still others prefer the rock garden, a quiet place to rest and reflect, usually in the midst of a busy city. These different approaches to gardens and gardening mirror the different approaches that Christians take to tending their spirits and growing in relationship with God. Some feel closest to God when working hard, getting their hands dirty in service to God and others. Other Christians connect with God through the beauty of the natural world God created or the beauty they see in others. And still others grow in their relationship with God through quiet time spent in prayer and solitude.

Tending the Soul

We encounter examples of planting, gardening, and tending the earth throughout Scripture. Growing and harvesting crops was a fact of life in the agrarian cultures during Bible times. Jesus used gardening and farming as points of reference in his parables to explain the kingdom of God. But even today we can learn from these agricultural metaphors. Our spirits still depend on a deeprooted faith, the nurturing power of love, and the ability to produce fruit. In John 15:5 Jesus says: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything.”

Youth need to understand the importance of tending their soul and nurturing their relationship with God. It’s also important for them to realize that there is no one correct way to do this. A young person who isn’t capable of spending an hour in silent prayer may feel extremely close to God while getting his or her hands dirty in service to others. And while one young person might fi nd God in the midst of loud praise music, another might experience God through a peaceful walk in the park. Much as there are different types of gardens, spiritual growth and nurture is different for different Christians—but all need to be tended.

This article is also published as part of LinC, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes. The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded here.

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: June 2, 2013

Wed, 01 May 2013 20:50:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

Old Testament: 1 Kings 18:20-21 (22-29), 30-39. Children enjoy this action-packed story in which God is proved to be "real" and Baal is proved to be a fake. Most children can follow the stroy of two sacrifices when they are well read from any translation. They, however, need help understanding the problem that led to the contest. They need to hear the situation described in verses 21 and 22 explained in simple language. (The people were trying to worship both Baal and God. They liked going to the Baal parties and they also went to some of the ceremonies at the Temple. Elijah said they had to make a choice.)

Though children do not choose between worshiping two different gods and cannot yet understand that sports, clothes, or popularity can be gods, they do face choices about their activities and their values. The faithful child is learning to leave slumber parties in time to go to church, to choose church school over soccer practice, and to love enemies on schoolbuses as well as at church. Elijah calls children to make "faithful" choices. They are not to be like "the people," who do whatever everyone else is doing or what seems like fun at the moment. Instead, they are to be God's faithful people every day, everywhere they are.

Gospel: Luke 7:1-10. This healing story is so tersely presented that children may misunderstand some of its details. The centurion's message about giving orders can leave children thinking that the centurion thought he could order Jesus around, rather than that Jesus could heal the slave without even being in the same room with him. That makes a big difference in the interpretation of Jesus' statement about the centurion's faith. Jesus was impressed by the man's total trust both that Jesus could heal his slave and that Jesus would heal his slave, even though the request came from a Roman soldier. So you may need to retell the story, elaborating on the key details.

Epistle: Galatians 1:1-12. This is not a passage for children to understand intellectully, but to respond to emotionally. Paul's passion for the gospel is what impresses them. They like the fact that he became so angry at people who were spreading false ideas about Jesus that he cured them not once but twice—in writing! In this passion Paul is the opposite of the people to whom Elijah spoke. Children are called to care as much as Paul did.

If you will be focusing on Galatians for the coming weeks, children, because they like getting mail, will be interested in the format of New Testament letters as displayed in these verses. They enjoy identifying the writer, the receivers, and the greeting in verses 1-3.

Psalm: 96. If Yahweh is introduced as a name for God used by people in Elijah's time. The New Jerusalem Bible's translation makes sense to children as a psalm that Elijah and the people might have sung after God burned up the bulls. It is also a song that the centurion or Paul could have sung. Children respond to individual short praise phrases within the psalm, rather than to the psalm as a whole.

Watch Words

Faith, the key word underlying today's texts, is a word children hear only at church. It is an abstract term that adults use in many ways and have trouble defining clearly even for themselves. Children hear it, say it, and sing it before they understand it. Today, faith involves choosing. We, like Elijah's hearers the Christians at Galatia, must make choices about what we do and whom we follow. The centurion chooses to risk Jesus' public rejection and his slave's life when he asks Jesus to heal the slave. The centurion's faith involves trust as well as choosing. He trusts Jesus' compassion and love. Use the word faith repeatedly today, but focus your comments on faithful choosing and trusting faith.

Let the Children Sing

The repeated phrase, "Sing to the Lord a new song," makes the new hymn "Earth and All Stars" a good echo of Psalm 96.

The third verse of "God Created Heaven and Earth" mentions handmade gods of wood and clay, similar to the idol Baal. To introduce this Tiwanese melody to less musically adventurous congregations, ask a children's or adult choir to sing it as an anthem. Children enjoy learning hymns from different cultures.

Sing "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God" in honor of the faithful centurion, Elijah and Paul.

Avoid "Faith of Our Fathers," which is filled with abstract ideas and dated language. Even the repeated chorus does not make much sense to children.

The Liturgical Child

1. Today's texts beg for dramatic presentation:

—Announce that you are going to share one of the great stories of God's people. Invite the children to meet you at the front. Hold the big pulpit Bible in your lap as you read or tell the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel in your best storyteller style. Thunder Elijah's angry indignation and his knowing questions at the frustrated Baal priests; carefully describe Elijah's preparations for his sacrifice; and read with powerful awe God's response.

—Explain that Galatians is a letter Paul sent to Christians in a church he had started. Then either assume the role of Paul writing the letter as you read, or let the reading be done by someone else who assumes Paul's role. Paul might be presented either doing his own writing or dictating to a secretary. In either case, demonstrate Paul's strong feelings in the way he says the words, paces back and forth and uses body language (if he is dictating); or writes with flourishing emphasis (if he is writing).

—Read Psalm 96 immediately after the Elijah story. Either read the whole psalm dramatically or line out the short phrases, inviting the congregation to repeat your tone, emphasis, and volume. Suggest that the people imagine themselves among those on Mt. Carmel.

2. Carefully plan today's creed or affirmation of faith. If the congregation regularly recites a given creed, present it today as a series of questions, to which the congregation replies, "Yes, we believe that!" (e.g., "Do you believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth?")

3. Remember to include end-of-school and beginning-of-summer concerns in the church's prayers.

Sermon Resources

1. Give examples of faith as choosing: choosing between basketball and church camp; between Bible school and swimming lessons; between going along with the crowd and standing up for what you know is right; and even between experimenting with alcohol, drugs, or smoking and saying No.

Give examples of faith as trusting: jumping from the edge of the swimming pool into the arms of a parent standing in the water; riding a roller coaster for the first time with a trusted friend who has ridden before and says it is fun.

2. Use the format of Paul's letter to the Galatians as the format of your sermon. Follow the form of the greeting, then speak to choices the people are called to make. Cite choices that children as well as adults face as they live faithfully. Present the letter either as what Paul might write to your congregation, or as a letter you are writing to them.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements 2: June 2, 2013

Wed, 01 May 2013 20:43:00 GMT

By Ministry Matters

Second Sunday After Pentecost

Scripture Readings: 1 Kings 18:20-39, Psalm 96, Galatians 1:1-12, Luke 7:1-10
Color: Green

Call to Worship

L: Spread your open hands toward heaven—

P: Sing to the Lord a new song!

L: The Lord is like no other God—

P: Sing to the Lord, all the earth!

L: Come together to pray and praise:

P: The Lord has made us—Hallelujah! To the Lord we be long, forever—Amen!

Invocation

O Lord, hear us in your habitation; listen to us in your dwelling place! Whatever our age, or race, or homeland, or class, or gender, or intelligence, or ability, or creed, you have promised to show us love: to heal us when we are wounded, to protect us when we are vulnerable, to come to us when we are alone. We stand now in need of your steadfast love; do not disappoint us!

Litany

Leader: O Spirit, help us so to serve you, that all the world might hear and rejoice in the greatness of your name:

Women: Lord of hosts, God of gods, Ruler of glory, Judge of earth, Lover of justice, Avenger of wrong;

Men: Upholder of life, Lifter of heads, Parent to the orphan, Protector of the weak;

All: Maker, Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Helper, Shepherd, Keeper, Midwife, sheltering Wings, forgiving God!

L: O Spirit, help us so to serve you, that all the world might hear and rejoice in the greatness of your love:

W: The love that opens, stretches forth, anoints, lifts up, rescues, saves;

M: The love that leads, abides, receives our spirits, helps, holds our times;

A: The love that holds the cup of agony—a strong love, exalted, high, but forgotten!

L: O Spirit, help us so to serve you, that all the world might hear and rejoice in the greatness of your love:

W: The love that creates the heavens and earth and all who — dwell therein, that performs great signs and wonders;

M: The love that rules, that triumphs, that scatters the wicked and makes them still;

A: The love that brings slaves out of bondage, that gathers the lambs and all who are scattered—the love that is bared before all the nations!

Prayer for One Voice

Eternal God, who in Jesus Christ redeems us from the sin that drives us apart and reconciles us with the love that brings us together, we thank you for him who has made us your partners in covenant. We bless you for the vision with which you bless us through him: for the vision of yourself, whose love for all does not diminish your love for each; for the vision of us as individuals, whose move away from you does not slow your move toward us; for the vision of the community of believers, whose history of division does not alter your desire for union; and for the vision of the world, whose clamor for power does not silence your demand for justice.

O God, grant us the faith of Solomon's prayer: the faith that calls the temple not by the builder's name but by your name; the faith that looks not within the temple but beyond for your dwelling place; the faith that longs for the temple to become a house of prayer—not for one people but for all the peoples of the earth.

Unfortunately, our faith in Christ has often been no match for Solomon's prayer. We sing of Christ for all the world, but the world we have in mind is much smaller than the world for which Solomon prayed. It is not the world of "all the peoples of the earth," but only some of them—those of them who think as we think, feel as we feel, worship as we worship, and live as we live.

Forgive us, O God, not only for shrinking your world to the size of our prejudices, but for reducing Christ to the level of our preferences. Too often we turn your Christ into a Christ of our own creation: a Christ too narrow to tolerate any behavior we do not approve; to sanction any belief we do not hold; to welcome any person we do not like; to permit any worship we do not practice.

O God, you have made us in your image. Forgive us for remaking the world in ours. You have made Christ the church's one foundation. Forgive us for trying to build it on another. Transform us, O Lord. Grant us the grace so to represent the Christ you have sent that the world might receive your glorious gospel, obey your great c and worship your holy name.

Benediction

As we leave this place, let us be committed to living the gospel, seeking not human favor but divine approval. And let us remember that it is not submission before God, but devotion to God, to which we are called in the name of Christ.

ARTICLE: Let's Not Overlook the Ascension

Wed, 01 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

By Josh Tinley

Thursday May 9 is the Feast of the Ascension, at least in the West. (Eastern Orthodox Christians will celebrate it on June 13). It is the fortieth day after Easter and the day on which, according to the opening verses of Acts of the Apostles, Jesus ascended into heaven.

Luke, the author of Acts, mentions the Ascension briefly at the end of his Gospel. Other than that, the only mention of the event comes from the longer ending of the Gospel of Mark, Mark 16:19, though 1 Timothy 3:16 mentions that Jesus was “taken up in glory” and Ephesians 4:10 says that Jesus “climbed up above all the heavens.”

Though the New Testament writers don’t devote a lot of words to explaining the details and significance of Jesus’ ascent, the Ascension would become an essential part of Christian doctrine. Both the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds include a statement about the Ascension. The church was celebrating the Feast of the Ascension as early as the fifth century, if not earlier. The Roman Catholic Church lists the Feast of the Ascension as a solemnity, or principal holy day. Some Catholic dioceses observe the Ascension—the fortieth day after Easter—as a holy day of obligation (a day on which faithful Catholics are required to participate in mass).

Protestants tend to pay less attention to the liturgical calendar than our Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters. This is especially true in the case of the Ascension. The Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) offers Scripture readings for Ascension Thursday, but relatively few of Protestant churches whom the RCL serves put these readings to use. There are a handful of Lutheran, United Methodist, and other mainline Protestant congregations that have Ascension Day services, but these churches are the exception, not the rule.

While Ascension Day services are uncommon, many Protestant churches remember the event on the following Sunday, which is either the Seventh Sunday of Easter or Ascension Sunday. Still, in my lifetime of Protestantism, I can’t remember the Ascension every being a point of emphasis. In nearly a decade of teaching Sunday school and editing curriculum for a major Protestant publishing house, I don’t recall ever working on a lesson devoted solely to the Ascension. Jesus’ trial, execution, and resurrection, on the other hand have been the topics of many lessons. So have Jesus’ birth and baptism. So has Pentecost. The Ascension, on the other hand, doesn’t come up very often.

Theologian and New Testament scholar N.T. Wright makes the case in his popular 2008 book Surprised by Hope that the Ascension is “a central and vital feature” of Christian belief. It’s not something we should treat as a “strange added extra.”

Our reluctance to embrace the Ascension may have something to do with how the event has been portrayed in western art. Many paintings of the Ascension, such as those by Rembrandt and Garofalo, show Jesus literally ascending to a realm in the clouds. Such pictures made sense to Christians who subscribed to Ptolemy’s geocentric model of the cosmos in which heaven was literally above us, the outermost of several concentric spheres. Were one to go straight up, one would eventually arrive in God’s celestial realm. Such an understanding of creation is responsible for us referring to Jesus’ return to God’s heavenly realm as the “Ascension,” meaning the act of ascending or going up.

A more recent depiction of the Ascension with a similar cosmology is the popular phone app "Jesus Jump," in which the risen Christ bounces from cloud to cloud on his way to heaven. The game ends when Jesus misses a cloud and falls back to earth, with really complicated things theologically. (The markers of Jesus Jump don't really approach the Ascension with the same reverence that Rembrandt and Garofalo did.)

Those with a contemporary, scientific understanding of the atmosphere and the cosmos know that it would take Jesus several billion years, traveling at the speed of light to reach the edge of the known universe and enter a transcendent realm beyond. It would take him another several billion years to return.

Perhaps because of our knowledge of the size of the universe and the laws that govern it, we think of the Ascension as more of a disapparition. He couldn’t stick around on earth forever, so one day he said good-bye to his disciples and disappeared. Or we flirt with Gnosticism, assuming that Jesus somehow dematerialized and traveled to heaven like some sort of disembodied soul.

Maybe we just don’t have the language to explain what happened on the fortieth day after the first Easter. But even as we struggle to describe the Ascension, we cannot dismiss it. Jesus’ ascent is important for a couple reasons:

First, it makes clear the difference between Resurrection and resuscitation. Scripture includes a handful of examples of people returning to life. God, working through Elijah, brings back to life the son of the widow of Zarephath; Jesus resuscitates his friend Lazarus and the young daughter of a man named Jairus; the Apostle Paul restores the life of Eutychus, a boy who falls out of a window and to his death during one of Paul’s long-winded sermons.

All of these people were dead and came back to life, but all would die again. Jesus was different. While Lazarus’s resuscitated body was the same body he’d had before he died, Jesus’ resurrected body was perfect and imperishable. And while Lazarus’s body would eventually end up back in the tomb, Jesus’ body would end up in heaven.

Second, Jesus ascended to heaven in his resurrected body. He did not travel there as a disembodied spirit. The Gospels tell us that the resurrected Jesus broke bread (Luke 24:28-32), ate fish (Luke 24:38-43), allowed his disciple Thomas to touch his wounds (John 20:26-28), and cooked breakfast (John 21:1-14). He had flesh; he could touch and be touched; he could interact with people and objects in tangible ways. Yet his body was eternal.

Paul refers to the risen Christ as "the first crop of the harvest of those who have died" (1 Corinthians 15:20). We are the remaining crop, and we can look forward to a resurrection body like Jesus': an imperishable, yet physical, body. We can look forward to an embodied eternity, not merely a spiritual one.

The Ascension helps Christians better understand our eschatology (beliefs about the end times or the fulfillment and culmination of all things). It reminds us that we don’t look forward to a day when our spirits float away from our body and eventually wind up in heaven. Rather, we look forward to a day when heaven and earth are made new and we walk with Jesus, and one another, in perfected bodies.

Through his resurrection, Jesus demonstrated that death doesn’t have the final say and that God is more powerful than human mortality. Through his ascension, Jesus showed us that the resurrected body, while human, isn’t bound by the limitations of humanity. Jesus didn’t just return to life. He continues to live. For that reason we have hope that we will continue to live as well.

Immediately before his ascent Jesus told his followers that the Holy Spirit would come upon them and give them power and that they would be his witnesses “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Still today, we are witnesses of the ascended Christ. We are called to give people hope for an embodied eternity by being the embodied presence of Christ in the world right now. Through our words, our presence, and our compassion we can give people a glimpse of the future that Christ has in store for us.

You may not have a feast on Ascension Day, and there’s a good chance that your church won’t have a special service planned. And that’s OK. But in the coming days—perhaps during private devotional time on Thursday, as a prelude to a Bible study or Sunday school lesson, or as part of worship on Sunday—take time to reflect (and to encourage others to reflect) on the Ascension and its importance in the Christian story.

Josh Tinley is a curriculum editor for Abingdon Press and the author of Kneeling in the End Zone: Spiritual Lessons From the World of Sports.

Connect with Josh: Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

BLOG: The Power of a Playlist

Wed, 01 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

By Kimberly MacNeill

Remember the days when you heard a song on the radio that you loved and so you went to the store and bought that compact disc? (Yes - the days when CD’s were your only option for owning music?) And you would put that CD in the player and go straight to the track of the song you loved and you would listen to it over and over again. At some point, maybe you would listen to the whole lineup of songs and find another one you liked. Usually there were more than a few that you didn’t care for, but you were stuck with them, so you tolerated listening to them. After all, you paid for them.

iTunes changed all that. Now you only buy a song you love. You never, ever have to even listen to a song you don’t like. You make a playlist of your favorites. And when your favorites change, you change the playlist. It’s easy. And if you don’t want to buy any songs at all, you can tune into iHeartRadio and design your own station. No need to tolerate songs you don’t like when you can have absolute satisfaction with your favorites.

My Favorites Versus Your Favorites

Though these are technological advances that are enjoyed by many, it is worth noting how this has impacted corporate worship gatherings in the church. The “worship war” as it has been called, used to be generally “traditional” versus “contemporary”. But now it is plural: “wars.” It is “my favorites” versus “your favorites” and there aren’t just two camps in the war; every worshipper has their own camp. If the worship band plays your favorite song, worship is really good that day. If they don’t, worship was not as good as usual. If they play your favorite, you easily engage. If they play someone else’s favorite, “I just couldn’t get into it, today” you say. This lack of tolerance has impacted the participation and appreciation of corporate worship. People, worship leaders included, have lost the fact that God is the sole focus of the music set and time spent together; people have forgotten the purpose of gathering in his name, to give Him glory. We know the saying “It’s not about us,” but sometimes we still act like it is.

Our Playlist

People need to be led back to what it means to worship as one body. And if part of worship is going to be singing together, then we need to get everyone on the same page. It is hard to go against the culture of “personalization” that has been described here, but there is a possible solution. Why can’t a church have its own playlist? These are OUR favorite songs. These are the songs WE sing. TOGETHER, WE sing these to worship OUR God. Practically speaking, here is how you do it: as the worship leader you already have a pool of songs that you choose from when planning music sets over a period of six weeks or so. Take that pool and call it a playlist and publicize it as such to the church. Print it in the program. Post it on the web. Get it out there so that people can download it. If people start listening to those songs over and over in their car, eventually they may sing them in the shower. And once they can belt it at the top of their lungs while they are alone, they might just start singing with the congregation because now they know the song and it is important because this song is OUR SONG to God.

Making It Happen

This can work. However, the challenge has always been that the worship leader is so busy the playlist becomes an extra step that they just can’t get to. Someone has to own it. There is probably someone you know who loves to worship through music and would give anything to be part of the worship team—except they have no musical ability. But they would love to come see you once a month for 15 minutes, get the list, adjust it from last month if needed, and work the communication channels of the church to get it in the program and on the web.

A Church Playlist might just be the tool you’re looking for. It will increase ownership and “oneness” among the people when they worship together. It will increase participation among a culture of non-singers in which we live (see “Why Aren’t People Singing?”). And imagine what it will say to guests who come to visit the church gathering: it will be tangibly evident that these people love God. What an opportunity!

“Sing a new song to the Lord!….proclaim the good news that he saves…Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.” -Psalm 96

VIDEO: The Woman at the Well (Converge Episode 2)

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:16:00 GMT

By Shane Raynor

Grace Biskie, Adam Thomas, Joseph Yoo, and Clifton Stringer join Shane Raynor to discuss the account of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4.

The Converge Podcast is also available at iTunes, or you can subscribe with any RSS reader or podcatcher.

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: May 26, 2013

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:47:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

The doctrine of the Trinity is very abstract and complex. Scholars have argued about it for centuries. Many adults have difficulty understanding it. Often on Trinity Sunday, worship takes an educational bent as pastors strive to help their congregations grasp this basic but illusive doctrine.

Three of today's texts that deal with the Trinity are way beyond the understanding of children. But that does not mean there is no way for children to participate in the worship of the Triune God. If the worship leaders are aware of children's undersanding of the trinity, some of the liturgy and the sermon can meet the children where they are, invite them to worship God as they now experience God, and challenge them to stretch their understanding.

All that we can reasonably expect of children is that they know the names of the three persons of the Trinity and sense that these three persons are somehow intimately related to one another. Children relate personally to God (who created the world and cares for them) and to Jesus (who lived among us, showed us how to live, and loved us enough to die for us). They voice questions about the relationship between God and Jesus, but few answers can truly satisfy their literalistic thinking.

Most children are less familiar or comfortable with the Holy Spirit. Older children can begin to interpret the warm community feelings within the congregation and their personal experiences of God's loving care as the work of the Holy Spirit. During their adolescence, as they acquire the ability for abstract thought and a sense of closeness to God as a prime desire, the Holy Spirit will become both understandable and significant. So talking of the Holy Spirit with children is a matter of planting a few seeds which, though they seem insignificant now, will blossom later.

Children can share fully in praising God, who created and cares for the world. They can confess and be pardoned by God/Jesus who loves and forgives them. They can lay their concerns before God, who cares deeply about each person in this world and calls us to do likewise. They can be led to think about what they already know about God and then stretch that knowledge a little. In the process, they may sense God's presence with them and their faith community.

Psalm: Psalm 8. This is the one text for the day that is truly child-accessible. It is a response to the greatness of God the Creator. Children can respond to this greatness without dealing with the other texts. They can follow the poet's line of prayer, from praising God to wondering why God pays any attention at all to people, to meditating on the important place in the natural order to which we have been assigned by God.

Watch Words

Trinity and Triune are unfamiliar. Although children are not ready to define the words, they can hear and accept them as "words we use at church in talking about God."

As you speak of God, be careful to choose words that in no way limit God. Especially watch pronouns that imply that God is only male. (It is hard work to edit exclusively masculine language out of our talk about God, but it is good theology, and it is important to an increasingly large number of women and their daughters. Trinity Sunday offers a good opportunity to work consciously on this task.)

Let the Children Sing

"Now Thank We All Our God" is probably the best general praise hymn for the day. "Holy, Holy, Holy," with its difficult vocabulary balanced by the repeated opening phrase, is a good second choice.

Consider three hymns, one for each person of the Trinity. To God the Creator, sing "For the Beauty of the Earth" or "This Is My Father's World." (To stretch your understanding of God, sing this song with female pronouns, e.g., "This Is My Mother's World . . . her hands the wonders wrought.") Sing "Jesus Loves Me," "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus," or "Come Christians, Join to Sing" for the Son. And try "Breathe on Me, Breath of God" for the Holy Spirit, especially if you sang it last week as you celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

The Liturgical Child

1. Point out the Trinitarian statements in the responses you sing or say every week in worship (e.g., the Gloria Patri and Doxology).

2. Create a child-accessible confession such as the following, based on the three persons of the Trinity.

God, because we cannot see you, it is easy for us to ignore you or act as if you do not exist. Forgive us.
Creator God, when we look at the trees and rocks and animals, we often see only things for us to use. We "forget on purpose" that you made them and that we are to take care of them. Forgive us.
Jesus, we think so much about what we want and what we are doing that we forget what you taught us about loving other people. Forgive us.
Holy Spirit, our feelings of happiness and anger and sadness and joy are so strong that we sometimes do not even notice your presence with us. Please forgive us. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God loves and forgives all who confess their sin. Just as God made and loves the trees and animals, God made and loves each one of us. Jesus loved us so much that he died for us. The Holy Spirit, God's strong, loving presence, promises to be with us always—even 'til the end of the world. Thanks be to God!

3. To help worshipers feel both the wonder and the thoughtful questions of Psalm 8, "line it out." A worship leader reads the psalm one line at a time, then the congregation repeats each line, matching the tone and emphases of the reader. A dramatic reader can help the congregation, especially the children, understand the message of the psalm as the phrases are repeated. (When books were scarce in colonial America, lining out was an every-Sunday approach to both reading the Bible and singing the hymns.)

Sermon Resources

1. Divide the sermon into three sections to explore the three persons of the Trinity. After each section, lead a prayer addressed to that person of the Trinity. Then invite the congregation to sing a hymn related to this aspect of God. (See the list of possible hymns in "Let the Children Sing.")

2. Talk about "used to thinks." Describe some ideas about God you "used to think" but have now discarded. For example, I used to think that when God talked to people they would hear a voice inside their heads. I have since learned that God speaks through the words of other people, through what we read in the Bible, and through feelings deep inside us. Describe some childhood "used to thinks" and some of your currently changing ideas about God. Encourage worshipers to identify ways their understanding of God has grown and to expect that their current understanding will continue to grow.

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: May 26, 2013

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:42:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

Trinity Sunday

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1

L: The name of the Lord is majestic!

P: The mountains tower and the seas roar in praise of God!

L: When we look at the heavens, we rejoice in God!

P: The moons, stars, planets, solar systems are a delight to us!

L: Come, let us shout our praise to God!

P: Lord, thank you for this awesome creation! AMEN.

Call to Worship #2

L: We have great joy in Christ our Lord who calls and heals us.

P: For a while we bemoaned our sufferings,

L: Yet we are reminded that suffering produces endurance.

P: Endurance produces character.

L: Character produces hope.

P: And Hope does not disappoint us. AMEN.

Call to Worship #3

[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2038, "Father, I Adore You", offer the following call to worship as directed]

L: From the very whisper of creation, God poured forth love.

P: Praise be to God for the blessings of God's love.

Soloist singing verse 1of "Father, I Adore You"

L: In the fullness of time, God sent Jesus as a revelation of God's own self.

P: Praise be to Jesus for the many ways in which he revealed God to us.

Duet singing verse 2 of "Father, I Adore You "

L: When we thought all hope was lost, God offered the Holy Spirit to heal and guide us.

P: Praise be to the Holy Spirit for guidance and inspiration!

Choir singing verse 3 of "Father, I Adore You"

L: For the Trinity of understanding, we sing praise!

P: Blessings, honor, power, and majesty to God forevermore! AMEN.

Call to Worship #4

L: How shall we describe the concept of Trinity?

P: In the first "person" we find God the creator

L: In the second "person" we discover Jesus the Redeemer

P: In the third "person" we greet the Holy Spirit, the Guardian and Guide.

L: There are so many ways to describe the work and witness of God.

P: The Trinity helps us to understand the nature of God. AMEN.

PRAYERS, READING, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer

Spirit of Wisdom and Hope, we witness your glory in the heavens and hear your call to us. We are sometimes overwhelmed by the thought of your compassionate care. Open our hearts this day to hear and respond in joy to your call, that we may serve you faithfully all our days. AMEN.

Prayer of Confession

God of Creation, Jesus Redeemer, Holy Spirit who guides and sustains us, hear our prayers this day. We know the many ways in which we have failed to do the tasks which you have set before us. We have often chosen our comfort over service to you. Our fears and doubts lay claim to our lives and we shrink from the opportunities you give to us. Forgive us for the many failings. Lift and restore us to your grace. Put our feet on the pathways of service, offering justice and peace to all people. Heal us, 0gracious One, for we ask this in the name of Jesus the Christ. AMEN.

Words of Assurance

Rejoice! Do not doubt! God has poured love, hope and forgiveness on you. You are healed and forgiven in Jesus' Name. The Holy Spirit empowers you to ministries of healing and hope. Rejoice! AMEN.

Pastoral Prayer

Lord of mysteries, we admit that sometimes we are confused by the concept of Trinity. We can speak the words of Three-in-One, but our minds are boggled and confused. You are so great and your work is so awesome, that we try to find ways to express your work and witness in our lives. From before the beginning of time, you offered love and creative wisdom as you created all that is. In the person and ministry of Jesus you taught us more clearly about your nature, love, and gave to us ways that we should live peacefully together. The Holy Spirit is offered as our guardian and guide, faithfully with us all our days. Full and complete is your love for us, your creation. Help us, again, to be more faithful to you. Give us opportunities to witness and serve. Heal and restore us. For we ask these things in the name of Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all. AMEN.

Reading
Reader 1:I don't get this Trinity thing! How can God be one and yet three?
Reader 2: I think that the Trinity is a wonderful way to describe aspects of God's love for us.

Reader 1: I don't get it. Reader 2: Well, God is like a loving Parent. God created and continues to create all things, bringing hope to birth in each one of us.
Reader 1: Well, OK. I think I get it. God kind of brings us into being and helps us to grow in love and faith. God supplies us with a great world and an awesome universe.

Think of it!…all of the beauty of this earth, the majesty of the heavens! Wow! And it is in God's own design that these were fashioned!
Reader 2: That's the idea. Secondly, we are reminded that Jesus is the most perfect example of how God wants us to live, both in relationship to God and to each other. Jesus came to testify to the love of God. He was willing to give all that he had and was to help us to understand God's love.

Reader 1: I love Jesus! What a witness He was, and is still today. I used to have a tag that I wore that had the letters W W J D, you know, what would Jesus do. I still carry that thought in my head…what would Jesus do in this or that circumstance or situation. I remember all the things that he did. The Bible accounts of his ministry and life. I also remember how he kept telling everyone about God's care and forgiving, healing love. He's the one who saves us from our selfishness and greed.
Reader 2: That's an interesting awareness and you are right. Jesus is the Redeemer and our Savior. And then there's the Holy Spirit, God who is present with us for guidance and comfort and strength. It was God's Spirit that hovered over the waters of creation; it was God's spirit that rested on Jesus at his baptism; it was God's spirit that burst forth from the heavens on Pentecost, giving the disciples the ability to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with all people, without fear for their lives. It is through God the Parent, Jesus Christ the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit the guardian and guide that we understand who we are called to be. We are asked to be people who love and respect each other; who care for others and for creation; who are willing to go beyond our comfort levels in service to others. Does this help a little?
Reader 1: It sure does! Thanks for leading me though that idea into awareness of God's absolute, awesome love for us.

Benediction

Go in peace, dear ones! Go with the knowledge that God, the Father [Parent], Jesus, God's Son, and the Holy Spirit are with you! Bring peace to all you meet. AMEN.

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

The traditional color for this Sunday is: WHITE

SURFACE: Place a 10" riser at the center back of the worship table. Place two 6"risers in front of the 10" riser and slightly to the right and the left. Place one 2"riser in front of the 10"riser, but near the front of the worship table.

FABRIC: Cover the worship center with white fabric. Place a Dark blue 3" wide ribbon or streamer across the 6" riser that is to the left of the 10" riser as you face the worship table. Place a Medium Blue 3" wide ribbon or streamer across the 6"riser that is to the right of the 10" riser as you face the worship table. Place a Light Blue 3" wide ribbon or streamer across the 2" riser at the center front of the table. These streamers/ribbons should be long enough that they drape over the worship table and onto the floor.

CANDLES: Place a 6" white pillar candle on each of the 3 risers. Place a 10" white pillar candle on the 10" riser, to the front of the riser.

FLOWERS/FOLIAGE: At the base of the worship center, on either side, place a Boston Fern or other lea@ foliage plants. On the main worship center, place ivy or small lea@ foliage plants. ROCKS/WOOD: Not necessary for this setting.

OTHER: Place a brass cross on the 10" riser. Above the cross, place a symbol for the Trinity. You may use a Trefoil, or other such symbol. It should be at least 20" high and 20" wide. It may be cut out of cardboard, and should be covered with white or gold fabric. Suspend it on fishing line or attach it to a dossal drape or curtain.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: May 26, 2013

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:24:00 GMT

By Jamie D. Greening

Trinity Sunday

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15

THEME IDEAS

In Proverbs, Wisdom calls out like a wise woman, warning and encouraging us at the crossroads of life. In Psalm 8, the call is about the nature of creation, while in Romans 5, the Lord calls out to us about faith, grace, and salvation in Christ. In John 16, the Holy Spirit beckons us into the path of truth. Wisdom is spiritual enlightenment, and in each of these readings, we find that she is calling us to a deeper understanding of and relationship with God.

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Proverbs 8, Romans 5, John 16)

To you, O people, Wisdom calls.
She calls out to each of us, beckoning us:
to experience peace in Christ,
to discover the truth of life,
to know true love as it is poured into our hearts.
134
Wisdom calls.
As we gather this day,
let us answer her call
as we celebrate faith
in the One who leads us into life.
(alternate ending)
in Jesus Christ as Lord.
—OR—

Call to Worship (Psalm 8)

(The attributes of God are said by eight different people, scattered
throughout the worship space. The last phrase is said by
the worship leader.)
O Lord, our Sovereign,
your name is:
Majestic,
Compassionate,
Glorious,
Inspiring,
Beautiful,
Amazing,
Tender,
Powerful.
All-encompassing Lord,
your name is blessed in all the earth.

Opening Prayer (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8)

O Lord,
you reveal wisdom and spiritual insight
through your presence in creation.
When we look at the heavens,
we see your vastness.
When we look at seas teeming with fish
and verdant fields painted like a canvas,
we see your creativity and your bounty.
For all of this and so much more,
we praise your name. Amen.

—OR—

Opening Prayer (Romans 5, John 16)

We thank you, O Lord,
that you give us love and peace
through Christ Jesus;
that you offer us the key to all spiritual knowledge
through your Holy Spirit.
For those who are in the midst of life’s problems,
grant your wisdom and insight from above.
For those who are burdened with anxiety and fear,
offer your wise assurance in times of need.
For those facing decisions about family or career,
bless them with your wisdom on high.
For those entering a new chapter in their lives,
be it the birth of children, taking new jobs,
finding a place to live, or entering retirement,
guide them on the proper path
and bless them with a sense of peace.
This we pray in the name and wisdom
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8, Romans 5, John 16)

God of infinite mercy,
when we neglect the humbleness
of knowing our place in this world,
forgive us;
when we trade your peace and calls for unity
for conflict and violence,
forgive us;
when we forsake our good character,
to join those who scoff at your ways,
forgive us;
when we ignore your truth,
and turn away from your wisdom,
forgive us.
Forgive us and heal us, Lord,
that we may abide in your grace
and your love forever. Amen.

Words of Assurance (Romans 5)

Through the power of the Holy Spirit,
God fills our souls with grace and wisdom.
It is from this grace that we have hope.
It is from this wisdom that we know God’s love.
It is from the living God
that we find life and forgiveness.

Passing the Peace (Romans 5)

Since we have peace with God through Jesus Christ, let us stand and share this peace with one another.

Prayer of Preparation (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8, Romans 5, John 16)

Teach us your wisdom, O Lord,
that we may live wisely, not foolishly.
Open our minds to understand our place in the world,
that we may be proper stewards and caretakers
of this beautiful earth.
May your love and wisdom flow through us,
into this world of hatred and mistrust,
that we may sow the seeds of peace.
Illumine our hearts to the path of truth, Holy Spirit,
that we may celebrate the ways that lead to life. Amen.

Response to the Word (Proverbs 8)

The word of the Lord is wisdom
May we live as a people both good and wise.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMMUNION

Invitation to the Offering (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8)

Through holy wisdom, the Lord has made the world as a rich dwelling place, giving us dominion over the created order. As God is mindful of us and of our needs, let us now be mindful of our obligation to be good stewards, through our generosity and responsibility for God’s gifts.

Offering Prayer (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8)

O Lord,
we rejoice with thankful hearts,
that you have given us this beautiful world
in which to work and play—
a world full of your wisdom
and majesty;
we offer praise with deepest gratitude,
that you have blessed us with your bounty.
As we return a portion of your blessing to us,
use these offerings and tokens of our devotion:
to increase wisdom in the world,
to protect the created order,
to bless the vulnerable,
to heal the sick,
and to comfort the afflicted. Amen.

Invitation to Communion (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8, Romans 5, John 16)

(Consider using as a call and response between two readers)
Wisdom calls:
Come eat the bread of life.
Wisdom calls:
Come drink the cup of fellowship.
Wisdom calls:
Come partake of truth and grace.
Wisdom calls:
Come and be enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

Communion Prayer (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8, Romans 5, John 16)

Almighty, majestic, and sovereign Lord,
our hearts are stirred by the power of your wisdom.
In the very elements of creation,
you have displayed your power and might
for every soul to perceive.
And yet, a deeper wisdom is revealed
in the bread and the cup.
We celebrate today that this wisdom is gained by faith,
and it is through grace that we may partake.
As we partake of these simple yet profound elements,
whisper into our hearts,
and speak the truth we long to hear.
Holy Spirit, guide us into truth about ourselves,
our world, our church, and your ways,
that we may be transformed.
Open our eyes to deep spiritual wisdom,
as we participate in the ancient work
of Holy Communion.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (Proverbs 8, Romans 5)

Through grace and peace,
may we have the wisdom to be transformed.
For suffering leads to endurance,
endurance gives rise to character,
and character produces hope.
In true hope, hope founded in God,
we are never disappointed.

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8, Romans 5)

I hear a noise. I hear a sound. Do you hear it?
It is Wisdom calling.
Where is she? Where can I find her?
She calls from the heights of the heavens
and speaks with truth on her lips.
May I come? May I learn?
Yes, you may come. You may learn.
Wisdom calls all people
to faith, peace, love, and hope.

Praise Sentences (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8, Romans 5, John 15)

Our Sovereign Lord is majestic,
filling our hearts with song.
Our Sovereign Lord is wise,
ennobling our minds with truth.
Our Sovereign Lord is gracious,
empowering our souls with strength.
Our Sovereign Lord is loving,
blessing us with peace.

BLOG: Why Aren't People Singing?

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:30:00 GMT

By Kimberly MacNeill

Worship leaders, week after week, pour their heart and soul into leading their congregation in a time of worship through music. They plan and they practice and they pray. A team of musicians shows up prepared and ready to lead people in singing praise to God. But, all to often, at the end of the day, it didn’t turn out as “good” as they hoped. In the evaluation time, it is noticeable once again, that the people just didn’t seem to be singing. It is disappointing. The worship leader wants so much for the people to sing out in passionate praise. “Why aren’t people singing?” they ask. And though some worship leaders are willing to admit that some songs just don’t work, the lion-share of the conversation finds the people at fault: they don’t really care about worship: they aren’t passionate about God. “Well, that’s on them,” says the worship leader. “I’m doing all I can.” No doubt, he or she is doing their best. But, there is something they might not know, and it would help if they did.

There was a time in American culture when people grew up with a foundational appreciation and understanding of music. In elementary school the class sang songs. In a later grade, everyone had a music class that explored all the instruments. In Junior High everyone was in the chorus one mandatory semester. Lots of teens chose to join the high school chorus. Most families did go to church and kids learned church songs; hymnals had the actual music score in it as generally speaking, people could read music! See, not all that long ago, people grew up singing out loud, in public; it was part of life. But when school budgets started getting cut, the Arts Department was the first to go. The music foundation went away. In addition, as Christian music expanded in influence, it took on a more “professional” edge and became more performance oriented. Bottom line: singing was now for the musically gifted. If I ask someone in today’s world, “Do you sing?” they almost instantly say, “only in the shower.” And if someone says they occasionally sing “karaoke” they almost always add, “you know….because I’m drinking and so is the audience!”

So now, here we are. Though we have a culture that loves music and has easy access to it, today’s music is mostly about listening to other people sing. So, the idea that when people come to church once a week and are expected to sing out loud in front of both family and strangers-well-they are looking for ways to get out of that! After all, they have never done that in their life! The good news is that many people think the worship music is good. In fact, for some people, it is the reason they come to church - they love the music. Listening to it ministers to them. But, that doesn’t mean they want to sing it with you.

So, what can the worship leader do?

Realize Not Everyone Loves Singing

First, realize that not everyone loves singing like you do. It would be better to “invite” rather than “expect.” Acknowledge that you know everyone is not a “singer” but that God asks us to worship Him “in spirit and in truth.” Explain that music is part of biblical worship and then educate the congregation to participate as they feel they can. You have probably already told them that it doesn’t matter if they are a “good singer.” But go further. Give them more ideas. They could sing just the chorus or just the parts they know. Encourage them to read the words and take them in, while the people around them sing them out. Invite them to clap when the song calls for it. Applause for God is an act of worship and doesn’t involve carrying a tune!

Choose Easier Songs

Second, choose songs that are easy to sing. Gifted musicians get bored with simple music and sometimes feel they are not giving their best to the Lord if they don’t do “great” music. But, when the purpose is to lead a congregation of mostly non-music people in singing praises together, simple is what works. This doesn't mean doing a child-like song. A simple song is a song that the melody is easily learned and the words easily match the rhythm. After a few times of hearing it, I can sing it because I know what is coming next. If you choose good songs and lead them well, people might even find themselves singing them in the shower at home! Isn’t that what we really want—a lifestyle of praise? And don’t forget, it is a listening culture and they do love the music. So, when it comes time for feature songs or special music, employ all your musical craft and give it all you’ve got from your heart, the way you like to do music. Your passion will translate and the people will love it!

Incorporate Other Elements of Worship

Third, incorporate other elements of worship within the music set. Lead people to read Scripture out loud together. Have a time of guided prayer on the attributes of God. Invite them to turn to the person next to them and say one thing they give thanks to God for today. The possibilities are endless! Look for ways to incorporate non-music elements inside the music set. This way, you can lead a multitude of different personalities, engaging more people in corporate worship to “Give to the Lord the glory his name deserves…" Psalm 29:3

What are your thoughts on why people aren't singing?

ARTICLE: Great Thanksgiving for Earth Day

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:12:00 GMT

By F. Belton Joyner, Jr.

The celebration of Earth Day each spring gives Christians an opportunity to consider God's good creation and our stewardship of it.

Great Thanksgiving for Earth Day

This prayer, based on Genesis 1, would be appropriate for other times focused on creation as well, such as outdoor services and camp settings.

Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed!
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 joyous thing,
always and everywhere
to give you praise, Creator of heaven and earth.
You took the formless chaos,
swept across it with your mighty Spirit,
and said, “Let there be light!” And there was light.
You separated the heavens and earth,
and brought forth trees and plants.
You set sun, moon, and stars in the heavens,
and called forth fish, birds, and all living creatures.
You made us, creatures of your own image,
to live in communion with you.
We long for relationship with you,
but in our humanness, we turn away.
Yet you remain steadfast,
calling us again and again to turn to you.
For your grace and for all your mercies toward us,
we join your people on earth
and all the company of heaven
in proclaiming your praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you and blessed is your son, Jesus Christ.
Your Spirit flowed through his life
as he became the bridge for our reconciliation.
In this time we remember his life and work.
We remember your gift of Baptism.
We reflect on the mystery of the cross.
We dare to ponder resurrection.
Especially we recall how Jesus took grain,
grown by your sunshine and rain,
ground by human hands into flour,
mixed with water and made into bread,
in honor of him who is the Bread of Life.
We recall how Jesus took the cup,
with grapes grown in your sunlight,
trod into juice for drinking,
that we might know you and never thirst again.
And taking bread and cup,
blessing and breaking them,
Jesus gave them new meaning
as he said:
“Take, eat; this is my body.”
“Drink from this cup, all of you;
for this is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins.”
In remembrance of all your mighty acts on our behalf,
we bring our whole selves to you,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Pour out your Spirit on these, the gifts of your creation:
grain, grapes, and us your children.
Make us see your touch in all of creation
and let us bring your light into every darkened shadow.
Through Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God,
now and forever. Amen.

excerpt from: Just in Time! Pastoral Prayers in Public Places by F. Belton Joyner, Jr ©2006 Abingdon Press. Used with permission.
This book is included in a Ministry Matters Premium Subscription.
Print book order information is below.

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: Pentecost 2013

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:42:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

Acts 2:1-21. This passage tells of the giving of the Holy Spirit and is the key story for Pentecost Sunday. Because children will have trouble following the text, they will depend on you to retell and interpret the story. Two points are of particular interest to them. First, the coming of the spirit with wind and fire invites their imaginations to work on "What it was really like." (See Sermon Resources for suggestions for exploring the feel of the wind, fire, and Holy Spirit.)

Second, the miraculous ability of the disciples to speak foreign languages on that day, in order to tell the good news to travelers from around the world, points out that God intends that we be united. Peter cites Joel's list of all the people (sons and daughters, old men, and even slaves) who will receive God's Holy Spirit as further proof that we are to be united.

Genesis 11:1-9. This is the story of the Tower of Babel, understood by the church as God's response to sinful human pride when we try to make ourselves equal to God. It is read today as a contrast to the Pentecost story, in which people of all languages are drawn together by the Holy Spirit. But children will catch none of this as they hear the passage. The story line, with all its details about brick and bituminous mortar, is hard for them to follow. And God's words sound almost as if God were intimidated by human capabilities and that God therefore erected an obstacle (differing languages) to keep us under control. So read the story from the Bible and then retell it in order to present its intended points clearly.

OR Romans 8:14-17. (The Revised Common Lectionary suggests that either Romans or Genesis be read this Sunday.) This is another passage that is hard for children to "hear" as it is read, but one which offers ideas that are meaningful to them. Its first truth is that the Holy Spirit is not scary, nor does it make us afraid of God. Wind, flames, and a Holy Ghost can sound spooky to children. If your tradition uses the term Holy Ghost, this is a good time to "define out" the Halloween connotations and explore God's presence as a positive, desirable experience. The second truth is that because God's Spirit lives within us all, we are all brothers and sisters, sharing Christ's glory and suffering in God's family.

Gospel: John 14:8-17 (25-27). This is a sophisticated Greek discourse, put into Jesus' mouth by John. The repetitive statements in verses 8-11 will lose many children they are likely to hear only occasional phrases thereafter. But this description of the work of the Holy Spirit is helpful for children because it shows that:

1. The Holy Spirit lives deep inside each of us.
2. The Holy Spirit helps us to know God's love and will, and reminds us about Jesus. The Holy Spirit is speaking when we know that God does not want us to do something (maybe to call someone mean names) or when we feel God calling us to action (perhaps to defend someone who is being teased, or to make friends with someone who is lonely). The Holy Spirit reminds us that God made us special and loves us—even on days when everyone else is treating us like junk.
3. Because the Holy Spirit lives in us, we can experience peace inside—even when it is not peaceful around us.

Psalm: Psalm 104:24-34, 35b. This passage celebrates God's creation of the sea animals. The poet credits God's Spirit with both creating and caring for these animals. Before reading this lighthearted praise poem, alert children to the presence of a sea monster named Leviathan.

Watch Words

Use the word Pentecost often to build familiarity with the name of this less-well-known holy day.

Choose your Holy Spirit language carefully. Holy Spirit or God's Spirit are probably the best terms for children. Holy Ghost sounds like a possibly friendly Halloween spook. Comforter, counselor, and helper are more helpful as descriptions than as names. Breath of God, if examined in relationship to the wind symbol, can become a meaningful way to explain and understand how God lives within us. Either stick with one term or use as many terms as possible, challenging the children to collect them, and explaining them as you go.

Let the Children Sing

Sing "I'm Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing" and offer original verses related to the worship theme. Or sing "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love."

Try "Breathe on Me, Breath of God," with its repeated phrase at the beginning of each verse (if you have explored the "breath of God").

To continue the praise of Psalm 104, sing "All Things Bright and Beautiful," "This Is My Father's Things Bright and Beautiful," "This Is My Father's World," or "I Sing the Almighty Power of God."

The Liturgical Child

1. Decorate the sanctuary with flame-red paraments. Invite worshipers in advance to wear something red in honor of Pentecost. Use red flowers in the worship center. Print the bulletin on red paper or in red ink. To emphasize the gift of the Holy Spirit to all, drape around the shoulders of each worshiper a red crepe-paper stole decorated with Pentecost symbols to wear during worship. (An older children's class may make the stoles by gluing cut-out symbols on either end of 36-inch red streamers, the class can help distribute them after the reading of Acts 2.) In the worship center, place a birthday cake for the church, decorated with red icing and twenty red candles. Serve it with red punch after worship.

2. Point out Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost in weekly responses such as the Gloria Patri and Doxology as you come to them. Note its significance in each song.

3. Invite the congregation to sing the one verse of "Spirit of Living God" as a response to spoken prayers for the church and the world. It may be sung once at the end, or several times as a response to specific prayers within the whole prayer.

4. After the benediction, ask children or ushers to give each worshiper a red flower as a reminder of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life.

Sermon Resources

1. To explore the significance of the fact that people of all nationalities heard the good news in their own language, paraphraseActs 2:5-12, replacing New Testament countries with more familiar current ones. For example, "Are not all these who are speaking Mexicans? How can they speak to each of us in our own language? Germans and French and Japanese, people from Zaire and Argentina."

2. Explore the Pentecost wind and fire symbols so that children "get the feel" of God's presence. Recall experiences with "strong rushing winds." A stiff breeze in our face usually feels fresh and good. We feel strong as we walk into it. An autumn wind blows away the dead leaves of summer to make way for new growth next spring. Children often play in the wind with pinwheels, kites, and streamers (and often with the scarves we wish were on their heads). Thus the wind of the Spirit can easily be perceived as a cleansing, invigorating, welcome presence.

Children who camp have the edge on appreciating fire as a symbol of God's presence. Just as a flame ignites a bright lantern (the lantern is a brighter light than a softly glowing candle), God's Spirit ignites wishy-washy, easily frightened people into brave folks who will stand up to tell the world the good news. Just as a campfire or fireplace is a source of warmth and comfort on cold nights, God's Spirit comforts us when people are treating us coldly. Just as a flame may be used to sterilize a needle when we remove a splinter, God's Spirit works within us to clean out bad attitudes, ideas, and ways.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: Pentecost 2013

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:18:00 GMT

By Laura Jaquith Bartlett

Pentecost

COLOR: Red
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; Romans 8:14-17; John 14:8-17 (25-27)

THEME IDEAS

Despite the good news of the resurrection, the post-Easter disciples were a rather tentative bunch. They had lost their leader. There was dissension all around them. They were understandably afraid, for their friend and teacher had just been executed by the government. Into their already turbulent lives blew the life-changing wind of the Holy Spirit. Yikes! But as promised in John, the Advocate empowers, comforts, encourages, and strengthens the disciples. To claim the same gifts today, we need only give our fears to the Wind, and open our lives to be transformed.

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Gathering Words (John 14)

Even after the resurrection, when the disciples
were weighed down with worry,
Jesus assured them that they were not alone:
“The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in my name, will teach you everything,
and remind you of all that I have said to you.”
Even after the resurrection, when the disciples
were burdened by their fears,
Jesus calmed their troubled hearts:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled,
and do not let them be afraid.”
Even after the resurrection, when we struggle
with our faith,
Jesus blesses us with comfort and hope:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace
I give to you.”
Especially after the resurrection, when our souls
are dry and barren,
the Holy Spirit blows through our lives,
bringing us new life. Alleluia!

Opening Prayer (Acts 2, John 14)

Amazing God,
you call us today,
just as you called the disciples
on the Day of Pentecost.
You challenge and support us,
revealing the brokenness of our communities;
giving us the peace that our world needs.
You point us to the pain of the cross,
and then remind us of the joy of the resurrection.
Transform us, O God,
through the power of your Holy Spirit.
Help us breathe deeply
of the Breath of Life.
Blow through our worship
and change our lives forever. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Acts 2)

Holy Spirit,
we’re not sure we’re ready
for your awesome power
to blow through our lives;
we’re grown comfortable
with our familiar habits
and our bland routines;
we’re afraid to give up our waking slumber
and face the truth
that we do not truly live.
When we cling to our ways
and the safety of familiar paths,
wake us up,
shake us up,
heat us up,
and breathe your life into us.
Walk with us, O God,
and give us the courage
to follow the way that is lit
by the fire of your Spirit.
On this Day of Pentecost,
we pray for the audacity
to ride the winds of change. Amen.

Words of Assurance (John 14)

Hear these words of Jesus:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace
I give to you. . . . Do not let your hearts
be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
In the midst of our fears and doubts,
the peace of the Holy Spirit will prevail.

Passing the Peace of Christ (John 14)

When Jesus left his disciples, he did not leave them alone. He promised that the Holy Spirit would be present in their lives, and he gave them an amazing gift: his peace, the peace of Christ. Through the Spirit, this gift lives still, and it is ours to share with others. Turn to those around you and offer Christ’s gift with these words: “The peace of Christ is yours today!”

Response to the Word (Acts 2, Psalm 104, John 14)

Holy Spirit,
we are not ready for you,
but we know that you are ready for us—
ready to change our lives if we will let you.
Help us prepare
by setting our hearts on fire with love;
by blowing away our fears and doubts;
by tuning our ears to the rich diversity
of language and culture around the world;
by opening our eyes to the amazing beauty
and power of your creation;
by breathing into us
the joy and hope of the resurrected Christ,
in whose name we pray. Amen.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Offering Prayer (Acts 2, John 14)

Pentecost God,
take our hearts and set them on fire.
Take our lives and transform them.
Take our church and resurrect it
with your life-giving Spirit.
Take our gifts and use them
for the fulfillment of your vision
of peace and unity. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (Acts 2, Psalm 104, John 14)

The God who made this amazing universe
is creating you anew every day.
Jesus Christ, the resurrected One,
offers you peace that never dies.
The Holy Spirit is setting your hearts on fire—
right here, right now.
Go in peace, and be transformed,
that you may change the world. Amen.

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (Acts 2)

Leader 1: Jesus Christ is alive and with us today!
Leader 2: (Disbelieving) What?
Leader 1: Get ready for some excitement: Jesus is
right here, right now!
Leader 2: Come on, this is the twenty-first century.
We don’t believe that kind of thing anymore.
Leader 1: Can’t you feel the Spirit? God is ready to
change us today!
Leader 2: What are you babbling about? We don’t feel
anything.
Leader 1: It’s true! God’s Spirit is going to set us on
fire today, so get ready.
Leader 2: (Turning away in disgust) This is ridiculous.
You must be drunk!
All: It is true! The Holy Spirit has set us on fire
with the crazy joy of the resurrection.
We’re ready for God to change us today!

Praise Sentences (Psalm 104)

O Lord, how manifold are your works!
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

ARTICLE: Meaningful Worship Roles for Kids

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:26:00 GMT

By Betsy Hall

If you've ever been assigned the job of making sure the acolytes (AKA kids with fire, lighting candles) were scheduled and trained, you've probably had this experience.

You get a bit nervous for the child because they take the job so seriously. And the fire hazard, of course. There are liquid candles that extinguish when they fall over although we haven't tested that yet.

Parents smile proudly and watch, but for most of the congregation, their smiles are more like "isn't that cute?"

There are many ways to involve children in worship. You're probably already getting kids involved with roles like lighting the candles, ringing the bells, and handing out worship bulletins.

But the real challenge is involving them in meaningful ways that don't simply put kids on display for the sake of being cute.

If it is important enough to do, then you need to help educate the kids on the why and how. (And educate the parents who drive them as well. One children's minister has said "you get the parents through the kids" and she didn't apologize.)

Here are six ways to involve kids in worship:

How many times have you used a funny, cute video of a kid in worship? Why not video one of your children or teens who has mature faith saying something profound. Kids can teach us alot about faith, we just need to listen.
Let children partner with an adult to help gather the offering and to help serve the communion elements. Help them understand the meaning of these rituals.
Make sure kids are at your Welcome Center, Information Center, or greeting because the kids of the new visitors will be relieved to see other kids.
Let kids sing and play instruments alongside adults. Take their talents seriously.
During your stewardship campaign plan for a kids and teen campaign. You need to start talking tithing when they are young, and spiritual gifts.
Kids and teens can help with set up, at my church we meet in a gym so that means folding chairs, a worship table, wires and cords for the band.

Think outside the box and beyond what you normally have let kids do. And think about training, since even adults need to know the how's and why's. Don't assume people will know why something is important. Kids can do a lot more than we tend to think they can. If a teen can fulfill the role a mature elementary child can as well.

We say all the time kids are are the future of the church, but if they aren't involved as kids, why would they wait around to be old enough as adults?

BLOG: Bec Cranford and Church of the Misfits

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:13:00 GMT

By Betsy Hall

Bec Cranford is the Volunteer Coordinator at Gateway Center; you can read about her work with the homeless community here.

During the second part of the interview Bec talked about her call to ministry, which she described in phases: her lightning bolt getting knocked off her bum, a time of disillusionment and discontent, righteous indignation/anger, and then a call “home.”

Bec was raised in a Baptacostalist church; where her parents were in ministry. Not everything was as it seemed though. Bec said, “Mental illness was a stigma in the south—especially in certain evangelical circles—my father never dealt with that, and he was closet alcoholic.”

When she was twenty-one, her parents finally divorced, basically because of her father’s alcoholism. She also found out that he had told the church community that she was a lesbian (she is not). As a result she was treated poorly, and so she just left church. At that point she says:

"I was just done with my dad, the church, and God. It all just looked like a bunch of hypocrisy. They talked about Jesus, and even more about purity codes and holiness. The church seemed bigoted and racist.”

She describes herself then as “liking Jesus but really turned off by church.”

So she left church and got into drugs. One evening she showed signs of overdose, and her vision darkened. She experienced something “really scary, like an absence of love,” and she was fearful. At that point, she cried out, “Jesus, if you’re real, help me!”

She’s not quite sure if what happened next was caused by the drugs or was a psychological state. She saw a crucified Christ figure looking more like “Bob Marley meets Jack Sparrow.” It wasn’t a blonde Jesus who came to save me.” She laughed a bit telling the story, but she was convinced at that moment she “wanted to serve God and bowed to God to serve him.”

Bec didn’t feel welcome in a lot of churches after that. She adds, “I had green hair, tattoos, wore combat boots, and I was angry. ” It was a difficult time for her. She told God, “Whatever you do, don’t make me a Pentecostal. Make me like a Lutheran or something rational.” She also had mystical experiences and glossolalia, which she tried to rationalize away by telling herself, “This is some weird cognitive thing with some Hebrew and Italian mixed in.” These experiences “warmed my heart, so I went back to evangelical churches looking for answers and started my whole call process.”

After attending a Bible college she came back to Atlanta interested in starting a Spanish language worship service. But the leadership of the church said, “We need to teach persons English if they’re going to be American citizens.”

Bec says she was “prideful and angry. I thought I knew it all because I’d gone to college.” She experienced a long season of discontent and had lots of questions for God. Her anger, she explains was “a result of cognitive dissonance from the faith I grew up with, what I learned in school, and the pain I was seeing in the world.”

Bec was seeing populations that evangelicals weren’t reaching out to—“postmoderns and queers.” Once again she found herself saying, “God, you need to find somebody to do something;” then she realized that the passion she was feeling was in fact part of her call. Her ability to see the pain people were experiencing helped her realize that God was in fact calling her, not somebody else. She was being called back home to “love people who thought differently about church, God, and Jesus.”

While attending seminary, Bec began to feel a call to start a church. At that point she began to pray and seek God and explore what God was doing in Atlanta. She met with mainline pastors, connected with emergent village, and read books by Rob Bell and Len Sweet. She announced to her husband, Terry, that she felt God was saying, “Go plant a church.” The target audience was “postmoderns who would describe themselves as spiritual but not religious, queer persons, and those who were hurt or doubting.”

She left seminary early to move home and plant a church. Bec once again talked to the church leadership. She said, “I honestly had a lot of pride, but tried to humble myself and explain that I wanted to contextualize Christ to postmoderns.” She was interested in “helping people explore a variety of doctrines as a basic first step, to be a starting place for new people.” The church leadership sensed her call but in the end her way of doing church was too different for them to embrace. Her home church wasn’t at all affirming of that call. They believed her viewpoints were welcoming to the point of “accepting sin.” Her response was “that maybe it was God’s job to figure all that stuff out and we’re just to love people.” The church stated that with her viewpoints they didn’t even want her working in the nursery. Of course she was terribly hurt and says it was “a time of humility and a dry season.”

She and Terry decided to start a bar ministry discussing hymns and theology after awhile attendance wasn’t growing and they were getting discouraged. She asked, “God, did you call me to do this, or am I just a complete failure?” There were times when she sat up all night in prayer or crying. Then one night she heard clearly, “Get up and go downtown [Atlanta].” She remembers thinking that she and Terry didn’t need to go downtown because there was nothing there. But they drove in anyway; they saw the people; and “we just fell in love with the city.”

Terry was recruited to work with the chronically homeless to help meet basic needs. Next, Bec was hired by Gateway Center. Six months later, they started the Church of the Misfits and committed to meeting weekly. Bec says, “We don’t have a lot of noses or nickels, but it’s good. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” The church is drawing persons from a variety of beliefs; they’ve begun to share their stories more intimately including their brokenness; and they’re exploring Jesus together.

They moved around frequently for church. They were continuing to meet in bars, and then someone in their group admitted to being an addict. At that point it was time to shift gears, so they opened their home to their new church community. The main worship room is furnished with couches and icons. They’ve intentionally created a space that will be safe for all people, and they’ve backed off from the bar ministry for now.

Bec is discerning whether to officially connect with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She has some courses to complete for ordination. Terry was ordained in the Southern Baptist denomination so he’ll be completing the process first.

I was not surprised to find out who her favorite prophet is. “Jeremiah,” she replied. “A lot of people think he was a sap because he lept into a relationship with God. Jeremiah got in God’s face. He complained and he was real. Some people think he was bipolar. He experienced real emotion. He said, this is stupid I don’t even want to do this. Jeremiah calls God a deceiver. He’s so in the face of God that sometimes we think that’s tantamount to being evil or rebellious. But it just shows he had such a deep relationship with God. Jeremiah cared about justice issues, he cared about the people being taken away in exile, and he cared about God; but sometimes Jeremiah had human moments.”

And I thought to myself—human moments—the kind experienced by Bec Cranford, Volunteer Coordinator for Gateway Center and church planter called by God.

Bec says about her relationship with her father and mother now, "We are reconciled. He is doing great, retired, and still singing. He spends most of his time doing yard work. My mom is amazing. She has always been there for me, and has continued to support my call to ministry, even when it was unpopular or unorthodox."

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: May 12, 2013

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:45:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

Note: The Ascension of the Lord texts may be substituted for the Seventh Sunday of Easter texts. This is advisable if children (and most older worshipers) will have no other opportunity to worship around the Ascension stories.

From a Child's Point of View

Gospel: John 17:20-26. Children are quickly lost in the repetitive phrases and pronouns of the Great High Priestly Prayer. It helps to introduce this part of the prayer to them as Jesus' prayer for everyone in the church, including us, and to encourage them to listen to the prayer as being Jesus' hopes for us and all God's people.

In children's words, Jesus' hope is that we will be as close to God as he is. This is not an impossible wish. Jesus knows it can come true. He also knows that if we are that close to God, we will attract others to God. People will see God's love in us and in the way we treat others.

Epistle: Revelation 22;12-14, 16-17, 20-21. If you have been decoding the Revelation texts, today's verses provide older children a review of Revelation code words and introduce a new one. "The bride" is a code word for the Church universal. Everything "the bride" is a code word for the Church universal. Everything "the bride" is and does, the church (including us) is and does. According to this vision, one important job of the church is calling people to come to God.

The text also has important things to say about Jesus, the "I" of this vision. The most important to children is the reassuring promise that Jesus was there at the beginning and will be there at the end. There is no time when Jesus will not be with them, caring for them.

Acts 16:16-34. In the context of Easter and of today's lections, this is an example of a day in the life of a church member (or one in a white robe, or an Easter person) who is spreading God's love. Paul and Silas heal a mentally ill slave girl, are taken to court by her owners, are whipped and thrown into prison, are saved from prison by God (working through an earthquake), and preach to their jailer. Children are immediately impressed by the dedication of Paul and Silas and, when it is pointed out, see God's help and support.

Psalm: Psalm 97. When this is introduced as a poem praising God, who rules the universe, children hear and understand a number of the phrases. For today's worship, it is a song Paul and Silas might have sung in prison and a song for Easter people everywhere, especially those who are in trouble for speading God's Word.

Watch Words

For children, hope generally is related to wishing for good things that may or may not happen (e.g., receiving a desired birthday gift or winning a championship). So talk today about what we can depend upon or what we can trust God to do and be, rather than on what we hope.

For children, unity as being one with God and unity as being one with all Christians are different experiences. They need to hear specific examples of each. An understanding of how the two are linked will come later.

Let the Children Sing

Conclude the Easter season with "Come, Christians, Join to Sing," with all the Alleluias, or "Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart," with its repeated chorus of praise.

If "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" was sung during Advent, sing it today to celebrate the Easter fulfillment of the Advent promises. Children enjoy the contrast between the sad, wishful verses and the happy chorus. Young readers may not be able to read the verses, but can join in on the chorus. The choir might sing the verses, with the congregation responding on the chorus.

The Liturgical Child

1. Instruct worshipers to close their eyes while you remind them, in your own words, of John's vision of Jesus Rev. 1:12-16). Then, read dramatically what Christ says in today's Revelation lection. For maximum impact, Christ's words might be read loudly from a remote microphone.

2. Invite worshipers to read the psalm responsively. The two groups may be congregation and choir, two halves of the congregation, or two groups (classes or choirs) of older children who have prepared it. The New Revised Standard Version offers the easiest reading for children.

All Verse 1
Group 1
Group 2 Verse 2a
Verse 2b
Group1
Group2 Verse 3
Verse 4
Group 1
Group 2 Verse 5
Verse 6a
Group 1
Group 2 Verse 6b
Verse 7
Group 1
Group 2 Verses 8-9
Verse 10
Group 1
Group 2 Verse 11a
Verse 11b
ALL Verse 12

3. After the Acts lection is read and before Psalm 97 is read, suggest that Psalm 97 is a hymn that Paul and Silas might have sung that night in prison. Instruct worshipers to hold their hands crossed at the wrists in front of them. Wrists should not rest in laps but be held uncomfortably in the air as if chained together. Invite worshipers to imagine how it felt to sing the psalm in that situation.

4. Create a responsive prayer of petitions with the congregation responding "Come, Lord Jesus" to each of the leader's descriptions of situations in which God's power and love are needed. For example:

God, you call us to live in unity with one another. But we see more people who are ignoring one another or fighting than are getting along. So we pray for the children who call one another names on the playground, for the Israelis and Palestinians who fight over the Holy Land, for the Asians and Hispanics and Whites and Blacks who hate one another. (RESPONSE)

5. Remember end-of-school-year concerns in the church's prayers on the appropriate Sundays. See Ascension of the Lord, Liturgical Child 3 for specific suggestions.

Sermon Resources

1. Speak one last time of the Easter tokens. Recall the ways you have used your during this Easter season, then offer this suggestion for future use. Fingering the two sides of the token, suggest that one side reminds bearers that God loves them and is with them always, while the other side reminds them that they are to spead God's love to others.

2. Tell of a day in the life of today's witnessing church that parallels a day of Paul and Silas in Acts. Describe either a day in the life of your congregation or in the life of the worldwide church. Cite specific examples of Christians who are witness, putting up with persecution, and knowing God's support. Include activities with which children are familiar and in which they participate (e.g., mission projects to which they have contributed, peacemaking on the playground, and so forth). Consider focusing on a specific day in the last week.

3. Both Gospel and Epistle readings point to the fulfillment of God's Advent promises. To explore that fulfillment, combine the sermon with the decorating of a freshly leafing small tree set in a bucket. As you hang each Chrismon ornament, recall what it meant at Christmas and talk about what it means after Easter. The Alpha and Omega, the star of Jesse, the morning star, and the cross over the world are especially appropriate.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: Ascension Sunday 2013

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:22:00 GMT

By Ciona Rouse

Ascension Sunday

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1:15-23; Luke 24:44-53

THEME IDEAS

Ascension Sunday is a time to recognize God’s glory and rule over the earth. Jesus has been given power and dominion over all things. This Sunday, we can highlight this regal Jesus, our humble King of kings. The music and atmosphere of worship this day should reflect the reign of the ascended Christ over all things. It should also draw us to a place where we recognize that our calling comes
from the most high: we must search for the hope to which God has called us.

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Psalm 47)

Clap your hands! Shout for joy!
Our Lord reigns on the throne of glory!
We open our hearts to the ascended Lord,
who sits on the throne of glory!

Opening Prayer (Ephesians 1)

Lord of Lords,
illumine our hearts this day,
that we may feel your glory
and live into the hope
to which you have called us. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Luke 24)

O Lord,
we have not lived our lives
as kingdom people.
We place our crowns
on hopelessness, fear,
and selfishness.
We are ruled by our schedules
and our need for control.
We make kings of the things we acquire
and queens of our immediate desires.
We forget that your kingdom
draws near to us on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Forgive us, we pray.
Come, Lord,
and open in us
the gates of your kingdom. Amen.

Words of Assurance (Luke 24)

The God of our Lord Jesus Christ
blesses us and calls us “kingdom people.”
In the name of the reigning Christ,
we are forgiven.
In the name of the reigning Christ,
we are forgiven. Glory to God! Amen.

Passing the Peace of Christ (Acts 1)

The glory of God reigns in each of us! Let the peace of Christ within you greet the peace of Christ in your neighbor.

Response to the Word (Ephesians 1)

The word of God speaks to our hearts.
(Silent reflection)
The word of God speaks to our community.
(Silent reflection)
The word of God speaks to our nation.
(Silent reflection)
The word of God speaks to our world.
(Silent reflection)
May God give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation
as we come to know Christ.
Lord, help us know the glorious hope
to which you have called us
through your word.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Invitation to the Offering (Luke 24)

Gifted with the grace of God, and clothed with power from on high, let us now offer ourselves to the building of God’s kingdom.

Offering Prayer (Luke 24)

Bless these gifts, O Lord of all,
that we might worship you with great joy
and serve your people with great love.
In Christ’s name, amen.

Invitation to Communion

Come to the table. It’s an open feast.
Christ invites us all—
the rich and the poor,
the outcast and the honored.
Come to the gathering of sinners and saints.
Come to this blessed table where Christ reigns.
Come and taste the kingdom of God,
where all are welcome.

Prayer following Communion

Lord, you have given us peace
and blessed us with a taste
of your heavenly banquet.
As we leave your table,
usher us into your kingdom,
now and forever. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (Psalm 47)

Clap your hands all you people!
Sing to God with songs of joy!
Go forth praising God, who reigns on high!

ARTICLE: A Hearty Eucharist

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:18:00 GMT

By Ian Heston Doescher

Every Christian denomination that includes communion—the Eucharist or Lord's Supper—as one of its regular practices recognizes the thanks-giving aspect, and in that regard Jesus’ original institution of the meal is remembered. At the most fundamental level, eucharisteo is the Greek word for “giving thanks” (Matthew 26:26-30).

But the similarities between the original last supper and our churches’ communion services tend to end at remembering Jesus’ words and sharing some form of bread and wine. Jesus’ “giving thanks” has turned into a fairly circumscribed prayer of thanksgiving; abundant bread shared and passed has turned into a small morsel of bread at best or, at less-than-best, a wafer resembling cardboard (so says my spouse Jennifer Creswell, an Episcopal priest). For the most part, these changes have been for sound historical and/or practical reasons. Nevertheless, there is something to be said for going back, insofar as possible, to a practice that more closely resembles the early church or Jesus’ last meal with his disciples itself. How can we reclaim, for our congregations and our worship services, a sense of how the early church both commemorated the last supper and ate together? How can we, in our communion practices, strive to (in the most literal sense) be more Christ-like?

When I worked as a chapel minister at Yale Divinity School in 2002, the chapel team was discussing an upcoming communion service when I verbalized some of my thoughts: “How did our modern communion services get so far away from the original last supper as it is pictured in the gospels?” This question got the chapel team’s imagination and liturgical juices flowing, and before long the first “Hearty Eucharist” was celebrated.

Hearty Eucharist

The idea behind the Hearty Eucharist is simple. As the service begins, congregants are welcomed and gathered in the singing of a hymn. The words of institution—traditional or contemporary—are then said over the bread and wine immediately. After the words of institution, all are invited to come to the table, where large cups of grape juice and wine, loaves of bread, olives, cheese, and occasionally fish are served. Everyone may take as much as they wish, returning to their pew with the food. At one Hearty Eucharist service, we put the bread in baskets so that each pew could have its own meal and share family style. (It should be noted that the pews were arranged in an octagon at this point, so that the congregation looked in toward a central space and across that space at one another. Some churches will have more flexible worship space, with chairs for seating, and may add tables to the worship space.)

As the congregation eats, words from scripture are read and a short sermon—generally more informal in tone—is given. All the while, people are encouraged to get up for more food if they would like. Another hymn or two is sung, a prayer is offered, and the service concludes. This service most often took about forty-five minutes.

The worshiping community at Yale Divinity School came to love Hearty Eucharist. Hearty Eucharist helps the congregation truly to “do this in remembrance of” Jesus and the disciples. Reading the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ final meal with his disciples, Hearty Eucharist is perhaps a truer way of honoring and recreating that meal—including, perhaps, a common first-century menu—than our normal meals of scant bread and wine. In many ways, it is a grand and faithful thanks-giving and is easily adapted for churches of almost any size. (We even discussed the idea—but never did it—of making Hearty Eucharist a potluck-type meal. This would certainly be a possibility depending on your congregation’s gifts, needs, and resources.) For various theological reasons based on denominational beliefs, a non-crumbly bread will work best for Hearty Eucharist.

At Table

A similar effort to recreate and restore early Christian eating practices is an “At Table service which was born in the 2004–2005 academic year, when Union professors Janet Walton and Hal Taussig taught the course Ritual Meals and Ritual Baptism. One result the professors wanted to try out was a regular service that would invite people to come and eat together, such that the shared meal itself was the ritual.

Unlike Hearty Eucharist, At Table was never intended to be a communion service per se but instead takes as its starting point the early Christian practice of eating together in community. When the service first began, the intention was for the service to have little structure, but to be primarily a place for students to come together and eat. Casual café-style music originally welcomed worshipers as they came into the space, and group conversation made up the bulk of the service.

With refinements to At Table over time, the developed a regular structure, but one that is fairly transparent to congregants. When entering an At Table service the worship space is strikingly different by virtue of the tables set up, each one with chairs around it. People come and sit down to share all manner of food—from quiche to cookies, casserole to kabobs, cocoa to candy—most of which is made by members of the community. After a few minutes, a leader rises to welcome all to the service and invite all to eat heartily. After a few more minutes of discussion, another leader rises to invite individuals to share their joys or concerns with the congregation. A song is often sung at the close of the joys and concerns. Following the song, further conversation goes on for a few more minutes until someone rises for the “storytelling” portion of the service. The story is often a biblical story, an explanation of early Christian eating or worship practices, or a story of a recent instance of Christianity encountering the world. The storyteller finishes with a specific suggestion for discussion at each table. After a few minutes of conversation, the service is closed with a brief benediction.

Clearly, At Table services are highly structured and planned. However, this detailed planning (and timing) of each service is fairly transparent to the congregation. The unique setting—with tables spread around the worship space—allows for extremely intimate community building. The sharing of a meal can create instant communal bond.

The point here is simply that At Table has the potential to be a profound and community enriching service, shared—in the style of the early church—over a communal meal, songs of worship, and prayer.

We are invited to imagine how best to give thanks to our God, and in the process to reimagine and recreate the early Christian practices of eating together and celebrating thanks-giving in community. May we give thanks as Jesus, the disciples, and the early church did!

BLOG: What Are We Doing?

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 06:42:00 GMT

By Jessica Miller Kelley

Palm Sunday morning, I led my two daughters to the back of the sanctuary so they could be part of the palm-waving processional to kick off Holy Week. On the way, I spotted a visiting family with children and asked if they wanted to join the other kids in the processional. The boy was feeling shy, but the girl, about eight years old, came on back and waited with us for the service to begin.

As the announcements finally got started, the preschoolers used their palms like swords and my toddler's initial enthusiasm waned, this bespectacled third grader looked up at me and asked, "What are we doing?"

"Well, it's Palm Sunday," I told her, "so we're remembering when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. People got excited and waved palm branches along his path, so we're pretending to be those people, welcoming Jesus in."

She listened respectfully, and then said, "But what do we do when we get up there?" gesturing to the front of the sanctuary.

"Oh. Well, we'll put the palms in those white vases there, and then you can go back to your seat."

The Why and the How

This little girl's question (and my possible misinterpretation of it) reminded me that the confusion visitors (and regulars, for that matter) can feel during worship has two dimensions, which might be verbalized in two questions: Why are we doing this? and How do we do it?

There is the philosophical desire to understand the significance of strange actions and the practical concern for what to do to avoid looking foolish.

Communion is an easy example. Why are we eating a little piece of bread with not enough grape juice to wash it down? Why does this help us remember Jesus? And how are we supposed to walk/kneel/pass to get it? (There's nothing like the face of a newcomer who has just eaten the bread they were supposed to dip in a common cup.)

What are we doing? Why? How?

What are we doing when we stand for some scripture readings and not for others?

What are we doing when everybody says certain words that don't seem to be in a book, bulletin, or on a screen?

Some things—particularly the hows—can be a bigger concern for visitors, but even lifelong Christians and long-time church members can forget things or let once-meaningful things become rote and meaningless.

Remind people of the whys and the hows. Be aware of practices or words that are so familiar to long-time members of your church that you may take explanation for granted. Try to view your church with fresh eyes—or better yet, ask someone to visit an point out to you confusing things you might not even notice. Tell people why you're taking up an offering, how you line up for communion, where to find the words to that song or response some people have memorized.

It shouldn't take more than a sentence or two to explain how to participate in an element of worship. ("Read the words in bold." "Take the bread and dip it into the cup." "Approach by the center aisle and return to your seats by the side aisles.") If it does, you might be making it too complicated.

The whys shouldn't require too many extra words either. Obviously, some of the deeper theological "whys" will require a separate conversation, Bible study, or some book/website recommendations for people who really want to know more. But if the spiritual significance of a certain worship element can't be made clear on at least a basic level without interrupting the flow of worship, you may need to rethink its place in your worship experience.

ARTICLE: Holy Week: Story through Liturgy

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 21:25:00 GMT

By Eric Cooter

“Holy Week” for Christians has been and is just that, the holiest of weeks in our liturgical calendar. Through the liturgies of Holy Week, we experience a tradition that is centuries old. Palm Sunday, the Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil), all lead us to the Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord. The richness of these liturgies move us from “Hosanna” to the “Triduum” to the “Feast.” It is important to understand the history and deep meaning embodied in the ancient rituals of Holy Week, which recall the Passion of Our Lord.

Palm and Passion Sunday

The liturgy of Palm Sunday begins the journey of Holy Week. On this Sunday, there are really two services (The Liturgy of the Palms and the Liturgy of the Passion). A discontinuity in these two liturgies provides a tension between the shouts of Hosanna, as Our Lord entered the City of Jerusalem, and the Passion Gospel that provides the narrative for the Crucifixion of Our Lord. The Liturgy of the Palms usually begins in a place apart from the church. The procession to the sanctuary itself, helps the participants to rediscover how a procession works on the body. The actual movement in some communities covers some distance and it helps us to experience the reality of the distance traveled when Jesus entered the city. The moment the congregation enters the church facilitates a shift in focus and at this point, the Liturgy of the Passion narrative begins. It is this prelude in the liturgy that sets the tone for remainder of the week, the “Triduum” which is to come, the liturgies that prepare us for the great feast of Easter.

Triduum

The “Triduum” represents a complete liturgical narrative of the Passion. The primary focus in the past in many churches, seems to rest merely on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, but the Easter Vigil, the first Eucharist of Easter is the culmination of this week of ritual and mystery. The “Triduum,” the three days of Holy Week are a complete, interconnected liturgical journey that expresses the dramatic narrative of the Lord’s Passion. The Triduum has its roots in the fourth century when Christians made pilgrimages to the Holy Land in commemoration of the Feast of the Resurrection. As these Christians moved about the city, special observances (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil) developed over time, and when the pilgrims returned home, these liturgies began to take root throughout the Roman Empire, and they werethe forerunners of the liturgies we often observe today.

Maundy Thursday (from the root word “Mandatum”) is representative of Our Lord’s command to “Love one Another.” This command is expressed in the liturgy of the “foot washing.” The emphasis on this night is on community, the washing of the disciple’s feet by Our Lord, and our call to serve one another. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are a seamless whole and is usually expressed as such, because there is no dismissal on Maundy Thursday. We move directly from the foot washing, to the last celebration of the Eucharist until sundown Saturday, to the stripping of the altar and then to our exit in silence, to await the liturgy of Good Friday.

The church remains bare throughout Good Friday until the first Eucharist of the year at the Great Vigil of Easter. Some parishes observe a “Gethsemane Watch” right after this service. The reserve sacrament (the Body and Blood of Our Lord) remains in an open tabernacle overnight, and pilgrims are invited to stay and observe a “Holy Watch” of devotion Our Lord. This can be a very moving, special time for reflection, prayer, and silence.

Good Friday recalls the death of Our Lord. Most Christian churches do not offer the Great Thanksgiving on Good Friday however, at this service, some congregations offer the elements of the Body and Blood of Our Lord from the sacrament, which was consecrated at the Maundy Thursday service and reserved in the tabernacle. The liturgy of Good Friday itself is subdued and solemn. While the congregation is kneeling in silent prayer, the clergy enter the nave in silence. There is no musical procession during this entry. The gospel readings offered on Good Friday, remind Christians that Jesus was in charge of the events of his passion, and it sets the tone for the liturgy. The focus is on remembering that Jesus offered himself for the rest of us.

The ritual moves from the entry into the sanctuary, to the Liturgy of the Word, and then to the Solemn Collects. These are the oldest prayers known in the Christian tradition, and they are the ancient form for the intercessions, offered by the congregation. The congregation stands and these prayers begin with a ‘bidding’ said by the clergy. Next, with all kneeling, a lengthened silence is observed. Next, with all standing again, a collect is offered by the clergy. In some congregations, after the Solemn Collects are said, a large wooden cross is brought into the church and placed near the altar. The congregation kneels in silence and is invited to express some form of veneration of the cross. Some people come and kneel at the cross, some kiss the cross or touch it, and some remain kneeling at their seats. This is a very powerful moment in Holy Week. The Good Friday service can continue with the Confession of Sin, the Lord’s Prayer, Communion from the reserve sacrament, and then the final prayer. There is no blessing or dismissal, the clergy process in silence and the congregation leaves in silence.

The Great Vigil of Easter has been observed in many different ways, and with different fervor and commitment, depending on the church and its history. Historically, this service has been one of the most important of the week, as it represented the first Eucharist of Easter. The timing of the Eucharist of the Great Vigil of Easter has traditionally been set after civil twilight, which begins at sunset and ends when the geometric center of the sun reaches 6° below the horizon. Because it is usually observed in darkness, the beauty and richness of this liturgy, stands in contrast to the liturgy of Christmas Eve.

In some churches, outside the doors of the church a “New Fire” is ignited and from it, the Paschal Candle is lit. The clergy, servers, and the congregation together, behind the Paschal Candle, move into a completely darkened sanctuary. The Paschal Candle, the “Light of Christ” is placed in its stand and from it, the congregation lights their individual candles, and the Exultant (an ancient chant is said or sung. From this point, all present take their seats and patiently listen to the “History of Salvation” which includes readings from Exodus and other biblical narratives, interspersed between chants or readings of the Psalms. If there are candidates for baptism, the Great Vigil is an appropriate day. From this point in the liturgy, the words “Alleluia, Christ is Risen!” is shouted, all the lights in the Nave are ignited, and the joyous celebration of the first Eucharist of Easter begins. The Great Vigil of Easter traditionally stands as the culmination of Holy Week and most appropriately, stands as the Great celebration of Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

BLOG: Let Us Break Matzah Together

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:53:00 GMT

By Neal Bowes

Yesterday Christians around the world observed Palm Sunday, the day when we remember Jesus as he approached the end of his earthly ministry, riding triumphantly into Jerusalem amidst the cheers and adulation of the vast crowds. Some who were present may have believed they were cheering their soon-to-be new king, who would enter the city and use the amazing powers they had all witnessed to expel the Roman occupiers who had besieged their country for so many years. Little did they know that he would be crucified within the week.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, when Christians commemorate the events that led up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. On Thursday of this week, a day we know as Maundy Thursday, we remember the final meal that Jesus shared with his disciples before being arrested, standing trial, and being crucifi ed. During his Last Supper, Jesus picked up the bread, “and giving thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” (Luke 22:19) In keeping with his request, we remember Jesus’ great sacrifice when we participate in the sacrament of Holy Communion.

A Long-Standing Tradition

Jesus’ final meal with his disciples wasn’t just any ordinary dinner party. Jesus and his disciples were celebrating Passover. By the time these men sat down to eat, the Jewish people and their ancestors had been celebrating the annual Passover Festival for over fourteen hundred years. God ordained the observance as the ancient Israelites were escaping their long captivity in Egypt.

The original Passover occurred after several attempts by God to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Working through Moses, God had brought nine terrible plagues upon Egypt in an effort to convince Pharaoh to release the captives. Pharaoh remained unmoved, but the tenth plague would be decisive. During the night the firstborn in every household throughout the land would die. To be sure that no death would befall an Israelite household, God instructed each family to coat the doorframes of their homes with the blood of a sacrifi ced lamb. As the plague moved through Egypt, it “passed over” the homes of the faithful.

During the Passover meal, a flat, hard bread made without yeast, known today as matzah, is used, because on the morning after the tenth plague, the Jewish people were released and left Egypt in such great haste that there was no time to add yeast to their bread dough and let it rise. As part of the ceremony, which Jewish people still celebrate today, a piece of this unleavened bread is broken. It symbolizes the Passover lamb, which was sacrificed to save the people from death and release them from captivity. It was this piece of bread that Jesus broke when he told his disciples that it would come to symbolize his body. His body would be sacrificed, and his blood would be shed to release the people from the burden of their sins and save them from death—granting them eternal life.

Important to Jesus, Important to Us

Your youth may have Jewish friends. Perhaps they have attended a bar or bat mitzvah (a coming-of-age rite for Jewish young people). Or, they may know families who will celebrate the Passover. It’s important that youth have a basic understanding of this celebration, not only because it may be important to people they know but also because it was important to Jesus. The Passover story helps us better understand and appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice for our freedom. So, chag sameach! (That’s “KHAHG sah-MEHY-ahkh.” It’s Hebrew for “joyous festival.”) Share some matzah with your youth and explore the rich tradition surrounding the Passover festival. As you do, reflect on the connection between the Passover, our ritual of Holy Communion, and Jesus’ death and resurrection.

This article is also published as part of LinC, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes. The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded here.

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: April 28, 2013

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:53:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

Gospel: John 13:31-35. Knowledge of the context is key to appreciating this text fully. The disciples and Jesus were gathered in the upper room to celebrate Passover. Judas had just left to betray Jesus. Knowing this, Jesus announced his death and gave the remaining disciples a new commandment. They were to love one another as God/Jesus had loved them (all the way to the cross).

John's intricate, abstract words in verses 31-33 will make little sense to children. But the new command in verses 34-35 is plain. And when it is set in context, children can understand that the kind of love Jesus is talking about is not a happy feeling, but a way of treating people. Loving as Jesus loved means putting ourselves on the line for others. Jesus insists that Christians will be recognized by the loving way they treat others.

Acts 11:1-18. The story of Peter and Cornelius is an example of the love Jesus commanded. Children need to be told before the story is read that Peter's people, the Jews, hated Cornelius' people, the Gentiles. They would not eat with them and claimed that God did not intend for people to eat some of the foods the Gentiles ate. It helps to compare Peter's feelings about the Gentiles with feelings held against some groups today (maybe migrant workers, homeless people, or certain kids at school). Children then appreciate how hard it was for Peter to visit (and presumably eat) in Cornelius' home, and then to baptize him and his Gentile friends. The point of the story on the Fifth Sunday of Easter is that Easter people are called to treat with love all the people they meet (even the ones they do not like or want to be around).

Epistle: Revelation 21:1-6. The Revelation code images in this text, such as "a city dressed as a bride coming down from heaven" and "water from the fountain of life" are too much for children to translate. However, the message from "the one who sits on the throne" is simple. A time is coming when God will live with people and take such care of them that there will be no more tears, and every need will be met.

Psalm: Psalm 148. This happy praise psalm is read also on the First Sunday After Christmas each year. Find comments on children's understanding of Psalm 148 in the section for those Sunday.

Watch Words

In speaking of God's loving care, avoid providence. Those children who recognize the word probably would identify it as the capital of Rhode Island. So talk in specific terms about God's loving care.

For children, Gentiles are a group of people Jews and the first Christians, who were Jewish, did not like. Jews did not want to live near the Gentiles, would not eat with them, and would not let them come into the main worship room of a synagogue.

Let the Children Sing

To commit yourself to keeping Jesus' new command, sing "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love" or "Lord, I Want to Be a Christian."

"All Creatures of Our God and King" parallels the praises of Psalm 148 and invites worshipers to keep the Easter Alleluias going. "Come, Christians, Join to Sing" is another Easter season hymn with lots of Alleluias.

The Liturgical Child

1. In introducing Revelation 21:1-6, remind worshipers of the identity of "the one who sits on the throne" in the Revelation code, and alert them to listen carefully to everything "the one who sits on the throne" says. Raise one hand, with your index finger pointed up (the teaching pose in early Christian art), while reading each of the messages. This will help children hear the straightforward message of the passage without tripping on all the poetic images that surround the message from "the one who sits on the throne."

2. To create a litany prayer of confession, one person or group recites, "Jesus commanded `Love one another even as I have loved you,' " to which a second person or group replies with prayers that confess the ways we fail to love as Jesus commanded. Include confessions of our failures to love within families, among friends, and especially in relating to people we do not like. Confess communal as well as personal failures to love. In the assurance of pardon, remind worshipers that Jesus loves and forgives us always.

3. If you celebrate communion today, point out that Jesus invites all people to eat and drink together at this table. As part of the "Invitation to the Table," name some of the groups that even children know are looked down on in your community as brothers and sisters who are welcome at this table.

Sermon Resources

1. Begin to explore God's promises in Revelation 21 by listing things that make us cry. Babies cry when they are wet, hungry, lonely, hurt, angry, and any other time they do not have what they want or need. Young children cry less frequently than babies: when they are hurt (but they can be brave about small hurts); when they become really angry (throw a temper tantrum); and when they see something sad. Teenagers are more likely to cry because of hurt feelings. Grown-ups cry when very sad things happen to them or to people they love. We all tend to cry at funerals and when good friends move away. Teenagers and grown-ups cry at movies. Some people even cry when they are very, very happy (but these are not the tears we are thinking about today). Describing all these tear-producing situations can set the stage for thinking about ways to love those who are in tears and for recalling God's promise that one day there will be no more tears.

2. Ask how many people still have their Easter tokens. Recall previously made points about what it means to be Easter People. Then present Jesus' new command as the identifying mark of the Easter People. Scouts, sports teams, and even schools have badges and uniforms that identify their members. Christians do not have a badge or uniform. They are to act with such love that people around them will recognize them as Christians. Suggest that the worshipers carry their tokens with them this week as a hidden reminder that their actions should be so loving that others will know they are Easter People.

3. Michele Maria Surat's book Angel Child, Dragon Child is both a children's modern parallel of the story of Peter and Cornlius and an example of the love Jesus commanded. It describes the misery of a young Vietnamese refugee girl, Ut, who tries to adapt to her new country while missing her mother who had to stay behind. When the school principal insists that she and Rymond, who has been bullying her, together write the story of her life, the door to understanding opens. Raymond is then instrumental in starting a carnival to raise money for Ut's mother. The book, available in most children's libraries, can be read by an adult in five minutes. Retell it as a sermon illustration.

As children leave the sanctuary, take time to read and talk briefly about the calls to praise they have written on their Worship Worksheets. When you pay attention to their work, it tells children you value their presence in worship and that a Worship Worksheet is one way they participate in worship.

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: April 28, 2013

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:25:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

Fifth Sunday of Easter

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 148; Revelation 21:1-6; John 13:31-35

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1:
L: Let praise to God resound in the heavens!
P: Let praise to God fill the earth!
L: Let all God’s angels offer praise and rejoicing!
P: Let all God’s creatures sing praise and joy!
L: Open your hearts and spirits today.
P: Let us praise the Lord today and always! AMEN.

Call to Worship #2:
L: How wondrous! A new heaven and a new earth!
P: The old, bruised and angered, fearful and alienated, will pass away
L: In its place God will offer new hope and peace
P: God will dwell with God’s people forevermore.
L: Worship the Lord who is about to do a new thing.
P: Praise God who establishes God’s reign in the heart of God’s people. AMEN.

Call to Worship #3:
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2284, “Joy in the Morning”, offer the following call to worship as directed]
[Note: this is a fun song, and should be sung with an rousing beat. Don’t drag it. Use percussion instruments, notably tambourines, if you have them. Make sure this is sung enthusiastically!]
Choir and instrumentalists: begin by playing the song through once; then choir sing verse one, soloist or small ensemble sing verse two, choir sing verse three]
L: When the new day of the Lord is established, what a joyful day that will be!
P: God shall wipe away every tear!
L: Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more.
P: For God will bring new life and hope to all on the day of God’s coming.
L: God will give water to the thirsting soul.
P: God will pour God’s abundant blessings on all the people. AMEN.

Call to Worship #4:
L: Jesus reminded the disciples
P: Love one another as I have loved you.
L: Jesus taught and witnessed to God’s love
P: Love one another as I have loved you.
L: Jesus encourages us to love each other with tenderness, compassion, and hope.
P: Let us love one another as Christ loved us. AMEN.

PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer:
Gracious and Loving God, we are grateful that you have called us together this day, drawing us from darkness to the glory of your light. May our spirits rejoice at the good news you have for us today. Open our hearts to your healing love, for we ask this in Christ’s Name. AMEN.

Prayer of Confession:
Patient God, sometimes we are just too busy for our own good. We pledge ourselves to hectic schedules, demands on time, energy, and resources that erode all too quickly. We seem to be rushing through life. The cries of those in need often go unheeded in our blur of activities which sap our energy, our resources, our spirits. Slow us down a bit, Lord. Remind us again that we are responsible for the care of this world, for reaching out and offering your healing love. Help us to hear the words of patient love that you have for us. Remind us again of Jesus’ words to his disciples when he told them that they should love one another as he loved them. May we take time to bear witness to that love in all that we do. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN

Words of Assurance:
Wherever you are, Christ is with you. You are beloved of God and God’s care will always surround you. Be at peace and rejoice! AMEN.

Pastoral Prayer:
When the news is loudly proclaiming anger, hostility, hatred, we are called by Christ to love one another. How hard that is, O Lord! Prejudice abounds in our land, and it is our shame, as we proclaim our faith in you. You call us to love one another, but we put conditions on that love: some of these conditions regard race, economic status, gender, age, nationality. It is easy to love people with whom we feel comfortable. It is more difficult to love those who are different from us. And that, O Lord, is our dilemma. Teach us how to love and accept the diversity in our land. Help us to treasure each other for the wondrous gifts and talents each person has. Sharpen our ears to hear words of love when whispered and shouted. Tune our hearts to your healing message of acceptance and compassion for all. Help us to be the people of the Resurrection - who have been freed from the bonds of death. We place our lives in your care, merciful Lord. AMEN.

Litany/Reading:

Reader 1: (to Reader 2) Look at all these people!
Reader 2: I’m looking (glances around the room)
Reader 1: What do you see?
Reader 2: People. All kinds of people.
Reader 1: What else do you see?
Reader 2: Some people are smiling. Hey, somebody just yawned! Looks like someone else is dozing off. Somebody’s got something else on their mind.
Reader 1: What else do you see?
Reader 2: Well, I see people who have come here to worship.
Reader 1: And…
Reader 2: I see people who seem to be waiting for something
Reader 1: All of us are waiting for something. Sometimes waiting is lonely; sometimes we wait in groups. These people are here waiting for God’s word for them. Some of them will hear it clearly; but for others it won’t be quite so evident.
Reader 2: Jesus’ disciples were always waiting for a word, weren’t they!
Reader 1: Yes. The word of the Resurrection came as a surprise; the words about discipleship, you know “feed my sheep”, came as a challenge; now Jesus offers the word of love as a commandment. Love one another as I have loved you.
Reader 2: That’s true, but it’s not easy.
Reader 1: You’re right. It is not easy. That’s why we are here: to discover how to love one another with compassion, peace, and forgiveness. That’s what God wants us to do…to take care of each other; to listen, to be present, to help where we can.
Reader 2: Sounds good to me. I’m glad I’m here today, with this group of seekers. I’m not so alone. Thanks.

Benediction:
May the love of God which was lavished upon you by Jesus Christ be in your hearts, your minds, and your spirits as you go forth into God’s world. Be bearers of peace and hope to all you meet, and may God’s peace be with you always.AMEN.

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

The suggested color for this Sunday is WHITE or GOLD. However, I recommend using a medium green color as foundation for the worship setting.

Author's note:

The focus I have chosen for this day is love for others as demonstrated in the grouping of candles, representing other people, and the ethnic fabrics which remind us that we are a global community of faith. If you are using ethnic fabric, put a note in your weekly bulletin describing the origin of the fabric. You may want to make a statement about loving people all over the world, not just those near and dear to us.

Surface:
Place several risers on the main worship center. The tallest riser should be at the center back. You may use this either for a cross or a pillar candle. Other risers may be scattered around the worship center. Place a riser in front of the worship center.

Fabric:
Cover the entire worship center in the green fabric, making sure that it covers the riser in front of the worship center. On the top of each riser, place a piece of fabric about 16” square - this fabric should be brightly colored and some of the pieces may be Kente cloth, or other ethnic cloth pieces, such as sari material.

Candles:
Using votive candles, place a group of five candles on each riser. These candles will represent the world’s people whom we are called to love.

Flowers/Foliage:
Use a minimum of green plants, such as ivy or other leafy plants, on either side of the cross/candle riser in the center of the worship center. You may use potted plants near the base of the worship center to soften the look.

Rocks/Wood:
Some small rocks may be used near the candles to create texture.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: April 28, 2013

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:13:00 GMT

By Mary Petrina Boyd

Fifth Sunday of Easter

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 148; Revelation 21:1-6; John 13:31-35

THEME IDEAS

These scriptures proclaim both the power of God, who creates all that is, and the love of God for all people. Through a vision, God shows Peter that the Gentiles are to be included in the promises of Jesus Christ. The psalmist calls all creation to praise its creator. In Revelation, we hear that God’s home is among people and we receive the promise that grief will be no more. In John’s Gospel, Jesus
gives his disciples the commandment to love one another.

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Psalm 148)

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens.
Praise God from the heights!
Praise the Lord, you angels.
Sing praise, you heavenly host!
Praise the Lord, O sun and moon.
Join in song, O shining stars!
Praise the Lord, snow and rain.
Blow loud, wind and storm!
Praise the Lord, O trees.
Dance with joy, O birds!
Praise the Lord, women and men.
Rejoice, children and rulers!
Praise the Lord, weak and strong.
Sing for joy, timid and bold!
Praise the Lord, mothers and aunts.
Give praise, grandfathers and cousins!
Let all creation praise God’s name!
Praise the Lord!

Opening Prayer (Revelation 22, John 13)

Alpha and Omega,
you make your home with us,
you dry our tears and quench our thirst,
you are the tender love
that welcomes all people.
Like a mother,
you nurture your children,
giving them life,
teaching them to love.
Come and dwell among us,
and make all things new. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Acts 11, John 13)

God of all people,
our hearts are too narrow,
our perspectives are too small.
We reject those who are not like us—
those with different political opinions,
those who struggle with mental illness,
those who disagree with us.
We forget that all are your beloved children,
and neglect your call to love one another.
Forgive us, O God,
for the many ways we have failed
to be a people known by our love.
Show us how to be more caring.
Teach us how to love one another,
and make us faithful disciples. Amen.

Words of Assurance (Acts 11, Revelation 21)

God dwells among us,
giving to all who believe
the repentance that leads to life.
Rejoice in the Lord,
for we are a forgiven people.

Passing the Peace of Christ (Acts 11)

Peter discovered that all are included in God’s welcome. Share this welcome with those around you. May Christ’s peace be with us all.

Response to the Word (Acts 11)

Loving God,
we are often upset
by people who are not like us—
those who think differently,
those who act differently,
those who speak differently.
Our parched hearts are thirsty for your love.
Our dry spirits are thirsty for your waters of life.
Pour your love over us and transform us,
that we may embrace all people as your own. Amen.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Invitation to the Offering (Acts 11, John 13)

God has given us the gift of faith. Through this gift we see all people as God’s children. Respond to God’s generous love, that we may love one another as God has loved us. Let us share this love as we bring our tithes and offerings.

Offering Prayer (John 13)

Loving God,
you have given us the task
to love one another.
May the gifts we offer
bring love and life to others.
May the love we share
bring hope to a world
that has forgotten how to love. Amen.

Invitation to Communion (Acts 11, Revelation 21)

As God revealed to Peter, the table is open to all. Jesus offers gifts of bread and wine to all who believe. When we gather here, we have a glimpse of the holy city, where God is at work making all things new. The one who is the Alpha and the Omega invites us to the banquet.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (John 13)

Jesus gave a new commandment:
to love one another.
Because Jesus loves us,
we should love one another.
Go forth to serve.
Go forth to love.
We go with God’s love and blessing.

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (Psalm 99)

Praise the Lord, all you people!
Praise the Lord, all you men,
women, and children!
Praise the Lord, all you citizens of God!
Praise the Lord, all you young
and old alike!
Praise the Lord, all you creatures!
Praise the Lord, all you sea monsters
and fish of the deep!
Praise the Lord, all you lands!
Praise the Lord, all you mountains,
forests, and meadows!
Let everything that is praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!

Praise Sentences (Revelation 21)

God is the Alpha and the Omega,
the beginning and the end!
God revives us with water from the spring of life.
God makes all things new.
God dwells with us.
Death is no more.
Praise be to God!

ARTICLE: Encountering Jesus at the Lord's Table

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:00:00 GMT

By William H. Willimon

Sometimes, while reading John’s Gospel, my eyes blear and everything fades into a vague misty blue. The Fourth Gospel can have that effect on people. John’s Gospel is packed with many high-sounding, spiritual words that tend to float upward. Some tire of John’s long, religious-sounding speeches. I loved the Canadian film The Gospel of John, in which the Fourth Gospel is vividly rendered word for word in some stunning scenes. But it takes the film over three hours to do it. A friend who watched this movie said that he grumbled in frustration toward the end (surely in one of those long, redundant discourses in the last half of the Gospel), “Will Jesus ever shut up?”

But note that once we get to the table, after a rather intricate, thick theological introduction in John 13:1, words are laid aside and things unfold through haunting gestures done in silence: “during supper Jesus . . . got up . . . took off . . . tied a towel . . . poured water . . . began to wash . . . and to wipe.”

You see every move in your mind. Not a word is spoken; it’s all in the action.

And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.

Some years ago, the errant Jesus Seminar made much mischief in their voting on which words, if any, Jesus actually spoke. Not many, said the voters in the seminar. Who told the Jesus Seminar that Christians worship the words of Jesus? We worship Jesus as the Word Incarnate, which means that we are attentive not only to what Jesus says but also to what he does. In Jesus, the Word Made Flesh became the Word as Deed. Having said, down through the ages, “I love you,” God turned love into action and showed up as the Son (Heb. 1:2).

How sad that many of us are conditioned to think that when we go to church to be present with Jesus we are supposed to sit and listen to words. In many so-called contemporary services, the congregation doesn’t even sing, because of unsingable songs, as would-be communal Christian worship degenerates into a spectator sport in which the passive many watch the performing few at worship.

I therefore think there are few things more important than the restoration of the Lord’s Supper as an every-Sunday activity for every congregation. Let’s remind ourselves that we Protestants who attempt noneucharistic worship on the majority of Sundays are decidedly in a minority of the world’s Christians. At table (at least as the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—tell it), Jesus clearly said, “Do this,” not think about, meditate upon, or have deep feelings for this. In going against centuries of church practice and the majority of Christians at worship today, we not only in effect have excommunicated millions of God’s people from the Lord’s Table but also have given many the false impression that we would rather talk about Jesus than to be present with Jesus, and that following Jesus is a matter of what we think or feel rather than what we do.

“So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” —John 13:14-17

In John, Jesus is big on words. But tonight, at the table, he doesn’t only say the good news; he shows us as he enacts his gospel, embodies his sermons with basin and towel, simply and directly commanding us to do the same. In other Gospels, Jesus tells some memorable parables; tonight he performs parabolically by kneeling at his disciples’ feet and enacting the gospel.

When Peter breaks the silence by blurting out his surprise that Jesus would act like a slave (yes, the actual Greek word is slave rather than the softer servant), Jesus responds (in John 13:6-11) with an enigmatic explanation alluding to the Lamb of God and the metaphor of washing. Peter is horrified to see his Lord on his knees before him, washing Peter’s dirty feet, and responds in much the same way as he rebuked Jesus in his first prediction of his death and suffering in Mark 8:32.

Jesus answers with a more detailed explication of his foot washing, concluding with, “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them” (John 13:17, italics mine). Yes, that’s often just the problem, isn’t it? We know, but we fail to act upon our knowledge. The challenge with faith is not only knowing about Jesus but also doing as Jesus.

Many modern people complain that their problem with Jesus is that they lack sufficient knowledge about Jesus. There are so many gaps in our information about him, and some of the information— say when one compares the story of Jesus in Mark with that told in John—seems ambiguous and conflicting. I suspect that Jesus is easier to handle if we turn him into an intellectual problem. We await the results of more historical research on Jesus. We assume that if we just had more verifiable, uncontested facts about Jesus, we would know for sure about Jesus.

The modern world was, in great part, an intellectual quest for sure and certain knowledge. History became a science as scholars methodically peeled away the accumulated layers of myth and fanciful, credulous fables and dug down to the absolutely certain facts. Dare to think!

I remind you that Jesus never said, “Think about me.” It was always, “Follow me.” Or more typical of John’s Gospel, Jesus says even more engagingly, “Love me.” Love that is only knowledge of love is not yet true love. As Jesus says, it’s blessed to know him, but more blessed is to do as he does (John 13:17), transforming his enigmatic action at the table into an example for us to follow throughout life, a command for us to obey.

Sometimes we preachers unwittingly imply that the greatest challenge of the Christian faith is in right thinking. Jesus is presented as a sort of folk philosopher who is tough to understand without the explication of a preacher. The Christian faith is a set of sometimes-challenging, frequently baffling ideas or principles. The sermon begins, “Three biblical principles for a more fulfilling life are . . .” or, “Now I will attempt to explain confusing Jesus to you.”

The intellectual love of the faith is indeed a blessed thing. We are enjoined to grow in our knowledge of the Lord. Yet even more blessed is active following of the faith—not thinking but doing the faith.

BLOG: How Is it with Your Soul?

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:01:00 GMT

By Ben Kendrick

Following the enormous success of Stephenie Meyer’s young adult novel series-turned blockbuster film franchise, The Twilight Saga, Hollywood quickly tapped the writer’s 2008 novel The Host for a big-screen production. This time, instead of supernatural humans, The Host is a science-fiction story centered on the invasion of a body-snatching alien race. Implanting bodies with their parasitic “souls,” the aliens take control of human beings, erasing the original human inhabitants. However, when Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan), a human freedom fighter, is captured and mortally wounded, she is implanted with Wanderer—a gentle “soul” who abhors violence and comes to experience conflicted emotions about her race and its occupation of the earth.

Unwilling to be erased, Melanie’s will to live allows her to co-exist with Wanderer and even influences the “soul” with human memories and other experiences, most notably love. Through a series of mutual heartaches, Melanie and Wanderer form a complicated partnership. Combining the best elements of their individual personalities, they push back against the alien occupation, taking the fight to one especially nasty “soul,” The Seeker (Diane Kruger).

Desires of the Soul

The Host takes a science-fiction approach to the “soul,” but Meyer’s novel also draws on Christian themes and ideas. For example, the partnership between the Wanderer and Melanie mirrors the complicated relationship between human desire and divine influence that we experience as the Holy Spirit moves and stirs within each of us. Much like Melanie with her “soul,” we waver between what we want and what the Spirit is leading us to do. We have to balance being in the world— with all its pleasures and offerings—with being of God and called to live in service to God and neighbor.

In the church we often talk about the soul. The word soul appears frequently in Scripture, in hymns, in names of Christians books and programs, and in sermons. We feed and tend to our souls; we sing from the soul; we thank Jesus for saving our souls. But what is the soul?

Traditionally people think of the soul as the part of us that lives on beyond death. The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church offers this definition: “the innermost aspect of humans, that which is of greatest value in them, that by which they are most especially in God’s image.” Our souls are the very essence of who we are. The soul is the part of us that most reflects God’s love and mercy, and it is the part of us that “thirsts for God” (Psalm 42:2). Our soul partners with the Holy Spirit to make us the people God calls us to be.

A Soul Action

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, would begin gatherings by asking his fellow Christians, “How is it with your soul?” All of us can benefit from asking ourselves this question. Young people, who are coming to terms with who they are and what makes them unique, need to consider how their relationship with God factors into their identity. And they need to understand that, regardless of how they answer John Wesley’s question, their friends and peers will know their soul by their actions and behaviors. We should all strive to show people a soul that faithfully reflects its Creator.

This article is also published as part of LinC, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes. The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded here.

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: April 21, 2013

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:28:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

Fourth Sunday of Easter

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 9:36-43; Psalm 23; Revelation 7:9-17; John 10:22-30

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1

L: Come! Let us worship and praise God.
P: The Lord is our shepherd, our guardian and our guide.
L: Celebrate the many ways in which God cares for our lives.
P: Green pastures and silent still waters beckon us and comfort us.
L: Even though difficulties happen in our lives, still God is with us.
P: Even when it seems that the world has nothing to offer but suffering and pain, God surrounds us with God’s love and bounty.
L: Surely God’s mercy accompanies us on our journey.
P: And we will dwell in God’s house forever. AMEN.

Call to Worship #2

L: Awake! Rise up!
P: There is much to be done in the Lord’s Name today.
L: Get ready to worship and to serve God.
P: We are ready to hear God’s word for us and to respond in action and love.
L; Open your hearts to God’s will this day.
P: Praise be to God who walks with us and guides us. AMEN.

Call to Worship #3

[Using THE FAITH WE SING, P. 2058 “Shepherd Me, O God”, offer the following call to worship as directed]
Soloist: singing refrain of “Shepherd Me, O God” (p. 2058)
L: God is our shepherd. We can depend on God.
P: God brings us hope and peace.
Soloist: singing refrain of “Shepherd Me, O God” (p. 2058)
L: Through trials and tribulations, God continually provides abundantly for us.
P: Even when we doubt and turn away, God is constant in God’s faithful love.
Choir: singing refrain of “Shepherd Me, O God” (p. 2058)
L: God’s love continually flows through our lives.
P: In the midst of the multitude, we will praise God in song, worship, and service. AMEN.
All: singing refrain of “Shepherd Me, O God” (p. 2058)

Call to Worship #4

L: Praise to the Lamb who is seated on the Throne of Heaven!
P: Praise be to God who offers God’s love to us!
L: Let us sing continually of God’s wisdom, and power, and might.
P: Let our voices be raised in joyful celebration!
L: Worthy is the Lamb to receive honor, and glory, and majesty.
P: Let our hearts rejoice at God’s redeeming love for us. AMEN.

PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer

With joy we come this day to the house of the Lord. God provides for us abundantly even when we doubt and fear, even when we turn away. God is faithful. Open our hearts today, O Lord, to hear your word for us that we may become faithful disciples of our Lord all our days. AMEN.

Prayer of Confession

Anger, hatred, anguish blare at us from the newspapers, media. The shouts of hurt and pain harden our hearts, merciful God. We cannot bear the hurts, so we turn away. We hide and want the hurt to disappear. When we hear the words of the Psalmist singing about the green pastures, still waters, our souls long for this place of peace. We think that it can be found outside ourselves, yet this is a reminder of the peace and hope that your love offers us from within. We know that we will have struggles and hard times, but help us, Lord, to place our lives in your care, to trust in your comfort and guidance. Forgive our stubborn resistance to your compassionate love. Heal us again and place us on the right path. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

Words of Assurance

Do not fear! You can place your trust in God, for God will lead you, comfort you, protect you. You are not alone to face all the difficulties of life. God is with you and will lift you up. Rejoice, for you are loved by God.

Pastoral Prayer

Help us to move beyond the “sampler” prayer so often found printed on pillows, on wall hangings: "The Lord is my Shepherd." Help us to understand what those words truly mean, O Lord. We can count on you. You are the one who holds our lives, guides our steps, comforts and sustains us. You want for us the lush greenness of verdant pastures and the alluring draw of still waters; yet you know that our lives will not be smooth; there will be rough times. We can count on you, Lord. We can place our trust in you. Help us to feel the power of the Psalmist’s words: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Nothing can trouble, nothing can threaten. You are with us. As we reach out in love and service to others, remind us that the work we do in your name, with love and compassion, is an echo of your tender mercy and loving care. Strengthen us and give us enthusiasm to follow the Shepherd all the days of our lives. AMEN.

Litany/Reading

Reader 1: I don’t know much of anything about sheep. I’ve never even seen a shepherd, except in movies or on the travel channel. They are just dumb animals. So the Bible message about the shepherd doesn’t mean much of anything, except being a nice story, to me.

Reader 2: There was a young girl in my church who raised sheep. She was part of 4-H and one of the projects was to raise sheep. Daily she made sure that she counted her tiny flock; she fed them grain in the winter months when snow covered their meager pasture. She made sure that they had fresh water. Even on days when the winter winds howled and the snow swirled around, she would walk to the barns, and take care of her sheep. She had names for each one, fitting the personality of each sheep. She talked to them, hugged them, brushed them, and tended them. When the lambs were born, she would tearfully rejoice over each new birth, cuddling the tiny lamb and making sure that it received care from its mother. Even the lambs that were rejected by their mothers, received tender care from her as she made sure they were fed and nursed. And her sheep knew her voice. They could tell, from far off, when they heard her calling that it was her. One day I asked her about her sheep. She said that she loved them, and told me their names. I called one of them by name, but it didn’t come to me. I tried again, using a different tone of voice, to coax it to come, but to no avail. Then she whispered it’s name, and it came to her, trusting in her goodness. There will never be a time when she does not care about her sheep, she told me. Each one of them is precious. She said that it seems to her God cares for her just the same way. God knows her name and calls her. She places her trust in God’s love and even when things get tough, she relies on God.

Reader 1: The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

Reader 2: He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters.

Reader 1: He restores my soul.

CONGREGATION: He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in God’s house forever. AMEN.

Benediction

Go forth in peace and hope this day, for God is your guardian and guide. Bring news of God’s love to all whom you meet.AMEN.

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

Although the suggested color for this Sunday is WHITE or GOLD, I recommend using Blues and greens for the artistic elements.

Author's Note:

The focus today is God’s abundant, lavish love for us. The image of the green pastures, the still waters can be powerful images of hope and peace.

Surface:
Place a 6” riser on the worship center to the upper left corner, facing diagonally toward the center. Place a riser in front of the worship center toward the center right.

Fabric:
Cover the whole worship center in green fabric. I recommend using a medium green, but not a bright “kelly” green, color. Using about 10-12 feet of silky blue fabric, create a stream which flows from behind the 6” riser, diagonally across the worship table and puddles on the floor in front of the worship center, creating a Pool effect.

Candles:
You may place a tall white pillar candle on the 6” riser, and several votive candles on the worship center and on the riser in front of the worship center.

Flowers/Foliage:
Because the images are lush and green, use very leafy, soft plants, such as ferns and ivy as a backdrop for the worship center, and on either side of the “pool”. You may use some floral potted plants, but I would not recommend flower arrangements for this setting.

Rocks/Wood:
Surrounding the “pool” place some rocks and stones, giving the sense of a contained pool of water. If you prefer, you may place them on either side of the blue fabric on the floor, creating an image of flowing stream.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: April 21, 2013

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:11:00 GMT

By Bill Hoppe

Fourth Sunday of Easter

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 9:36-43; Psalm 23; Revelation 7:9-17; John 10:22-30

THEME IDEAS

It would be easy to focus on the words “the Lord is my shepherd” as the central theme of today’s readings. Certainly there is no more beautiful and perfect description of a life lived in harmony with God than Psalm 23. No less important, however, is the passage from Revelation 7, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” The Lord is indeed our shepherd, as Jesus explains in John 10. The
Good Shepherd cares for the sheep, brings an end to suffering, and fulfills the promise of eternal life as described in Revelation and experienced firsthand by Peter in Acts.

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Revelation 7)

From every nation, in every language, we cry out:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
and to the Lamb!”
Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving!
Honor and power and might be to our God
forever and ever!
Amen!
Amen!

Opening Prayer (Psalm 23, John 10, Revelation 7)

You are the Good Shepherd, Lord,
we hear your call;
we know your voice;
we follow your paths.
You lead us beside still waters.
You guide us to the springs of life.
You shelter us and restore our souls.
In you we find life everlasting.
We come humbly into your presence this day,
in praise, worship, and adoration.
Our hearts run over
with your unfailing goodness
and never-ending love.
In the name of our Savior, we pray. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Psalm 23, John 10, Revelation 7)

Master, Savior, Shepherd, Messiah—
we know you by many names, Lord.
Your presence fills our lives—
all that we are and all that we have
comes from you;
all that you do declares your love for us.
Yet when trouble comes,
when adversity plagues us,
we wonder where you are;
we even wonder who you are.
How quickly we forget
that you are always with us.
Dispel our gloom and despair.
Change our garments of darkness
into robes of dazzling light.
Spread your table before us,
and feed us from your hand.
Lead us in the paths of righteousness,
for it is in your name that we pray. Amen.

Words of Assurance (Psalm 23, John 10, Revelation 7)

Even in the darkest valley,
though death’s shadow may threaten us,
we need not fear, for the Lord is with us.
God will comfort and shelter us.
No harm will come to us.
No one can snatch us out of the Lord’s hand.
God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

Passing the Peace of Christ (Acts 9)

As Peter gave his hand to Tabitha in prayer and healing, so Christ extends a loving hand to us. Share the peace of Christ with your neighbor. Greet one another in the Lord.

Response to the Word (Psalm 23, John 10, Revelation 7)

We have heard your voice, Lord.
You have spoken to us plainly.
We will follow you
as you guide us on the right paths.
We will respond to you,
as you open our hearts and minds
and fill us with life in all its fullness.
Hear our prayer, Lord,
in the name of the Savior. Amen.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Offering Prayer (John 10)

Gracious and loving God,
all of your works,
all that you have done for us,
testify to your love.
You gave everything
to bring us the promise of eternal life.
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
may all that we do and all that we are
testify to your amazing care and compassion.
In gratitude and love,
we offer ourselves to you. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (Psalm 23, Revelation 7)

The Lord is our shepherd; we want for nothing.
We hunger and thirst no more.
The Lord gives rest and comfort to our souls.
God keeps us in perfect peace.
The Lord sustains us in the midst of trouble.
Our lives overflow with God’s love and grace.
Goodness and mercy will surely follow us always.
And we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (Psalm 23, John 10, Revelation 7)

We come to worship before God’s throne.
The Lamb is our Good Shepherd.
We are the sheep of his pasture.
The Lamb leads the flock in safety.
The Shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
All praise to God and to the Lamb!

Praise Sentences (Revelation 7)

Blessing, glory, and honor be yours forever!
Amen!
Blessing, glory, and honor be yours forever!
Amen!

ARTICLE: Stations of the Cross: Projectable Art

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:09:00 GMT

By Jessica Miller Kelley

Enhance your Holy Week observances with this free Stations of the Cross artwork and devotional experience.

The Stations of the Cross, also called The Way of the Cross, is a historic practice of Christians around the world, observed especially during Lent and on Good Friday in particular. The concept was originated in medieval times, to bring a taste of Holy Land pilgrimage to people in their own churches. Rather than walking the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows) around Jerusalem to remember Jesus' humiliation and sacrifice, devotees could process from station to station within the church or an outdoor space, meditating on visual representations of Jesus' journey—often sculptures, paintings, or reliefs.

There are traditionally fourteen stations, marking Jesus' experience from condemnation to burial, though adaptations exist, including the addition of a resurrection station (which some would say defeats the purpose of meditating on Christ's suffering before jumping to Easter) or a version that only depicts scenes explicitly recorded in Scripture. (Jesus stumbling and falling under the weight of the cross might be logically assumed, though not stated in Scripture, and one station—Veronica wiping Jesus' face with a towel—introduces a completely extrabiblical character and incident.)

The Stations of the Cross experience offered below follow the traditional fourteen stations, with the substitution of resurrection (as Station 14) for the traditional station 13, Jesus is taken down from the cross. These worship elements may be projected or printed free of charge for use in congregational settings.

ARTICLE: Easter in the Very Belly of Nothingness

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 11:06:00 GMT

By Walter Brueggemann

Death will be all right for us when it comes.

But dying is another matter—

so slow,

so painful,

so humiliating.

Death will be a quick turn,

the winking of an eye

but dying turns and twists and waits and teases.

We have not died,

but we know about dying:

We watch the inching pain of cancer,

the oozing ache of alienation,

the tears of stored-up hurt.

We can smell the dying

of bombs and shells

of direct hit and collateral damage

of napalm spread thin and even of cities turned craters

of Agent Orange that waits years to show,

and lives turned to empty stare.

We watch close or distant;

we brace and stiffen

and grow cynical or uncaring.

And death wins—

we, robbed of vitality, brought low by failed hope,

lost innocence,

emptied childhood,

and stillness.

We keep going, but barely;

we gather at the grave,

watching the sting and

the victory of dread.

But you stir late Saturday;

we gather early Sunday with balm and embalming,

close to the body.

waiting for the smell but not;

dreading the withered site . . . but not;

cringing before love lost . . . but not here.

Not here . . . but risen,

gone,

awakened,

alive!

The new creation stirs beyond the weeping women;

O death . . . no sting!

O grave . . . no victory!

O silence . . . new song!

O dread . . . new dance!

O tribulation . . . now overcome!

O Friday God—Easter the failed city,

Sunday the killing fields.

And we, we shall dance and sing,

thank and praise,

into the night that holds no more darkness.

BLOG: Two Sundays in One

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:49:00 GMT

By Shane Raynor

The Christian calendar certainly seems schizophrenic this time of year. Consider the fact that we’re in the middle of Lent—the forty days when believers prepare for Holy Week and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lent is considered a fairly serious time—one of repentance, prayer, introspection, and self-denial.

But there's some fine print—Sundays during Lent don’t count. That’s right, we don’t really observe Lent on Sundays because they are “mini-Easters." (Although it should be noted that Jesus didn’t experience any such “mini-Easters” during his forty days in the wilderness.)

Depending on how your church observes Palm Sunday (aka Passion Sunday, Sunday of the Passion, and Palm Sunday of the Passion of Our Lord), the day and the tone will either seem a little out of place for the season, or like a liturgical roller coaster.

Some churches do the Palm and Passion readings in one service. Others effectively observe Palm Sunday during the morning services and Passion Sunday in the evening, and the rest save the Passion readings for later in Holy Week. Some congregations from chatter on Facebook and Twitter are moving away from “Palm” Sunday and toward “Passion” Sunday because of decreased attendance and interest in Holy Thursday and Good Friday services in recent years.

If you do try to pull off both Palm and Passion readings in one service, be sure to transition well. You’ll be juxtaposing the the imagery of Psalm 118 with Psalm 31. “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” vs. “my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.” And the triumphal entry of Christ followed by his crucifixion five days later is a major gear shift for one service. But there’s probably not a more effective way of pointing out the irony of that welcome than covering everything in a single worship experience.

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: April 14, 2013

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:05:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

Resurrection means new life. Today's texts include the stories of two people who received new chances at life from the resurrected Jesus; a psalm about how God saves or heals us; and a poetic image of Jesus, "the (resurrected) Lamb."

Gospel: John 21:1-19. The message of this interesting fishing story is that although Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, Jesus gave him another chance. Children need to know that God and Jesus give many second chances to those who love God but sometimes "chicken out" or make mistakes.

In order to understand the story, children need to be reminded of Peter's triple denial and how Peter felt about it.

Acts 9:1-6 (7-20). The story of Paul's conversion on the Damascus road is another interesting story that children can follow without explanation if it is read with dramatic flair.

The story makes two points to children. First, Paul's conversion is another Easter surprise—almost a joke played by God. God's strategy for ending the persecution of the early church was to turn the leader of the death squad into a Christian missionary! This is not a strategy many Christians would have suggested—even in jest. Some had trouble believing it when it happened. In turning Saul into Paul, God alerts us to look for new life in strange places and people. If God could turn Saul around, there's no guessing what other Easter surprises might be in store for us. Read the story to celebrate God's incredible power and sense of humor.

Second, the story promises forgiveness. If God is willing to forgive Saul, who killed Christians, and put him to work in the Easter kingdom, then perhaps there is a chance for us. To children who are frequently in trouble or feel they never measure up to what is expected of them, this is a very hopeful story.

Psalm: Psalm 30. If this psalm is introduced as the prayer of a person who has been saved from something terrible, and children are urged to listen for clues to what that "terrible thing" might have been (maybe enemies or serious illness), they will hear a few of the clue phrases and catch the message of even more of the praise phrases. The psalm can also be presented as a prayer that Peter or Paul might have prayed after being given a new chance by Jesus.

Epistle: Revelation 5:11-14. This passage is a coded message written during a time when a person who carried a piece of paper with Jesus' name on it could be fed to the lions. Children cannot understand the atonement theology which makes the lamb a good symbol for Jesus. But they can be told that "Lamb" is a code word for Jesus and that "one who sits on the throne" is a code for God. With this information, they can enjoy the challenge of decoding John's Easter message (God and Jesus are worthy of praise by everyone in the world).

Watch Words

Do not let the word Lamb lead you to use other "slain lamb" language in worship today. Children can understand Lamb only as a code word for Jesus.

In talking about the second chance that Peter and Saul received, speak of forgiveness and of being changed rather than of salvation or conversion. (For most children today, conversion is a football term, or what you do with metric system measurements.) So unless your congregation uses the word regularly and specifically defines it, avoid using it today.

Let the Children Sing

"Come, Christians, Join to Sing" continues to be a good Easter-season choice.

"Blessing and Honor and Glory and Powwer" can be fun to sing because it uses the Revelation code for simply worded praises to God. Point out before singing that this would be a good hymn to sing if Christians were being persecuted by those who did not know the code.

The Liturgical Child

1. There is great dialogue in John 21 . Read it as it would have been spoken. Shout out the exchange between the fishermen in the boat and Jesus on shore. Decide how you think John would have said, "It is the Lord!" and speak the line accordingly. As you read verses 15-19, show Peter's embarrassment, hesitation, and self-disgust in your voice, and then let Jesus' forgiving love be apparent. Such a reading will make the whole text (1-19) a story that children can enjoy and appreciate.

2. Before reading John 21, remind the congregation of Peter's three denials and alert them to listen for Jesus' three responses. As you read each question, answer, and command sequence, hold up one, then two, and finally three fingers as clues.

3. Pray about apparently hopeless situations in which new life (or an Easter "turn around") is needed. In addition to noting community and worldwide issues, pray for people at school and at work with whom it is really hard to get along, for peace on school buses, and for problems between brothers and sisters who must share rooms and do chores together.

4. Create a litany of confession and petition in which the worship leader describes a variety of hopeless situations on personal, community, and international levels. To each case, the congregation responds, "Lord, forgive us, and help us find your Easter surprise here." (Only the response needs to be printed in the bulletin.) For example:

Worship Leader: Lord, each of us knows some people who get on our nerves. Something about the way they act just drives us a little crazy. We would like to find a way to be friends with these people, or at least be kind to them, but they bring out the worst in us. We say cruel words almost without thinking. We treat them in ways that surprise us. We'd like to do better.

Congregation: Lord, forgive us, and help us find an Easter surprise.

Sermon Resources

1. The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson, is an award-winning children's novel about a ten-year-old terror with one-in-a-long-line of foster parents. (This book is available in the children's section of most public libraries and generally available in bookstores.) Read part of or summarize the whole story's Easter-like changes. Then retell the stories of Saul's change of direction, Peter's forgiveness, and Jesus' resurrection. Gilly, Peter, Saul, and Jesus are all Easter people.

2. Ask the worshipers to produce the Easter tokens they were given last week. (Have the ushers ready to pass out tokens to those who do not have them.) Challenge worshipers to think about the week ahead and identify the difficult people and situations they will encounter. Then instruct them to carry their tokens with them again this week as a reminder that all hopeless situations and people are possible Easter surprises. Suggest that reaching into a pocket to hold the token can help us continue to work with God in frustrating situations.

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: April 14, 2013

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:45:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

Third Sunday After Easter

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 9:1-6 (7-20); Psalm 30; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1

L: Christ asked Peter if he loved him.
P: Peter affirmed three times his love of the Lord.
L: Christ asks us if we love him.
P: We affirm our love of the Lord in our worship
L: Christ calls us to demonstrate our love in service.
P: Lord, help us to witness to your love in the ways in which we care for others. AMEN

Call to Worship #2

L: Great Spirit of God, you have healed our wounds.
P: You have brought us from paths of hurt and anger.
L: You have blessed our life that we might be a blessing to others.
P: Let us worship you in great joy.
L: Let us remember the ways you have turned our mourning into dancing.
P: Let us give thanks to you forever. AMEN.

Call to Worship #3

[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2045, “Sing a New Song to the Lord”, offer the following call to worship as directed. As this is being sung, have four groups of people setting the worship area/altar. Group one group places a fishnet on the worship center. Group two placees five loaves of bread, unsliced, on the worship center. Group three places a large pillar candle (on the highest riser in the center) and three shorter pillar candles (clustered in front of the taller candle) on the worship center. Group four places three clusters of votive candles on the worship center. If it takes longer to place the items on the worship center, continue playing the song. ]

L: Come, let us sing our songs of joy to the Lord!
P: We will tell of God’s power and victorious love!
All: Singing verse one of p. 2045 “Sing a New Song to the Lord”
L: Let our voices be heard everywhere!
P: Let our songs of praise never end!
All: singing verse two of p. 2045 “Sing a New Song to the Lord”
L: Let all the earth echo the songs of God’s mighty love!
P: Let us feel the strength of God coursing through us!
All: Singing verse three of p. 2045 “Sing a New Song to the Lord”
L: Shout the good news!
P: Christ is Alive! Christ calls us! Praise be to God!
All: singing verse four of p. 2045 “Sing a New Song to the Lord”

Call to Worship #4

L: Who releases us from our bondage to sin?
P: It is God who draws us up from Sheol!
L: Who feeds and tends our lives?
P: It is the Risen Christ who nourishes us!
L: Praise be to God who has saved us!
P: Praise be to Christ who calls us to worship and serve. AMEN.

PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer

God of power and might, let your love shine on us and through us to others. Take the blindness from our eyes and our hearts. Give us the joy of knowing and serving you in all that we say, think and do. In Jesus’ Name, we pray.

Prayer of Confession

We rejoice in the wonder of your resurrection, O Christ, but then tend to sink back into our old ways of thinking, behaving, responding to people’s needs. We can dance with the angels and all humankind on Easter Sunday, but the days following the Day of Resurrection cause us to slip back into apathy or despair. Forgive us when we so easily become distracted by our own cares and worries that we ignore the needs of others around us. Forgive us when we forget your power and love for us. Charge us up, O Lord! Set our hearts to dancing! Give us a spirit for rejoicing, willing hearts and hands for helping, voices for praising you forever! AMEN.

Words of Assurance

Sing! Shout! Rejoice! Jesus calls you to serve because of his love for you. He believes in you and all the gifts you have been given! Do not be afraid. Christ is with you always.

Pastoral Prayer

Lord Jesus, we slouch in our seats. We sit back and relax. The rush of Easter is over, the excitement which carried us to Easter and to the room where Jesus appeared to the disciples is wearing off. We just aren’t sure what to do now that the journey to the Cross is completed. Help us to understand that the Cross is not our ending point, but rather the pivotal point. Help us to be people of astounding faith, who have seen the light of Resurrection, who know that you have conquered death. Fear cannot claim and bind us. You have released us to serve others and witness to the glorious good news. As we have brought the names of those near and dear to us to you in prayer, help us to feel the rejuvenating power of your love in our lives. Inspire us to move into compassionate ministries to your world. For we ask these things in the name of our Risen Lord. AMEN

Litany/Reading

L: Bring to God all the fears and anger you have.
P: God will heal your life.
L: Bring to God the sadness you feel.
P: God will heal your life.
L: Bring to God the loneliness and sorrow.
P: God will heal your life.
L: Do not be afraid, for Christ has called you.
P: Christ brings you new life.
L: Reach out in service and love to others.
P: Christ brings new life to all.
L: Rejoice, sing with joy!
P: God heals us and Christ restores our lives! Let us praise God with our whole hearts. Let us serve God by serving others. AMEN.

Benediction

You are people of the Resurrection! You know the powerful love of God! Go into God’s world proclaiming hope, peace, and joy, in the name of the Risen Lord.AMEN.

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

The suggested color for this Sunday is WHITE or GOLD.

Author's Note

A word of caution…..today is Native American Ministries Sunday. It is important, if you are doing a worship art display to be respectful of the dignity and grace of our Native American brothers and sisters. Do not carelessly adorn the worship center with token pieces of Native American art. Make sure you appreciate the grace and elegance of Native American spirituality.

During the call to worship #3, you may have the net, candles, and bread placed on the worship center as directed, or you may set the worship center prior to Sunday.

Focus theme

My focus in this display is the call of the disciples to tend and care for others.

Surface:
Place a riser, approximately 4” high, in the center, toward the back, of the worship center (in front of the cross, if you are using a cross on the worship center. The cross should be elevated on a riser about 6” high) Place two other risers toward the front on either side of the worship center.

Fabric:
Cover the worship center in gold fabric (however, do not use bright shiny gold fabric such as lame, but rather a burnished or antiqued gold fabric).

Candles:
Place a 10” white pillar candle on the riser in the center, in front of the cross.. Place three white pillar candles about 6-8” high in front of the white pillar candle, representing the disciples. Place the clusters of votive candles on the other two risers.

Flowers/Foliage:
Use ferns or ivy, any soft, leafy plant on each side of the candle and cross arrangement. You may also place green plants near the base of the worship center. This takes away the harsh edged appearance.

Rocks/Wood:
You might use some rocks near the base of the worship center, but this should be optional.

Other:
Place a fishing net, flowing down from the center under the Christ Candle and draping across at least one of the risers, spilling over the edge of the worship center. The fish net might be about 4-6 feet long. Loaves of uncut bread may be placed in front of the two side risers, leaning loaves against each other. You may want to place loaves of bread on the floor in front of the worship center also (that is up to your personal preference).

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: April 14, 2013

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:11:00 GMT

By Sandra Miller

Third Sunday After Easter

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 9:1-6 (7-20); Psalm 30; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19

THEME IDEAS

While this week’s scriptures do not expressly say, “Jesus is the light of the world,” this is the message conveyed in these passages. Through the risen Christ the veil of our personal egos, our fears, and our sins are all stripped away. Through the risen Christ we are no longer blind. Christ sheds light on the truth of our lives and the source of our salvation.

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Psalm 30, Revelation 5)

Lord, we come before you in joy,
clothed in the majesty of your glory.
We come to sing your praises.
Like the myriad faithful of old,
we proclaim the Lamb to be worthy
of blessing, honor, and glory.
We fall down before you in worship. Amen!

Opening Prayer (Psalm 30)

Compassionate, glorious God,
you hear our cries,
and our pleas for help.
We may enter the dark of night with weeping,
but we wake in the morning with joy,
for you hear our petitions
and come in our hour of need.
As we gather here in the name of your Son,
be with us we pray,
that we may know the dawn of your mercy,
and the sweet taste of your favor.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Acts 9, Psalm 30)

God of Forgiveness,
hear now the confession of our sins.
Our greed and our lust for power
create enemies where we should find friends.
We fail to offer comfort and aid
to those who are afraid and beat down
by the burdens of life.
We are as blind and willful as Saul
to the pain and the destruction
of our wrongdoings
and our well-meaning crusades.
Forgive us, merciful One.
Give us sight to see with your eyes,
that we may bring hope peace to our world.
Amen.

Words of Assurance (Acts 9, Psalm 30)

God’s anger lasts but a moment,
but God’s favor lasts a lifetime.
The Lord forgives our shortcomings
and sends deliverance through Christ,
just as the Lord forgave Saul
and used him to spread the gospel.
Thanks be to God!

Passing the Peace of Christ (Acts 9, Psalm 30)

Christ has taken the scales from our eyes and turned our
mourning into dancing. Rejoice with one another, remembering
that the peace of Christ is with you.
The peace of Christ is with you always.

Response to the Word (Acts 9, Psalm 30, Revelation 5, John 21)

Great is the glory of God, and great is God’s Son
who came to bring salvation to many.
To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb,
blessing and glory and might forever and ever!
Amen.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Invitation to the Offering (John 21)

The holy One has given us fish and bread for a lifetime. Let us now share from our bounty, that through our gifts, God’s will may be done.

Offering Prayer (Psalm 30)

Lord, accept these offerings,
given with joy as a token of our praise,
that they may be used in service to Christ.
Thanks be to God.

Invitation to Communion

As we come to the table of God’s heavenly feast,
let us prepare our hearts anew
to be in communion with one another
and with the risen Christ.
We come, ready to partake of bread and cup;
ready to commune with one another
and with the living God.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Gracious God, we give thanks that through Christ,
we live in your favor.
We give thanks that through Christ,
we come to the table of grace
partaking heavenly food
and the gift of salvation.
Like the great company of witnesses
who came to this table before us,
we are filled with gratitude and joy
for your many blessings.
We come before you
in praise and thanksgiving,
as we commit ourselves again
as members of the living body of Christ.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (Acts 9, Psalm 30)

Go forth from this place with your eyes wide open
as you journey into the wider world.
Love God and see Christ in each person you meet.
Give thanks always
and do not withhold love from any,
for we do not know who may yet turn to the light.

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (Psalm 30, Revelation 5, John 21)

Living Creator, the world teems with your beauty
and abounds with your artistry and grace.
We sing your praises, Lord,
as we celebrate the risen Christ.
Celebrate the risen Christ who walks with us
as we traverse the joys and fears of our lives.
We sing your praises, Lord,
as we celebrate the risen Christ.

Praise Sentences (Revelation 5, John 21)

Give boundless thanks to God
who causes the angels to sing.
Give boundless praise to Christ
who invites us to follow him.
Give boundless glory to the Spirit
who makes us one.

ARTICLE: Easter Vision: Worship

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:40:00 GMT

By Lawson Bryan

Revelation 5:11-14

Today’s epistle lesson continues the reading of the book of Revelation. This revelation was given to enable Christians to avoid becoming confused about their own faith in the midst of rejection and persecution. It introduces us to the new clarity, the new vision that Easter makes possible in our lives.

Last week, we read in Revelation 1:4-8 of the vision Christ had given John of Christians as a kingdom of priests. We focused on the word priests. We searched Scripture for a fresh vision of what it means to be a kingdom of priests. Without this Easter vision, it is likely that our understanding of what it means to be a Christian will be skewed by individual definitions or cultural assumptions about the priesthood of all believers.

The same is true with today’s reading from Revelation 5. Actually, the scene begins in chapter four as John sees a door open into heaven. This is a way of saying this scene reveals what reality is like in the kingdom of God. John looks and sees the throne of God surrounded by twenty-four elders with golden crowns on their heads, reminders of the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of Jesus. Also around the throne are four living creatures: one like a lion, one like an ox, one like a human being, and one like an eagle (wild animals, domesticated animals, humanity, and animals above the earth).

Then John sees a scroll sealed with seven seals. An angel asks: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” (5:2). But no one can be found until a Lamb appears—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world—and takes the scroll.

This revelation of the one who is worthy to open the scroll leads to great jubilation in heaven. John’s description of the scene includes thousands of angels singing “Worthy is the slaughtered Lamb / to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and might, / and honor, glory, and blessing” (v. 12). In response to this glorious ascription of praise to God, the four living creatures shout “Amen” and the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped (v. 14).

The word that comes to us loudly and clearly in this passage is worship. Indeed, Revelation is sometimes referred to as the book of worship in the Bible. Many passages get a lot of attention because they speak of the battle between good and evil. But the dominant theme that ties together all the parts of the book is worship.

In scenes like this one we are given a new vision—an Easter vision— of worship. If asked why we place such high importance on worship, we might talk about a sense of awe and wonder, the majesty of God, excellence we offer God, connecting with history and tradition, anchor, rooting, grounding, silence, fellowship, familiarity, and music.

Each of these is a good reason to value worship, but look at the Easter vision of worship in Revelation. As we listen to the elders, the four living creatures, and the myriad of angels praising God, we hear other voices—all in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea—all creation joining the worship of Jesus Christ.

In other words, we learn that worship is the future toward which we are headed. When we worship, we are living in God’s future. It is God who calls us forward to worship. It is God who forms us through worship: practicing unity, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, love. It is God who scatters us from worship to live as Christ’s representatives in the world. We are called together for worship. We are transformed by worship. We are sent from worship.

How does worship accomplish this glorious work of unifying all creation in the praise of Christ? Revelation speaks of worship as trinitarian— God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is a very particular understanding of God as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. When worship is focused on God, then our lives are given great strength and a sense of eternal purpose.

In verse 12, all of heaven sings. When we listen to someone else sing, we can remain passive, a detached observer. But as soon as we start singing ourselves, we become part of the song and the song becomes part of us, transforming us. Something happens to those who sing powerful words of praise genuinely and authentically. We don’t watch worship; we do worship, and we are transformed. Without Easter vision we miss this understanding of worship as living in the future right now.

To worship is to go way beyond respecting and appreciating; to worship is to focus our lives on someone or something. Worship becomes very dangerous when what we are worshiping is something less than the triune God. But when we join this trinitarian worship, uniting our voices with the twenty-four elders, the four living creatures, the myriad of angels, and all the rest of creation—then we too become part of God’s future.

ARTICLE: Transfer of Power: The Vows of Baptism

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:36:00 GMT

By Carol J. Miller

One Sunday when I was out of town and therefore out of my pulpit, I attended a local church for worship. It is not often that I was able to see worship from the pew side, and I always learned something valuable. That Sunday a young mother was being baptized. Since the church was not one of my denomination, I was interested to see how the baptism of an adult was handled. Maybe handled isn’t the right word; I think “mis-handled” fits better. The young woman came up into the chancel alone—no family, no mentor, no sponsor. The pastor introduced her by name and stated the obvious: that she was coming to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. He asked her if she wished to be baptized in the faith, and whether she would be loyal to the denomination. Upon receiving a “yes” to both questions, he sprinkled a little water from a bowl he held in his hand onto the woman’s head, offered a very short prayer, shook her hand and invited her to return to her seat. The pastor’s next words were an invitation to the youth group’s chili supper. That invitation, I approximated, was about three times longer than the baptism, and done with much more energy.

I mentally missed the rest of the service. The baptism had been given less time, less energy, less thought than the chili supper invitation! The congregation was ignored; the liturgy was ignored, the teaching moment was ignored, the welcome into community was ignored, the presence of God was ignored , the woman was virtually ignored. “Well,” I told myself, that wouldn’t happen in my denomination!”

A short time later, my husband and I retired from the pastorate. We moved to a different city and were “trying out“ various churches in the denomination in which we had served. We found one with a large but aging congregation. There was a baptism that day. Do I need to go on? It was a case of “deja vu” all over again. The baptism was treated as an afterthought—almost an intrusion—that had to be shoved into a short space to keep the service from running long.

I do not believe that these pastors were concerned that the liturgies for baptism of their denominations were outdated or abstruse, making them unfit for Sunday worship. I believe that they—for whatever reasons—did not see the liturgy as important. It was optional; and they opted out. If that was indeed the case, then I disagree most heartily.

Renouncing Sin

I do not plan to run through our entire liturgy, but would offer one substantial piece of it as witness to both the beauty and importance of our sacramental liturgies. The section titled “The Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith,” found in the United Methodist Hymnal in Covenant I (page 34) is rich in meaning and calls those being baptized, along with the entire congregation, into a new way of living.

The first question strips the baptismal candidate of power; the second replaces that power with new power, and the third throws the candidate totally on the power of Christ and makes him/her a member of the power-filled community.

Every six year old knows how to wield “the evil powers of this world.” What are they? They are the things that made us tell our mothers when we were six that we never wanted to go to school again. The evil powers of this world, the spiritual forces of wickedness are the powers of prejudice, exclusion, gossip, mockery, hate, violence, extortion, self-aggrandizement, and the like. Even though children may not know these words, they know the power of these things and they use them. They are the powers we use to tear down others.

As adults, we become more subtle, but no less dependent on these powers. They give us a leg up in competition with others. We feel the power of gossip, the satisfaction of being able to exclude someone, the usefulness of “me first.” But when we arrive at the door of the church, ready to be included by way of baptism, we are told that we cannot come in until we “renounce” those ugly and evil powers that had served us, we thought, so well. In the liturgy the church—not just the local church, but the Church of Jesus Christ throughout time—demands that we renounce those powers, drop them, refuse to use them. And what is more, we must repent of all the times in the past when we did use them.

So, the first thing the Church does when we come for baptism is to strip us of our power. The world may continue to hate and reject, and pre-judge others; we cannot. If you want to know something about how to measure your congregation’s faithfulness to God, you might just have a look at these three promises. Look at the source of the power your church seems to be using.

Accepting Freedom

By the second question, things are looking up. “Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you…” Having been stripped of the “evil powers of this world” we are invited to accept a new kind of power, given to us by God. This, in fact, is the only kind of power that is true power. This is the power that lasts. “Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,” (Psalm 62:11). All power belongs to God. If it is in your hands or mine, it is to be offered to God’s for God’s use.

Just as importantly, we, in baptism, are required to accept the power God gives. Never again can we as individuals, or as members of the Christian Church say, “I can’t do it. I don’t have time; I don’t have enough money; I don’t have the abilities.” (To see where answers such as these got Moses, see Exodus 3). To declare that your church does not have the necessary power to do what God calls it to do may be to deny the presence of the Holy Spirit. The answer to the second question in our liturgy causes us to admit that we do have power from God. The Church is specific about the right use of that power: “to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” That is a promise to work against (resist) those people-crushing things we first fell in love with on the playground as children. “Resist” does not mean “dislike;” it means “push back.” It is not passive, but active.

Confessing Jesus

Finally, if we are still standing, there is question 3. “Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior…” It is Christ who saves us from worshipping the evil powers—that is, bowing down to them, using them, as those things that make us powerful and important. We did not save ourselves from them by dint of a powerful personality, or our good looks, or racial superiority or anything else we think gives us power. God in Christ has given us the victory. We trust completely in the undeserved, but given love that God has shown us in Christ. Period.

We are now, then, servants of a Lord and Master—our power is for doing his will. And most importantly, we promise to serve our Lord in the community of God’s love and power---the Church. The Church has power from God. It is to be used. That Church, by the by, belongs not to us, but to Christ. Christ has opened it to everyone. We promise to be part of that, too.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I think that deserves more of the pastor’s time than do the announcements, no matter how good the chili is.

ARTICLE: Holy Thursday Altar Design

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:29:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

Pastor's Theme

The Humility of Discipleship in Foot Washing and Communion

Scripture: John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Theme Focus

The humility of Jesus as he washed the feet of each of his disciples; a true demonstration of servant leadership.

Artist's Challenge

There were two evident themes for this evening worship: foot washing and Communion. Communion sets are used so often that they might become too familiar, but the act of foot washing was relatively new to this church and spoke directly to the disciple (each one of us) as servant. Stephanie’s design, with a variety of sandals in the setting, suggests that we all are called to be disciples, to be servant leaders

Artist's Resources

Risers: altar, adjustable table, plant stand, box, small table, crate, small chair
Fabric: blankets, burlap, gray polyester, aqua blue shiny fabric
Plants: artificial trees, rubber tree plant, potted palm, dried pampas grass in earthenware jug
Rocks: small stones, medium and large rocks
Other: Jesus figure, raffia, basin, earthenware Jug, iridescent “bunny grass,” multiple pairs of sandals

Creating the Foundation

A crate was placed on the upper right of the altar. In front of the altar, Stephanie placed the adjustable table and a plant stand. She covered the whole set with blankets to soften the edges.

The Idea Takes Shape

Covering the whole set with the gray polyester fabric, Stephanie tucked it into various nooks and crannies to give a sense of texture. She carefully placed the fabric so that it just puddled onto the main floor. Stephanie placed a small chair on the upper left side of the altar on which she would put the figure of Jesus [Fig. 11-3]. The base of the figure is an old maple syrup bucket in which she stuffed fabric. She molded fabric to fit into the striped robe and used a mask to create a face for the figure. The beard was composed of raffia pushed around the base of the face. The hands of Jesus were actually light flesh colored socks that were stuffed with fabric and pushed into the sleeves of the robe and pinned to the robe. The feet of Jesus were two light beige knee socks into which fabric was stuffed. She was able to place sandals on Jesus’ feet.

Stephanie wadded up the blue shiny fabric and stuffed it into the basin. She took a box, inverted it so that the earthenware pitcher could rest above the basin. Using the iridescent “bunny grass,” Stephanie stuffed it into the mouth of the pitcher and cascaded it onto the blue fabric. She also placed some iridescent grass in the basin to give a sense of “splashing” to the water [Fig. 11-4].

Rocks were piled up around the box to disguise it and to anchor and provide a setting for the various pairs of sandals placed around Jesus. These sandals represented the disciples who received foot washing from Jesus. The sandals were from Stephanie and her daughters.

The two artificial trees were placed on either side of the altar. She covered the base of one of the artificial trees with burlap. Stephanie placed the earthenware jug filled with the dried pampas grass to the left of Jesus. The potted palm was placed on his right.

Observations and Suggestions

This is the first treatment of the foot washing as an altar setting for this church. It was very effective in setting the major theme for this worship event.

When you are designing settings, think about the items you have at hand, what you might need and can borrow. Stephanie employs items at hand. Much of the fabric used in her settings comes from the “holy hardware” closet. Some items she can leave in this closet, others she has to store at home. She had access to a maple syrup bucket that is somewhat conical in shape. There is a box of fabric that she uses, mostly to bunch up into shapes for figures. Raffia is left over from craft projects. The artificial trees and all the plants are the property of the church. The pampas grass was cut from a garden and placed in an old earthenware jug. The pitcher was borrowed. Stephanie carefully keeps the iridescent “bunny grass” in a plastic bag so that it can be used many times.

ARTICLE: Dinner with Jesus

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:47:00 GMT

By William H. Willimon

It’s odd, even for the odd Gospel of John. Jesus is in Bethany entertained by his good friends Mary and Martha. (John 12:1-11.) John casually remarks that Lazarus, whom Jesus has just raised from the dead, is there at the table.

Lazarus whom he has just raised from the dead? Are you kidding?

Imagine being seated at that dinner table. “You know our rabbi, Jesus, don’t you? And seated next to him is our brother Lazarus, who died last week. Thanks to Jesus, he’s back among the living. No tell tale grave stench, even. Please make yourself comfortable between them.”

Settling uneasily in your seat, just being polite, you ask the table companion on your right, “Had a good week?”

Your fellow dinner guest replies, “Well, I was sick unto death, my sisters were frantic with worry, then I died, was entombed for three days, wrapped like a mummy. Jesus graciously stopped by the cemetery, shouted, ‘Lazarus come out!’ and raised me from the dead just in time for my sisters’ dinner party. How was your week?”

The guest to your right, the young rabbi, says, “Unfortunately, no sooner had I raised Lazarus, than my enemies vowed to kill me. I give myself no more than a week before they succeed.”

Where are we? Welcome to the wonderfully weird world of the Gospel of John and to the holiest week of the church’s year. And welcome to the truth about what God in Jesus Christ is up to in the world. God isn’t just good and great, God is on the move toward us. Jesus joins us at the table and, whenever Jesus shows up, hold on to your hat; corpses rise from the dead and we are shocked that God is more active than we imagined. The predictable, dull world is rendered strange, and even at a meal Jesus, though unarmed, is extremely dangerous.

In intensifying his whole ministry at a meal, Jesus leads us into a world that is thick with subtle, secret meaning. A meal in which a piece of bread is called “my body broken for you,” a cup of wine designated as “my blood shed for you” is almost too rich a metaphorical feast. We can spend a lifetime attempting to plumb the depths of such a mystery and never exhaust, much less consume the meaning. This book on Maundy Thursday’s mysteries is meant to increase enjoyment of this holy mystery rather merely to explain it.

The liturgy of the church generally lets Luke, Matthew, or Mark handle Holy Week through Maundy Thursday, then turns to John for Good Friday and the Passion. I propose to allow John teach us on Thursday.

In four long chapters (John 13:1-16:33) the Word-Made-Flesh, God-With-Us turns away from instruction of the world to host a farewell supper with his disciples where he tells them how to live once he is physically absent from them.

John’s gospel is a rich, almost too rich, for the interpreter. To get one’s good news from the Fourth Gospel is willingly to enter a luxuriant figurative world where few things are as they first appear. Our world has been made strange by the advent of a God whom almost nobody expected. In heaps of symbols, metaphors, similes and images, John teaches us how to read the world as Christians, gradually, sign by sign, leading us into a reality we might have missed without John’s words.

Augustine described his own conversion to Christ as a long process of learning how to read the Bible. His teacher, Ambrose, helped Augustine to see that in the odd, thick, mysterious world of Scripture “bread” means more than what you had for dinner, “fish” more than fish, and things like vines, water, women, and men on crosses are almost never as they first appear.

I have had to learn to love the Gospel of John and the way it refuses to be managed by my intellect. Jesus, as John recalls him, reminds you of the Jesus we meet in the Synoptics—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—but this is Jesus as Christ taken up to the tenth degree. Somehow John’s Jesus manages both to be strange and remote and also intimate and close at hand. I have found Jesus to be paradoxically no more distant from us and no nearer to us than when he is at table with us.

The gospel that begins with, “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory….” (John 1:14) is a supremely Eucharistic, table-talk gospel where Jesus saves some of his best stuff until the end when he settles down at the dinner table with his twelve best friends (who are also his worst betrayers) and unpacks his significance for them, having a bite to eat with them just before he is tortured to death for them.

God’s incarnation, Jesus’ act of redemption, our grand reconciliation, all these weighty, true but unfathomable mysteries are on the table on Thursday. The Lord’s Supper is always a demonstration of God with us, none other than the great glorious God present with none other than the lousiest sinners. If you can’t be safe from God at a carnal, mundane fleshly, ordinary gathering of friends around the supper table, well, where can you hide?

Excerpted from the author's new book,Thank God It's Thursday: Encountering Jesus at the Lord's Table As If It's the Last Time.

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: April 7, 2013

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:34:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

Gospel: John 20:19-31. This passage includes two related, yet separate Easter stories.

John 20:19-23 describes Jesus' first postresurrection encounter with the disciples. His appearance tells us two things about his resurrected body. First, he appears inside a locked room; his "new" body is not like the physical body he had before death. Second, his body bears the wounds of crucifixion; his body is still the same. Children will be curious about this.

During this encounter, Jesus reassured his disciples that he was indeed alive, and then he put them to work. The message to children is that Easter is not an ending; it is a new chapter in God's work. On Easter evening, Jesus is already looking ahead. He gives his disciples the gift of the Spirit and sends them out, saying, "As the Father sent me, so I send you."

To help the children identify what the Father sent Jesus to do, explore key stories about Jesus' ministry. Their challenge is then to find ways to do that kind of work today. Just as Jesus fed the hungry crowd, children can work to help relieve hunger. Just as Jesus befriended the friendless, children can make friends with the lonely people they meet, and so forth.

The story of Thomas reassures children that the Risen Lord is still the kind, understanding Jesus. Thomas, who was left out of the first encounter with Jesus, raises the kinds of questions any child might raise. Jesus is not offended by the questions, but honors them and offers to let Thomas touch the wounds, if that's what it takes to answer his questions. In so doing, Jesus blesses all our questions. No honest question is too silly, disrespectful, or unworthy to be asked and answered (or at least discussed).

Acts 5:27-32. This passage gives an example of the disciples doing as Jesus instructed. They are being witnesses to what God has done through Jesus. For children, the heart of this passage is Peter's statement, "We must obey God rather than men." This is a brave stand. It calls on children to be as heroic as Peter in obeying God's laws and doing God's will, rather than going along with the crowd when the crowd is not going God's way. The "crowd" is most often other children who play together in informal settings, but it also can include their own families, school classes, or even congregation. (Children can become the conscience of their communities.)

Psalm: Psalm 118:14-29 or 150. These exuberant praises are fitting psalms for Jesus' disciples after Easter. When they are read with strong, happy conviction, children understand the meaning of occasional phrases, but they respond more strongly to the mood of the psalms. Dramatic presentation is essential.

Revelation 1:4-8. This passage includes lots of imagery with Old Testament roots, which are beyond children. Two phrases, however, do stand out for children. The first is the set of phrases about God, who is "Alpha and Omega," who "was and is and is to be." These are the answers to the questions, "What was there before God?" or "Who made God?" These answers challenge children to begin thinking of God as bigger than they can imagine. Such conversations lay the foundation of children's theology and provide great security. (If we are in the care of such as power, we are safe.)

The second phrase that grabs children attention is the description of Christians as "a kingdom of priests," or as Protestant children might say, "a kingdom of ministers." This parallels John's sending of the disciples and can be explored in much the same way.

Watch Words

The words of today's texts pose no problems for children. Avoid generalizing the messages of the texts with big words about the omnipotence of the preexisting God.

Let the Children Sing

Singing "Come Christians Join to Sing" is a good way to keep the Alleluias going the week after Easter (and throughout the Easter season).

"Rejoice, the Lord Is King," with its repeated chorus of "Lift up your heart, lift up your voice," celebrates the Lord who is King.

The Liturgical Child

1. Present John 20:19-31 with three readers. The worship leader for the day introduces the passage and recalls what happened in verses 1-18. A second reader then reads verses 19-23. A third reader picks up with verses 24-29. The first reader then concludes byreading verses 30-31. Changing readers for the different stories within the ongoing narrative helps keep the children's attention.

2. Give Acts 5:27-32 your best dramatic reading. Read the high priest's question in an authoritarian voice, looking down your nose at the disciples from one side of the lectern. Then turn slightly as you read Peter's brave, enthusaistic reply.

3. Use Psalm 150 as a call to worship before an Easter praise hymn. Readers (either a children's class, a choir, or the whole congregation) repeat the psalm in unison, pausing after verses 3, 4, and 5 for the instrument(s) mentioned in that verse to be played. In place of the trumpet, lute, and pipes, the organ could be used with the appropriate stops. Each instrumentalist plays the first line of the hymn; the congregation then sings in response to the last verse of the psalm.

4. Ask the adult choir to present Psalm 118 as a spirited choral reading for Easter people:
verse 14—UNISON;
verses 15-18—MEN (perhaps with solos for the shouted phrases of vss. 15-16);
verses 19-20—UNISON;
verses 21-230—WOMEN;
and verse 24—UNISON.

5. If you sing the Gloria patri regularly in worship, take time either just before singing it or during the sermon to explore the meaning of "As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end." This is on-the-job worship education.

6. Create a benediction based on John 20:21. For example:

Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, even so I send you . . .
to heal those who are sick and dying . . .
to befriend the friendless in Jesus' name . . .
to tell of God's love . . .
(etc. based on points of the sermon)
As you go, remember that the peace of God is with you, and the power of the Holy Spirit will uphold and direct you because you are the Easter People, a kinigdom of priests for God. Amen.

Sermon Resources

1. These texts and those for the following Sundays suggest a sermon series about Easter People. Explore who the Easter People are, what they do, and what they are like. Challenge worshipers of all ages to see themselves as Easter People. Consider giving each worshiper a small token, perhaps a plastic or metal cross to carry in a pocket each day during the coming weeks, as a reminder that each of them is one of the Easter People. Ask the choir to sing Avery and Marsh's song, "Every Day Is Easter Day," today and several times during the series.

From today's texts we learn that Easter People experience God's peace (John), praise God (Psalms), obey God first (Acts), and are sent to serve (Revelation and John).

2. Tell stories about people who chose to obey God rather than people. Include stories about well-known people such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Also, describe activities in your congregation that show you to be Easter People: volunteer work (serving as a kingdom of priests); mission projects (carried out by youth groups); and specific events which give a peace-filled feeling (perhaps a congregational weekend retreat in which children participate).

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: April 7, 2013

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:16:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

Second Sunday of Easter

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 5:27-32; Psalm 150; Revelation 1:4-8; John 20:19-31

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1

L: Happy Easter Season! Today is the first day of the week.
P: The joy of Easter still sings in our hearts.
L: Breathe the breath of new life in your spirits!
P: We open our hearts to all the wondrous work God has for us to do.
L: Welcome to worship this glorious day!
P: Let our lives be testimony to God’s redeeming love! AMEN.

Call to Worship #2

L: Today is the first day of our week.
P: Lord, help us to find peace and joy in this week.
L: Open your hearts and receive God’s breath of new life.
P: Lord, help us to be ready to hear your words of life.
L: Come, let us worship the Lord with great joy!
P: Praise be to God. AMEN.

Call to Worship #3

[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2020, “Praise the Lord with the Sound of Trumpet”, offer the following call to worship as directed. You may want to include some percussion instruments, such as tambourines; and some brass instruments such as trumpets and trombones, and various woodwinds - if they are available to you.]
L: Praise the Lord all the wonderful instruments of music
P: Let the sound of music be a powerful way to praise God for all God’s blessings.
L: Let all the earth be filled with God’s praise!
P: Let the towns, villages, the cities and countryside ring with God’s praise!
L: Let praise sound in darkness and in light, let praise sound in sunshine or storm!
P: Let praise be heard from the deepest valley to the highest hill. Praise be to God!
ALL: singing the first verse of “Praise the Lord with the Sound of Trumpet”
[Note: Invite all instruments to play with the singing.]
[Note: you might discover that the people want to continue singing the song by adding the second verse - let it happen! What a joyous way to begin worship!]

Call to Worship #4

L: Faith never comes easy. Thomas, a faithful disciple of Jesus, doubted the post-Resurrection appearance and needed to see Jesus for himself.
P: How we are like Thomas! We sometimes think we need to see in order to believe!
L: How blessed are the ones who, never having seen, yet have come to believe.
P: Open our hearts, Lord, this day to absolute faith in you, that, although we have not seen the risen Christ, we may believe fully in him. AMEN.

PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer

Breathe the breath of new life into us, O Lord, that we may fully feel the power of your love and the awesome glory of the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ. Prepare us to receive your blessing and then to go from this place to be a blessing to others in your name. AMEN.

Prayer of Confession

We confess that we far too often want proof for everything, O Lord. We want proof that someone loves us; we want proof that we can trust in others; we want proof that everything in life is going to turn out all right. It is easy for us to point our finger at Thomas who was honest about his fears. He had seen so much healing and hope. But those hopes seemed dashed when Jesus died. Even the news of the Resurrection did not completely lift the darkness from his life. Jesus said to him, just as he says to us, “Peace, be still. Do not doubt but believe!” Lord, forgive our unbelief! Forgive the many times when we think and act in ways which are hurtful and mean. Heal our wounds. Bind up our spirits in the cords of your compassion. Help us to fully place our trust in you, with our whole hearts, and minds, and spirits, and souls. For we ask this in your blessed Name. AMEN.

Words of Assurance

Peace. Be still. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Jesus came to bring you new life. Believe in him. Receive the blessing of hope and peace. AMEN.

Pastoral Prayer

Patient God, you know us better than we want. We like to think that we can fool you with our bravado and high-flung phrases of faith. We hear the story of doubting Thomas and think “What a fool he was!”. We think that we would never have doubted. And in our arrogance we preen and strut about. But you know us fully. You know that we all have our moments of doubts and fears. We all wonder where you are. We want to know that everything is going to turn out for the best. We are frightened. And in our fear we cannot even face our own doubts. Help us to understand your forgiving grace. Help us to know that you understand our weakness and confusion and that your love extends to us in spite of that weakness. Strengthen our faith and our commitment to you. As we have offered prayers for those near and dear to us; as we have lifted situations of darkness and fear before your throne of grace, help us to be people who truly believe that you hear our prayers and answer them. Where we have not seen, give us faith to believe in all you have said and done. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. AMEN.

Litany/Reading

[Note: whenever a reading such as the one below is suggested, it is critical that there be rehearsal time. Readers 1 and 2 are arrogant, self-righteous - and the reading needs to reveal that attitude. The voice should be strong and calm, not shouting or preachy. The voice can be “offstage” or to the side. The readers should be centered in the chancel or worship area]
Reader 1: If Thomas was truly a disciple of Jesus, he would not doubt.
Reader 2: After all, look at what he witnessed - healings, even the resurrection of his friend Lazarus. How could he doubt that Jesus would be raised. He said he would, and he was!
Voice: Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe!
Reader 1: It’s a good thing I am such a strong church person. I believe and I don’t trust those who don’t believe.
Reader 2: I know what you mean. What’s the matter with those “doubters”? What’s their problem? Haven’t they heard the words from the Bible? Doesn’t the preacher give them the good words of faith every week?
Voice: Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe!
Reader 1: Well, I’ll tell you something. I would find a way to make them believe! I’d drum it into their heads so they wouldn’t forget it!
Reader 2: There must be some way to force people to accept the resurrection.
Voice: Do not be afraid. Find peace in your hearts. God will come to all people and bring the words of hope and comfort to their lives. Faith is not coerced, not forced, not demanded. Blessed are those who have not seen, who have not been forced to believe, who have not been bludgeoned into false faith, and yet they have come to know the healing, comforting, strengthening power of God’s love through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Be still! Be at peace! Let go of your anger and your fear. God’s love is with you.

Benediction

Let the trumpet sound! Let the voices be raised in celebration! Go into God’s world with joy, knowing that God’s love goes with you. Be at peace!AMEN.

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

The suggested color for this Sunday is WHITE or GOLD.

Author's Note

I have created the worship display to reflect the Call to Worship #3, suggested for this day.

Surface

Place several risers on the main worship center. The tallest riser, about 12” should be placed at the center back of the main level. Other risers may be placed to the right and left, slightly forward of the center riser. Place a riser or bench in front of the worship center.

Fabric

Cover the entire worship center and bench in white fabric. Taking about 6 yards of gold fabric, create a swag or drape of fabric, beginning with the center riser, trailing across the worship center, first to the left and then to the right, puddling on the floor in front of the worship center.

Candles

On either side of the tallest riser, place hall candlesticks with white candles. You may use taper candles or pillar candles (whatever you have at hand)

Flowers/Foliage

Generally some flowers are left at the church from Easter. If this is so arrange them on either side of the candlesticks. If additional flowers remain, place them around the base of the worship center. If you do not have flowers remaining, use green leafy or “feathery” plants, such as ferns and ivy, throughout the worship center.

Rocks/Wood

I would not use rocks and wood in this setting.

Other

Place a cross on the tallest riser. If you have access to instruments, such as a flute, or trumpet, and drum, you may want to place them in the worship setting - the flute being placed on the main level, the trumpet on the “bench” level and the drum on the floor level in front of the worship center. You can add sheets of music and some hymnals, if you do not have access to actual instruments, or you may add the music sheets and hymnals to the instrument display.

BLOG: 4 Names: Mary Magdalene, Philip, Lazarus, and Peter

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:33:00 GMT

By Adam Thomas

If you’ve ever been to a Bible study that I’ve led, then you know that I have a lot of favorite scenes in the Gospel according to John. But John 20:1-18 is easily in the top three. What always strikes me about the scene is the movement from Mary’s desolation when she weeps at the empty tomb to her utter elation when she recognizes the resurrected Christ. John paints the scene with a special tenderness he reserves for only the most intimate of moments between Jesus and his followers. John focuses our attention on this intimate moment, the first reaction to Jesus’ resurrection, because the moment of the resurrection itself is far too mysterious and far too momentous for John to attempt to narrate. That moment belongs to God alone. And so John gives us a sliver of Mary Magdalene’s story – her move from desolation to elation when she realizes that Jesus is still with her as he promised he always would be. And the pivotal moment of this story is Jesus calling her by name.

Names are rare in the Gospel according to John. I went back and counted, and in the entire 21 chapters of the Gospel, Jesus calls exactly four people by name. There’s Simon Peter, first among the disciples. There’s Lazarus, whom Jesus brought back to life. There’s Philip, who had been with Jesus from the beginning. And then there’s Mary, who heads to the tomb before dawn on the first day of the week. In each of the special moments when Jesus calls these four people by name, he is somehow affirming or strengthening his relationships with them.

The first thing Jesus does when he meets Simon is give him the nickname “Peter,” which means “Rock,” which is a pretty cool nickname. We invest all kinds of theological motivation to this name because of Peter being the “rock” on which the church is built. But if they were any two people besides Jesus and Peter, we would see the nicknaming as a sign that their relationship is moving into the territory of good friendship. At the end of the Gospel, Jesus says Peter’s name three times, and this naming reasserts the relationship that Peter had denied three times during Jesus’ trial. In the end, their relationship is repaired because Jesus calls Peter by name.

The Gospel describes Lazarus as “one whom Jesus loves.” When Lazarus dies, Jesus is days away, and Lazarus’s sisters make the faithful accusation that if Jesus had been there, Lazarus wouldn’t have died at all. So Jesus goes to the tomb and shouts out, “Lazarus, come out.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t say, “Lazarus, I raise you from the dead.” Rather, he says, “Come out.” Jesus calls Lazarus by name, but does not give Lazarus the option of remaining in the tomb. The naming is joined to Jesus’ command to return to his family and his friendship with Jesus.

Jesus calls Philip by name after Philip says to him, “Lord, show us the Father; that will be enough for us.” Jesus replies, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been with you all this time? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus calls Philip by name in the midst of wondering how Philip could possibly not know him yet after being with him from the beginning. With this, Jesus calls Philip into deeper, more committed relationship with him.

And then there’s Mary Magdalene, who is weeping at the empty tomb. She is desolate, thinking that her Lord’s body had been stolen and possibly desecrated by the people who put him to death. With tears and the fog of despair clouding her vision, she sees the gardener, who asks her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Could this gardener be in collusion with the body-snatchers, she wonders? And she accuses him of being in on the plot. But then he says the all-important word: “Mary.” And she turns and the desolation vanishes in an instant of delight. And new elation, new hope, new life surges in to fill the void. “Teacher!” she shouts, and I imagine her jumping into his arms. Then Jesus gives her a task – to be the first to proclaim his resurrection.

So why does Jesus saying her name change the story? Why is this the pivotal word? As with Peter, Lazarus, and Philip, saying Mary’s name proves Jesus’ relationship with Mary. Her name is the outward sign of her inward identity. In this way, names are quite sacramental. Know a name and you know something of the person. Who among us didn’t feel elation when we found out our high school crush did, in fact, know our names? On the flip side, take away a name and you begin to take away the humanity of the person. How many Jews had their names erased and exchanged for numbers in the concentration camps?

Saying Mary’s name is Jesus’ shorthand for saying that he has returned just as he promised and that life would never be the same again because their relationship would never end. Earlier in the Gospel, Jesus foreshadowed this when he said, “[The shepherd] calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Whenever he has gathered all of his sheep, he goes before them and they follow him, because they know his voice.” Later in the same passage, Jesus talks about the command from his Father that he “give up” his life in order to “take it up again.” Thus, Jesus links the power of the resurrection with the power of naming, which is really shorthand for the power of relationship.

This is the good news of the resurrection: Christ rose from the dead to show us that nothing, not even death, has the power to keep him from remaining in relationship with us. Christ knows each of our names. They are written in the book of life. They are written on his heart, just as his name is written on ours. As Jesus called Peter, Lazarus, Philip, and Mary to deeper relationship by saying their names, he calls to each of us. He calls to each of us, speaking our names, and thus ourselves, into being.

These names of ours are special things – they carry within them the promise of eternal relationship with God in Christ through the power of the resurrection. So the next time you find yourself in a moment of silence, a moment of peace at the center of the maelstrom of busyness that marks our lives today, just be still. Be still and listen. Be still and listen for the resurrected Christ calling you by name.

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: Easter Sunday 2013

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:31:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

Gospel: John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-12. Both stories of the discovery of the empty tomb can be read to children with little explanation. The response of the children is, however, different from that of adults. For children, Easter joy has more to do with the victory of God's powerful love over the forces of evil than with resurrection from death.

It is hard for children to understand death. Most children, even those who have experienced the death of a close relative, have trouble grasping the physical finality of death. Children who grow up in Christian churches, hearing the resurrection faith that God loves us even beyond death, do not easily share the fear of death described in the New Testament. Psychologists tell us that even teenagers have little meaningful understanding of their personal mortality. So it is hard for children to get into the celebration of resurrection from death. This part of the Easter message will mean more later in their lives.

In childhood, the central message of Easter is that God refused to let the hate of Good Friday be the last word. Considering everything that had been done to Jesus, God deserved to become angry and punish the people severely. But God did not do this. Instead, God continued to love the people who had betrayed, denied, and killed Jesus. And God refused to let Jesus stay dead. Jesus rose from death to prove to us that God's love is more powerful than the worst evil and that God will continue to love us, no matter what terrible things we do. So for children, the empty tomb is God's biggest surprise, and Easter joy is our delighted response to the discovery that even though it looked as if the "bad guys" had won, they had not. God and God's love had defeated the forces of evil and were more in control than ever.

Old Testament: Isaiah 65:17-25. The rich poetic images of Isaiah's vision of God's dreams for the world are like coded messages for which literal-minded children have no key. The Good News Bible decodes some of these images as part of its translation and therefore is easier for children to follow. Even if read from this translation, the vision is challenging for children, but if it is presented as the dream of the Easter God who has defeated and continues to defeat evil, this passage becomes a glimpse into the future toward which God is working. Children will hear in specific phrases the possibilities to anticipate.

Acts 10:34 (During the Easter season the Revised Common Lectionary suggests a reading from Acts as an alternative to the Old Testament reading.) Taken in context, Peter's statement in Joppa is about the fellowship of God's family, which crosses all human boundaries of nationality, race, and so on. But for Easter Sunday, it is a summary of the good news about Jesus and an opportunity for listeners to view themselves as witnesses, like Peter. Children who have celebrated the events of Holy Week are ready to respond by becoming witnesses. At the very least, they can recite the story in worship and claim it as their own. Some also can recognize the need for Christians to share the story with others.

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26. This is a difficult passage for children. That we should all die beccause Adam and Eve ate the apple seems terribly unfair. That God should punish us for what Adam and Eve did seems inconsistent with our insistence that God is loving. In their teen years, youths will begin to understand that what links us and our fates to Adam and Eve is that all of us disobey sometimes, in spite of our very best intentions. But this link is beyond the comprehension of most younger children. So read this passage for worshipers who are old enough to grasp the fear of death and so have the mental ability to feel inked both to Adam and Eve and to Christ.

Psalm: 118:1-2, 14-24. To children, this is a collection of short phrases to the powerful God who saves us. Many of the praises require little explanation. Others, such as the verses about the rejected stone, include images that require detailed explanation. Today is not a particularly good time to explain these images, so it is better to let the psalm speak as it can to the worshipers celebrating God's Easter power.

Watch Words

Enjoy the Alleluias! Alleluia wraps into one word these messages: "Hurray for God!"; "God, you did a great job!"; "Thank you, God!"; "Knowing you makes us happy, God!"

Use resurrection. It is a good word for children to hear and to recognize as belonging to the church. But do not expect children to find much meaning in the word until their understanding of death matures.

Let the Children Sing

"Jesus Christ Is Risen Today" is probably the best Easter hymn for children. Even the youngest can join in on the Alleluias. (Challenge them to count the Alleluias for Easter fun.) Older children will pick up more of the short phrases of praise which precede the Alleluias every time they sing the song.

Children enjoy the contrasting feel of the verses and the chorus of the old gospel hymn "Up from the Grave He Arose." This hymn emphasizes the surprising nature of Easter.

Avoid hymns with lots of "resurrection" and "salvation" jargon.

The Liturgical Child

1. Children can sense Easter joy before they can explain it. So fill the sanctuary with flowers. Hang white and gold paraments. Play joyful music. Add instruments such as brass to draw special attention to the music.

2. Encourage the presence of children at sunrise services held outdoors in a garden or cemetery. Focus on telling the story, singing an Easter hymn, and praying brief prayers of praise and thanksgiving. Save sermonizing for indoor worship later in the day. The location and timing of a sunrise service adds new reality to the empty-tomb story and makes the day stand out as a very special day for our church.

If crowds at mid-morning worship services are a problem, a story-oriented sunrise service to which children are particularly invited can open seats in the later service and thus allow worship at that time to be more adult-oriented.

3. Invite worshipers to read Acts 10:37-43 as a creed in which they respond with Peter to what God has done in Jesus.

Sermon Resources

1. Like the rest of Holy Week, Easter for children is a time for storytelling and praising, rather than for critical thinking and sermonizing.

2. To focus the sermon on God's surprises, tell stories of God's surprises in the life of Jesus. Begin with God's decision to be born among us in a barn and to announce the birth to shepherds. Tell how Jesus befriended Zaccheus, a greedy tax collector. Tell about the time Jesus surprised people by proving that they had enough food for everyone in the crowd. Describe Peter's surprise and embarrassment when Jesus, his hero and God's leader, washed Peter's feet. Finally, tell of Jesus' death and the surprising way God announced his resurrection to women, rather than to important men. Create a rhetorical refrain, such as "God said, `Surprise, I love you" with which to conclude each story.

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: Easter Sunday 2013

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 11:14:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

Easter Sunday 2013

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26; John 20:1-18 (or Luke 24:1-12)

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1

L: Welcome today! Look where our Lenten journey has brought us!
P: We walked the seashore and the hills with Jesus; we went to the upper room and to the Garden of Sorrows, we stood at the cross and hid in a room out of our fear.
L: Now we are here, in the splendor and beauty of this place!
P: Everything is bursting with life. Jesus is alive! He is risen!
L: Hallelujah!
P: Hallelujah! AMEN

Call to Worship #2

L: The darkness is banished!
P: The brightness of God’s love floods in on us!
L: Christ is risen from the dead!
P: Christ is alive forevermore!
L: Hallelujah!
P: Hallelujah!
ALL: AMEN.

Call to Worship #3

[Using THE FAITH WE SING, P. 2258, “Sing Alleluia to the Lord”, offer the call to worship as directed.]
L: It happened! Jesus was absolutely right!
P: Christ is risen! It was as he said it would be!
Choir: (or small ensemble): sing verse 1 of “Sing Alleluia to the Lord”
L: Darkness is gone! Brightness reigns!
P: God’s love has poured over us, bringing us joy and hope!
Choir: (or small ensemble): sing verse 2 of “Sing Alleluia to the Lord”
L: We are free from fear and doubt!
P: We are free to celebrate and dance, and shout the Good News “Christ is Risen!”
Choir: (or small ensemble): sing verse 4 of “Sing Alleluia to the Lord”
ALL: AMEN!

Call to Worship #4

L: Run from fear and darkness! Hope is on the move!
P: Run to tell the world, Christ is risen!
L: Do not be afraid. Jesus has conquered death!
P: We can proclaim with great confidence that God’s love rules.
L: Christ is risen!
P: CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!
ALL: AMEN
________________________________________

PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer

Christ the Lord is Risen today! Alleluia! Our hopes and dreams have come true. We do not have to fear death, for Christ goes before us. Praise be to God who has raised Christ from the dead and given to us new life. Open our hearts to receive your wondrous words of love, O God. Help prepare us for the opportunities to serve you by serving others. In Christ’s Name, we pray. AMEN.

Prayer of Confession

We have to admit it, Lord, that we had our doubts. We have heard the Resurrection story and for so many years it has remained just a nice story. But this time it is different. This time we have walked the path with Christ. We have journeyed through the wilderness and valleys, to the mountaintops to the courtyard, the garden and the cross. Now you bring us to the empty tomb and to the joyous news of the truth of Christ. Forgive us when we so easily doubt the truth of his resurrection. Forgive us when we feel we have to have absolute proof of everything. Your love in Jesus Christ is all the proof we need. You conquered death and sin, you brought us to new life. We praise your holy name and sing our unending song of hope and thanksgiving. Christ the Lord is risen today. Alleluia. AMEN.

Words of Assurance

Come into the light of God’s love! Christ is risen! Death has been swallowed up in victory! Know beyond all doubt that God’s love is always with you, surrounding you, leading you, comforting you. Be at peace. AMEN.

Pastoral Prayer

How magnificent this place is today. The flowers that grace our worship area shout the good news of new life. Their colors and shapes dance with joy at the news of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And we also rise in hope and celebration at this good news. The journey has been long, and it does not end here, but rather we are given new “marching orders” to go forth in confidence for God, to witness to the good news of the resurrection and the power of God’s love in Jesus Christ. We are called to be bearers of the light and hope to areas in which darkness still stands. Keep us open to the needs and hearts of other people. Help us not to be so quick to condemn as we are to love. Help us to reach out in kindness and compassion whenever and wherever we can for healing and hope. Remind us again of the many ways in which you have and continue to bless our lives. For we ask these things in the name of the Resurrected Christ. AMEN.

Litany/Reading

L: Christ is risen!
P: We walked the valleys and saw the people crying in need. Jesus reached out to them. He did not criticize or diminish their needs. He touched their lives and they were never the same. The love that flowed through him to them was God’s healing love.
L: Christ is risen!
P: We sat at table in the Upper Room as Jesus told of his death and we wanted to discount his words. How could he die? We did not want to believe it. It was easier to proclaim with bravado our faith than to listen to his words.
L: Christ is risen!
P: We waited in the Garden of Sorrows while he prayed and watched in horror as he was betrayed with a kiss. We followed at a distance and denied, with Peter, ever knowing who he was. We were in the crowd that clamored for Barabbas’ release and turned our backs as Pilate washed his hands of the crime.
L: Christ is risen!
P: We followed him to the hill and cringed as they nailed him to the Cross. We heard his words of forgiveness and love from the cross and felt the ground tremble as the sky darkened and he gave up his life, into his father’s hands.
L: Christ is risen!
P: We ran from the empty tomb today, with the incredible news that He is Risen! He was not captured by death, but is risen from the dead, just as he said he would be. We come with the joy in our hearts to this day. As the flowers in our worship area burst with color, so we burst with the absolute joyous news CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA. AMEN.

Benediction

Go forth in joy! Let your voices ring with victory; for Christ is Risen! Happy Easter!
________________________________________

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

Note: I recommend putting a brief paragraph describing or explaining the symbolism used in your visual display in the worship bulletin.

The traditional color for this day is WHITE. Additionally you may add GOLD to enhance the setting.

Surface: Create several different levels on the main worship table as well as around and in front of the table. These will hold candles and plants.

Fabric: Cover all the surfaces with white cloth. I use about 6 yards of gold cloth streaming down from the center of the worship table, across the “risers” and puddling down on the floor.

Candles: I prefer to use a lot of pillar candles wherever possible, but use what is customarily appropriate for your space.

Flowers/Foliage: What can I say? Easter flowers in their bright array are a wondrous way to celebrate the Resurrection. Some churches prefer Easter Lilies only. Go with your own tradition.

Rocks/Wood: Generally I do not use rocks during this display.

Other: You may use butterflies, or other symbols of the resurrection. We are using a large painting of the resurrected Christ on our worship center, surrounding it with Easter plants and candles. Generally, go with the symbols that shout “Easter!” for you.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: Easter Sunday 2013

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:53:00 GMT

By Marcia McFee

Easter Sunday 2013

COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26; John 20:1-18 (or Luke 24:1-12)

THEME IDEAS

The scriptures point to the best news of the Christian year: through the resurrection of Christ, we too shall live! In light of this news, we are called to live fully and deeply, and we are called to proclaim our joy from the rooftops. This is a day of singing with passion, celebrating with fervor, and sharing God’s goodness with all people. In Acts 10, we are reminded that we are witnesses to God’s forgiveness and acceptance every time we eat and drink with the risen Christ. As his friends around the table, we are to testify as Jesus did, telling the good news of peace while doing good and offering life and healing in his name. Providing an opportunity in worship for people to share their own experiences of “resurrection” gives flesh to Mary’s words, “I have seen the Lord!”

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Psalm 118)

(After reading John 20:1-18, bells or chimes begin to peal.)
God is good!
All the time!
And all the time!
God is good!
Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good.
Let all the people proclaim,
“God’s steadfast love endures forever!”
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
The Lord is my strength, my song, and my salvation!
Shouts of joy resound in the tents of the righteous!
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
We will not die but live.
We will proclaim what the Lord has done.
We enter the gates of the Lord and give thanks,
for this is the day the Lord has made!
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Opening Prayer (Acts 10)

Holy and Living God,
like a tomb’s darkness that gives way to light,
open us this day to newness of life;
open us to your love, to your acceptance,
to your forgiveness, to your peace;
open us to one another,
and to the possibilities
you have in store for us.
Give us hope for the future
and a passion for life here and now.
We pray in the name
of the One who destroyed death,
Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer for Illumination

Risen One,
with Mary Magdalene,
help us recognize you this day
as we hear your word and feast together.
You are “Rabboni,” our Teacher, our Guide.
Come speak to us,
that we might be messengers of your love
and doers of your word. Amen.

Response to the Word

(People may be offered a time to proclaim resurrection experiences in their lives, either to the whole congregation or to someone near them. Alternately, consider writing professions of faith on paper flowers that people can attach to a “flowering cross.”)

Christ the Lord is risen today!
Christ is risen indeed!
(B. J. Beu)

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Offering Prayer (1 Corinthians 15)

Generous God,
we offer these gifts
as our testimony to your glory
and as our commitment
as your disciples.
Bless our gifts to your work in the world
and to your reign here on earth.
Through your blessing of our gifts,
may death be destroyed
and hope fill all of creation. Amen.

Invitation to Communion (Acts 10)

As we come to this table with the risen Jesus, we are witnesses to the resurrection! Let us forsake all that holds us back from this joy as we offer our confession.

Communion Prayer (Acts 10)

Jesus our Host,
we yearn for your Communion;
we yearn for the hope of new life;
we yearn to meet you here.
And yet, despite your invitation,
we find ourselves stumbling on our way.
Forgive us.
Hear now in silence
the confessions of your people.
(Silence)

Words of Assurance (Acts 10:43)

Hear the good news!
“All the prophets testify about him
that everyone who believes in him
receives forgiveness of sins through his name!”
In the name of the risen Christ, you are forgiven!
In the name of the risen Christ,
you are forgiven! Glory to God!
Amen.

Passing the Peace of Christ

As forgiven, freed, and risen people, testify to the joy of resurrection as you pass the peace of Christ.

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord is with you!
And also with you!
Lift up your voices to speak of this great love!
We lift them up in joyful acclamation!
It is right and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere, to give thanks to you,
Living God.
Time after time, you draw us here to inspire us,
feed us, and save us.
Especially when our love fails, you are here,
steadfast and true.
You created this world and called it good.
You created us to proclaim your good to all.
And so we raise our voices in praise:
(Sung Sanctus or a musical setting of Psalm 118)
We remember the life and ministry of Jesus:
how he healed the sick,
fed the hungry,
ate with sinners,
and preached forgiveness and peace.
It was at this table that he issued the invitation:
to gather together,
to share together,
to remember together,
and to go and do likewise in the world.
(Words of Institution)
And so, on this day of resurrection,
we raise our voices to proclaim this timeless truth:
Christ has died. Christ is risen!
Christ will come again!
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, your people,
and on these gifts of bread and cup.
Make us lovers and tellers of your word.
Make us healers and bestowers of your grace.
And make us one body in Jesus Christ.
All glory and honor is yours, Almighty God,
now and for all time!
Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction

We have seen the Lord this day!
Now go into the world to spread this good news.
God is good!
All the time!
And all the time!
God is good!
May you be blessed and may you be a blessing,
in the name of the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.
Amen.

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (John 20)

Open us, O God, like tombs
giving way to your light.
Open us, O God . . .
to your possibilities,
to your word,
to your surprises,
to your love,
to your grace,
to your risen presence.

Praise Sentences (Psalm 118)

God is good!
All the time!
And all the time!
God is good!
Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good.
God’s love endures forever.
Let all people shout it from the rooftops,
“God’s love endures forever!”
God’s love endures forever!

ARTICLE: Community Baccalaureate Service

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:30:00 GMT

By Katie Z. Dawson

One of the ways that local churches can be in ministry with their community is to be aware of the transitions that others are experiencing. One of those “endings” my local church had already been marking was the yearly graduation of our high school seniors. Not only is this a significant event for teenagers in our community, but also for their parents and grandparents and teachers.

In 1998, our community ministerial alliance began a baccalaureate service, held on an evening the week before students of our local high school graduated. While not a school-sponsored event, it was a chance for the churches in our community to celebrate our graduates and to give thanks for all they had learned.

It has been a joy to participate in this service during the five years I have been serving in Marengo, Iowa, and an honor to share a glimpse into how we have made this service work.

Preparation

About two months before graduation, the pastors and/or education ministers from each church gather together to begin preparations. Our first task is to determine a host church for the event—which rotates every year—and then to select a speaker. Our baccalaureate speakers have ranged from folks we brought in and paid a small honorarium, to recent graduates, to pastors from the churches in our community. This last option is the most affordable and also helps ensure that the person speaking is a key player in the planning process.

Invitation

The next step is to get a list of graduates and their addresses. We have found that the secretary at the high school can pass along the information we need. While the separation of church and state might be an issue in some places, our school was willing to work with us, knowing that attendance was not mandatory nor would it occur on school property.

One church (typically one who is not hosting the event) takes the responsibility for printing and mailing invitations to each senior and his or her family. For the class of 2012, our invitations read:

We are very excited that you are graduating this spring from Iowa Valley High School and we want to celebrate this important moment with you.

Each year, the Ministerial Alliance hosts a Baccalaureate Service. This big fancy word basically means that we are having a worship service in celebration of YOUR graduation and in thanksgiving for lives dedicated to learning.

This year, our service will be held on Wednesday, May 16^th at 7:00pm. It will be at the First United Methodist Church, 895 Court Ave. You and your entire family are invited to attend and be a part of the celebration as well as stay afterwards for refreshments.

As a graduating senior, you are invited to arrive no later than 6:45 pm. The senior class will meet in the Fellowship Hall at the church and will all enter the worship space together. This is your big day and we want to honor you in the process!

We hope to see you there!

Invitations are also sent to each faculty and administration member, as well as all of the members of our school board. Our high school secretary helped us distribute these invitations in the teacher mailboxes at school. Depending on the number of students your local school is graduating, the costs involved include stamps, envelopes, paper, and of course, time.

If your church is located in an area with many local high schools, you may need to publicize the event differently—through posters or flyers, or word-of-mouth via the high schoolers from each participating church.

Planning

The next task is to plan the actual worship service. Based on the direction and scripture our speaker chooses, our worship follows a fairly simple format:

A time of gathering and prelude music while family and friends are seated and the graduates gather.
Processional hymn/music and entrance of the graduating class
An opening prayer
Scriptures and special music
The baccalaureate message
Recognition of the class that is graduating and (if possible) the reading of their names
A prayer for the graduates
A closing hymn
A “charge” to the class and a benediction for all who have gathered
Postlude and transition to the reception

We try to include as many different churches as possible in the leadership of the service—from the reading of prayers and scripture to the offering of music. Our goal is to make the service meaningful and yet also be sensitive to those who are unchurched. The cooperation of many different styles of worshiping communities often helps us to find the right balance.

Hosting

Once the service is planned, the major responsibility falls to the host church. The week before the service, bulletins are printed and folded. On the day of the service, ushers are needed to direct guests to the sanctuary and hand out programs. Volunteers from the host church also donate desserts and staff a reception following the service. This past year, my congregation hosted the event and provided juice, coffee, and home-baked cookies for the reception.

Recognizing

A unique aspect of our community’s baccalaureate service is that we also present two awards following the recognition of the graduating class. One is a scholarship of $400 that goes to the graduating senior whose life best exemplifies Christ. The student is chosen based on nominations from the pastors in the ministerial alliance. The second award is a gift of $100 to the faculty, staff, or administration member whose life best exemplifies Christ. All are welcome to make nominations for this award and the recipient is chosen by the ministerial alliance. It has been a powerful way to recognize the witness of students in our community and to encourage and support teachers who share their faith in their whole lives. The funds for the two awards are donated throughout the year by the member churches of the ministerial alliance.

In five years, has anyone joined one of our churches because of baccalaureate? Probably not. Have they changed their faith commitment to Jesus because of baccalaureate? Maybe, but there are no great testimonies I have heard. What we have done is simply be present with members of our community during a significant moment in their lives. We have celebrated with them, given thanks to God for them, and have sent them on with blessings and encouragement. We are planting seeds and now each of the students who have passed through our doors knows that not only do we care about them, but God does too.

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: Palm/Passion Sunday 2013

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:50:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

In choosing whether to celebrate Palm or Passion Sunday, give special consideration to children. Often children are rushed from the palm processional to the Easter sunrise. Adults hesitate to explore with them the violent Passion events. Many congregations neither expect nor plan for children to participate in Holy Thursday or Good Friday worship. Consequently, because they have not shared in the pain of the betrayals and the crucifixion, children are unable to experience fully the Easter joy. Instead of protecting children from the darkness of the Passion, we diminish the joy of resurrection. So if children will not worship with the Passion story during the week, you would do well to celebrate Passion rather than Palm Sunday.

From a Child's Point of View

Gospel (Palm): Luke 19:28-40). Luke's account of the triumphal entry mentions neither children, palm branches, nor the word Hosanna. The differences in this account and the other Gospel accounts are instructive for careful Bible students. Unfortunately, traditional Palm Sunday hymns include what Luke does not mention, and most worshipers, whether young or old, will "hear" these things in Luke's account anyway. Since there is little for children to gain in recognizing these differences, it is probably best to celebrate the story of the "combined account" of the Gospels.

The key theme in both Luke's account and the "combined account" is that Jesus is King. Many recent theologians, especially feminists and those in the third world, rightly point to problems in this authoritarian picture of our relationship with Jesus. But children live in a world in which people constantly, and of necessity, tell them what to do and how to do it. A king or teacher or parent is needed for the present. In fairy tales and other children's literature, the king (or queen) is the one who has the right to give the orders, to tell everyone else what to do. This person, like a parent or teacher, is judged bad or good only by the way he or she chooses to use that power.

So the key point of this set of texts is that Jesus, who could have demanded his right to be served by his subjects because he was and is King, chose instead to die for the people he ruled. It is a powerful description of God's love, and a challenging description of how we should treat those we lead when we are the oldest in the group, the patrol leader, the team captain, the class president, and so on.

Gospel (Passion): Luke 22:14–23:56 or 23:1-49. Older elementary school children need basic facts about crucifixion. One fifth-grader, after a very detailed discussion of Roman whips and nails, observed, "The movie I see every year at Aunt Ruth's kind of jumps from Jesus carrying his cross up the hill to the tomb on Easter. I always figured that Jesus was so weak that carrying that cross up the hill had killed him. But he was quite a man to stand all that stuff, wasn't he?" So the gory details do make an important difference.

The betrayal by Judas, Peter's three denials, and the flight of the other disciples are personal injuries that all children can appreciate. The loyalty of friends, especially best friends like Peter, is highly valued. Most children have experienced painful betrayals by friends. Many have been embarrassed or hurt when a friend told a secret (as Judas told where to find Jesus). Most childrenhave known the disappointment when a friend broke a promise (like Peter's boast that he would stick by Jesus always). Although their experiences are minor compared to those Jesus experienced, the pain is similar enough to be meaningful to the children.

Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11. The language of this hymn is complicated for children to follow. But its central message speaks clearly to the childhood concern that "I not miss out on anything that is rightfully mine." Often this concern is presented as a demand for justice or fairness, but behind this demand is a drive to get "my share of the goodies." Therefore, the fact that Jesus refused to insist on what was rightfully his is significant. Without getting tangled in how Jesus preexisted with and in God, children can recognize that Jesus should have been treated royally and given the best of everything. Instead, he spent all his time taking care of others.

He healed people, even when it got him into trouble. He made friends with people others ignored or treated badly even when this embarrassed important people. He argued with leaders who claimed that God loved only people who did what the leaders told them to do; Jesus said that God loved everyone. Finally, when he had to choose between being killed and changing his loving ways, he chose to keep on loving. God then raised Jesus from death, made him more powerful, and gave him greater fame than any earthly king ever had.

There are two points in this passage for children. The most important is that Jesus loves each of us enough to give up what rightfully belongs to him in order to care for us. Second, we are called to follow Jesus' example and take care of others rather than worry about whether we are getting everything we deserve.

(Palm) Psalm 118:1-2, 9-29; (Passion)Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16. Each of these passages parallels Jesus' Holy Week experience. As each is read, children will catch words and phrases that remind them of either the triumphal entry or the crucifixion. The Gospel or Epistle readings will, however, be the focus of the children's attention.

Watch Words

The word of the day in hymns and prayers is Hosanna! It is a fun word to say and sing because it is a greeting meant only for Jesus.

Be sure the children know the difference between Jesus' Passion and the lusty feelings the word passion usually describes today. Remember that crucify and crucifixion are terms children will encounter only in church. Translate big words atonement means at-one-with, as in Jesus helped us be at one with God; salvation is being saved from all the trouble our sinful behavior causes.

Let the Children Sing

"All Glory, Laud, and Honor" or "Hosanna, Loud Hosanna" are Palm Sunday hymns that children can sing easily, either as a children's choir or in the congregation.

Sing "This Is the Day" (The United Methodist Hymnal) responsively between choir (or leader) and congregation as the Call to Worship.

If you focus on the kingship of Jesus, close with "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name." Thoughthe ideas in the verses are difficult, the repeated chorus, "Crown him Lord of all!" can be sung by even the youngest worshiper.

"O Sing a Song of Bethlehem" calls us to sing our way from Christmas to Easter in four verses, and thus is a good Passion Sunday hymn to help children connect the baby to the man.

The Liturgical Child

1. If your worship will include a processional with children carrying palms:

—Provide each child with a palm branch, rather than one strip of palm leaf. (Try to get a mental picture of a crowd waving those stringy palm leaves and laying them on the road for Jesus' donkey to walk on! Those people used full branches.) Most local florists can provide branches for a nominal fee.
—Include the minister(s), choir(s), and others in the processional so that it isn't a "cute children's thing." Remember that Luke says it was adults who thought of this parade and led the way.
—Instead of processing into the sanctuary at the beginning of worship, before the story can be told, hold the palm processional at the end of worship. By then worshipers will have heard the story and explored its meaning, and now can be challenged to go out into the world to proclaim Jesus as their King. Ushers (perhaps children) can give a palm branch to each worshiper—beginning with the minister(s) and choir(s), then the other worshipers as they leave their pews.
—Suggest that the palms be displayed in homes all Holy Week (perhaps on the dinner table or in a vase on the TV), as a reminder that Jesus is our King.

2. For Passion Sunday, devote the entire service to a "Walk Through Holy Week with Jesus." Alternate Scripture readings with hymns, or sing hymns followed by a prayer. Some of the hymns can be choir anthems:

Triumphal Entry Luke 19:28-40
Last Supper Luke 22:7-23
The Betrayal and Arrest Luke 22:47-53
Trials Luke 22:66 –23:25
Crucifixion and Burial Luke 23:32-46, 50-56

Summary: Philippians 2:5-11 (This may be the base for a very brief meditation.)

Sermon Resources

1. Prominently display two crowns: a golden crown (perhaps from the Christmas pageant props) and a crown of thorns. In the sermon, explore two kinds of kings. The first lives in a palace, is strong enough to scare off enemies, and make rules for the country. Paint a picture—not of an evil king, but of one who is authoritarian. Then describe the king that Jesus became by spending his life taking care of his people and finally dying for them.

2. After describing how we treat kings (we do whatever they say, we try to please them, we give them the best of everything, we bow or defer to them), explore who and what we tend to treat as "king of our life." Children often let a special adult, such as a teacher or professional sports figure/hero, become their king. In some neighborhoods, a child may become king of the block and totally run the show (this king may be an overtly evil gang leader or a benevolent natural leader to whom the other children always defer). The scriptural challenge is not to let anyone but Jesus be King in our lives. Jesus and his ways are to be more important than any other child or adult leader.

ARTICLE: Liturgical Gardens

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:56:00 GMT

By J. Wayne Pratt

Since the beginning of time, the garden has been central to the human search for spiritual fulfillment and the discovery of inner peace and tranquility. For many religious traditions, the garden has emerged as that sacred place of sanctuary where one may connect with one’s own soul and experience a Creator-God-Divine power though simple acts of prayer, meditation, or contemplation.

References to gardens as oases of comfort or as a symbol of paradise or heaven are found in much of the sacred literature of major religious traditions. Human beings continue to search for that idea of a lost paradise.

In many religious traditions, the garden is revered as a sacred place, ideal for establishing a greater connection with one’s spirit or inner being. It is truly in the garden that one is able to experience an increased sense of peace and comfort through the holy acts of prayer, dialogue, and relaxation. The tasks of prayer, meditation, and contemplation become easier and more manageable in a comfortable setting that provides a sense of connection, not only to one’s inner being but also, and more importantly, to a greater power, a creating and holy power.

The many and great gardens of the world, of literature and poetry, of painting and music, of religion and architecture, all make the point as clear as possible. The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden. If you don’t want paradise, you are not human; and if you are not human, you don’t have a soul.9

The church, or other significant religious institution, has traditionally served as the locus in the community around which a diverse mix of people has gathered in prayer and worship. The building itself has typically functioned as a place of sanctuary where one may seek solace and comfort, set apart from the distractions and intrusions of the world. Such roots are found in the way the medieval cathedral builders sought to depict or convey a sense of heaven on earth within the walls of these grand structures. It is, however, in a liturgical garden where a person’s spiritual, cultural, health, and emotional needs may be met in a simple, comfortable setting.

As such, the garden can, in a very unique and positive way, function as a bridge between various religious groups, traditions, and cultures. And it is in the garden that one begins to truly discover and experience something far greater than one’s self.

Liturgical gardens, as a component of the overall institution’s development scheme, can greatly aid in enhancing one’s spiritual journey and the overall healing process. Viewing nature and relaxing in a comfortable outdoor environment is believed to enhance the healing process. When a person allows the many stresses of life to become overwhelming, the body’s immune system makes one even more vulnerable to illness and infection. Striving for peace and contentment, especially by means of a garden setting, allows the body to return to near-peak performance levels, thereby maintaining a greater sense of health and wellness. Emotional, spiritual, and physical healing then becomes one of the key benefits of time spent in a garden engaged in prayer, meditation, or contemplation.

Gardens are indeed soothing to the soul and a source of refreshment to the body and mind. Garden-based experiences serve to facilitate contentment, peace, inner harmony, and tranquility. Human beings have long sought to create sacred spaces that are reminiscent of heaven or paradise: spaces that draw one closer to a Divine presence in nature and instill a greater sense of wonder and awe in the human species. Renowned landscape historian Derek Clifford describes this on-going human search:

These sensations have led men to worship the genius of place from which it emanated. To such spots, men return again and again, ostensibly to please the Spirit with offerings, but really in order to enjoy the sensation dwarfing yet ennobling, not unlike the homes of the great deities, but every small stream became, in time, the manifestation of a nymph and every tree a resident dryad. Where this spirit was alive in the garden was not only a sanctuary but also the temple for the gods. The two emotions, joy in relief from stress and hunger for spiritual awakening, are the remote sources for leisured man’s gardenmaking.10

Gardens certainly act as centering devices that allow for a cleansing of the mind, thereby facilitating a sense of not only emotional or physical healing but also a positive spirit of re-connection to a greater power, a holy and sacred divine power. A refreshed and rejuvenated spirit is gen- uinely beneficial for body and soul.

As one is re-connected, re-awakened, and re-energized by engaging in and experiencing a sacred and holy dialogue in a garden setting, the sense of wonder and awe and the sense of a more meaningful and satisfied life increase immeasurably.

We can experience a natural religion removed from human dogma, conflict, or argument. Benches become pews, trees become preachers, water becomes soulful baptisms, and choirs of flowers sing in great joy to the wind’s organ voice.11

The overall significance of gardens is common to many religious traditions, from the Garden of Eden in the Old Testament and Tanakh of the Jewish faith to the Koran’s representations of Paradise as a heavenly garden. Buddhists too have embraced the concept of creating gardens as places for spiritual meditation and contemplation. A liturgical garden, in a symbolic way, naturally functions as that common denominator or structure that bridges the many and diverse cultures and religion traditions present in the world.

Within the garden setting, especially a garden planned and formed as an integral component of a religious institution, it is possible to provide a positive venue for the conduct of liturgical rites and rituals. Gardens fashioned in such a unique and wonderfully calming environment provide a much-needed escape from the rigors of daily life.

In facilitating one’s connection to the divine in a liturgical garden setting, an enhanced sense of hospitality is also extended to the user. It is in this generous gift of welcome and acceptance that the individual may be encouraged to visit the church and become a part of the worshiping community, thereby offering an even greater connection to the divine power being sought. In essence, the liturgical or prayer garden may provide a new and unique gateway to a more active and dynamic religious experience.

Not only does the prayer/liturgical garden facilitate one’s spiritual journey but it also serves as a means of outreach, even if in somewhat of a covert manner. For some people, walking or even driving by may be the only contact they have with the religious building. What image people perceive of the grounds surrounding the building is certainly reflective of the quality of the interior. The garden, when well-planned and executed, becomes a rather dynamic invitation to participate in the life and liturgy of the worshiping community. The garden proudly and boldly speaks of invitation and hospitality; it is a powerful statement to the broader community that, in essence, says, “We are home, we are alive, we are active, and we welcome you!”

As our communities become more and more populated, as towns and suburbs are increasingly paved over with impervious cover, as more and more of the natural world is transformed into large-scale residential developments, strip malls and other commercial enterprises and other urbanized land uses, as nature is being ravaged on a daily basis, the need to create sacred natural spaces in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere becomes increasingly acute.

Liturgical gardens and other sacred, natural spaces serve as places of sanctuary to accommodate the rituals and practices of our personal and corporate spiritual disciplines. Gardens developed as a component of a religious facility’s campus may serve a variety of functions. Not only is the liturgical garden a place for soul work and meditation but it also has the potential to function as an outdoor teaching and worship area, small group meeting place, and a joyous vessel for fellowship activities. Simple or elaborate in design, the cost of development is money and/or time well-spent in terms of human enrichment, enhancement, and enchantment.

There is a need for churches to add prayer/liturgical gardens to their setting. The result will provide a place of sanctuary for worship, prayer and meditation, for the greater community. Although with slightly a different meaning, my friend Leonard Sweet has urged, “Let’s get the church out-of-doors!”

9. Thomas Moore, The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life (New York: HarperCollins, 1966), 102.

10. Derek Clifford, The History of Garden Design (New York: Praeger, 1967), 24.

11. Christopher Forrest McDowell and Tricia Clark McDowell, The Sanctuary Garden: Creating a Place of Refuge in Your Yard or Garden (New York: Simon & Schuster (A Fireside Book), 1998), 20.

ARTICLE: Children and Holy Week

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:43:00 GMT

By Margaret Ann Crain

Holy Week: the Christian story in a nutshell. God has transformed death and despair into life and hope. The triumphal mood of Palm Sunday is forgotten when Jesus explodes in anger at the temple money changers. The twelve gather for a supper laden with meaning for the future. The suspenseful dark night arrest leads to a fearful trial and crucifixion. Our grief at Jesus' death is transformed into joy at the empty tomb on Easter day. Adults who enter into the journey of Holy Week find their emotions swinging wildly from celebration to concern, to anxiety and suspense, to deep sorrow and pain, to discouragement and despair, to elation and new life. The story of the last week in Jesus' earthly life is full of drama.

Adults, deeply moved by this story, shy away from including children. Will they be frightened by the arrest and trial? Do we dare expose them to the blood and cruelty of the cross? Given their lack of understanding about death, should we subject them to something they do not understand?

We may be selling children short. Children do think about death and pain and loss. Little Hannah Clem, who died in the tornado-struck rubble of Goshen UMC in Alabama on Palm Sunday 1994 had often spoken to her parents, both United Methodist ministers, of spiritual things. She pictured heaven as like DisneyWorld, probably remembering its beauty and order and the joy of people visiting there.

Children think about death and pain and sorrow; we ought not to deny the death and pain and sorrow of Holy Week. Without the grief and suffering, the joy of Easter day is lessened. By inviting children into the whole story, we invite them into a more joyful Easter.

While children can understand something of arrest and betrayal and physical pain, like adults they may experience Holy Week best in connection with their own stories. Children can tell stories about friends who moved away or the death of pets. Listen to their stories.

God's transforming power may be represented by cocoons and butterflies, making it accessible to persons of all ages. Extinguishing the lights and stripping the altar on Holy Thursday and bringing life back with lilies and white paraments on Easter communicates to children as well as adults.

Look for God's gifts of new life and celebrate.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: Palm Sunday 2013

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:16:00 GMT

By Bryan Schneider-Thomas

Palm/Passion Sunday

COLOR: Purple
PALM SUNDAY READINGS: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Luke 19:28-40
PASSION SUNDAY READINGS: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 22:14–23:56 or Luke 23:1-49

THEME IDEAS

Palm/Passion Sunday offers the choice of focusing on the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem or on the entire passion story. In recent years, the trend has been to use the entire passion story. This often means that the story of the triumphal entry is ignored or underplayed. These liturgies will focus on the themes present in the triumphal entry, acknowledging the tension of celebrating this joyful
occasion with the knowledge of what comes next. This presents the opportunity to ask, What is so good about the passion of Christ? If you desire a liturgy that encompasses the entire passion story, you may wish to draw elements from Holy Thursday and Good Friday.

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Palm Sunday)

Honor.
Honor and praise.
Honor, praise, and glory.
Honor, praise, and glory are yours
Almighty God, now and forever.
In celebration, we join the crowds of old,
waving branches, giving honor to the Messiah.
Yet, our celebration is bittersweet,
for our story doesn’t end here.
We know the pain of what lies ahead.
Today anticipates the rest of the story—
a story of betrayal and death,
a story of hope and resurrection.

Opening Prayer (Psalm 118, Luke 19)

Save us Lord!
Hosanna!
Praise the Lord!
Alleluia!
To you who triumphed over death,
we sing our praise.
Your steadfast love endures forever.
As we face your death
and recall the week of your suffering,
may we do so with a joy
that anticipates the celebration
of your resurrection;
may we do so with the confidence
to turn to you
in both life and death. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Luke 19)

Lord Jesus,
we are a fickle people,
quick to turn away.
We are quick to flock to you when all is well,
but we are prone to scatter
when there is opposition or criticism.
Too often we have kept silent before you,
afraid to proclaim your praise.
It is easy to join the crowd
as you ride triumphantly into Jerusalem—
singing our joys and expectations,
dancing our hopes and dreams.
It is far more difficult to stand by you
as the crowd cries for your crucifixion.
Forgive our weakness
when we turn away.
Strengthen us for the journey ahead
as we relive your suffering and death,
that we might stay beside you to the end.
Give us the courage to shout our hosannas,
not only today, but each and every day. Amen.

Words of Assurance (Psalm 118)

The Lord is our strength and might.
Jesus is our salvation.
In Jesus our sins are forgiven.
In Jesus our cries are answered,
our salvation is at hand.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Passing the Peace of Christ (Psalm 118)

This is the day that the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
May the peace of Christ fill you this day.
Christ is the source of our joy and gladness.
Please share a joyful sign of Christ’s peace
with those near you.

Response to the Word (Psalm 118, Luke 19)

Blessed is the one who comes in the name
of the Lord.
Jesus Christ, Son of God, Word made flesh.
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!
Open your eyes to see the kingdom
God is creating in our midst.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Invitation to the Offering (Luke 19)

Join in the chorus! Give honor to Jesus Christ and bring your offering of praise to him. Rejoice in the coming of our Lord. Lay your treasures at his feet.

Offering Prayer

What can we offer
that you have not already offered us?
What can we do
that you have not already done for us?
Lord Jesus Christ,
in your gifts to us,
you have provided us the way
to live and serve you.
In both your triumph and your suffering,
you deserve our praise.
Through the gifts we now offer,
we express our longing to serve
and to follow wherever you go. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (Palm Sunday)

Passing from joy into sorrow and on to elation,
we come to Christ this holy week.
Today is only a part of the story.
Jesus’ triumph leads to his death,
his death to his resurrection.
May the journey of this week lead you
into the fullness of Christ’s love.

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (Psalm 118)

Shout out! Don’t keep silent.
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let the children say:
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let the elderly say:
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let the women say:
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let the men say:
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let all who believe say:
God’s steadfast love endures forever!

Praise Sentences (Psalm 118, Luke 19)

Blessed is the one who comes
in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the one who comes
for us all!
Peace in heaven.
Peace on earth.
And glory in the highest heaven!
Glory always to Jesus!
Blessed is the one who comes
in the name of the Lord!

ARTICLE: Sermon: Who Are We Looking For?

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:57:00 GMT

By Travis Franklin

John 20:1-18

That first Easter experience is somewhat lackluster, especially in the lives of those first responders. The story involves three persons who were followers of Jesus. Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the beloved disciple are the first to the tomb that morning. John doesn’t tell us why Mary comes. Maybe she is there to grieve. Maybe she comes to remember and give thanks for the life of this savior who had changed her life forever. Maybe Mary comes because she needs some time alone to think and to sort out what the past few days’ events mean to her. John doesn’t tell us.

As Mary arrives she sees that the stone is rolled back from the entrance of the tomb. Immediately she leaves without further investigation. Mary tells Peter and the beloved disciple. Once they know they too run to the tomb, with the beloved disciple getting there first. Peter looks in and sees the place where Jesus had been, and nothing is there. The beloved disciple looks at the same scene, and the Scripture tells us he believes. Then, they go home.

Mary now encouraged by the boldness of the other two wants to take a look for herself. She too sees the place, only now there are two angels, one sitting at the foot of where Jesus had been and the other at the head. “Who are you looking for?” asks one of the angels. Mary begs him to tell her where they have taken Jesus’ body. As she turns around she sees Jesus but does not recognize him. She supposes he is the gardener and asks him if he knows where they have taken the body. If he will but tell her she will go and get the body. Jesus then calls her by name, and immediately she recognizes him. Jesus then instructs her not to touch him and to go and tell his followers, which she does.

What a strange and mysterious story. The greatest event in human history is dramatically unfolding, and the first three eye-witnesses have very strange and mixed responses at best. Mary reduces it to grave robbing, the beloved disciple sees and believes, Peter sees and nothing. After witnessing the empty tomb, Peter and John just go home. Where is all the hype, the celebration, the reality of the fact that what Jesus predicted happened— no party, no ticker tape parade, no news coverage, nothing. Isn’t this just like God? It seems God has God’s way of working in human history. This story sounds very familiar. Just several years earlier in the evening, the Son of God was born into the world in a stable. A few folks showed up but, in light of the magnitude of the event, not much response from the world really. Again God does what God does in the time and way God deems necessary.

Maybe the message in this Easter season is for us to allow God to be who God is, to do what God does, and in the time God deems necessary in our lives. Maybe that is the real power of this story. God acting in history to change the shape and movement of the world, and people just responding in such different ways trying to grasp all that God is doing. The older I get the more comfortable I become with allowing God to be God. I say now—more than I ever would admit when I was younger— that I just don’t know. I am coming to realize that maybe knowing isn’t what this faith business is all about in the first place.

Maybe what this is really about is what God is doing and the power of my just trusting it and giving it the freedom to do what it needs to do in my life and to lead where it needs to lead.

My family and I went white water rafting a few years ago in the Taos Box in New Mexico. Before we climbed in the boat, the guide gave us some instructions about what to do if we found ourselves in the water. He told us to keep our feet up, trust the buoyancy of the life vest, and to enjoy the ride. The movement of God in the world seems to be like that. God is moving and working at God’s pace, in God’s time, and in God’s direction. Maybe our response needs to be to keep our heads up, trust what God is doing, and just enjoy the ride!

John saw and believed. Peter looked in and nothing. Mary recognized Jesus only after he spoke her name. God loves no matter what our response is. That is the good news of this story. God brings resurrection because of who God is. The reality of the empty tomb reminds us God is at work in the world doing what only God can do. In all humility, without much fanfare, and certainly not dependent on the response of people, God goes about God’s business; our lives and the life of the world will never be the same again.

Mary came looking for the Jesus who had died. Peter and John came looking in response to news of a possible grave robbing of Jesus’ body. Why have we, you and I, come today? As we enter this sacred space, who is it we came looking for?

ARTICLE: Peter the Denier

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:55:00 GMT

By Robert Martin Walker

The room was dark, giving it a gloomy feeling. We were gathered for a meal on the eve of Passover. Because the Lord was quietly pensive, we ate in silence. During supper, he stood, removed his robe and tied a towel around his waist like a servant. He poured water into a clay basin and began to wash the feet of each of us, drying them with the towel. “This is slave’s work,” I thought. I couldn’t imagine the Lord, the One we believed to be the Messiah, doing the work of a common slave.

When he knelt at my feet, I asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet, too?”

He said, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

I said firmly, “You will never wash my feet.”

The Lord’s tone matched mine: “Unless I wash you, you will have no future with me.”

“Then wash not only my feet, but my whole body,” I said.

After washing my feet, the Lord said, “Not all of you are clean.” I was perplexed by this.

He continued teaching, as he often did after performing a sign, “If I, your Lord and Master, wash your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. I have done this as an example for you.”

At the time I thought, “How strange to tell us to wash one another’s feet.” Later I realized that he was not talking about foot washing, but about love. We were to follow his example and lovingly serve one another. As with everything the Lord did, foot washing pointed to a deeper truth.

After the foot washing we gathered around the table for supper. The Lord’s face darkened with an expression I had never seen. He looked deeply distressed, as if in pain.

“I tell you truly, one of you will betray me,” he said. I glanced at Andrew whose expression was a mixture of horror and sadness. “Who could he mean?” I thought. I turned to John, who was sitting next to Jesus, and whispered, “Ask him who he means.”

John asked and the Lord said, “The one to whom I’m giving this piece of bread dipped in the dish.” He handed the bread to Judas and said, “Do quickly what you must.”

We thought Judas was simply leaving to buy more food. He was the treasurer and often left a meal early to buy food for the next day.

With Judas gone in the darkness of night, the Lord continued teaching, “Children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, but where I am going, you cannot come.”

Immediately I asked, “Lord, where are you going?”

He said, “You cannot follow me now where I am going, but you will follow afterward.”

I was confused and afraid as I said, “Lord why can’t I follow you now? I would lay down my life for you.”

Shaking his head slowly from side to side, he answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? In truth, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.”

The mystery of where Judas went was soon solved. After supper, we went with the Lord across the Kidron valley to a garden where he liked to pray. While we were praying, Judas emerged from the shadows leading a group made up of Roman soldiers, chief priests’ guards, and some Pharisees.

The Lord turned and asked, “Whom are you looking for?”

They replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

When the Lord said, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. He asked them a second time whom were they seeking. Their answer was the same. “You have found me. Now, let these men go,” he said.

I couldn’t allow the Lord to be arrested without a fight. I drew a sword from under my cloak and slashed at the man who was about to seize the Lord, cutting off his ear. The Lord rebuked me saying, “Put your sword away. Would you prevent me from drinking the cup the Father has given me?” Stung by these words, I stood frozen in place while they bound him. John violently jerked my arm and we ran for our lives.

We fled in terror and confusion, having no idea where the others went. When we realized the soldiers hadn’t pursued us, we retraced our steps and followed the Lord and his arresters. They took him into Jerusalem to Annas, who shared the office of high priest with his father-in-law, Caiaphas.

John was admitted into the courtyard, since he was known to Annas. I remained outside the gate, crouching in the shadows, afraid of being recognized as a follower of Jesus. A short time later John came out and called, “Peter, where are you?” I emerged from hiding and followed.

As we passed a woman standing by the gate, she said, “Aren’t you also one of Jesus’ disciples?” I disagreed firmly saying, “I am not.”

I disappeared into the crowd gathered in the courtyard, joining those huddled around a large fire in the cold dawn. I listened for news of what was happening to the Lord. Someone said that Annas was questioning him.

While warming myself by the fire, one of the temple police who had been at the arrest looked at me intently. I turned my face away. He said, “Aren’t you also one of his disciples?” I answered, “I am not.”

As I worked my way to the edge of the crowd, one of the slaves of the high priest who was also at the Lord’s arrest said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?” I denied it vehemently by saying, “I was never there.” No sooner had the words escaped, a cock crowed.

What have I done? I thought. How could I deny my Lord? How could the words of betrayal have been spoken by my lips? I didn’t believe I was capable of such a cowardly act. But, in the end, I denied him.

I was devastated by the cowardice of my denials. I, who had sworn allegiance to the death, had crumbled in fear. The “rock” had been crushed; terror had triumphed over loyalty.

The Lord was crucified that same day. I didn’t watch . . . I couldn’t watch. I was no longer Peter the Rock. In shame, I confessed my new name: Peter the Denier.

ARTICLE: An Intergenerational Lenten Fair

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 20:58:00 GMT

By Nancy Gammill

"How will we ever have it ready on time?" was a lament I heard over and over again that last week. But once again plans were completed and by Sunday butterflies fluttered from trees and smells of popcorn, pancakes, and hot cross buns rose from the kitchen. A table depicting the last meal Jesus ate with his disciples was placed in a corner of the room. And all was ready for the first visitor for our Lenten Fair.

The fair began as an idea generated in a meeting. Our need for more intergenerational programs and to learn more about Lent motivated us to plan a special event during Lent. We wanted to plan a program in which people could participate instead of just observe. After some discussion about different . possibilities, we decided to begin making plans for our first Lenten Fair.

Getting Started

We began by sending personal invitations to people in the church (or you can use an online evite system). We invited each group to develop a specific learning center for the fair. We suggested some ideas for developing activities around Lenten symbols, but people added other ideas as their imaginations were sparked. The only restriction was that the center be re.lated to the Lenten season.

We attribute the success of the fair to the involvement of so many persons-planning, set ting up, and participating. We used a variety of ways to make the five senses come alive. Through these activities we learned new information about Lent, and we experienced the joy of learning with others.

Being Creative

I have helped to plan Lenten fairs in three churches of different sizes. And in each church the idea of a Lenten Fair was first looked at skeptically. But then as people got excited about the possibilities, nothing could stop them. The learning about the Lenten season that took place, both by those who prepared for the fair and those who participated, was tremendous. In all three churches, persons of all ages participated and gained a deeper understanding of the Lenten season.

We included these foods and crafts in our Lenten fairs; what ideas can you add? Here are some ideas and activities that we used for learning centers:

Plant "New Life Seeds." Planting seeds in the ground remind us of the burial of Christ in the tomb. And the flowers remind us of new birth. Ask people to plant a seed and take it home as a reminder of new beginnings.
Make crosses of nails. The cross is a symbol of the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus for each one of us. But it is also a symbol of the suffering which was turned into joy. Tie two square nails together in the shape of a cross. Children can use purple yarn to hold the nails together with the rest of the yarn serving as a chain to be worn around the neck.
Decorate eggs. The egg is an ancient symbol of fertility and new birth. As Christians we see the egg as a symbol of the Resurrection. As you roll the eggs tell the children that this is symbolic of the rolling away of the stone on Easter morning. Decorate the eggs in the traditional ways with dye, or try painting or coloring them with crayons.
Make hot cross buns and pretzels. A special cross made from white icing decorates the buns. Pretzels, first developed in Germany to be eaten on fast days, are made of flour, salt, and water. Pretzels are shaped in the form of arms folded in prayer.
Watch popcorn change. A tiny, hard kernel of corn suddenly bursts forth when heat is added. This tiny kernel is an appropriate symbol for this season when the warmth of the sun and the love of God cause all of nature and our own lives to burst forth in new life!
Make pancakes. To get ready to abstain from eating meat and dairy products during Lent, Christians in the Middle Ages baked pancakes using butter and milk. And then they celebrated on the evening before Ash Wednesday. This is the meaning of "Fastnacht," eve of the fast. In French, the word is Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. This day is also known as "Shrove Tuesday" from the word shriving or confessing of sins.
Create tissue paper butterflies. The butterfly is a symbol of new life and freedom. Children enjoy crushing together two square pieces of colored tissue paper to make butterfly wings. Colored pipe stem cleaners around the middle become the antennas and feelers. Place butterflies in a "tree" or let the children wear them as a decorative pin. You can also use wooden clothes pins for the butterfly body.
Set a table with the Seder Meal. The Seder or Passover meal commemorates the liberation of the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt. It is an important observance in the Jewish faith and in our own Christian heritage. Our Communion meal comes from the last Passover meal Jesus shared with his disciples. Foods used to symbolize the more complete Seder meal include a roasted shank bone of lamb, a roasted egg, horseradish, charoset (a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon, and wine), parsley, salt water, matzoth or unleavened bread, four cups of wine, and the Cup of Elijah, a tall goblet placed in the center of the table. Research the meanings of each of the foods used for the meal and the ritual that accompanies the meal. Set the table and include index cards near each food with short descriptions of what it represents.
Tell the story of Lent. Using construction paper cut symbols for Lent out and let the children tell what each symbol represents. You may also want to include time to read the scriptures from a children's Bible. You will this information is new to many adults too!

Look for other symbols that represent the Lenten season. Other Lenten symbols include the dogwood tree, the palm leaf, a crown of thorns, a rooster, dice, money bags and silver coins. Explore the meanings of these symbols and find other ideas to include in your own Lenten Fair.

ARTICLE: Praying Through Lent and Easter Toward Pentecost

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 20:35:00 GMT

By Ron Anderson

Does Lent often seem to you like a time to be "gotten through" as quickly as possible as we move toward Easter? Seen this way, Easter becomes the end of a journey or ordeal we have had to suffer through.

What would happen if we treated Easter as both an ending and a beginning, a midpoint around which we truly shape our Christian lives? What if we begin to understand Lent as the ending of one life and the time immediately following Easter as the beginning of a new life?

Winter seems to sharpen our senses in anticipation of spring. So, too, Lent may sharpen our spiritual senses to see, hear, touch, smell, and taste the resurrection and the new life that begins at Easter.

This is the vision I encourage you to use this year. This vision is based on a centuries-old tradition of the church which sees Lent as a special time of intensive spiritual preparation that climaxes a longer period of preparation (some say three years) for baptism. In this tradition baptism occurs at Easter, marking the formal end of a non-Christian life, even as it marks the beginning of a new life centered in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Easter, then, serves as the "hinge" on which our Christian lives turn. It is both the end and the beginning, our death and our anticipated resurrection. We hear the words of the apostle Paul: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4).

The following suggestions are intended to help you find the ending and beginning, to help you sharpen your spiritual senses in readiness for new life, to help you pray your way both toward Easter and toward Pentecost.

These suggestions will help you engage scriptures briefly each day, patiently living with each text throughout an entire week.

The process is very simple:

1. Read the text for each week in your own Bible at least once each day of the week. (Note: Begin where you can and don't worry about being behind in the readings.) Try to memorize the text or at least an outline of its contents.

2. Also pray the prayer accompanying the text each day or use it as a guide for your own prayer time.

3. Begin using the text on Sunday of each week. It is, after all, the first day of the week.

4. At the end of each day, or at least at the end of the week, take a few moments to collect your thoughts about the text and prayer. Write a few notes in a journal, create a drawing or talk to a friend. Find some way of summarizing your thoughts and reminding yourself of the important ideas.

5. After Pentecost, take a few extra moments to review your notes. Think about what you have learned, how you have been challenged or comforted, and how you have found new endings and beginnings in your own Christian life.

Repent, the Kingdom Is at Hand!

Read Mark 1:9-15.

0 God, not only for myself but for the church and the world help me this day to turn away from those powers of wickedness and evil that keep me from you, that I may more fully turn toward you in all that I do. Amen.

Take Up the Cross

Read Mark 8:31-38

0 God, not only for myself but for the church and the world help me this day to confess Jesus Christ as my Savior, to trust wholly in the promise of your grace, and with the whole church and all of creation to serve you in all that I do. Amen.

Cleanse the Temple

Read John 2:13-22

0 God, not only for myself but for the church and the world help me this day to accept the freedom and power you have given me to resist the powers of evil, injustice, and oppression whenever and wherever they present themselves. Amen.

God So Loves the World

Read John 3:14-21;

0 God, not only for myself but for the church and the world help me this day to nurture all who have been given into my care, that by my words and deeds I may guide them to accept your grace, to claim their faith, and to live in their words and deeds a Christian life. Amen.

Dying an Living

Read John 12:20-33

0 God, not only for myself but for the church and the world by your grace help me this day to be a faithful member of Christ's holy church, that I may faithfully serve you as Christ's representative in the world. Amen.

Crucified!

Read Mark 15:1-47

0 God, here I can only confess that I do believe in Jesus Christ, your only Son, my Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; who descended to the dead; who on the third day rose again and ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father and will come again to judge the living and the dead. Amen.

Christ In Risen!

Read John 20:1-18

0 God, in his death Christ destroyed my death. In his resurrection Christ restores my life. I wait for that time when Christ will come again in glory, that even as I am clothed in the glory of baptism, I may come into the glory of your kingdom. Here and now, 0 God, I am your child. Amen.

Peace Be With You

Read John 20:19-31

Mighty and powerful God, in Jesus you have destroyed all that binds us and would keep us from life. Empower us now with such faith and trust, that in the face of suffering and death we too may triumph as Christ has triumphed for the sake of your church and all of creation. Amen.

You Are Witnesses

Read Luke 24:36-38

God of love and life, high on the cross you took the suffering of the world upon yourself. Low in the grave you defeated the powers of death. Raised in power and glory, you restored us to glory. Now in these fifty days of Easter we are witnesses to all that you have done for us. All honor and glory is yours now and forever. Amen.

I Am the Good Shepherd

Read John 10:11-18

Almighty God, you sent Jesus to shepherd your flock, to seek out the lost, and to keep all in safety. Help us to follow where Christ would lead us, neither wandering from the path nor fearing the journey, until that day when we come to our rest in the safety of your eternal fold. Amen.

I Am the True Vine

Read John 15:1-8

Lord and God of all creation, guide us throughout our lives by your grace and your love. Nurture us by your holy word; cleanse us by your holy fire. Prune us where we are no longer bearing fruit; be patient with us when we are slow to blossom. In all things help us to worship you in word and deed that we may come at last to eternal life with Christ our Lord. Amen.

Abide In My Love

Read John 15:9-17

0 God, by the power and grace of your Holy Spirit you have filled us with a love that is complete only in you. Grant us the strength and joy which are yours to give, that we may love as you love and befriend even those whom only you have befriended, for the sake of the one who calls us friend, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Jesus Prays for Us

Read John 17:6-19

O God, even as Jesus prayed for his disciples and sent them into the world to preach good news, so now you guide us and send us into a world still longing for your good news. By your Spirit empower us, by Word and bread sustain us, by your love bind us together that we may be with Christ in faith, love, and service. Amen

The Spirit Bears Witness

Read John 15:26-27; 16:4b-l5

God of truth, God of comfort, God of hope, as you have promised, you have sent to us the care and power of your Holy Spirit. For all your gifts great and small we give you thanks. Now, not only for ourselves but for the church and the world accept our gifts of life and love. Accept our words and deeds, our praise and worship, as we tell of your love throughout all the earth. To you, 0 God, through Jesus Christ and in the unity of the Holy Spirit, be blessing and honor and glory forever. Amen.

ARTICLE: Ignite Holy Week with Creative Stations of the Cross

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:45:00 GMT

By Mary Beth Franklyn

Our worship team was discussing the Holy Week noon day services, a longstanding practice for Holy Week. The group debated whether to continue the services, because while they were meaningful and implemented favorably, they were still not well attended. As the new one in the group, I reminded the team that most of the congregation worked during weekdays, and getting to and from their worksite with traffic and parking at our urban church was not practical. But the team was relentless in their discussion, making it clear that the church should be offering a discipline for Holy Week, and they wanted it to extend beyond Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services.

With a nudge from Henri Nouwen (Walk with Jesus, Stations of the Cross with illustrations by Sister Helen David), I suggested that whether or not the noon services continued, we create a unique, creative, collaborative Stations of the Cross experience people could walk through at any time throughout Holy Week.

The team was interested, but not quite sure about implementation, so I decided to create a “mock station” to show the senior minister and worship coordinator. I chose Station 8, Simon carries the cross.

The year was 2006, and the previous Labor Day weekend, we had all viewed on TV the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast. UMC churches had responded to the call for flood buckets and donations to UMCOR, and churches sent mission teams to assist with clean up efforts. As I thought about the flood, and Simon, the efforts of those deployed to search and rescue reminded me of this stranger being pulled in to share Christ’s load. I created a poster of images of rescue efforts from Katrina, including a reference to our churchwide response. I then remembered a wooden carving of a figure carrying a cross I had purchased from a fair trade store, and grabbed that and a bit of burlap I thought might be helpful in set-up. Then, using the Upper Room devotion as the model, I created a reflection with scripture, narrative, and prayer.

I set up the station one of the wide window sills that surround our sanctuary. Our minister resonated quickly with the suggestion I was making, and with the creativity of our worship coordinator, we were able to see a way for all of the 14 stations to be displayed in the sanctuary, beginning in the narthex and moving all around the nave on the windowsills as well as other natural places for some small tables.

We asked small groups within the church, Sunday school classes, and teams to take on the creation of a station. By sending a picture of my sample station, and the devotional, groups were able to see the end result of what we were requesting. We then suggested that they read and discuss the station in their small group, and see what emerged from discussion. As they did, two or three in the group would find a way to illustrate the insight of the group, and another volunteer crafted their meditation.

We chose to set up the stations so they would be in the sanctuary on Palm Sunday, and available to our congregation and visitors during the week, including after the noon Good Friday service. They were then dismantled before Holy Saturday so that preparations for Easter Sunday could be made.

Going on a pilgrimage is an old Christian tradition, and early Christians went to the holy places in Jerusalem; over the years this path was known as the “Via Dolorosa,” the “Sorrowful Way.” The Franciscans took this practice from Jerusalem to the churches of Italy, erecting stations in churches and other sites. The practice spread throughout Europe and then the world. Walking and praying the Stations of the Cross is an ancient way of participating in Jesus suffering in the last days before his death. The concept of pilgrimage is re-ignited with creative visuals that interpret the historical events of the suffering of Christ in terms of their significance for our present-day walk of faith.

And, as pilgrimage does, transformation is brought about in unexpected ways. Our church has continued this pilgrimage each year as a Lenten and Holy Week tradition.

Tips for Organizing a Stations of the Cross Experience

Decide where you will set up your stations; Make sure you have appropriate accommodations to allow for times when persons can walk the stations.
Call for volunteers to create stations, letting them know the goal of reflecting on both the traditional images and the scripture to artistically create a display the station, often drawing on contemporary themes to illustrate the journey to the Cross.
Encourage the creation of a station by individuals or groups, emphasizing that the development of a station is a spiritual exercise. It includes reading and praying the scripture, meditating on the event of the station, creating symbol to represent the station, and writing a devotion and prayer to support the display.
A call for persons or groups to create stations should be made with the start of the Lenten season, and the creation is a Lenten exercise or commitment.
Provide examples of stations, and offer technical assistance to those volunteering. Ask a creative member of the worship team, or altar guild, or other creative church member to be a Stations support person to lead the development process.
An assignment guide can support the organizational process. (See attached chart from the United Methodist Book of Worship below.) Make sure everyone is clear their assigned station, and where it will be set up.
A sample devotion can show groups the approximate length and scripture-narrative-prayer outline. (See sample devotion attached below.)
Provide a deadline for the devotional.
Provide a time for displays to be set up and have the Stations Support person there to assist.
Create a sign for each station, giving the number and name and a key scripture. For example, “Station 1: Jesus Prays Alone: Luke 22:39-44.”
You can print all of the devotionals in a booklet to make available, but know that these will disappear during the week and may need to be replenished. Another method is to provide the devotional at the station, and laminating the devotion greatly diminishes someone walking away with it, so it remains at the station for use by all.
You may want to have volunteers available during the time the Stations are available for walking, to greet persons and welcome visitors.
Publicize the opening of the Stations on Palm Sunday. Encourage walking the stations for Holy Week; an announcement on that Sunday morning is encouraged.
Publicize to the community through local announcements and posters.
Give clear times the church is open for viewing the stations.
Encourage spiritual formation groups to offer group times for walking the stations.
Encourage persons who attend Maundy Thursday and Good Friday to take time to walk the stations.
It is helpful to have a way for individuals to have a concrete way of responding to Station 13, Jesus dies on the cross. Examples include placing a pebble at the bottom of the cross as a reminder that we can leave our pain and struggles at the cross, and rest in God.
Some stations that have been effective include:

Creation of a garden with live plants or landscape maps for Station 1, Jesus prays alone.
An illustration of a wrongful arrest, such as Rosa Parks, for Station 2, Jesus is arrested.
A photo of a “blind children crossing” sign, referring to the blindness of the Sanhedrin Jesus appears before at Station 3.
Character hats that cause persons to be judged or recognized for Station 6, Jesus wears the Crown.

ARTICLE: Quick Links for Lent with Children

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:44:00 GMT

By Ministry Matters

For children's ministries and parents below are some quick links to Lent and Easter resources to help you in planning. Check back more will be added:

Pretzel Sunday written by Robert W. Sapp
Lent for Kids: Focusing on God's Time written by Jenni Duncan
What is Lent? Preparing for Easter is a little booklet that you can use in your children's ministries or individually with your child to teach them about Lent. The link includes a download for teaching helps.
An Intergenerational Lenten Fair written by Nancy Gammill, set this fair up using different stations. Your adults will learn about Lent alongside the children!
The Way: Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus is a six session study including a bonus session written for children. This Children's Leader Guide is designed to be used as part of a churchwide program based on Adam Hamilton's book by the same title.
Come, Taste the Bread: A Storybook About the Lord's Supper retells the biblical story from the Gospel of Luke a good resource to talk with children ages 4-8 about Communion.
Grow, Proclaim, Serve! churches will recognize the This Is Good News! the book is based on the Gospel of Matthew and includes activities and stickers (for ages 4-10). If you have younger children, see Happy Easter Day written for ages 18 months—2 years.
The Easter Garden: A Lenten Experience for Children is a 7 session or one-day event for large-group/small-group settings. Includes a worship experience.
How Do I Explain Easter to My Child? written by Carolyn Brown
Dealing With Children's Hard Questions written by Ellen Shepard

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: March 17, 2013

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:57:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

Old Testament: Isaiah 43:16-21. Knowing the historical context of the passage is essential to understanding Isaiah's message. Isaiah was speaking to people who were being carried into exile, to assure them that God would not forget them, that this was part of God's plan, and that a wonderful new deed was going to happen. To fully understand Isaiah's messag, listeners must know both the Exodus story and the Exile story. This means that few children will grasp what is going on by simply listening to the reading.

However, if the situation is presented as a leader speaking to people who are being carried away from their homes by a conquering army, the child can understand Isaiah's message of hope. Two dimensions of this message speak particularly to children.

First, children can explore the fact that God is working even in unhappy, awful events. The people suffered as slaves in Egypt before they could go into the Promised Land. The Jews had to go into exile before they could rebuild. Jesus had to die on the cross before there could be a resurrection. This reality is good preparation for walking through the dark events of Holy Week.

Second, children can be alerted to look for signs of God at work around them. If God can be at work among people being led away to exile, certainly God can be at work in classrooms, on playgrounds, and in families.

Psalm: 126. All the references to the return from exile and the foreign wilderness images make this psalm hard for children to understand. If the psalm is presented using the reading plan in "The Liturgical Child," some of the older children will catch the flow of the poem—from "God, you rescued us in the past!" to "God, we need your rescue again," to "We know you can do it, God." Otherwise, this is a psalm for older Bible students.

Gospel: John 12:1-8. Most children like both giving and receiving gifts. They will work for hours crafting a birthday or Christmas gift for a special friend or loved relative, so naturally they are sensitive about how their gifts are received. This is the story of an exquisite gift of love given by Mary to Jesus, who accepted it and protected her and her gift from Judas' mockery. To children, it says that God accepts and values their gifts, just as Jesus accepted and valued Mary's gift.

Although pouring expensive perfume on a person's feet sounds strange to us today, children can follow the story with little explanation. It will, however, help the younger ones if, before the reading, they hear that this Mary was not Jesus' mother but a good friend who also was named Mary.

Epistle: Philippians 3:4 b-14. This is difficult reading even for adults. Few children will be able to follow Paul's complex sentences and thoughts. Plan to present Paul's message in the sermon. Themes to develop for the children include the following:

1. Paul knew what was important and what was not. Read verses 4-7 for Paul's list of "garbage." For Paul, being Jesus' disciple was the most important thing. He spent his whole life living as Jesus lived—telling others about God, even when that got him into trouble.

2. Paul did not become a missionary evangelist to earn God's love or to impress God. Instead, Paul traveled and started churches as a gift to God. Just as Mary gave her gift of nard to Jesus because she loved him, Paul showed his love for God by preaching and starting churches.

Watch Words

The vocabulary in today's readings and themes is fairly simple. Be careful in selecting "exile" and "refugee" vocabulary. Exile, especially, may be a new term for the children. Help them decode all the poetic images in Isaiah and Psalm 126. Beware of the temptation to speak about Paul's message in big theological terms such as sanctification. If you must use these terms, take care to explain them in everyday-living terms.

Let the Children Sing

To sing about giving God our gifts, choose "Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated." (Before singing, define consecrated as "a way of saying that we are giving ourselves to God.")

If spring is beginning, sing a hymn of praise to the God of creation—"I Sing the Almighty Power of God" or "All Things Bright and Beautiful."

"Tell Me the Stories of Jesus" is a familiar hymn that is good for the Fifth Sunday in Lent.

The Liturgical Child

1. Present Psalm 126 in three sections, with each being read by a different reader or group within the congregation. Identify the sections by the titles below to help worshipers follow the thinking of the poet:

Remember (verses 1-3)
Help! (verses 4-5)
Hope (verse 6)

2. To set the Isaiah passage in context without going into great historical detail, invite the worshipers to imagine that they are refugees living in a foreign country, wishing they could return home. Then read the passage. (The Jerusalem Bible offers a particularly straightforward translation.)

3. If your worship will be focused on gift giving, place on the worship center a large beautifully wrapped gift box with a slot cut in the top. During the offering or at the end of the service, invite the children to put in the box pictures of what they want to give God. Youths and adults also may be invited to put in the box slips of paper on which they have written about gifts they intend to give God.

Sermon Resources

1. Devote the sermon to telling the story of the Isaiah passage—perhaps from the view of a Jewish family watching as the nation is being destroyed and the family is taken into exile in a foreign country with new food and new ways. Talk about what different members of the family would miss most. Then read Isaiah's message. Imagine how this message might have been received by the refugees. What comfort could they find in believing their exile was part of a plan that would end in good? Identifyand challenge worshipers to identify dead-end places where God could be at work today.

2. Challenge worshipers to think about the best gift they ever received. Tell about one special gift you have received. Who gave it to you? What made it special? (Note: The best gifts draw giver and receiver closer together.) Mary's gift was her way of showing Jesus how much she loved him. Paul showed his love for Christ by preaching, teaching, and even suffering in prison for talking about Jesus. Challenge worshipers to identify the gifts they give and could give to God.

3. Use Eric Liddell's story (Liddell was the hero in the movie Chariots of Fire) to illustrate the effect of knowing what is important. Liddell, after training for months to race in the Olympics, refused to run, even when the king insisted, because the race was to be held on Sunday. He believed that racing on Sunday was disrespectful to God. He loved to run, but he knew God was more important than any race.

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: March 17, 2013

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:37:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

Fifth Sunday in Lent

COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1

L: Break open our hearts this morning to hear your word, O God.
P: Let our fears be vanquished, our spirits restored!
L: Come and let us worship with great joy!
P: Let us drop the things of the past which weighed us down!
L: God is about to do something new in our lives!
P: Let God’s will become strong in our lives. AMEN.

Call to Worship #2

L: Spring is about to break forth!
P: In all the land, new life is happening!
L: Feel the wonder and power of God’s creative energy
P: Feel the awe and joy of God’s love for us.
L: Let us worship God with a full sense of joy and expectation.
P: Let us open our hearts, our spirits, our souls, to God’s lavish love. AMEN.

Call to Worship #3

[Using the UNITED METHODIST HYMNAL, p. 394, “Something Beautiful” offer the following call to worship as directed]
L: Come to Jesus this day. Bring with you all the pain that you feel.
P: Lord, bring to us healing and hope
L: Come to Jesus this day. Bring with you your confusion and doubts.
P: Lord, bring to us restoration and renewal of life
L: Come to Jesus this day and he will make something beautiful happen in your life.
CONGREGATION: singing “Something Beautiful” through 2 times.

Call to Worship #4

L: When all we have hoped for and trusted in has let us down;
P: There is Christ who reaches out to us.
L: When the world seems dark and despairs threatens to close in upon us;
P: There is Christ, reaching out for us.
L: Come and let us worship the Lord who is always ready to reach out to us.
P: We humbly come before the Lord in hope and faith. AMEN.

PRAYERS, LITANY, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer

We come into your presence, O Lord, with so many burdens and concerns on our hearts. Help us to be open to your words of healing and restoration. Bring us closer to you. Enable us to discern your will for us that we may serve you more faithfully by serving others in need. In Christ’s name, we pray. AMEN.

Prayer of Confession

Patient Lord, we find it easy to blame others and other circumstances for the things which happen in our lives. We hear the words “if only” and wonder why things didn’t happen differently for us. Too often we want you to be a “magic” presence which will, with the wave of a wand, cure our ills, give us success and happiness; but we don’t necessarily want to take responsibility for our attitudes and actions. Life is. Things happen which we didn’t plan for and events swirl around us over which we have no control. But to place blame and not to find ways in which we can work through the situations is detrimental to everyone, especially ourselves. Forgive us when we are so busy placing blame that we don’t recognize your presence and love for us. Free us from placing our own desires first and foremost. Help us to look at the many ways in which you are working in the world for peace and justice, and enable us to be part of that ministry. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.

Words of Assurance

Let go of your fears. God has forgiven you and offered to you God’s healing love. Accept this free gift, for it is given for you through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Pastoral Prayer

Lord God, how extravagant your love for us is! You continually pour upon us blessing upon blessing - in the lives of people near and dear to us, in the beauty of creation, in the skills and abilities you have given to us. There is so much for which we are thankful. Yet in the midst of this thankfulness, there lurks the demons of demand and confusion. We want you to be in control of taking care of all the things that threaten us. We want you to prevent us from facing times of confusion and doubt. Actually, we want to have a more complete faith. Like Judas, who misunderstood Jesus’ intention, we wonder about the anointing of Jesus - about the perceived waste of materials. How hard it is for us to see that we need to take some time to honor and praise Christ instead of continually asking for Christ to do things for us. We have a lot to learn. Lord, teach us! Open our hard hearts to the healing words you have for us. Give us patience and persistence in our service to you. And when we stumble and thrash around faithlessly, bring us back to your presence; that we may find healing and hope. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.

Litany/Reading

[This is a skit - more like readers’ theater. It needs to be rehearsed. Reader 1 is Judas. He thinks he understand what Jesus is all about. Reader 2 could be anyone who is really trying to understand what happened when Jesus was anointed with the costly oil. Don’t over-play this, but read it carefully. The final line is the final line - don’t change it.]

Reader 1: I knew it. I just knew it. All that oil, gone to waste. He keeps preaching about helping others, but he let it happen. What is his problem? Why doesn’t he practice what he preaches?

Reader 2: Look, what’s done is done. Don’t get so upset about it. You know this has been a difficult time for him, for all of us. So a little oil got used to soothe his feet….is that such a crime?

Reader 1: You don’t get it, do you! We have so much work to do. We could have taken that oil, sold it and used the money to help others.

Reader 2: Yes. But maybe right how there is something more important than that. Maybe we should turn around and offer some comfort to Him for all he has done for us. We will always be able to find ways to help others - and there will always be others who will need our help.

Reader 1: You are hopeless. You just cave in to anything He says.

Reader 2: I prefer not to think of it as “caving in” but rather as really beginning to listen to him and to understand what he is all about. We do need to take of others and of each other. The poor we will always have with us. But we don’t know how long we will have Him with us. He spoke of his burial. He seems to know something we don’t. We just need to trust him and pay better attention.

Reader 1: You’ll never get rich with that attitude.

Benediction

Go in peace and may God’s peace go with you. Bring hope and healing to all whom you meet. AMEN.

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

Note: I recommend putting a brief paragraph describing or explaining the symbolism used in your visual display in the worship bulletin. This a good teaching tool for the congregation.

The traditional color for this Sunday is PURPLE.

The theme for Lent is JOURNEY INWARD/JOURNEY FORWARD. The idea is that discipleship is a journey that is first lived inward, introspectively, reality-check, and then lived forward in service. The worship center will remain covered with the base cloth of burlap or other neutral rough material. Each week something will be added to the worship center and perhaps other things removed, until all are placed at the foot of the cross. I recommend that you have someone construct an “old, rugged Cross”, about 6-7 feet tall, on a free standing base. This cross will be used during Holy Week, but you want to plan far enough ahead to have it ready.

Today‘s gospel lesson is rather disconcerting in the light of journey, but look carefully at what is happening in the Scripture. Like so many of us, Judas has misunderstood what is going on - the only thing he can see is “the bottom line“. It‘s time to pay attention to Jesus. The symbol on the worship center today is a fancy jar of ointment or cream, and also a small pouch with money spilling from it. This represents the gift of sacrifice and love by Mary, and by us all.

Note: you may have left all the other elements on the worship center during this Lenten journey - make sure that there is enough space around each element that they do not appear crowded. If you have a smaller worship center, use only the elements for the day.

SURFACE: Place several risers on the worship center. The tallest riser, approximately 1 foot above the main level of the worship center, should be placed to the upper left as you are facing the worship center. The other risers, about 4-6” high, may be placed, one at the center and the other slightly to the right of the middle one.

FABRIC: Cover the worship center in burlap or other neutral colored, rough fabric. Beneath the jar of ointment, place a 15” square of cloth, in purple or lavender, representing sacrifice and royalty, honoring Christ.

CANDLES: On the middle riser, place a white pillar candle, about 10” high, representing Christ. Place a small candle by the jar of ointment.

FLOWERS/PLANTS: No plants or flowers on the worship center.

ROCKS/WOOD: Some rocks and wood may be placed on the center and at the base of the worship center.

OTHER: No cross on the worship center at this time. Place a jar of ointment on the lavender/purple cloth and have a small money pouch with coins spilling out of it visible to the congregation.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: March 17, 2013

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:11:00 GMT

By Kate Cudlipp

Fifth Sunday in Lent

COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8

THEME IDEAS

Lent confronts us with our propensity to hold onto old habits and self-serving beliefs. Today’s scriptures call us to be willing to experience the sorrow of loss, as we leave behind familiar, comfortable lives to join Jesus on the arduous path to new, joyful life in God.

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Isaiah 43, Psalm 126, John 12)

The days ahead are dark and full of foreboding.
We watch as Jesus journeys to the cross.
There is no way to change what is to come.
Yet death has not the final word.
Let us bear witness to God’s new life
moving within and among us.
God is doing a new thing.
Let us rejoice and give thanks!

Opening Prayer (John 12)

Holy Sustainer,
you were ever in and with Jesus
on his journey to Jerusalem,
guiding his choices
and strengthening his courage
each step of the way.
As your beloved children,
be with us and strengthen us on our journeys.
Through our time of worship
and our companionship with one another,
teach us to recognize Christ
in everyone we meet.
Help us offer holy hospitality wherever it is needed,
and free us from our fears of scarcity,
that we may share from our abundance
and be a blessing for others. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Isaiah 43, Psalm 126, Philippians 3)

Holy Source of New Life,
you promise to set us free
from paths of fear, doubt, and denial.
Yet we resist your invitation,
seeing only what we must give up
if we are to follow the path of Jesus.
You call us to have faith
in your sustaining presence and power,
but your call takes us beyond
anything we can see or touch.
We fear placing our trust
in things beyond our control.
We doubt that you can bring water
to the dry places of our lives
or replace our suffering with joy.
Forgive us when we turn away
from your promise of abundant life.
Heal us and lead us home, Holy One. Amen.

Words of Assurance (Philippians 3)

Whenever we seek to leave behind our old ways
and turn to God for help,
God forgives our faithlessness
and strengthens us for the journey ahead.
We are the heirs of God’s promises.
We are the children of God’s compassion and mercy.

Passing the Peace of Christ

As we resolve to follow the path that Jesus walked, let us offer one another the sustaining power of Christ’s peace. The peace of Christ be with you, always.
And also with you.

Response to the Word (Psalm 126, Philippians 3)

Eternal Source of Truth,
free us from the claims of false gods
and show us the way to lasting joy.
We know the way will not be easy,
but your word sustains us.
May your good news take root within us,
that our lives might bear witness
to the triumph of love over fear,
and life over death. Amen.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Offering Prayer (Psalm 126, John 12)

Faithful Giver of Life,
you have done great things for us.
In the life and teaching of your Son Jesus,
you welcome us into your heart.
Help us open our hearts to others,
that we may be ever more willing
to offer our hospitality, our support,
and our material resources
wherever they are needed.
Bless these offerings in your holy name. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (Isaiah 43, Psalm 126, Philippians 3)

We leave this gathering,
knowing that Christ Jesus
has made us his own.
Take the fruits of our worship into the world,
bringing joy to those who weep,
welcome to the outcast,
and comfort to those who grieve.
God is doing a new thing.
Thanks be to God.

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (Isaiah 43, Psalm 126, Philippians 3)

Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem.
We watch in sorrow.
God promises, “I am about to do a new thing.”
We wait in hope.
God is faithful.
Our tears will turn to shouts of joy.

Praise Sentences (Philippians 3)

Christ Jesus has made us his own!
Thanks be to God!

ARTICLE: Easter Sunrise: Outdoor Worship

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:24:00 GMT

By J. Wayne Pratt

As individuals, we often find peace, comfort, and a close connection to God in a garden. Gardens often provide a space for worship in a neutral setting outside the church for people to gather and share a faith experience.

Theme

God raised Jesus Christ from the tomb, and today we meet our Savior in a garden of love and grace.

GREETING

This morning, this joyous morning, we journey to the tomb with Mary Magdalene and discover the stone is rolled away. An empty grave remains to prove my Savior lives. With joy, we discover that Christ Jesus has risen. Come, let offer praise and thanks to God for fulfilling the resurrection promise.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Christ has risen!
Christ has risen indeed.
Faith, hope, and joy are alive.
A new age is dawning, and death cannot harm us.
God of all creation, we praise you.
God of resurrection and eternal life, we have gathered in this garden to worship you and celebrate your victory.

GATHERING PRAYER

Loving God, we gather in the early morning of your Resurrection. We have been mourning and weeping believing that you have been taken from us. Instead, you meet us in the garden of new life. Here, in this sacred place, we discover that you are alive, that sin and death cannot defeat you. Now our tears of sorrow turn to tears of joy as we experience your presence among us. Today, we begin to understand that joy comes from grief. You call us to go into the world to share this good news, and because we are not left alone, we can pray your prayer. (All pray the Lord’s Prayer.)

SCRIPTURE READING

JOHN 20:1-18 (the author recommends The Message)

MEDITATION: IN A GARDEN OF NEW LIFE

It was only a few brief days ago that we were witnesses to the trial, crucifixion, and the death of Jesus. Today, oh how today is so very different.

It all began in a garden: a garden of life, a place of refreshment and renewal. Here, most everything is green with life and growth. We read in the Scriptures that both physical life and eternal life have their genesis in a garden setting. Eve, the mother of humanity, was conceived by God and brought forth in a garden; in fact, it was a lush and vibrant garden of comfort and sanctuary. Yet, because of an act of sheer disobedience, she and her husband, Adam, were expelled from this idyllic paradise. Their lives were cast into a wilderness of despair and death. Paradise was now just a memory.

On this early morning of Easter, we hear of yet another garden. A garden of eternal life made possible through our resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried and rose again in a garden setting. Today, we are witnesses to a transformation garden, a resurrection garden.

As we heard in the Gospel reading for this morning, Mary Magdalene is the first to enter this garden, and here, she discovers it was much more than a garden of memories, more than a cemetery to receive the remains of a lifeless body. Mary Magdalene is a principal character in the drama that unfolds in a garden of new life.

Mary Magdalene has returned to this garden of memories to tend to a lifeless body. She is there to more fully prepare and anoint the now dead body of Jesus, but to her amazement, the stone that served to seal the tomb has been rolled away and the body gone, disappeared, nowhere to be found.

No doubt she is panic-stricken, beside herself with fear and worry. In her anxiety and confusion, she runs to Peter and John, and breathlessly panting blurts out, “They took the master from the tomb. We don’t know where they’ve put him.” At this moment, she certainly needs a word of confirmation from them. She needs, perhaps more now than ever before, to know that there is a rational explanation for what has taken place. This painful state of unknowing is perhaps the greatest problem she ever faced.

In this dramatic Easter garden account, we too accompany Mary Magdalene and encounter a resurrected Jesus. And, we realize in this experience we encounter once again, that we are the recipients of many, many fruitful blessings. For without that glorious resurrection of Jesus, there would be no hope, no assurance of life eternal. Because he lives, we are provided with the assurance that we will live with him forever and ever. We will live together eternally in the heavenly garden of paradise that God has created. While Mary Magdalene floundered in that garden setting, unknowing, and failing to recognize the resurrected Jesus, we are fortunate to live on the other side of the story. We know the journey Jesus had made, we know the outcome, and we know the hope that abounds.

The Gospel tells us Mary did not recognize Jesus but, rather, thought he was the gardener, a caretaker. How, we wonder, could she not have immediately recognized the one whom she followed and supported and cared for in the days of his earthly ministry? How could she not recognize the one who was so very near and dear to her; the one who chased the demons from her soul, healed her, and forgave her sins? Why, we ask over and over again.

Jesus was different now. He was transformed with a resurrected body that is both physical and spiritual at the same time. We know that when Mary Magdalene finally recognized Jesus and attempted to share an embrace with him, Jesus cautioned, “Don’t cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.” The same holds true for us also. As Paul taught, when Christians die, they are transformed with a similar body—spiritual, imperishable, eternal.

Mary Magdalene didn’t remain in that garden with the resurrected and transformed Jesus. Her encounter with Jesus created so much excitement that she knew she must share this good news with others. Full of wonder, full of hope, she again raced to Peter and John and boldly exclaimed, “I have seen the Master!”

For Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John, and for all who follow in the footsteps of Jesus, it was simply the best news ever heard. Yes, Easter is the most glorious day of the year. It is the day we celebrate the joyous news that the Master is alive, that a new, transformed life has blossomed in a garden.

Because Christ Jesus defeated death, he is truly the victorious one. And by his victory, we are given the wonderful promise, “Because I live, you also will live!”
Thanks be to God!

CLOSING PRAYER (UNISON)

Lord, we have so much to be thankful for this Easter morning. In the chill of the morning air, we do feel the warm blessing of your Spirit. We can rejoice this day because our tendency toward disbelief is overcome by our capacity for faith. We are truly amazed that a cross of crucifixion has been transformed into a symbol of new life, a symbol of eternal life.

We are thankful that you come to greet us in a garden of hope, trust, and faith. We thank you that a dark and empty tomb has emerged into a garden of light and living. In all our days, we shall live for Christ, the resurrected and risen Savior. Amen.

BENEDICTION

The tomb is empty,
   Christ has risen.
As you journey in faith,
   may your life be full,
   your love be abundant,
   and your hope be eternal.
Live this day and always for Christ Jesus
   because the Risen Christ lives in you.
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

ARTICLE: Ash Wednesday: Beginning of the Lenten Journey

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:13:00 GMT

By Nancy Ferguson

Ash Wednesday: The Beginning of Lent

The church season of Lent is marked by the bookends of Ash Wednesday on one side and Easter on the other. Lent gives Christians the opportunity to prepare for the gifts and glory of Easter by reflecting on our need for God’s salvation and restoration. As humans created by God, we are finite and fallible; yet God loves, saves, and restores us. Recognizing the limitations of human existence alongside the amazing grace of God in Jesus Christ enhances the meaning and significance of Easter as the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. We begin this time of reflection by observing Ash Wednesday, which focuses on human mortality and sin and acknowledges our need for God’s overwhelming grace. As we begin our journey to the cross of Good Friday, the empty grave, and the gift of new life on Easter morning, Ash Wednesday sets the tone for the spiritual challenges and practices of Lent.

Lent is composed of the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter, not including the Sundays of those six weeks. It has long been the practice of the church to understand Sundays as mini-Easters anticipating the Day of Resurrection. The word Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon meaning “spring” and is traditionally understood as a time of fasting and penance in preparation for Easter.

The Great Three Days, sometimes called Triduum or Pasch, beginning with sunset on Maundy Thursday through sunset on Easter, conclude Lent and declare the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection. Each year, we travel with Jesus through the Last Supper, the prayers and betrayal in the garden, the Crucifixion, and the empty tomb. We eat the bread of Communion and rejoice with alleluias on Easter morning for the gifts of salvation and life that overcomes death.

Lent has also been understood as a time of preparation for the renewal of our baptismal covenant. In the early church, candidates for baptism spent as long as three years preparing to be baptized. The last 40 days were known as the “scrutinies,” when candidates examined themselves and church leaders determined whether they were ready to be baptized. Later, Lent became that time when all Christians were invited to consider their need for spiritual renewal. This was common practice by the time of the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D.

According to The United Methodist Book of Worship, “Ash Wednesday emphasizes a dual encounter: we confront our own mortality and confess our sin before God within the community of faith. . . .

The service focus [is] on the dual themes of sin and death in the light of God’s redeeming love in Jesus Christ.” Ash Wednesday then is a time to reflect on our nature as finite, sinful people and on God’s nature as forgiving and redeeming. On Sunday morning, many of us confess our sins and declare that we are sinners. Ash Wednesday gives us the occasion to stop—or at least to slow down—and to reflect on what exactly it means for us to acknowledge that we are sinners and that we will die. Recognizing these realities gives depth to our gratitude for God’s love and grace.

Biblical Understandings of Sin

The Genesis 3 story of the Fall gives us an overview of sin as the broken relationship between the humans and God. God created the man and woman in a garden and instructed them not to eat fruit from a certain tree. However, they failed to obey God’s command; and when God sought their presence in the cool breeze of the evening, they “hid themselves from the LORD God” (verse 8). Not only did they break their relationship with God, their disobedience led to a breach in their relationship with one another. In fact, the man seemed to blame God as well as the woman. “The man said, ‘The woman you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate’ ” (verse 12). As a consequence, both the man and the woman lost their innocence and were driven from the garden to live lives marked by sin and by suffering and death. Verse 19 provides the reality that marks our observance of Ash Wednesday: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (NRSV).

The Old Testament uses a variety of words to express a complex understanding of sin. The cluster of meanings includes the concepts of “missing the mark,” “transgression,” “iniquity,” “rebellion,” and “evil.” Life with God and with one another as God’s people was based on covenant relationship with God and with one another. Sin was understood as any action that harmed that covenant community. The prophets often denounced oppression of the poor and vulnerable as a specific example.

The New Testament continues with these traditional understandings of sin. John the Baptist called for repentance and baptism “to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins” (Mark 1:4). The Gospels present the ministry of Jesus as closely involved with salvation from sin (Matthew 1:21; John 1:29). Romans 3:22-23 presents Paul’s understanding of God’s work of salvation through Jesus Christ: “God’s righteousness comes through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who have faith in him. There’s no distinction. All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.” On Ash Wednesday, we acknowledge our own sin, our need to turn again to God, and our reliance on God’s love and grace.

The Company of Believers

Ash Wednesday is much more than a day for individual piety. It involves gathering in community to be marked by the cross of ashes. The Invitation to the Observation of Lenten Discipline read before the Imposition of Ashes reminds us of this. The invitation tells us that Lent was traditionally a time to prepare for baptism and for those who had separated themselves from the community to be restored by penitence and forgiveness. It invites us to remember that in the early days of Christianity, “the whole congregation was reminded of the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the need we all have to renew our faith.” None of us come to either the days of Lent or the joy of Easter morning alone. We are joined by the company of believers—not only the ones who sit beside us on Ash Wednesday, but also those who have made the Lenten journey through the centuries. It is the latter who have left us guidance for how to prepare for the resurrection of Christ. They have left spiritual practices to enable us to walk through the valley of these 40 days and to engage with our sin and mortality and to receive with gratitude God’s love and grace.

The service for Ash Wednesday invites us to “observe a holy Lent: / by self-examination and repentance; / by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; / and by reading and meditating on God’s Holy Word.” Thus, the service offers the opportunity to consider these disciplines and the ways in which they can contribute to our Lenten journey.

Practices for the Lenten Season

In her book on the church seasons, To Dance With God: Family Ritual and Community Celebration, Gertrud Mueller Nelson describes the three disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, which are central to Lenten living. Occasions for prayer are both communal—in the congregation and family—and private. Our communal prayers remind us of our relationships in the world—of our interdependence and our mutuality with others. Private prayer allows us time to come into God’s presence in order to reflect on our own self and relationship with God.

Nelson writes, “Fasting is a form of self-denial which traditionally involves the limitation of foods we take in or an abstinence from meat.” Fasting has long been a practice of many Protestants, including Methodists. John Wesley thought this an important practice and fasted on a weekly basis.

Almsgiving provides us the discipline of giving to others and can take many forms. Nelson invites us to give out of joy and thanksgiving for what we have rather than out of guilt we may feel over the poor and sick. Almsgiving during Lent can include money for missions such as One Great Hour of Sharing, hours spent in a food kitchen, or care packages for military serving overseas.

The Destination for the Lenten Journey

The great glad news is that the story does not end with the confession of our sinfulness. For immediately after we confess, we hear the words, “In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.” The story does not end with a tomb and death. The story culminates with Christ’s victory over death. Ash Wednesday is the first day of the journey to Resurrection.

Be sure to check out FaithLink, a weekly downloadable discussion guide for classes and small groups. FaithLink motivates Christians to consider their personal views on important contemporary issues, and it also encourages them to act on their beliefs.

ARTICLE: God, What Can I Do?: Shaping Creative Worship on a Budget

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 08:14:00 GMT

By Dottie Escobedo-Frank

Creative worship is nothing new. It is an old, rich tradition that began with the Israelites carrying around a holy tent with an arc of the covenant, and stone tablets and regular stuff that carried sacred meaning and holy memory. Every time we sing or use instruments in church, we are worshiping God with our creativity. We are making an offering of music, song, or dance. We are offering up the best of ourselves for the God who gave the best for us. David called for the most proficient musicians and the court's most skilled dancers and the sought-after artisans to create a sacred space for worship so that people could enter into the Presence of God. We humans have been doing creative worship for our Creator God ever since we found our voice and noticed our bodies.

Creative sermons are not new either. Look at the prophet Jeremiah. He used creative methods to get the message across to a people who seemed to be hard of hearing. Jeremiah did things like uncovering a buried linen belt that was mildewed and falling apart, or smashing a clay jar, or wearing an oxen yoke (and those babies must weigh a good bit) just to get across a message. Ezekiel had a creative message when he lay in the dirt and built a battle ground, and was tied up for 430 days.

Rich, deep recesses of creativity. We serve a Creator God, and we are formed as “creatives” in the image of the Creator.

I think about two people here. One is John Wesley who said, “I set myself on fire and they come to see me burn.” He was the pastor who couldn't fill the pews but found a way to take the gospel to the streets and to the fields and was amazed by the crowds of people who came to hear about God's love. He found his voice of passion and he found those who would listen, and he moved himself out of his comfort zone into passionate preaching. Look what happened. You are here because of him.

The other is Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act who bemoans that she just wants to “get some butts in the seats.” She saw what wasn't working, remembered her former skill, and worked out of her abilities to bring a church to meet a Savior she so desperately needed. All for the glory of God, and to save her own butt… Sometimes it works that way.

John Wesley and Whoopi Goldberg both found ways to be so passionate about the gospel that people were compelled to hear and, hopefully, to respond to God's grace.

When I served at Mission Bell United Methodist Church in Glendale, Arizona, I was searching for ways to make the worship and the message unforgettable. If the gospel was meaningful, then it must be delivered in a way that would be memorable. So in taking a high view of the good news of Jesus Christ, I searched high and low to bring creativity to the Word. What I found was artists in my community that could help deliver or shape the word. For example, a potter threw a pot right there in the sanctuary while I preached on Jeremiah's visit to the potter's house. Or the teens danced the message in their own style, making meaning for their generation. Or a musician wrote words and music to add to the message. Or a painter, or a firefighter, or an actor, or a mime artist… you get the picture. What I found was that creative souls were everywhere and community-driven worship was so much grander than hidden-in-the-tower worship. When all of God's gifts come together to shape and form worship, then our offering of praise takes on the effect of a harmony.

I also found humor, and surprise, and interruptions, and layering. Humor gets to the deep emotions that we can tolerate and helps us to go deeper with emotions we shun. Surprise catches us off guard with the gospel message and brings new light to an old story. Interruptions act much like surprise but bring us to a place of “pause” or “reset” and therefore give a fresh start to our wrestlings. Layering is when we keep adding new forms to the delivery of the message…like when we start with words, add music, then add lighting, then add movement on the screen…then take it back down to words alone. It has the effect of keeping us moving forward with the message and it takes us to a place of deeper connections.

Right about now you might be thinking, “But I don't have the resources to make all that happen!” I know that thought. All this creativity stuff came out of attending a conference at Community Church of Joy. I was amazed and delighted by the worship but went home so discouraged because I didn't have the resources CCOJ had. I didn't even have a video projector or computer. We were still working off the old-fashioned projectors with typed words or glued-on images. Kindergarten stuff. And at that time, we didn't have the resources to buy equipment or to hire staff to run it and create it. And, so in a moment of complete desperation, I said “God what CAN I do?” And I met the potter, Roy, who helped me form a message. The rest is history. I just kept trying things out and learning what people responded to and kept stretching my understanding. Oh yeah, and I failed miserably along the way too! It wasn't always easy. The risk of failure was great and I hit a time or ten of sheer folly, but I had a forgiving church who knew how to laugh at me and still love me. And I knew that the risk of failure was greater if I did nothing different. So, I kept on trying, sometimes looking quite the fool, often feeling uneasy, but watching the Messenger work through my attempts at “setting myself on fire.”

Now I am cataloging creative sermons and creative worship services so that I can keep fresh and keep growing. My file is filled with ideas. My resources are expanding as I allow God to enlarge my thinking and to free me from my boxes.

I am often asked, “How do you come up with the ideas?” To be honest, when I am looking for something it often evades finding. But instead, I get distracted with the other stuff of life, like watching the kids play sports or jogging or listening to a rap artist or attending a Suns game… and while I am doing the regulars of life, irregular ideas pop into my head. I write them down. I connect the ideas I have to the scriptures I have been reading. I try to see if those ideas really work themselves out in my own life. I test them against other scriptures. And then I talk with my team. Usually by the time I talk with the worship team the idea is fully formed, but they have a way of making it better with their input. Then I try it on for size in a sermon or in a gathering. This is the moment of truth and I am often brought to my knees in trembling and fear before I put the message out there. Here's where I cry out to God, “Okay God, maybe this was a stupid idea after all, but please show up and speak through me anyway!” What I find is that God seems to rescue the message and the Holy Spirit often transforms my attempts into His whisperings. And that is really wonderful.

Sally Morgenthaler describes the new way of church as “the postmodern art of pastiche: creating something unprecedented out of the pieces at hand.“A “pastiche” is a mixture of creative works much like a medley that borrows from many songs. A pastiche takes what you have in your setting, and creates something brand new in its communication form, all the while borrowing from the “what is” of your cultural setting. A pastiche tells the old story out of the heart and soul of the borrowed pieces of your church and community. It is “mosaic” in third dimension.

Now that's the essence of creativity. It is mixing up and borrowing and “conglomerating” from the bits and pieces that God gives you. It is letting God take the stuff of your lives and make the message that transforms a community into “heaven on earth.”

The gospel is rich and it is ripe for the telling. Creativity is nothing new. Creative worship and creative sermons are at the finger tips of your imagination. When we free ourselves from forms, and when we let the Holy Spirit lead us, the sky is the limit in what God can do in our midst.

You are made in God's image. Take God's creativity to your worship setting and have the time of your life!

ARTICLE: Ten Tips for Holier Holy Communion

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:14:00 GMT

By William H. Willimon

The Christian faith is proved in its performance. This faith is not so much a set of beliefs or propositions, but a way of life, something we do, a way we walk, a set of embodied practices. A Christian is someone who not only talks like Jesus but also walks like Jesus.

And eats like Jesus--that especially.

How typical of Jesus to culminate his earthly ministry with a meal alongside friends. There, he did not say “believe this,” but “do this,” promising that, as often as we eat or drink this meal in the future, he'll be with us. The way to Eucharistic renewal is for more robust, more frequent, more lively celebration of the sacrament of Holy Communion.

When I began my scholarly career, upon being invited to teach worship at a United Methodist seminary, I visited a renowned Catholic liturgical scholar at Yale. “I've got to teach liturgics to Methodists who have, despite our roots, neglected the sacraments,” I told him. “What should I do to excite future pastors about their sacramental leadership?”

He replied, “I would teach cooking classes.” What?

“Until they experience the joy of setting a good table, they'll never know what Jesus was doing in the Upper Room,” he explained. “And I would also teach bartending.”

“But we're Methodists!” I countered.

“Pity,” he replied. “Perhaps Jesus was wrong, but I think until they learn to mix a good drink, they aren't going to get vast portions of the Gospel of John. What happens to people when they get a bit tipsy?” he asked.

“Depends on the people,” I replied.

“Right!” he exclaimed. “Some people get aggressive and want to fight everybody in the bar, others get mellow and want to put their arms around everybody and sing, still others get sentimental and tell sad stories. What else do you want to happen on a Sunday?”

His instruction led me to a Eucharistic principle: How you do Communion makes all the difference. The food at a fast-food joint or a fancy French restaurant may be equally nutritious, but the experience is totally different. One makes you feel like a cow moving through a feed trough, and the other makes you feel like an honored human being. It's all in how you do it.

“I've never seen anybody do Communion that way before,” remarked our new organist in my little church. “You do it as if you believe it. As if you expect something to happen,” she said. I took this as high compliment and also as instruction on good liturgical leadership.

To that end I have my top ten suggestions for how to move toward more faithful Communion:

Look for ways to provide warmth and an experience of hospitality at the table. Fire the ushers if you have to. Keep pastoral direction to a minimum. I'm serious. We tend to make our observances of the Lord's Supper overly formal and rigid. You are inviting people to a meal, not a military drill. A simple, gracious, hospitable, “Come to the Table!” is sufficient direction.
Invite the congregation to sing hymns during the Communion. This isn't a funeral! It's a celebration of the presence of Christ with his people in the resurrection. I learned this from African American congregations with whom I have worshiped. Let them sing upbeat, familiar, beloved hymns (this is NOT the time for the organ to play softly and mournfully) as people come forward to receive the bread and wine, and you can totally transform their experience of Communion.
Use bread that looks like bread, preferably baked by members of the congregation, and in quantities that speak of grace, generosity, and the joy of a banquet. God isn't stingy with his grace--why are we so stingy with our tiny wafers or pinches of bread?
Allow folks to receive the bread and wine standing up, eyes open, hands outstretched (this is an Easter meal, not a penitential funeral), but encourage them to remain and kneel at the altar rail for prayer while others commune. This gives flexibility and freedom to experience different modes of prayer and praise.
Use the traditional liturgy of Holy Communion (also called "The Great Thanksgiving"), which, though theologically well formed, encourages lots of variety and flexibility. If your congregation is unaccustomed to reading the service out of a book, then simply bid the service through, without getting them bogged down in pages of read prayers and print. Remember, Holy Communion is something deeper than words, something that is done, more than something said, something to be seen and experienced.
Celebrate more frequently! Holy Communion is the normal food of Christians. Churches that celebrate this sacrament more frequently value it more highly.
In congregations where the length of a service is a major concern, do whatever is necessary to keep the service within the congregation's normal time frame. So often, the things that take time in celebrating Communion are a matter of poor planning or allowing nonessentials to crowd out essentials.
Use lay servers, trained by the pastor, who can make the holy act of handing bread to people be all that it is intended to be. Look people in the eyes, call their names if you know them, make it personal and intense.
Lead the service robustly, with expectancy, and conviction. If you are uncomfortable or inexperienced in serving as a host at Christ's table, then practice until you perform this act of ministry with confidence.
Preach a full, recognizable sermon—no need for flaccid, abbreviated “Communion Meditations.” Word and Table, the preached word at the pulpit and the enacted word at the Table, belong together.

Enjoy the presence of Christ! He has promised that, where just two or three of us gather, he'll be there. Give thanks that, among all the gifts that Christ has given us, he so generously gave us his body and his blood.

"Do this in remembrance of me," Jesus said. So let's do it!

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: March 10, 2013

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 20:17:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32. Most church children will be familiar with this story since it is included in much church school curriculum. The message of the story is that God is like a father who keeps on loving his child no matter what the child has done. The promise to children is that nothing they can do is so bad that God will give up on them. Children who feel they never meet their parents' high standards, children who are constantly in trouble with parents and teachers at home and school, and children who do not have loving parents draw special security from this promise-story.

Be careful about using "father" language. Remember that the parable says God is like a father, not is a father. God is also like a loving mother, an always-there-for-you grandparent, or a special aunt or uncle. To help children stretch their understanding that God is more than any of our images, and to protect those children who do not have loving fathers, avoid phrases which imply that God is a father.

Any child who has a brother or sister can appreciate the older brother's position. It always seems that the other one is getting away with murder. Older children feel that younger siblings go to bed later than they did at the same age, are given less demanding chores and rules, and are "let off" more easily when the rules are broken. Frequently, they are right. Parents often learn as they raise a first child that they need not "sweat the small stuff." Expectations of the younger children are relaxed. Family schedules change as the shape and age of the family as a whole change. And of course, different children have different needs. All this is hard for children to see and to interpret as fair, loving behavior. It is so easy to decide that "they love her more than they do me" and to cry "Unfair!" with the older brother.

The challenge to the preacher is not to convince children that they are equally loved (some are not), but to urge them to be friends with their siblings—even if they are spoiled and petted. Children are not to judge their siblings harshly, but to judge them with love.

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 5:16-21. This is what happens when a trained preacher (Paul) puts the meaning of Jesus' parable into his own words: The simple is made beautifully profound in ten-letter words. Although Paul's big words and complex sentence structure are intimidating at first glance, all that children need in order to understand Paul's message is a good definition of reconciliation. The Good News Bible provides the best definition: "God . . . changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also." In other words, God (1) has treated each of us with all the forgiving love the father bestowed on the lost son; and (2) asks us to reach out to other "lost sons" as the father asked the older brother to welcome the returned brother.

Old Testament: Joshua 5:9-12. Before reading this passage, remind worshipers of the story and purpose of manna. With this background, children can hear that God kept the promise. God fed the people until they were able to eat the food of the Promised Land.

Psalm: 32. The sin vocabulary of this psalm makes it difficult for children to understand as it is read. But it includes a description of a situation that is familiar to them and parallels that of the runaway son in Jesus' parable. The psalmist, like children, knows what it is like to hide after having done something wrong. It feels awful! It can make you feel sick. Fortunately, the psalmist also knows how good it feels to admit what you have done and be forgiven. Then you feel happy enough to shout for joy (verse 11).

Watch Words

Reconcile, reconciliation, and reconciling are key words in these texts, especially in 2 Corinthians. This word group is worth introducing, defining, and using again and again to build familiarity. The Good News Bible translates these words as phrases about "making enemies into friends." Peacemaking and peacemaker are good parallel words.

Let the Children Sing

"For the Beauty of the Earth" and "Now Thank We All Our God" praise the God who is Lord of a world united by love.

"Let There Be Peace on Earth, and Let It Begin with Me" gives us the opportunity to commit ourselves to the ministry of reconciliation.

The words of "In Christ There Is No East or West" and "Blest Be the Tie That Binds" are difficult for children. Make the message of either song visual by asking everyone in the congregation to hold hands or to put a hand on the shoulder of the person holding the hymnbook.

The Liturgical Child

1. To create a responsive prayer of confession, the worship leader offers a series of brief prayers about our stubborn sins (greed, wanting our own way, etc.). To each, the congregation responds: "Lord, forgive us when we act like stubborn mules." For example:

Lord, we admit that even when we know what you would have us do, when we know your will, when we know what the loving thing is, we ignore it. Instead, we do what we want. (RESPONSE)

2. As the parable is read, have three actors pantomime the action. Although it is possible for children to do pantomiming with some practice, teenage or adult actors can express feelings with their faces and bodies more forcefully and with more insight. The richness of their performances will add to the understanding of worshipers of all ages.

Begin with all three actors at the front of the church. The younger son can "run away" down the middle aisle (perhaps throwing party confetti), "eat with the pigs" near the back of the church, then walk "home to meet his father" in the chancel.

3. If you sing "In Christ There Is No East or West" or "Blest Be the Tie That Binds" as a closing hymn, begin the charge and benediction before hands can be dropped. Say something like this:

God in Christ has changed us from enemies into friends. We are God's friends, and we are friends to one another. Now go out into the world, supported by God's love and the love of your friends in this congregation. Make friends with other people. Reach out in love to draw others into God's worldwide family. Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with us. Amen.

4. Remember to pray about spring vacations (from school) the week before they occur. Pray for safety, a good time, a chance to be outside, and so on. Remember as you pray that not all children will leave town on exciting trips.

Sermon Resources

1. Tell stories in which children take the lead in peacemaking. School children in Illinois welcomed AIDS victim Ryan White after another community had forced him and his mother to move. Every summer, Catholic and Protestant children, who would not speak to one another at home in Ireland, visit America together. In the process they form friendships they can use to build understanding between warring groups back home.

2. List some of the sinners God loved and used: tricky Jacob, braggy Joseph, hate-filled Jonah, Saul/Paul, and Jesus' disciples (a temperamental fisherman, a fiery troublemaker, a cheating tax-collector). The stories of these people are further proof of God's love. They challenge us to befriend the "impossible" people we live with at home, at school, and in the community.

3. One verse of "Jesus Loves Me" particularly fits the story of the loving father:

Jesus loves me when I'm good.
When I do the things I should.
Jesus loves me when I'm bad,
Even though it makes him sad.

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: March 10, 2013

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:49:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

Fourth Sunday in Lent

COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1

L: Come, let us celebrate the forgiving, reconciling love of God.
P: For once we were lost and felt so far away; now we have been found and welcomed home.
L: Know that God’s love is lavished upon you forever.
P: We rejoice at the news of forgiveness and hope!
L: Come, let us celebrate and praise the God of Love.
P: AMEN!

Call to Worship #2

L: How blessed we are that God forgives us and loves us!
P: For all those times when we have fallen short of what God would have us be, we have been forgiven.
L: God makes us new in God’s Spirit!
P: Now is the time to joyfully accept the newness of life which God offers to us.
L: Come, let us worship and be thankful.
P: Let us open our hearts to the peace and joy of God. AMEN.

Call to Worship #3

[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2055, “You Are My Hiding Place”, offer the following call to worship as directed]
Choir: singing the song through one time.
L: From darkness and despair, from being lost and lonely, God calls us home.
P: Even though we have been selfish and let God down, we are still called beloved.
L: Remember the eternal love of God which has been poured out for you.
P: Our hearts rejoice at the wondrous ways in which God loves and forgives us.
L: Remember that in all your ways you can trust in God’s compassion.
Congregation: singing the song through one time.

Call to Worship #4

L: We have been given a ministry of reconciliation and sharing.
P: God reconciled us to God’s self through the witness of Jesus Christ.
L: No longer do we need to fear.
P: Hope has been given to us.
L: So we are now ambassadors for Christ. God is making God’s appeal to all humankind through us - in all that we say, think and do.
P: Praise be to God who has placed God’s trust in us. We will strive to serve God faithfully. AMEN.

PRAYERS, LITANY, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer

How incredible is your love, O God! We have been made new in your love and reconciled to you and to each other in peace and joy. Be with us this day as we hear your words of comfort and hope. Guide our lives that we may serve you more fully all of our days. AMEN.

Prayer of Confession

Lord, it is interesting that it is easy for us to identify with today’s scripture about the “Prodigal Son”. Some of us are easily reminded of our own selfishness and stubbornness when we willfully sought our own way. Others are reminded about how angry we were when others were not held accountable for their actions, when we have been so careful not to displease anyone. Still others can identify with the father who, feeling the loss of his son, welcomes him home again, reminding the brother that he has always been in the love and care of the Father. We hear this story and it’s a pleasant memory. But do we really understand what it is about? Do we know that we have also been stubborn and selfish, angry and unforgiving, sorrowful and caught between two conflicting factions? We are no different from these characters, in our own unique way. Yet, in God’s infinite love, we also are forgiven and healed. We are called to turn our lives back to God’s care, which is always extended to us. Forgive us and heal us, gracious God. Open our hearts and our spirits to truly receive the blessings of your healing love. For it is in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, that we pray. AMEN.

Words of Assurance

Once we were “dead” to all the things that God hoped for us; but in God’s love we are again brought to life. Rejoice, dear ones, you are forgiven!

Pastoral Prayer

Gracious Lord, we have set aside this day to celebrate One Great Hour of Sharing, a time in which we can offer our help and our substance for the work of your kingdom in helping others. We have created a special day for this offering, yet you would have us adopt this attitude of sharing all of our days. Bring us to the understanding of the joy of sharing all that we have with others; of reaching out to others in compassion and love as you have done for us. We hear the words of scriptures about the Hebrew people who had wandered long in the wilderness. They were fed on the manna which you provided for them; at last they were able to provide for themselves. Help us to realize that you have given us all that we need to be those who would bring peace and hope to others. Let us place our trust in you so that our sharing is a reflection of your forgiving and reconciling love. In Jesus Christ, we offer this prayer. AMEN.

Litany/Reading

[It will be important to have the readers practice their lines, seeking to determine the attitude and stance of each of the characters. In each instance the first speech is one of anger, self-reliance, disrespect; however, in each of the second speeches, the tone is one of contrition. The “voice” reader should be the same person, reading in an even, and compassionate tone. Don’t over-dramatize the first lines following the first speeches of each of the readers. The power comes at the end when the message of hope and reconciliation is given equally to each one.]

Reader 1: I’m going to do whatever I want! I have the right to my own life. Even though someone wants to control me and run my life, I’m going to go far from here and make my own way. I know that I can do it.
Voice: Even though you will be far away, know that my love goes with you.

Reader 2: Listen! There are so many things happening to me right now. I don’t have time for the “love, peace, and joy” stuff. You’ve got to make in the world on your own. Do unto others before they do unto you - that’s my motto. Look out for number one, and I’m number one in my life.
Voice: When you reject all the love that I have poured on you, I will still love you.

Reader 3: I’ve always been responsible, taking care of things when no one else would do it. I never asked for much, not much in the light of what has been given to others who are less appreciative. I have stayed and done the job. It’s about time someone could see how faithful I have been. I deserve something for that.
Voice: Beloved one, you have my love and my thanks for all that you have been and continue to be. Know that you are never out of my love.

Reader 1: I’ve failed miserably. I thought that I knew everything, that I could make it on my own, that I didn’t need your love and care. How can I face you now?
Voice: Come home. Come to me. Forgiveness and welcome await you always.

Reader 2: I kept my focus on myself and all the so called “things” that were important to me, but they just proved to be shadows. What I really needed all along was to let myself feel your love, your trust, your forgiveness. How can I face you now?
Voice: Come home, Come to me. Forgiveness and welcome await you always.

Reader 3: I stand here proclaiming myself to be so righteous, but the truth is that I am also selfish. I couldn’t look beyond my own needs and see the joy of the reconciliation of others. I thought the only thing I needed was to be appreciated, to be told that I was important, but I wanted that in light of diminishing the importance of others. How can I face you now?
Voice: Come home. Come to me. Forgiveness and welcome await you always.

Benediction

Forgiven and Beloved Ones of God, go now in peace, sharing with others the Good News of God’s love. Help those in need. Give and receive from each other the joy of peace. Amen.

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

Note: I recommend putting a brief paragraph describing or explaining the symbolism used in your visual display in the worship bulletin. This a good teaching tool for the congregation.

The traditional color for this Sunday is PURPLE.

The theme for today is forgiveness, with the gospel‘s focus on the story of the Prodigal Son. This is a theme which is difficult to symbolize. I have used a sign which says “Welcome Home!” and added a traveling cloak and the walking stick beside it. Again the cloak represents the journey both inward and outward, but also moving away from something and returning to something

Remember that you also may have the walking stick and back pack from Lent 1, the rocks/bricks from Lent 2, the gnarled branches from Lent 3 remaining in your worship center. If you feel that is too crowded, only use the theme for the day. A lot depends on your space.

SURFACE: Place several risers on the worship center. The tallest riser, approximately 1 foot above the main level of the worship center, should be placed to the upper left as you are facing the worship center. The other risers, about 4-6” high, may be placed, one at the center and the other slightly to the right of the middle one.

FABRIC: Cover the worship center in burlap or other neutral colored, rough fabric. Under the welcome home sign, place a 15” square of yellow fabric.

CANDLES: On the middle riser, place a white pillar candle, about 10” high, representing Christ. Place a back pack and a walking stick against the worship center. You may place a canteen and walking shoes on the worship center, if you wish - there is no map, no compass, only what you bring with you (Note: you may want to make this part of the statement about this particular journey during Lent). To represent the concept of welcome, you might consider a lantern or a special candle to be placed by the welcome home sign.

FLOWERS/PLANTS: No plants or flowers on the worship center

ROCKS/WOOD: Some rocks and wood may be placed on the center and at the base of the worship center.

OTHER: No cross on the worship center at this time. Create a special “Welcome Home” sign which can be read from just about anywhere in the sanctuary. Make it bright and welcoming. This will be placed where it can be seen and tied into the theme of reconciliation and renewal.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: March 10, 2013

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 14:45:00 GMT

By Rebecca Gaudino

Fourth Sunday in Lent

COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

THEME IDEAS

Today’s readings speak of the power of honest human speech, heard and answered by a God who delivers us from burden and bondage to freedom and possibility. These readings testify that even before we speak, God, as loving parent, waits for the wandering child; God, as provider, gives
manna even while we wander. God waits on us, listens for us, plans for us, and reaches out to us most compellingly in Jesus Christ. Our texts instruct us to speak our deepest failings and fears, for to be silent, to hold everything within, is to waste away. When we speak boldly and honestly, we hear
God’s glad cry: “Quickly, bring out a robe!”

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Psalm 32, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21)

In Jesus Christ, there is a new creation.
Everything old has passed away.
Everything has become new.
This newness is from God,
who has reconciled us through Jesus Christ.
Rejoice and be glad!
Everything has become new.

Opening Prayer

God of steadfast love and mercy,
remind us once again that in Jesus Christ
everything has become new.
For far too often,
things seem as they have always been:
old habits die hard,
difficult situations linger,
failures from our past linger.
We look for your promised newness
but cannot see it.
Speak to us again of your new creation.
Open our eyes to its presence in our lives.
Call us forth to claim this newness,
that we may be healed and made whole. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Psalm 32)

O God,
when we keep silence about our sin,
we waste away with regret and guilt;
we feel your hand upon us,
and our strength dries up.
And so we acknowledge our sin to you,
holding nothing back,
for you are a hiding place for us;
we trust in you to preserve us.
Forgive us and reclaim us, we pray. Amen.

Words of Assurance (Psalm 32)

Steadfast love surrounds those
who put their trust in God,
for God forgives the guilt of their sin.
Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven!
Be glad in God!

Prayer of Preparation (Psalm 32)

O God,
teach us the way that we should go;
counsel us in the ways of life.
We wait upon your teaching and counsel,
for we are lost without it. Amen.

Response to the Word (Luke 15)

(Use this as a Prayer of Confession after a sermon based on Luke 15)
Loving God,
when we wander to distant places,
you watch the road to greet us
when we finally come home.
Whenever we are far from you,
remind us that we are your beloved children,
the longing of your heart,
and give us the strength and courage
to return to your open arms.
When we have sinned against heaven and before you,
forgive us, for we are coming home! Amen.

Words of Assurance (Luke 15)

Quickly, bring out the robes, the best ones.
Put them on—and these golden rings, too!
For my children who were lost are now found.
Let us celebrate and rejoice!
(Hobby shops sell very inexpensive, bendable rings. Drape a
luxurious robe on the Communion table, and pass out baskets of
golden rings to joyous music.)

—OR—

Response to the Word or Benediction (Psalm 32)

Happy are those whose sin is forgiven!
In times of distress,
the mighty waters shall not reach us.
You, O God, are our hiding place.
You preserve us from trouble.
You surround us with glad cries of deliverance.
Happy are those whose sin is forgiven!

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Invitation to the Offering (Luke 15, 2 Corinthians 5)

Through the gifts of our possessions and our presence, we let those who are far from home know that we are their brothers and sisters. Through our gifts, we welcome them to our home, to God’s home. We are the ambassadors for Jesus, our brother and savior, spreading the news of a home of love and hope through our gifts.

Offering Prayer (Luke 15)

Bless these gifts, Generous God,
that they may be used to find your children—
children who wander in hunger,
children who long to come home.
Through our gifts,
may all who wander set off for home,
and may we celebrate and rejoice
in their homecoming. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (Psalm 32, Luke 15)

Go forth in renewed strength, knowing who you are:
the sons and daughters of God—
celebrated, rejoiced in, welcomed, dearly loved.
Wear your robe and ring with joy!
Be glad in God and rejoice, O you righteous!

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (Psalm 32, 2 Corinthians 5, Luke 15)

Have you looked for crocus shoots or buds on trees?
Look around and see the newness!
Did you hear this week about love in action?
Look around and see the newness!
Did someone who was lost find her way home?
Look around and see the newness!
In Jesus Christ, God is busy making all things new!
Be glad in God and rejoice!

Praise Sentences (Psalm 32)

Be glad in God and rejoice!
Everything old has passed away!
Be glad in God and rejoice!
Everything has become new!

ARTICLE: Converge Bible Studies

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:16:00 GMT

By Converge Bible Studies

Converge Bible Studies is a series of topical Bible studies based on the Common English Bible. Each title in the series consists of four studies on a common topic or theme. Converge can be used by small groups, classes, or individuals. Primary Scripture passages are included for ease of study, as are questions designed to encourage both personal reflection and group conversation.

Women of the Bible

James A. Harnish | Many biblical women play critical roles in the drama of God’s salvation. Women of the Bible grew out of a desire to discover how some of the women who made a difference in the Bible can make a difference in our lives today. Join Pastor James A. Harnish as he takes a closer look at the stories of four extraordinary women in Scripture: Deborah, Abigail, Mary Magdalene, and the woman at the well. You’ll be drawn into a fresh awareness of what it means for all of us—men and women alike—to be more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

EXTRAS: Supplemental resources, bonus questions, blog posts, articles, sermon ideas, and more. VIEW BIN

Our Common Sins

Dottie Escobedo-Frank | The disciples were fairly ordinary people. They had regular families, made their livelihoods in regular ways, and had typical and varied political leanings. But they met Jesus and started to live extraordinary lives. Because of their closeness to Jesus, we tend to think that the disciples lived lives with less sin than we live with. We imagine that Jesus’ love rubbed off on them so that they were also extraordinary humans. But the Gospels show us differently. They show us that Jesus’ close companions were as human as we are. And it is because we recognize the sins of the disciples as our own that we can relate to them so closely. They are our common sins.

EXTRAS: Supplemental resources, bonus questions, blog posts, articles, sermon ideas, and more. VIEW BIN

Who You Are in Christ

Shane Raynor | From childhood through adulthood, most of us spend a considerable amount of time and energy trying to figure out who we are and who we want to be. And there’s no shortage of people in the world willing to give us their answers to those questions. Who You Are in Christ takes a look at how our faith in Jesus radically changes who we are and our relationships with God, each other, and the world. Using passages from Paul’s New Testament letters, this study explores our identity in Christ as well as how our self-perception affects who we become and what we accomplish when we choose to live according to God’s ways of justice, mercy, and love.

Supplemental resources and components coming soon.

ARTICLE: Wild Things Communion Service

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:56:39 GMT

By Amy Yeary Holmes

This Communion service, including liturgy and homily, is inspired by Maurice Sendak's children's classic, Where The Wild Things Are. Worship participants are encouraged to embrace the Wild Things of life, like fear, doubt, and impatience, reflecting on the happenings in the Upper Room during the turbulent uncertainty that followed Jesus' death.

A Call to Worship for Wild Things

Maurice Sendak is most popular for his children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. In this book a little boy is sent to his room without dinner. He has misbehaved of course. An adventure ensues upon entry to his room. He travels to a place where the wild things are. Hideous creatures, wild things of great size greet him with roars, fierce eyes and sharp teeth. But being a wild thing himself (as his mother has accused) he takes no pause and quickly becomes their king. Great havoc is raised at his request and treacherous delight abounds! But in time he longs to be “where someone loved him best of all.” And so he returns, bidding the Wild Things goodbye. In his room he finds his supper waiting for him. And with great delight the narrator informs the reader that the little boy found his supper still warm.

This is a simple tale that corals the wild thing inside of all of us, particularly little boys. One such little boy wrote to Mr. Sendak and Mr. Sendak recollects:

A little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children's letters - sometimes very hastily - but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, 'Dear Jim: I loved your card.' Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said: 'Jim loved your card so much he ate it.' That to me was one of the highest compliments I've ever received. He didn't care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.

That interaction is a simple way of understanding the Christian table. In the act of breaking bread and drinking from a common cup, Christians hear what Christ did for them, they love it, and they eat it. Just as the little boy returned home to the place “where someone loved him best,” Christ invites all to return from wild ventures of the week, treacherous delights, and numerous missteps to a place where we are loved best. And when we return from great havoc raised, we find our dinner in our room and it is still warm.

Wild Things come! Now is the time to hear what Christ has done, love what was done and feast upon Christ.

Communion Meditation

Where Wild Things Gather: The Upper Room

We all know what REALLY happened in that little boy’s room. In the creative mind of Maurice Sendak, a great adventure took place. But in reality, that little scoundrel got into trouble. Rightly so he was sent to his room to cool down. And when he did, he fell asleep and had this dream. In reality, his mother was probably relieved he was out like a light. Surely she did not want to wake him, and who would? After all, he was sent to his room for being a Wild Thing. But she did leave him a warm supper to ease a stomach that may wake him with a midnight growl. But she probably prayed he would not darken the door till morning.

Children often let their Wild Things loose. How fortunate are we adults that our Wild Things are so well contained . . . that is, until the beasts become too big, too scary, and too strong.

In John Chapter 20 and Acts Chapter 1 a familiar setting begins to materialize: the Upper Room. Most of us identify it as the place that housed the Last Supper. But after the crucifixion and resurrection, the upper room becomes something more. It becomes a place where Wild Things gather.

In John Chapter 20, verse 19 we are reintroduced to the Upper Room as a room with a locked door. And I suppose I would lock my door too if I feared a brutal attack. But the creature that could not be locked out was running wild and rampant in the Upper Room: fear. The yellow-eyed monster breathed heavily on Jesus' followers. Any minute those who killed Jesus could find them and impose on them horrors from which no lock could protect. The second Wild Thing in the Upper Room is doubt. Thomas epitomizes the emotion with his demand to place his fingers in the nail marks and his hand in the side of the risen Lord. The final Wild Thing lingering in the shadows is impatience. Without the leading of Christ or the empowering of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1 tells us that Matthias is chosen to take the place of Judas, the betrayer.

Fear, doubt, and impatience were emotions too big for the disciples to mask. Jesus had been killed and the Wild Things could not be denied their space. We all have times that bring similar reactions. Life gets too complicated or what was promised is not delivered or danger simply gets too close. Angry outburst, uncontrollable sobs, quick and foolish words are said and rushed decisions are made. The Wild Things are close by and sometimes they get into our room.

But before we chase them out with memorized Bible verses about more pleasant emotions or, worse yet, beat ourselves up for an uncontrollable moment, let us turn our hearts to the Scriptures and to our Wild Things.

I am convinced that fear never left the disciples. After Pentecost, eventually each disciple charted his own path. A few stayed in Jerusalem but the majority scattered and changed the world. Andrew died in Greece; we assume he started churches there. Matthew died in Ethiopia. We have the same assumption about him. So on and so forth the list goes. All of the disciples, excluding John, were martyred. Fear had to be present just as a possibility of death was around every corner. My point is this: great adventures are always accompanied by our Wild Things. Fear. Doubt. Impatience. Those three Wild Things will always be with you. You are human.

What is refreshing about the Upper Room is that it became a safe place for these Wild Things to roam freely. Everyone gathered in the upper room shared their fears and doubts, and were impatient for God to work. These daring followers had a place and people who accepted them at whatever level of faith and belief they offered. This is evidenced by Thomas’s entry after his seemingly impossible demand about the resurrection. The upper room was a safe place to let the Wild Things roam. They caused the disciples to name Matthias, but they also united them be to present when Jesus appeared with them in the Upper Room.

But things changed and the Wild Things were reduced. On the day of Pentecost, fear seemed to be in short order as the upper room door was unlocked and the blessing of the Holy Spirit spilled out onto the street. Thomas has a life changing moment that put doubt on the back burner when the resurrected Jesus suddenly appears. And Matthias is not mentioned beyond being named as the replacement disciple. But another choice for this twelfth disciple role is: Paul. Although never formally named, Paul becomes a disciple in the truest sense of the word.

John 20 and Acts 1 tell a story about the Upper Room as a waiting place. We make the most of our waiting places when the Wild Things are made welcome. Wild Things, like fear, doubt, and impatience are named, explored, and felt. When our emotions are honored we give ourselves the gift of owning them. Our Wild Things do not own us and we ready ourselves for God’s next great move.

When the little boy of Maurice Sendak’s adventure is banished to his room, the adventure begins. When he returns to his room, the meal is waiting and it is still warm. This room is a safe place where the Wild Things roamed in his dreams and he was a Wild Thing himself. As you come to the communion table today, I remind you that this is a safe place for Wild Things of all shapes and sizes. It is the place where Wild Things gather. So Come one wild thing; come all wild things. The supper is still warm.

The Invitation

This is Christ’s table. Christ our Lord invites to this table all who love God, who earnestly repent of their sin, and seek to live at peace with one another.

A Wild Thing’s Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you, Wild Thing.

And also with you, Wild Thing.

Lift up your hearts, your havoc and your hopes.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord who offers safe passage home.

It is right to give our thanks and praise. There are no hoops to jump through, no strings attached. The way home has been cleared for us. Come one wild thing and all wild things, the table is set.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

And so, with all your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Confessions of a Wild Thing

We come to your table not alone, Lamb of God. For we each have inner Wild Things. Through the week we have attempted to tame them. We have assumed a good tug on our bootstraps will save us. Forgive us we pray. Give us courage to imitate our Lord and love our Wild Things that we want to hide from the world and ourselves. For in that love is transformation. In this act of eating and drinking, we freely give our Wild Things to you and we freely take the sacrifice and the meal before us. It is still warm. Halleluiah and Amen.

Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven, Wild Thing and all.

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven, Wild Thing and all!

A Wild Thing’s Great Thanksgiving continued

On the night in which he gave himself up for us he took the bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, grave 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, gave thanks to you, 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.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer our wild things that they may find a safe passage home. Not only in the eyes of God, but in the depths of our own hearts. We offer this in union with Christ’s offering for us that we may be transformed by following the example of Christ and loving our wild thing. Reconciliation within is possible for the table is set and the food is still warm.

This is the mystery in which we are about to partake:

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

By your spirit unite us in ministry, that our work shall not be void but shall continue until Christ comes in victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your Holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.

VIDEO: Grace: The Means Through Which We Grow

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 16:29:29 GMT

By David Dorn

"Have you availed yourself to the means of grace this week?" John Wesley asked his followers this frequently. Why is it necessary? Because it is through the means which God has ordained, these means of grace that God imparts upon us grace in a real and tangible way. The only way we can grow in our relationship with Christ is for us to show up and allow God to show us grace.

Website - http://preposterousproject.org/
On Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/iampreposterous
On Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/preposterousproject

BLOG: Quick Links for Lent

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:45:00 GMT

By Ministry Matters

Ministry Matters has lots of bins to make planning for Lent and Easter easier for you. Share the links with your worship planning team or small group leaders.

If you've never celebrated Lent the links below include articles that will explain the season to you. We hope you find them inspiring and helpful.

Shrove Tuesday (see also Pretzel Sunday)
Ash Wednesday
Lent
Palm/Passion Sunday
Maundy/Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Holy Saturday
Easter
Quick Links for Lent with Children (for parents and volunteers in children's ministries)

[Note: content for all three years of the Revised Common Lectionary is included in the bins which will provide more content for planning for those who don't use the lectionary. An online version of the RCL is located in the Ministry Matters Library, additional lectionary content will also be added to our This Sunday bin.]

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: March 3, 2013

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:35:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. This passage, a call to repentance, is the centerpiece of today's lections. The message to children is that all of us are to obey God's family schedules. We all face temptations. God understands that we are not perfect, but God also expects us to try—and try hard—to do what is right. Verse 13 summarizes these points well.

Unfortunately for children (and for many other worshipers), verses 1-11 assume that readers know the complete story of the Exodus and wilderness wanderings. To understand Paul's points in verse 13, children will need to hear these stories in greater detail.

Gospel: Luke 13:1-9. Few children give death much general thought. Instead, they respond to specific experiences when their pets and people they know die. Therefore, although few children have considered the possibility that terrible deaths are repayment for terrible sins, many older children will be interested in the examples of death that Jesus cites and the problem they present. (They will, however, need helpin fleshing out the sketchy biblical references.) The text also provides an opportunity to speak to the common childhood fear that "I have caused the death of (someone I love) by (something terrible I said or did.)"

It is hard for children to find the point in the parable of the fig tree without some help. In children's words, the parable says that God sets high standards for us but is willing to give us many second chances. The parable can be helpfully recast with coaches, as they decide whether to cut a player from the team.

Old Testament: Isaiah 55:1-9. This text offers a truth that is critical to today's discussion of repentance. The truth is that we can trust God to always forgive us when we repent. Without that assurance, even young children know that confession is a risky business. Telling a friend that you told a secret, or telling a parent that you did something forbidden, may meet understanding forgiveness, or it may meet anger and punishment. Even with good friends and loving parents, it can be hard to predict what will happen. Isaiah, however, insists that when we confess to God, we know for sure that we will be forgiven. God is more loving and forgiving than we can imagine.

Unfortunately, children have trouble finding this truth buried in Isaiah's poetic images (verses 1-5 are especially difficult). They are more likely to get the message from the preacher's sermon than from Isaiah's poetic promise.

Psalm: 63:1-8. If this psalm is introduced as a prayer that David prayed while he was hiding in the desert from his enemies, older children will follow and catch the meaning of the first verse. Beyond that, they quickly get lost in the multiple images, even in the Good News Bible's translation. They will grasp the meaning of the psalm more from its happy, confident tone (when it is read well) than from explanations of its content.

Watch Words

Be attentive to the words used to talk, sing, and pray about sin and forgiveness. Many of the traditional words are no longer part of everyday conversation. This means that children need both explanations of and practice in hearing and saying these words in your worship setting.

When speaking of sin, use with care the words transgressions, trespasses (even if your congregation uses the word regularly in the Lord's Prayer), immortality, iniquity, and evil. Remember that for most boys, offence is the team with the football and that today's definition of trespass is to go uninvited on private land. Sins and wrongs are just about the only words that require no explanation.

Avoid, when possible, chide, rebuke and requite to speak of God's judgment of sin. Punish, repay, and scold are actions children recognize.

Mercy and vindication are not everyday words. The redemption of coupons, the only redemption with which most children are familiar, is not a good parallel to God's activity, grace is a girl's name or a reference to moving in a pleasing manner. Forgiveness and pardon are better words.

Let the Children Sing

Read hymns about repentance carefully. They are so filled with "sin" jargon that none can be suggested for children without reservation. To help children, explore it in the sermon or in a children's time before singing it.

"Let My People Go" is a familiar spiritual that retells the Exodus story. Some of the vocabulary in the verses is obsolete, but the familiar chorus is appealing to children.

"Lord, I Want to Be a Christian" in one songin which all of us can sing our commitment to do better. "O Jesus, I Have Promised" is more complex, but it can be sung by older children with a little encouragement.

The Liturgical Child

1. Pay special attention to the usual prayers of confession and pardon in your worship today. Point them out in the bulletin. Explain the movement—from praise, to confession, to thanksgiving. Describe the feeling behind such acts as rising to our feet to sing the "Gloria Patri," after hearing that God forgives us. If there are statements made or responses sung each week, paraphrase them for children before using them. For example, "Kyrie Eleison" means "God forgive me for the unloving things I have said and done."

2. If you celebrate communion today, highlight the fact that when we eat and drink at this table, we remember that God forgives us. Tell stories about Jesus' forgiving the thief who died with him, his frightened friend Peter who pretended not to know him, and even those who killed him. Instruct worshipers to say to the person to whom they pass the elements, "Name, God loves us" and "Name, we are forgiven."

3. Recite 1 Corinthians 10:13 as a charge to the congregation before the benediction.

Sermon Resources

1. Set up a rhetorical form in which to tell the Exodus stories cited in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. For example:

God gave the Hebrew slaves freedom . . . (tell about crossing the Sea of Reeds). But did the people trust God and live as God's people after this? No . . . (tell about the grumbling about food). We are not to do as they did.

God gave the Hebrew slaves food in the desert . . . (tell the story of the quail). But did the people trust God and live as God's people after this? No . . . (tell about the grumbling about eating only meat). We are not to do as they did.

(Repeat this format with stories of manna, water, God's presence in the pillar of fire and the cloud, and the giving of the Ten Commandments.)

Break out of this format to explore Paul's call to repentance in verses 12 and 13.

2. Talk about sins of which children are capable: cheating; taking what does not belong to them (especially "borrowing" from brothers and sisters); calling names, teasing, or "cutting someone out"; telling lies (or improving upon the truth) to keep out of trouble or to impress friends; breaking promises; and so on.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: March 3, 2013

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:14:00 GMT

By Erik Alsgaard

Third Sunday in Lent

Color: Purple
Scripture Readings: Isaiah 55:1-9; Psalm 63:1-8; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9

Theme Ideas

Repentance, a central theme of Lent, cannot be ignored in today's lessons. Jesus' words are clear: repent or perish. Isaiah's words, "Let the wicked forsake their ways," echo Christ's. Paul's writing gives a strong warning from Israel's history to the Corinthians and to us today: "God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down." But repentance is not merely a cessation of sin or a halting of that which is not pleasing in God's sight; it is more than that. Repentance also carries the idea of turning around in a new direction, of doing a one-eighty in your life. Isaiah invites us to embrace the abundant life that God offers us.

Call to Worship (Isaiah 55)

Seek the Lord while God is to be found.
Call upon God while God is near!
Repent of unrighteous ways.
It is never too late to turn to God!
Get rid of evil thoughts.
Let us turn to God, that God may have mercy on us!
For God will pardon our sins and cleanse us
of our transgressions.
We will praise God for the new life we have found!
Alleluia!
Alleluia!

Call to Worship (Psalm 63)

Lord, you are our God.
We will praise you with joyful lips.
Lord, you are our God.
Our souls thirst for you.
Lord, you are our God.
We behold your power and majesty.
Lord, you are our God.
We will bless you all of the days of our lives.

Contemporary Gathering Words (Psalm 63)

O God, you are our God.
We will ever praise you!

Praise Sentences

New every morning is your mercy, O God.
You save us from our transgressions.
You bless us with steadfast love and mercy.
In true repentance, we find new life.

Opening Prayer (Luke 13)

Gracious and eternal God,
you call us into a new way of being,
and give us so many second chances in life.
May your love wash over us,
as we turn toward you
from our sinful ways.
Mold us as your people
in new and powerful ways,
that we may be true disciples
of your Son, Jesus Christ,
in whose name we pray. Amen.

Opening Prayer (Psalm 63)

Gentle and loving God,
our souls cling to you
like a newborn baby
clings to its mother.
Give us this day the Bread of life,
that as we feast at your table,
our souls may be filled with your praise,
in Jesus' name. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

A broken and contrite heart
is the acceptable sacrifice to you, O God.
And so we come before you today,
as sinners in need of your mercy.
Grant us your forgiveness, O God.
Help us turn from our old ways.
Lead us into newness of life,
that our actions may be found pleasing
in your sight. Amen.

Unison Prayer

I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Benediction

Turn to the Lord, for God is good.
We have found new life in Christ!
Repent of your sins and find God's forgiveness.
We have found new life in Christ!
Go forth as new creatures, able to serve
and quick to love.
We have found new life in Christ!

ARTICLE: Setting the Stage for Series

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:44:56 GMT

By Kim Miller

I come from a long line of furniture rearrangers. My earliest memories are of my mom and her mom sitting in my grandmother’s living room (actually a remodeled one-room schoolhouse) talking through all the possibilities a furnished room could offer. They were always mentally arranging and rearranging things, and then they would share their ideas with each other . . .

“We could put the piano on that south wall, Marian.”

“But where would we put Great-grandma’s hutch?”

“Well it could move around to the wall over next to the window. . .”

On and on they would go. I’d listen intently and try to picture each move they described right along with them. What that gentle banter taught me early on was that things can be re-arranged. They can change. Despite our limited financial resources, we’re not stuck here with the “same ol’ same-ol’.” We can make the very same room look totally different every single week if we want to. I truly love the concept that we can change our environment to suit the needs of the occasion.

Imagine my dismay when I first stepped inside a traditional church building and found all the furniture in the sanctuary bolted to the floor! That particular church configuration spoke volumes to my spirit. It said, “We’re committed to never changing; we must keep things exactly as they are week after week, year after year.”

Thankfully, worshipping communities inhabiting even the most traditionally furnished church buildings are discovering new ways to use old spaces. Whether it’s removing some fixtures from the platform, placing media screens in tasteful locations, or adding candles or other sources of warm, ambient light, there is always a way to breathe new life into the worship space.

Design Matters

Meaningful, authentic worship is best expressed in pictures and stories in the organic context of where real people live. Intentional design of the worship space is simply creating a fresh environment where the story, message and theme of any given weekend message can best be expressed and lived out.

At Ginghamsburg Church, this process is achieved by our “Makeover Design Team” after the worship team determines the overall concept. The worship team meets seasonally to envision upcoming message series—four to six weeks of messages that together generate a significant dialog on any given subject. Each series “theme” will then be fleshed out as a picture—a screen graphic that will exude a certain stylized vibe, a color scheme, look, and emotion.

As that graphic art evolves, it becomes the hub of our creative work and a template to anchor the series and give order to our individual worship pieces. As the lead stage designer, I gather a core of our makeover team to collaborate and dream together about all the possibilities our worship environment could present – focusing particularly on the stage design. Allow me to take you through the various steps of this informal and artistic process.

The Creative Process

In the spring of 2012 our Makeover Design Team set out to design a stage that would provide an engaging backdrop for our seven-week series on the Holy Spirit. Dan Bracken, our graphic artist, landed on a simple look, using the symbolism of doves flying through the words “The Holy Spirit.”

Dan’s careful addition of a light ray and a mysterious, mostly-black color scheme afforded me a beautifully limited color palate to dream around. I’d been inspired by a recent trip to Columbus, Ohio, where I’d noted a storefront display at my favorite ideation destination, Anthropologie. Their shop window design consisted of an artistic arrangement of what most of us would consider trash – smashed aluminum cans – but it was beautiful. I knew I wanted to use that idea and I knew that we would need a LOT of cans. Clean cans.

We wound up incorporating a backdrop wall covering of “weed cloth” (purchased in rolls from the landscaping department at Lowe’s or Menards) to give us our dramatic backdrop. Following a sketch I provided, the team hammered hundreds of smashed cans to the wall using small nail brads. One thousand can lids (secured from our local Pepsi dealer) rounded out the design. Finally, ketchup bottles filled with paint allowed the team to “throw” painted accents over the lids, enhancing the feeling of movement.

We lit the stage walls with our standard, floor-mounted LEDs. IKEA paper pendant lights were hung from a suspended PVC grid and arranged in such a way as to mimic doves in flight across the stage.

Total cost for materials and lights came in at $225. Our church family loved this design. They especially loved that we recycled ordinary objects to create an extraordinary design.

Isn’t God Enough?

Right now I’m pretty sure I hear someone saying, “Isn’t God enough? Why do we need all this ‘stuff’ to create environment?” (Trust me, some weeks I’ve been tempted to ask that myself!) The truth is that while God may be temporarily “invisible” to us, God’s creation is all around us—and visual design reflects the glory of God. God has gifted us with an unending palette of color and an incredible montage of humanity. In these elements we catch glimpses of God’s character. We only have to look around our world to be reminded that our God is a God of amazing variety—a master designer. Why not celebrate that richness in worship?

All of creation sings the glory of God. Each weekend we simply attempt to portray one small part of God’s character. As human beings made in God’s image, we use God’s palette of color to brighten dark lives. We imitate God’s creative initiative toward humankind as we present the gospel using metaphors, parables, and real-life stories. In this we follow the example of Jesus, who often spoke in metaphors and frequently used visual imagery to describe timeless truth. “I will make you fishers of men,” Jesus said (Matthew 4:19). “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). Styling the stage is simply our attempt to bring God’s imagery to life, to provide our faith communities a place inside the story where we can be in the moment with God.

Creating Spaces

As you begin to recreate your own worship space, identify several places where key “anchor displays” could be arranged. It is often unnecessary to redecorate an entire worship area, especially one that already has breathtakingly beautiful stained-glass windows or other unique architectural statements. In traditional spaces, I’ve found it best to focus on two or three key locations where visual displays would enhance the message. Start by focusing on the area originally created for an altar-type arrangement—your chancel, stage, or platform. Your visual display becomes a modern-day altar, a place where we can be reminded of God’s presence and power.

In our environment we often create two anchor displays, one on either end of the large stage, and sometimes a smaller version closer to the center. This allows more people in the room to see and experience the display. Overall balance is important, so we look at the different “pieces” we’ll have on the stage each weekend and allow what is happening with people to dictate décor placement. The band is usually fairly stationary, but we may have other people or props that require space in the stage area. Additional musicians, interview sets, a drama or a dance, a table with communion elements, and even stacks of Bibles we give out once a year to our third-graders all require dedicated space. Each weekend’s unique elements require us to constantly rethink our placement, always creating a fresh picture of worship. I love this challenge—“all-new day, all-new chances!” It’s like getting a new worship space every single weekend, fifty-two times a year.

When talking about true life change, folks tend to speak about a message they

heard or an experience they had. I want to believe that it is possible for all of us to have powerful God experiences. While worship designers cannot make that happen in the context of our weekly worship celebrations, we can certainly prepare the places where God can powerfully show up. Through the use of video, music, graphic and visual arts, and last but definitely not least, creative environments, we can awaken the senses back to focus on God in worship. Then once we’ve prepared we can step back and allow the Holy Spirit to do God’s best work in the lives of those present.

ARTICLE: Taking Ash Wednesday Public

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:25:56 GMT

By Emily Case

Sometimes making a difference is as simple as trying something new. As simple as stepping outside our comfort zone and trying. As simple as going to Starbucks.

Ash Wednesday has always been a powerful day to me. As uncomfortable as it can be, I relish the chance to publicly wear my faith. The metaphors of dying to self, of repentance, of new life rising from the ashes, all stretch and grow my faith. It begins 46 days of reflection, of penitence, of forgiveness and grace. It is a sacred rite that I look forward to each year. Perhaps this is because my faith has been so influenced by the tangible. I have been changed more by actions than words. So communion, baptism, ashes, mission projects, and community have all contributed to my faith in ways I can describe. I’ve always felt Christ’s power in ashes being placed on my head, and I have always been thankful for the witness that I have worn as I have walked out the door.

But still, I’ve always wondered why Ash Wednesday was an evening service. Maybe your church is different, offering ashes in the morning, but I have never been in a church that had anything but a 7 pm Ash Wednesday Service. It means that we place a witness on people’s heads and then send them home to go wash them off before bed.

So, last year, I decided to try something different. I decided to offer ashes in the morning. In public. At Starbucks. Posting on our church’s website and Facebook Page as well as the bulletin, I invited our congregation to come have ashes imparted at a central Starbucks.

“It’s not sacred,” some told me. “You have to impart ashes in the church. In a service. Its meaningless without context. Like drive-thru communion.”

“You can’t impart ashes outside a church! Will they even understand what they are doing? Will they really let you do that?”

I heard so many concerns, but I had made up my mind. We were going to do something new and different.

And, in the end, they were wrong. It was powerful. Sacred. Transformational. Meaningful. Life-changing.

I walked into Starbucks before the sun rose. Finding a quiet spot in the corner, I centered myself and ordered my regular drink. I took a few deep breaths and waited. I read the Ash Wednesday scriptures to calm my nerves, and still nervously dropped a some ash on my Bible.

Eventually people came. I handed them a carefully crafted card (download the PDF below). One side held a prayer of confession from the hymnal with some scripture, andvthe other side had bullet points as reminders of why we wear ashes. As each person came, I asked them to take a moment to reflect and read the card. When they had, they each stood before me.

Heads bowed, I imparted this blessing as I imparted the ashes.

“Let these ashes on your head remind you that you are broken, but Christ will make you whole. That the cross on your head isn't nearly as important as the one in your heart, the one by which Christ names you and claims you. Let these ashes remind you that, one day we will all be ashes, but we love a God who has overcome even ashes. Now, repent, and believe the Gospel"

Starbucks customers watched us repent of our sins and admit to our brokenness. They listened to us quietly speak the truths of our faiths. I watched people cross themselves as they passed. I watched people stop while I was praying. I spoke with people who were reminded to go to their own churches or places of worship. I gave some people ashes. And I had many, many conversations.

“Why are you doing that?” they would ask pointedly.

“It’s a sign of our brokenness and sin. Today’s Ash Wednesday, and we are remembering our humanity, our mortality. Here, I have a card if you’re interested.”

They would take the card, and walk away. I don’t know what seeds were planted in them, but I know God was at work in us. We were tangible, living examples of humble, penitent, loving Christians. Christians more willing to accept our own sin than to point out the sins of others.

By the end of the morning I had given ashes to more than 75 people. That means 75 people went into the world as a witness. Throughout the day, Facebook reflected our ashes. Teenagers posted pictures of their ashes. Mothers, fathers, and business folk all changed their statuses to talk about getting to share the Gospel through the ashes on their heads. Just think of how many conversations these people had, imagine the witness they wore. Imagine the people they touched. Together, we were able to make a difference. I was covered in ashes, yet my heart was full of the working of Christ.

So, I challenge you to step out on faith and do an early public Ash Wednesday remembrance. Find a place. A Starbucks. A country diner. The local breakfast place. A local coffee shop. A place where people gather and pass by—lots of different people, not just people from your church. Ask your congregation to meet you there, and celebrate the beginning of Lent. Be a public witness in a way you never imagined.

I’ll be sitting at my Starbucks again this year, sipping my tea and waiting. I’ll remember to bring wet wipes this time, and hopefully to wear a black dress. I will be there, your community will be there, and so will Christ. The question is, will you?

ARTICLE: Worshiping through Our Stories

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:42:35 GMT

By Wendy Joyner

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

As part of my ministry, I have been serving as a hospice chaplain for almost nine years now. When I stop to reflect on the things I have learned in walking with terminally ill patients and their families, one of the first things that come to mind is the importance of story. Many times, I have been privileged to sit with someone and listen to the story of his or her life. Sometimes I find myself at the kitchen table with a child. Other times, I am sitting with a spouse on a bench in the yard. Often, some of the deepest sharing takes place at the bedside of a patient. Wherever we are and whoever is speaking, one thing remains constant— the need to share our story with another person. I have come to understand, especially when dealing with the terminally ill, that one of the most important activities for us to engage in as humans is a review of our lives. We need time to reflect, to think about the things we have accomplished, and to voice the things that have mattered most to us. We need to give thanks for those we have loved and those we have received love from during the course of our days. This is the way we make meaning in life. Yet, I have also come to believe that this is a way we can offer worship to the God who created us.

Today’s Scripture passage from Deuteronomy reflects the importance of story. Here, the writer is setting forth some of the guidelines that will help shape the worship traditions of the nation of Israel for generations to come. As the worshiper approaches the priest with the offering of first fruits, he or she is to recite to the priest the story of Israel’s deliverance. The story begins with their ancestors, people without a land or a home. It remembers God’s blessings that were poured out upon the people, causing them to grow in number and to flourish. It celebrates that God heard their voices and delivered them from their Egyptian oppressors. It then concludes by celebrating the blessing of the land itself, the land that bore the first fruits, “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Deuteronomy 26:9). It is worship that engages the entire story of their life as a people. It is worship that gives a central place to the sacrament of remembering.

In his commentary on this passage, Ronald E. Clements notes, “To be an Israelite was to be a beneficiary of a long history of God’s gracious providence and care” (The New Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 2 [Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998], 479). The Israelites were to give voice to this truth each and every time they approached the altar in worship. The story of their lives was a story marked by the grace and mercy of the Lord. When they began to remember exactly how they had arrived in that place of blessing, their hearts turned toward God in worship and thanksgiving.

It was not only about remembering the past either. People remembering the mighty acts of God in the past are also encouraged to persevere and hope, even in the midst of present difficulty. When the Israelites remembered the powerful hand of God at work in their past, they were encouraged to trust in God. Rehearsing the mighty acts of God offered assurance that the future was secure in God’s hands as well.

As we begin our Lenten journey, I can think of no better place to begin than at the beginning. We are invited to overhear the story of our earliest ancestors in the faith. We are encouraged to remember that even then, when “a wandering Aramean was my ancestor” (26:5), God was at work to gather and claim a people. God was seeking even then to redeem us and call us each by name. There are other stories to remember as well. There are the stories of other Old Testament figures that testify to God’s love and deliverance. We hear the stories of Daniel, Nehemiah, Deborah, and Jonah—and they become our story. There are the stories of the New Testament, and encounters with God’s Word made flesh. We hear the stories of the disciples, of the Gerasene demoniac, of the lepers, of the paralytic, and of Mary and Martha—and they become our story. We hear the stories of the early church in the book of Acts, and the stories of each church that has proclaimed the truth of Christ since the day of Jesus’ resurrection— and they become our stories.

Corporately and individually, we all have stories to tell. We remember all the blessings we enjoy. We think about the things we have accomplished through the power of God at work in us. We give voice to the things that have mattered most to us. We give thanks for those we have loved and those we have received love from during the course of our days. This is the way we make meaning in life. This is the way we worship. This is the way we prepare to celebrate the greatest gift we have ever received—the body of Christ given for us that we might live.

During these forty days in Lent, may we find a kitchen table, a bench in the yard, or the bedside of a friend, and may we share our stories. May we worship through the stories. I believe that if we listen closely, we will hear the good news of God’s amazing love, being poured out for us in ways large and small. Some of the places we see God at work may surprise us. Yet, at the end of the story, we, and all those with us, “shall celebrate with all the bounty that the LORD [our] God has given” (26:11).

ARTICLE: A Single-Thread Worship Planning Model

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 03:08:00 GMT

By Constance E. Stella

No matter what day it is, a deadline looms over you. In less than six days, people will gather, sit, and wait for something to happen. What will it be? What will they experience? Will anything happen, really? In their minds, in their hearts?

Worship planners—pastors, musicians, and others, you perhaps have the most important task in the church. At least once every seven days, you must offer something significant in worship, so that people’s hearts and minds come alive to Christ, so that they leave transformed in some way, so that they in turn will participate in the transformation of the world.

I believe it is most effective, most of the time, in most churches, to preach in sermon series. This is not an argument for tossing out the Christian calendar. Indeed, the rhythm of our year is critical, and the liturgical seasons should inform our sermon series planning. During some seasons it may be most effective to preach straight from the lectionary—Advent, for instance. And even then, the lectionary itself can form a series. Generally, though, a preacher can have greater impact by developing a single thread in sermons over a three- or four-week period.

The same is true for developing the worship service as a whole. A single-thread approach is both effective and efficient.

With the single-thread approach we plan sermons and worship around a particular aspect of God’s story. Our words, music, imagery, art, and environment all work together, throughout each worship service and throughout the multi-week series.

This method helps us create integrated liturgy, which results in a deeper and more transformative experience for the worshiper. It is better communication. It reflects a biblical model. And it is efficient, making the best use of your valuable time and ideas.

Integrated Liturgy

In a study on issues in the renewal of worship, the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship identified a major issue for many churches:

“Worship that seems to move in multiple directions or incorporates a variety of unrelated themes and events fails to be satisfying and nurturing. However, a liturgy that has a central theme woven throughout speaks more effectively to both our minds and our hearts.”

Does worship in your church seem unfocused? Do you sense that you’re just skipping from one element to another, without fully developing any particular idea? Do your congregants have a somewhat shallow experience of worship, skimming the surface week to week? Do they seem unchanged? Integrated liturgy might be the missing link.

Integrated liturgy refers to worship that is centered on a particular theme. All the individual elements of the service are based on and shaped by the theme. It is most impactful when an overall theme runs through the weeks of a sermon series, and a narrowed version of that theme runs through each weekly worship service.

So, let’s say the overall theme for a three-week sermon series is God reveals God’s self to us in Jesus Christ. The three weeks of the series would each focus on a specific aspect of that overall theme, for example: Week 1. Jesus is loving and compassionate, and brings reconciliation to us and to the world. Week 2. Jesus is a daily life-changer, and shows us how to live. Week 3. Jesus is righteous and just; he erases our human-made boundaries of power.

You can see how the central thread runs through each week of the series. This sort of worship is focused, ideas are allowed to develop, and worshipers experience something significant.

Ron Man, a musician and teacher, describes some benefits of integrated liturgy. He points out that this sort of worship is:

Lingering: the service (and the series) has a single-minded focus, allowing the worshiper to zero in on one part of God’s story

Learning: the worship event (and the series) serves a catechetical function, and the worshiper’s knowledge of God is increased

Savoring: the worshiper has time for reflection, so that the experience begins to sink in

Responding: the service includes a provision for response, so that the worshiper can do something with what she has experienced, which deepens and cements the experience as a whole

Uniting: the service has a unifying, God-centered focus, as the community of worshipers centers its attention on God

Cultivating: the single-theme focus prepares the worshiper to hear the preached Word

What happens to a person who participates in this type of worship service week after week? It seems to me that this integrated liturgy leads to a deeper, richer, more powerfully transformative experience.

Better Communication

The single-thread worship planning approach also helps us communicate more effectively, which is a basic objective in worship.

In worship we are to communicate the story of God’s saving acts throughout eternity, the meaning of those saving acts for us and for all creation, and God’s invitation for all of us to join together with Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, in community with the Triune God and with each other. That’s a tall order. And it doesn’t happen by accident. It takes real work, intentionality, and time.

But, all too often, we make things complicated! We forget that simple can be good. We think that in order to offer great worship we must have complex media projects, or dramatic presentations, or announcements that are loaded with too much information. We want people to get it! And so we sometimes beat them over the head, until they walk out of our worship services unable to remember or respond to anything that just happened.

In your worship service next weekend, what’s the one thing you want to say, the one thing you want people to walk away with? It starts with clear and cohesive communication, a single thread.

A Biblical Model

There’s another reason I think this single thread method is important: it seems biblical to me.

The Scriptures don’t tell us everything about ancient worship, but they do give us some good looks at it, like a door that opens up for us to peer through every now and then.

One of those scriptures is Exodus 13 verses 3-10, just after the Israelites have been delivered from slavery in Egypt. Moses tells the people to remember this day…perform this ritual in this month…explain it to your children…discuss it often…and follow this regulation at its appointed time.

God, through Moses, has instructed the church to remember the redemptive events on a regular basis, so that the people will remain focused on God’s saving acts, and on God’s plan. God is very specific, and is concerned that the children, all generations, are instructed, so that they remember, so that they stay focused, too.

This tells me that order, regularity, and focus are all important aspects of our worship, because they are in God’s own instructions.

So, what would happen if, as you sit down to plan worship this week, you were to focus on communicating clearly just one part of God’s story? What if you focused on that one thing for three or four weeks, examining it from a different angle each week? What if everything in the worship service worked together, pointed in the same direction, so that the people in your church remembered and re-enacted that part of God’s story in such a way that they could not forget it?

Efficient

Finally, single-thread worship planning saves you time and maximizes your best ideas and skills. Instead of coming up with everything new each week, you can generate one set of ideas and use them multiple times as part of a sermon series. Choose one key image, for instance, and use it for bulletins, projection screen graphics, and your website for an entire month. Decide on one structure for your pastoral prayer—a bidding prayer, for example—and use it each week for four weeks. This approach allows you to focus your creative energy with intentionality and purpose, and then to leverage that work over a period of time. That’s good for you.

But the most important benefit is for the worshiper, whose experience in worship can be truly transformational. No more worship whiplash.

ARTICLE: Worship for Kids: February 24, 2013

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 20:56:00 GMT

By Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View

During Lent we wait for God's easter promises to come true. Today's texts provides an opportunity for children to explore one of God's other promises—the covenant with Abram—to think about what it means to live according to God's promises Psalm 27, the Transfiguration story, and Paul's challenge to the Philippians), and to look ahead to the Easter promises (Luke 13).

Old Testament: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18. This is a complicated passage for children, but a part of the familiar story of God's promises to Abram. Recalling some of the rest of this story (Abram's moves and Isaac's birth) will help children understand the promises God made in this chapter.

To help children follow God's conversation with Abram, read from the Good News Bible and take time to explain Abram's concern about not having a son.

If children hear nothing else in this reading, most of them will tune in to the details of the gory covenant-making ritual. The idea that God passed between the split animals in the form of a flaming pot and torch—which, in effect, said to Abram, "May I be split open and left to die if I do not keep the promises I have made to you today"—has great appeal to children. (Remember, this is the age of "blood-brother" rituals and tree-house rites.) The message to children is that God is serious about this and other promises. God's promises can be trusted.

Psalm: 27. This psalm falls neatly into two related halves. Verses 1-6 could be titled "trusting God when everything is going well." Verses 7-14 follow with "trusting God when everything is going wrong." Heard together, the halves remind us that God's promises to not guarantee that everything will always go as we wish it would; but no matter how things are going for us, we can and must trust God's promises. This is a point that older children understand and appreciate, but it is too subtle for them to grasp on their own. They depend on the worship leaders to make the point in introducing the psalm or while exploring the psalm in the sermon.

The Good News Bible offers the easiest translation for children to understand. But if the psalm is read with great passion (see Liturgical Child 2), children can hear past the more difficult vocabulary of other translations to the feelings expressed.

Gospel: Luke 13:31-35 or Luke 9:28-36. Both these passages look forward to Jesus' coming death and resurrection, and both are difficult for children to understand.

In Luke 13 , Jesus responds to Herod's threat with the resolve to continue his ministry and go to Jerusalem to fulfill God's promises by dying on the cross. The focus of this passage, however, is less on Jesus' understanding of God's promises than on Luke's readers' (that's us!) anticipation of the promise fulfillment that is to come. Given the poetic "three-day" language, the mother-hen images, and the references to prophetic history, this anticipation can be communicated to the children best by talking in your own words about the coming of Easter and the importance of Jesus' death and resurrection.

The Transfiguration story in Luke 9 promises that God supports those who live by God's promises. In this case, God gives Jesus support to face his coming death so that he may fulfill God's promises. If you read this passage, review the material for Last Sunday After the Epiphany (Transfiguration Sunday).

Epistle: Philippians 3:17 –4:1. This passage is also hard for children to understand when they hear it read, but with adult help, they can understand its message—that we are to live as we believe God's promises. If we believe that God is building a kingdom of love, we should live loving lives, rather than selfish lives focused on getting whatever we want at the moment. Good examples of living according to God's promises can be seen in Paul, Jesus, and Abram.

Watch Words

Promises, especially God's promises to Abram, often lead us to speak of covenants. For children, covenant terminology may or may not be familiar. So if you use it, take care to provide definitions as you go. Or avoid misunderstandings by staying with the language of promises.

Let the Children Sing

"God Will Take Care of You," which may be listed as "Be Not Dismayed Whate'er Betide," celebrates trust in God's promises. Although many children will not grasp all the language of the verses, the phrase repeated in both the verses and the chorus contains the heart of the message and enables even nonreaders to join in the singing.

"O Wondrous Sight! O Vision Fair" retells the Transfiguration story in song.

The Liturgical Child

Your presentation of these rather complex passages is crucial to how well children will be able to "hear" them.

1. Before reading the Genesis passage, challenge worshipers (especially the children) to listen for the two promises God made to Abram. Either right after the Scripture reading or during the sermon, identify the promises and their source in the text so that children can check for themselves.

2. Emphasize the difference in the two halves of Psalm 27. Ask two people to recite the psalm. As the psalm is introduced, they take their positions, standing back to back at the center of the chancel. They may simply stand without expression, or they may assume positions that reflect their parts of the psalm. The first turns to face the congregation, recites verses 1-6 with happy exuberance, and returns to place. The second then faces the congregation to present verses 7-14, with appropriate expression, and returns to place.

If one person reads the whole psalm, that person can emphasize the difference in the two halves by pausing between verses 6 and 7, turning slightly, and assuming an appropriately different expression and tone for the second half.

3. When reading Luke 13 , imagine that you are an actor portraying the scene in the role of Jesus. Read the narrative lines in a matter-of-face stage-director voice. Read Jesus' lines with great force to portray the humor when he called Herod an old fox and to communicate Jesus' pain in thinking about Jerusalem.

Sermon Resources

1. To pave the way for talking about God's promises, cite some of the promises that are crucial to our relationships with one another. Teachers promise to teach their students what is true and important. When we join a sports team, we promise to attend practices and follow the set disciplines so the team has a chance to win. When two people marry, they promise to love and take care of each other and to be a family. Scouts, Indian Guides, and other clubs require that members make promises when they join.

Describe what it feels like to live according to one of these promises on a good day and on a bad day. For example, it is easy to live by the promises made to teammates when you are playing with friends and the teamis winning. It is harder, but just as important, to live by the promises when the team is losing and you feel as if all your work is getting no results. (You might want to tell about a team that goes through both experiences in the same season.)

2. Tell stories of several of God's Promises, such as the promise of the rainbow, the promise of the Messiah, and the promise of the fulfillment of the kingdom of God's love on earth.

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: February 24, 2013

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 20:30:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

Second Sunday in Lent

COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17–4:1; Luke 13:31-35

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1

L: Open your hearts to God’s love today.
P: In the midst of winter darkness, we seek the brightness of God’s love.
L: Don’t be afraid. God is with you.
P: With the Lord’s help, we can overcome the darkness.
L: The Lord is your light and your salvation.
P: Even though everything around us is disturbing, yet God’s love is constant. Thanks be to God. AMEN.

Call to Worship #2

L: Today is a day to sing praise to God!
P: God continually blesses us, each and every day.
L: Even in the midst of cold and darkness, the warmth of God’s love is real.
P: We can count on God to be here for us.
L: Let your hearts rejoice and your voices shout praise to God.
P: For God is great and worthy to be praised. AMEN.

Call to Worship #3

[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2208, “Guide My Feet”, offer the following Call to Worship]Solo: sings the first verse, a cappella
L: The race is set before us.
P: We journey with Jesus to places unknown
L: Soon we will arrive in Jerusalem
P: But Jerusalem is noted for killing the prophets and those whom God sends.
L: Fear not! God is with us and will guide us on this journey of faith.
P: We place ourselves completely in God’s care.
Choir: sings the third verse, a cappella

Call to Worship #4

L: We are on a journey of faith. Jesus is our leader and our guide.
P: We place our trust in him.
L: As the daylight hours grow longer, our journey takes on a urgency.
P: We must prepare our hearts for Jerusalem
L: Do not fear! God goes before us, into Jerusalem, into the world.
P: Amen!

PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer

Lord, we come to you this morning with so many concerns and issues that demand our attention. Our lives are burdened; our spirits are tired. Guide our lives and our steps as we walk this Lenten journey, inward and outward. Help us to discern what you would have us do, that others may be healed. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.

Prayer of Confession

There is a certain winter in our spirits today, O Lord. We feel that the journey on which we have embarked will demand too much of us. There are so many other things in our lives which claim our spirits, our energy, our hopes and fears. It is easy to be like Jerusalem, turning our backs on those whom you send. The world shouts its solutions to us and then deserts us when we are in need. Forgive us for the many times in which we have strayed from your pathway of life; when we have chosen not to hear the cries of those in need; when we have belittled the gifts and skills you have given us in order to avoid serving others. Heal us, O Lord. Place us back on your path to Jerusalem, to live, for we ask this in Jesus’ name. AMEN.

Words of Assurance

When God called your name, God called you to a journey of faith. Do not be afraid to look inside to see those things which are holding you back from being who God created you to be. Place your trust in God who is always with you, loving you into wholeness. AMEN.

Pastoral Prayer

Lord, you called us to this journey. We aren’t very willing to let go of the things that bind us, even those which harm our spirits and diminish our souls. We cling to our problems as though they provide some degree of comfort and stability. Help us to let go of the pain, the problems, the chains that bind our souls. Open our hearts to hear your word. Place us on the journey with confidence and assurance of your presence. As we have offered the names and situations of those near and dear to us in our prayers this morning, help us to remember that we, too, are always in your loving care. When we have fallen, lift us up, Lord. When we think we can go no further, pick us up and carry us until we can walk again. When we wonder if you made the right choice in calling us to our ministry and mission, easy our fears, confirm our hopes, bless our hearts with your loving presence; that in all things you may be glorified. AMEN.

Litany/Reading

Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2208, have a soloist offer the sections as suggested below.

Soloist: singing verse 2 “Hold my hand”
Reader 1: I have such fear about this journey. There is so much going on in my life right now! I don’t think I can take on a Lenten journey. There are people whose faith is so much stronger than mine is. How can I serve the Lord? I don’t know what to do. I don’t have the fancy words that would bring comfort to the hearts of people who are troubled. I can’t even solve my own problems. You ask me to reach out and take your hand, O Jesus, but I fear that I may fall and falter. Hold my hand, precious Lord. Hold my hand.

Soloist: singing verse 3 “Stand by me”
Reader 2: I can’t do this, Lord. I can’t serve you. I can barely take care of myself. There are so many things which are burdening me right now. I can’t stand, or walk, or serve in the way you should be served. I fear that what I have to offer won’t be enough. I am sinking in my doubts. Lord, stand by me, please stand by me

Soloist: singing verse 4 “I’m your child”
Reader 3: I have heard it said that God has adopted us to be God’s own children. How can this be? Why would God want someone as lacking as me? I’m not sure what it means to be your child, O Lord. I don’t know if I measure up - certainly I don’t measure up to Christ. Sometimes I feel hopeless, discouraged. I need your presence and your love. You have called me your child. You have given me the name “beloved” - I am your child, Lord, I am yours.

Soloist: singing verse 6 “Guide my feet”
Reader 4: There are too many times which I feel as though I am spinning around in circles. I am called to go here; to go there; to be this kind of person; to be that kind of person. You have reached out to me, one who is called beloved , and you have laid your claim on my heart. I feel your presence with me as you hold my hand, stand by me, and call me your own. Now, Lord, guide my feet. I place all my trust and my life in your care. AMEN.

Benediction

Be strong in the Lord. You can walk in God’s ways, for God is with you, offering you peace, hope, courage, and joy. God’s love abides with you always. Go in peace.AMEN.

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

Note: I recommend putting a brief paragraph describing or explaining the symbolism used in your visual display in the worship bulletin. This a good teaching tool for the congregation.

The traditional color for this Sunday is PURPLE.

The focus of today‘s gospel lesson is the mission of Jesus which is misunderstood by Jerusalem. Jesus laments for the city that kills the prophets and does not respond to those whom God sends. God continually sends God’s love and message to us, but we turn a deaf ear, focusing instead on our creature comforts, ignoring the healing love of God.

SURFACE: Place several risers on the worship center. The tallest riser, approximately 1 foot above the main level of the worship center, should be placed to the upper left as you are facing the worship center. The other risers, about 4-6” high, may be placed, one at the center and the other slightly to the right of the middle one.

FABRIC: Cover the worship center in burlap or other neutral colored, rough fabric. On one of the risers on the worship center, place a piece of cream colored or rough blue fabric, approximately 15” square, draping over the riser. You will set a pile of rocks or bricks on this riser.

CANDLES: On the middle riser, place a white pillar candle, about 10” high, representing Christ. Place votive candles, arranged in clusters, on several of the other risers. Place a small pillar candle, preferably white or purple, on the riser on which you are setting the rocks or bricks for today’s worship. This is a reminder that the very fabric ofJerusalem will be in rubble soon.

FLOWERS/PLANTS : No plants or flowers on the worship center

ROCKS/WOOD Some rocks and wood may be placed on the center and at the base of the worship center. Select a riser on the worship center and place a stack of old bricks or large stones - these rocks/bricks represent Jerusalem. Smaller pebbles may be placed near the base of the rocks. The rocks will be set on the riser over which the cream/blue fabric panel is placed.

OTHER: No cross on the worship center at this time

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: February 24, 2013

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 15:53:00 GMT

By Laura Jaquith Bartlett

Second Sunday in Lent

COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17–4:1; Luke 13:31-35

THEME IDEAS

Today’s Scripture readings remind us of the enduring faithfulness of God. If only our faith were strong enough to trust God every moment! Through the Scriptures, we discover that God stays with us even in our doubt. Be inspired by these striking images of comfort: the Lord protects me (Psalm 27); Jesus seeks to gather us under his wings (Luke 13). Through the coming of Jesus Christ, we
know firsthand the power of God’s kept promises!

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Genesis 15, Psalm 27, Luke 13)

Wait for the Lord; be strong!
The promises of God will never be broken.
With God as our light, what is there to fear?
The promises of God will never be broken.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name
of the Lord!
The promises of God will never be broken.

Opening Prayer (Genesis 15, Psalm 27, Philippians 3)

God of promises fulfilled,
we gather as descendants of Abraham;
we stand before you
as faithful testimony to your covenant;
we assemble as living proof
that your love for humanity
knows no limits.
When we feel overwhelmed
by the stresses of daily life,
we need only look at the stars in the sky
to remember your abiding faithfulness.
When we are overcome with despair
by the pain of war and poverty in our world,
we need only see the light of a single candle
to remember the one you sent
as our light, our strength, and our salvation.
We pray now in the name of that light,
Jesus Christ. Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Genesis 15, Psalm 27)

Eternal God,
we are quick to join
Abram’s doubt and impatience,
but we find it difficult to copy
Abraham’s faith and trust.
We want to believe your promises,
but the here-and-now problems of daily life
consume our focus
and erode our faith.
Open our eyes to your light.
Open our hearts to your love.
Open our minds to your possibilities.
Speak to us today, O God,
and strengthen our faith,
that we, too, may know
the everlasting power of your love.

Words of Assurance (Psalm 27)

When God is with us, whom shall we fear?
The God of salvation will never forsake you.
God’s patience knows no limits.
Wait for the Lord.
Be strong and take heart.

Response to the Word (Psalm 27, Luke 13)

(Use this as a responsive reading in the bulletin, or have eight
readers in the midst of the congregation each speak one of the
bolded attributes of the proper noun that the worship leader
speaks. Allow plenty of time between each word.)

Light:
shining, burning, beacon, warmth, glowing, showing,
salvation, love.
Rock:
stronghold, fortress, foundation, strength, protection,
redeemer, salvation, love.
Hen:
mother, parent, safety, care, protection, nurture,
salvation, love.
Jesus:
prophet, blessing, transformer, promise, fulfillment,
savior, salvation, love.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Offering Prayer (Genesis 15, Luke 13)

Faithful God,
you have kept your promises to us.
Our lives give witness
to your abundant blessings.
May we faithfully keep
our promises to you.
Strengthen our commitment
to live as true disciples of Jesus Christ.
Your love sustains us,
guides us, and empowers us.
Take these gifts as signs of our promise
to give ourselves completely into your care—
to live without fear;
to trust your love without reservation. Amen.

Prayer after Communion (Genesis 15, Philippians 3)

Dear God,
we give thanks for your promised care.
In the sharing of this meal,
we participate in the fulfillment
of your greatest promise.
We celebrate our kinship
with your Son, Jesus Christ,
made known to us
in the breaking of the bread of life
and the sharing of the cup of salvation.
May your Holy Spirit strengthen us,
that we may go into the world
to imitate Christ and live as witnesses
of your promised love. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction

Go in the love of God,
whose promises are never broken.
We go in the light of Christ,
whose love transforms us.
Go in the power of the Holy Spirit,
whose fire sustains and encourages us.
We go now into the world as witnesses
of God’s love, light, and power.

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (Psalm 27)

Light, space, zest—that’s God!
With God on our side, we’re fearless,
afraid of no one and nothing.
Come on in—we’re in God’s place!
We’re ready to offer anthems and songs
that will raise the roof!
Let’s join in making music to God.
We want to sing God-songs!

Praise Sentences (Philippians 3)

Brothers and sisters, Christ is our example.
Christ is our life.
Brothers and sisters, Christ is our salvation.
Christ is our savior.
Brothers and sisters, Christ is the Lord.
Christ is the Lord!

ARTICLE: Worship Connection: February 17, 2013

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 20:36:00 GMT

By Nancy C. Townley

First Sunday in Lent

COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16; Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13

CALLS TO WORSHIP

Call to Worship #1

L: Long ago, God rescued God’s people from slavery.
P: We are enslaved today, in many different ways.
L: God can and will rescue us. Place your trust in God’s love.
P: Our hope is in the Lord who is our refuge and our strength.
L: Even though temptations surround us, drawing us away from God,
P: We will continue to follow God and trust in God’s ways. AMEN.

Call to Worship #2

L: When Jesus was in the wilderness, he was tempted to save himself.
P: We often look for the good things for ourselves first, before the well-being of others.
L: Jesus was offered salvation if he turned stones to bread; if he accepted wealth and power; if he tested God’s commitment to him.
P: In all these things, Jesus remained strong in his commitment to God.
L: May our commitment be as strong.
P: May our lives be placed in God’s caring hands throughout our journey. AMEN.

Call to Worship #3

[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2080, “All I Need Is You”, have the choir sing the song as directed]
L: When we are tempted to think of our immediate needs and turn our back on others, Jesus draws us back to reality.
P: All we truly need is you, O Christ.

Choir: singing “All I Need Is You”

L: When we think that wealth, power, status are the answers to life’s dilemmas, God draws us back to reality.
P: All we truly need is you, O Lord.

Choir: singing “All I Need Is You”

L: When we want to really find out if God means what God says, we are tempted to create little tests of faithfulness, and God brings us back to reality.
P: All we truly need is you, O God.

Choir singing “All I Need Is You”

Call to Worship #4

L: For some of us, it was tempting to “sleep in” this morning.
P: But God has called us to this place, to hear God’s word, to open our hearts in prayer and praise, and to seek direction for our lives.
L: There are many temptations placed in front of us. We are called to be strong and place our trust in God.
P: God is always faithful to us, comforting, guiding, lifting us. AMEN.

PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION

Opening Prayer

Lord, the temptations of the world loom large before us. We are enticed, cajoled, and “sweet-talked” into moving from lives of service to lives of self-centeredness. We need your healing love. As you resisted the temptations in the wilderness, help us to place our trust in you, that we may be strong in our faith and confident in our service to you through serving others.AMEN.

Prayer of Confession

In a world which values gambling, risking, taking dares, Lord, we come to this time of temptation. We confess that we are often enticed to take the risk for the rewards, often financial, offered if you win. Just “a dollar and a dream” and we hear the glory stories of people receiving great monetary wealth; later, we discover how many lives have been destroyed by this grand prize. Forgive us when we hunger for the wealth and power the world dangles before us. Move us from greed to gratitude for your blessings. Heal our wounded spirits and lives, so that we may fully serve you. Prepare us for this journey of discipleship and healing. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.

Words of Assurance

God will provide for your needs. Place your trust in God. You are not alone. God is with you always. The world cannot offer to you such abiding riches as the presence of God. AMEN.

Pastoral Prayer

Flooding our emails, screaming to us from television screens, crowding up our mailboxes, the offers for millions of dollars, the dream of great wealth, ravage our lives. Life isn’t easy. We do have struggles. We have come through the season devoted to commercialization of giving, to a time in which we are called to put aside the desire for wealth, status, power and enter into a journey of faith. This call is not an easy one to follow. It is much easier to succumb to the temptations of the culture of greed. Obsolescence is built into our systems - just as a new one is developed it becomes yesterday’s news. But God’s love and power are never obsolete. God’s presence is with us always, lifting, healing, restoring, encouraging us to move forward on the journey of service and compassion. We bring to our prayers today needs of others and situations which are difficult and sorrowful. We implore God to respond with compassion and care for these, our loved ones. Help us, O God, to remember that you are in the midst of these times, giving hope and love. Enable us to feel the power of this love in our own lives. Empower us to share this love with others, for we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

Litany/Reading

Reader : (singing….”If I were a rich man, die dill, dee dill, dee, dill, dee, dill, dee, dill…)

VOICE: You have been giving every blessing - people who love you, a place to be, a multitude of talents and abilities.

Reader: Lord who made the Lion and the Lamb, you decreed I should be what I am. Would it spoil some vast eternal play, if I were a wealthy man?

VOICE: Didn’t you listen? You are wealthy!

Reader: Ha! You think so? You don’t know what I have to go through, working, just to earn my “daily bread”, never enough time to rest, always worrying about the bills, the kids, the mortgage, the rent, all the other stuff that has to be taken care of. If I were rich, I could take care of all that stuff and have something left over beside - I could do whatever I wanted - I could even help others.

VOICE: You can do that now.

Reader: What, pay all the bills, meet all the obligations? I can’t do it all.

VOICE: You do it a little at a time. You could help others now.

Reader: Yeh, sure, when I have time…..which I don’t seem to have.

VOICE: What kind of time are you looking for? You have more time than you think; it’s how you are using the time that’s the problem.

Reader: Well, you try managing all this stuff and see where it gets you.

VOICE: World management is quite a task you know.

Reader: So, How about the rich part……can I have it?

VOICE: There’s a little journey I would like you to take. It begins now, well, actually it began last Wednesday, but you are not too late to start. I want you to walk inward and forward.

Reader: What? I don’t get it.

VOICE: I want you to follow my son - it’s a long journey and you are going to be tempted to stop and take it easy. But hang in there, follow him, and discover something incredible about the world and about yourself.

Reader: So you want me to go on a trip……and then I get the wealth?

VOICE: You will be amazed what you will get!

Reader: Could be OK. All right, I’ll try.

VOICE: Don’t just try……do it! I’ll be with you.

Reader: Well, that sounds fair, if I have to go, so do you….(laughs)

VOICE: And the journey begins - no guarantees, no promises, just the journey, inward and onward……you can come along too. It’s for you that this journey is created.

Benediction:
The journey has begun. God is with you. Go forth to learn, to teach, to serve. Go bringing peace and hope to all in the name of Jesus Christ.AMEN.

ARTISTIC ELEMENTS

The traditional color for this Sunday is PURPLE.

Note: I recommend putting a brief paragraph describing or explaining the symbolism used in your visual display in the worship bulletin. This a good teaching tool for the congregation.

DEFINITIONS:

Risers: Any structure or support which will raise a portion of worship center above the main level. Some risers may be a stack of books; others may be made from wood or whatever will give the necessary support to the object which is going to be placed on the riser. I also refer to benches or tables which may be placed to the side or in front of the worship center as risers. I have used pieces of 2”x 4” wood, stacked on top of each other to achieve the height I desired. Most of the time, the risers will be covered with fabric.

Worship Center: Because so many churches have different worship spaces, I have chosen to call the main space for worship display: the worship center. In some instances it may be referred to as the altar, the communion table, a platform - whatever is the focal point of the worship area.

Flowers/plants: I am not a “purist”, if the definition means having only live flowers and plants in the chancel/worship area. I believe that there are some really beautiful silk flowers which will suffice in times when live plants are not available. However, go with the tradition of your local church. Generally speaking, I like to use foliage plants (non-flowering or minimally flowering) as accent pieces. “Spiky” plants, such as: mother-in-law’s tongue, snake plant, are good when you desire a harsh, hard, angular effect. Fern (especially asparagus orBoston) are wonderful along with some ivys, to soften the effect.

Puddling the fabric: Currently interior decorators use the technique with draperies of letting the fabric spill to the floor in a heap, sort of a puddle. It is a less formal design. Puddling the fabric means not creating even, smooth edges (creating a flat panel).

THE ARTISTIC ELEMENT FOR TODAY:

[Note: The theme for Lent is JOURNEY INWARD/JOURNEY FORWARD. The idea is that discipleship is a journey that is first lived inward, introspectively, reality-check, and then lived forward in service. The worship center will remain covered with the base cloth of burlap or other neutral rough material. Each week something will be added to the worship center and perhaps other things removed, until all are placed at the foot of the cross. I recommend that you have someone construct an “old, rugged Cross”, about 6-7 feet tall, on a free standing base. This cross will be used during Holy Week, but you want to plan far enough ahead to have it ready.]

SURFACE; Place several risers on the worship center. The tallest riser, approximately 1 foot above the main level of the worship center, should be placed to the upper left as you are facing the worship center. The other risers, about 4-6” high, may be placed, one at the center and the other slightly to the right of the middle one.

FABRIC: Cover the worship center in burlap or other neutral colored, rough fabric.

CANDLES: On the middle riser, place a white pillar candle, about 10” high, representing Christ. .Place a back pack and a walking stick against the worship center. You may place a canteen and walking shoes on the worship center, if you wish - there is no map, no compass, only what you bring with you (Note: you may want to make this part of the statement about this particular journey during Lent)

FLOWERS/PLANTS : No plants or flowers on the worship center

ROCKS/WOOD Some rocks and wood may be placed on the center and at the base of the worship center.

OTHER: .No cross on the worship center at this time.

ARTICLE: Good Enough

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 20:03:13 GMT

By Matt Appling

God created everything, and he saw that it was all good.

And ever since then, people have been trying to make things that are good too.

It’s a pursuit that has driven humanity for eons. We try to transform bad things into good things and good things into great things. Even things that turned out to be very evil and destructive were motivated by the desire for good results. The drive for “good” has been the source of our greatest triumphs…

…usually. Unless, of course, we just become lazy. Then the pursuit of “good” is replaced by our pursuit of “good enough.”

And there is an incredible difference between the two.

Steak and Salad

It took me a long time to understand the story of Cain and Abel. Cain was a farmer, and Abel raised livestock. But when the brothers came to worship God with sacrifices from their harvests, God responds favorably to Abel, but not to Cain.

God’s reaction to the brothers seems kind of arbitrary. Why did he like Abel’s offering of steak but not Cain’s salad?

The answer isn’t about God being a meat eater or a vegetarian. It’s a question of good versus good enough.

Abel had carefully selected the marbled cuts of steak from the firstborn of his flocks. Cain, meanwhile, merely picked out some of his fruits with no attention to the quality of his offering. His offering wasn’t exactly fit for the grocery store. Some of his fruits and vegetables were perhaps blemished or weird sizes and shapes. Maybe some bugs had chewed on them. A farmer today would call those “B” fruits. They’re good for making fruit juice or feeding to animals, not taking to church to make an offering.

Abel’s offering was good. Cain’s offering was good enough.

“Good” Versus “Good Enough”

The funny thing is Cain and Abel both came to God hoping for approval. A pat on the back and a “well done” from God would be a nice boost. Cain obviously expected a favorable response from God. So he was offended and angry when God didn’t react the way he expected.

Cain was able to convince himself that his offering was good, and the best he could produce. But God saw right through it. God has a knack for that. When Ananias tried to upstage Barnabas by selling his property and giving part of the profit to the apostles, he pretended he was giving the whole amount. God saw through that too. Barnabas’ generosity was good. Ananias’ was just good enough. There are dozens examples in the Bible of good and merely good enough.

Not Good Enough

As an elementary art teacher, I hear one question dozens of times a day.

Students will hold up their work to show me their progress. There is a look of anticipation in their eyes. They want my approval. They ask me again and again every day…

“Is this good?”

It took me a while to catch on, but what many of them are really asking is not, “Is this good?” but “Is this good enough?”

In other words, “Can I stop working now?”

But the question, “Is this good?” does nothing to answer the question, “Is this my best?” And I have told students ten times in a single hour, “No, it’s not good enough. Keep working.”

So many of us are in that same mode, having trained ourselves since third grade art class. If we can trick other people into thinking we are doing “good,” then we are satisfied. If other people think that we’re kind or generous or spiritual or hard working, that’s where we stop. We never strive for our best. We stop at good enough.

A Good Life

When God creates things, they are good.

And when he made us in his image, we were given the ability to make good things too. Maybe that’s why God isn’t impressed with things that are just “good enough,” or offerings that are “good enough,” or lives lived “good enough.”

We can always convince ourselves that we are doing our best. We can go to church or pray and expect God to give us a favorable response. But God sees through our “good enough.” He wants our best. He wants our best work, our highest efforts, our firstfruits.

Giving God our best is the only true expression of sincere gratitude. A life lived without sincere gratitude isn’t really blessed. It’s not really good. It’s just good enough.

ARTICLE: Come to Your Senses (Five-Part Sermon Series)

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 02:36:02 GMT

By Steve Plymale

This five-part series focuses on experiencing God through each of the five senses. Each sermon deals with “common” ways of experiencing God – ways available to persons not thoroughly trained in spiritual disciplines. In other words, these sermons explore the everyday experiences of God that we tend to easily overlook, by using each of our five senses.

1. Taste and See That the Lord is Good

Psalm 119:89-103

Certain tastes bring to mind specific memories from our past: persons, places, events, feelings. Christmas Apple Cake always pleasantly reminds me of my mother-in-law, for example, because she made an apple cake every Christmas as long as I knew her.

I shared a story about some Christians imprisoned in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. They began to gather secretly for brief periods of prayer. One day, they celebrated a silent Holy Communion, pantomime style, for they had no bread or wine. One man said that when it came time for him to “take, eat” he could feel and taste the bread, and the wine. That specific taste reminded him of God’s abiding presence even in the worst imaginable circumstance. His faith was renewed and strengthened, and he found the wherewithal to survive the camp. Let the bread and cup remind you of God’s abiding presence in your life, and also remind you, whenever you taste the bread or drink of the cup, that God is good.

Make this the message on a Holy Communion Sunday. To enhance the experience, we had bread machines baking bread in the sanctuary from the beginning of the worship service.

2. Touch and Know That the Lord is Good

Psalm 18:1-19

On my first Sunday as Lead Pastor, as a part of the congregational welcome, I was presented a prayer shawl knitted by the church’s prayer shawl ministry. Every time I touch that prayer shawl, I am reminded of the love and support extended to me by the congregation. I shared stories throughout the sermon of people (names changed if they so desired) who make the prayer shawls, deliver them, and the ones who receive them also testify to the spiritual reality and power they experience.

God’s love can be experienced through tangible gifts, given to meet needs, bring comfort, or express care for others. Each time a child picks up a donated backpack, a cancer patient wraps up in a prayer shawl, or a mother touches a special piece of jewelry symbolizing her child, the power of God’s love is felt.

We had prayer shawls circulating through the congregation throughout the sermon. At the very beginning of the sermon, I requested that people pray over the shawls, asking God to touch any and all who touched these shawls. Congregations who do not have a prayer shawl ministry could pray over other items that could be distributed to people in need of prayer as tangible symbols of the prayers being offered on their behalf.

3. A Scent Pleasing Unto the Lord

Psalm 141:1-2; Revelation 5:8, 8:3-4; Acts 10:4

Imagine the smell of an infant. I think of talcum powder and the clean, fresh smell peculiar to babies. Now, I know that babies don’t always smell nice; but when they do, I find it to be a wonderful smell that elicits memories of other babies, including fond memories of my own babies. Of course, it works the other way around, too. If I think of babies, I am reminded of that particular smell.

Throughout the history of our faith, scent has been a significant dimension of the experience of the faithful. From Abraham’s time and the ancient sacrifices of burnt offerings, to our own time with incense, candles, flowers and the like, scents have become connected with worship, reminding the faithful of the presence of God and symbolizing our worship rising to God. When the story of Cornelius is told in the 10^th chapter of Acts, the reader is informed that the piety and holy acts of Cornelius have ascended before God as a beautiful scent.

This imagery raises questions for you and me. What is the quality of the scent we are lifting before God? Does the quality of our piety and righteous deeds rise before God as the pleasing aroma of incense or as a stench?

I scheduled an infant baptism on the day I offered this sermon. We used potpourri pots with apple and orange slices to scent the sanctuary.

4. Listen and Hear That the Lord is Good

Psalm 81; Psalm 5

When we think of hearing God, we probably remember situations in which we have heard the voice of God in hymns, sermons, writings or some other form of verbal communication. No doubt we have had profound experiences of being aware of the very voice of God in one or more of these ways.

But today I want to concentrate on another aspect of hearing God: the sound of your own name or other terms of endearment, spoken by people who love you. Remember the loving parent or caregiver who tended you when you were but a child. Or perhaps you are thinking of a dear loved one who held your hand and said to you, ‘I love you so much.” Did you not hear God in those affirmations?

Our daughter Emily became suddenly ill when she was about five. Her temperature rose quickly and she was drifting in and out of consciousness as we rushed her to the hospital. The emergency room physician ordered an ice bath to get her temperature down quickly. Though unconscious, Emily fought going under that ice-cold water. Her cries and struggling brought tears to the eyes of her parents, the doctor and nurses and the brawny orderlies who were holding her under the water. Suddenly her eyes opened as she regained consciousness and her temperature dropped. Her hand reached out for her mother as she shouted, “Mommy!” In that cry, I heard the voice of God. I think others in that emergency room did, too.

As a part of this worship experience, specifically as a part of our Scripture reading, we had a video recording of children repeating the words of the 23^rd Psalm.

5. Look and See That the Lord Is Good

Psalm 27; Psalm 119:105-112

I love the work of artist P. Buckley Moss. Many of her paintings are of Amish scenes from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, offered in her distinctive style. She loves the valley, and it is obvious in her paintings. For P. Buckley Moss, and others artists as well, it seems clear that there is a little piece of the artist in the art. Of course this insight is true not just for professional artists. I shared a picture drawn for me recently by a child in the congregation, and explained how I can cherish this in part because the child put a little bit of himself into the painting.

The same dynamic applies to God, the Creator of human beings. God, the artist who created you and me, imbues each creation, each person, with a little of the artist. For this reason, we should see the element of the divine in each person we meet. Do we show equal respect and compassion for everyone who crosses our path?

Later in the sermon, I brought the aforementioned child’s drawing back out, tore it up and let the pieces fall to the floor (and then quickly explained that this was prearranged with the child) and asked the congregation to think about how they felt when they saw me tear it up. This little kid had given a part of himself, and I had treated it with disdain.

Think of how God feels when we disrespect the precious persons God has created. We are called to be a community of God’s people, helping the world see God at work, actively engaged in our and others’ lives. We must see God’s activity and work right here, right now, in every single person. Then we will see and help others see the face of God.

ARTICLE: Worship Elements: February 17, 2013

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 20:18:00 GMT

By Matthew J. Packer

First Sunday in Lent

COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16; Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13

THEME IDEAS

As we enter the season of Lent, we enter a time of self-examination and repentance, a time of preparation for the transforming power of Easter. Today’s scriptures focus on God’s provision and God’s protection. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus alludes to Deuteronomy 26, and the devil quotes Psalm 91. In the Epistle reading, Jesus assumes the role of protector and provider for all who confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead.

INVITATION AND GATHERING

Call to Worship (Psalm 91)

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
say to the Lord:
You are my refuge and my fortress.
You are my God in whom I trust.
Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High will be your dwelling place.
No evil shall befall us.
No scourge shall come near our tents.
Those who love the Lord, God will deliver.
God protects those who know the name of the Lord.
God saves them and honors them in times of trouble.
Show us our salvation, O God.
Show us your favor as we offer you our worship.

Opening Prayer (Romans 10, Psalm 91, Deuteronomy 26, Luke 4)

In the quiet of this moment,
in the stillness of this place,
draw near to us, O God.
As we seek the shelter of your refuge,
as we celebrate the bounty of your provision,
hearken to our need, Holy One.
Transform this time and place
into our land of milk and honey—
a land where you are among us,
a land where your mighty hand
and your outstretched arm
protect us,
a land where you alone are worthy
of our worship and service.
We ask this in the saving name of Jesus, our Lord.
Amen.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Prayer of Confession (Luke 4, Deuteronomy 26)

Holy Lord,
as we enter this Lenten season,
we are reminded of our weakness
and our need for your strength.
We ask your forgiveness
when we succumb to the temptations of this world,
when we tread paths
that are contrary to your will.
We ask your forgiveness
when we fail to look beyond our own desires
to see another’s need.
We ask for your presence
in our wilderness wanderings.
May your hand guide us from the arid land of sin
into a land flowing with milk and honey—
a land made rich and abundant
by your saving love. Amen.

Words of Assurance (Romans 10)

No one who believes in Jesus will be put to shame.
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
shall be saved.
Rejoice and celebrate, for forgiveness is ours
through the confession of faith in Christ.

Passing the Peace of Christ (Romans 10:9)

Joyously greet one another with the words, “Jesus is Lord!”

Introduction to the Word or Prayer of Preparation (Deuteronomy 26:8, Romans 10:8)

God of signs and wonders,
who speaks the world into being,
speak again your words of life and death.
May your word be ever near us,
on our lips, and in our heart.
Transform us as we hear your word this day,
that we may respond with faithful praise. Amen.

Response to the Word

O God,
you have spoken to us today
through this word of faith.
Embolden our spirits by your Spirit,
that your words may be made manifest
in all that we say and in all that we do
to bring your kingdom on earth.
In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Invitation to the Offering (Deuteronomy 26:1-2)

Hear the word of the Lord:
“When you have come into the land
that the LORD your God is giving you . . .
you shall take some of the first of
all the fruit of the ground . . .
and go to the place that the LORD your God will choose
as a dwelling [place].”
We bring our best before God in recognition
that all that we have is an inheritance from God.
In celebration of the bounty that God has provided,
let us give generously as we collect today’s offering.

Offering Prayer (Deuteronomy 26)

We bring these gifts to you, O God,
in recognition and gratitude
for your loving provision.
We offer you our very lives and bow before you
in tribute to your many blessings.
Take us and use us,
that your will may be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
This we pray in the name of the One
who came in holy love,
that we might have abundant life. Amen.

SENDING FORTH

Benediction (Psalm 91:9-12)

God will command the angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear us up.
Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High will be your dwelling place.
No evil shall befall us.
Go in peace, in the provision and protection
of the Lord.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS

Contemporary Gathering Words (Romans 10)

Call upon our God,
for God will hear our cry!
Calling, you will be saved,
for God will hear our cry!
In confidence and faith,
come and gather in the protective love of God,
for God will hear our cry!

Praise Sentences (Psalm 91:1-2)

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in you I trust!”
My God, in you I trust!

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Call to Worship (Psalm 146)

Opening Prayer (Psalm 146)

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Prayer of Confession (Psalm 146, 1 Kings 17)

Words of Assurance (Psalm 146, Luke 7)

Passing the Peace of Christ (Luke 7)

Response to the Word (1 Kings 17)

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Invitation to the Offering (1 Kings 17)

Offering Prayer (Luke 7, Psalm 146)

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Benediction (1 Kings 17)

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Contemporary Gathering Words (1 Kings 17, Psalm 146, Luke 7)

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