• Email Sign Up
  • Following me around the web…
  • Liturgies for the “Be the Church” Series
  • Sermons on Video
  • Single in the Sanctuary
  • Vocational Prayers
  • Want to know about me?

Michelle L. Torigian

~ God Goes Pop Culture

Michelle L. Torigian

Monthly Archives: February 2019

A Liturgy and Blessing for Church Vocations Sunday

22 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by mictori in Church Life, Epiphany Liturgy/Prayers, Liturgy, Pop

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

blessing of church staff, Church, church vocations, church vocations Sunday, Liturgy, progressive Christianity, United Church of Christ

CALL TO WORSHIP

One: God calls us here – no matter who we are.

Many: Knowing we are messy and magnificent, God calls us here.

One: God summons us to boldly serve our world.

Many: God cultivates our gifts to nurture creation.

One: God sanctifies our voices as we uphold justice.

Many: God warms our souls as we foster kindness.

One: May strength be the foundation of our growing souls.

Many: May courage be the base of our strengthening hearts.

One: For such a time is this, we are here.

Many: For such a time as this we worship and serve our Creator.

 

INVOCATION

Divine Nourisher of Gifts, you paint a photo of the ideal world.  In our messiness and our magnificence, you call us to co-create your realm.  May we see ourselves as you see us. May we respond to your call in our lives with a joyous “Amen!”  May we encourage our neighbors in their pursuits to embrace their most authentic lives. Amen.

 

CALL TO RECONCILIATION

One: Have we nurtured the call of our neighbors?  Have we encouraged their gifts? Have there been times when we’ve crushed dreams rather than lifted spirits?

 

PRAYER OF RECONCILIATION

One: Gracious Nurturer, Holy Spirit, in the highlights of our lives, we’ve seen your presence.  In the shadow-filled valleys, we’ve neglected your call. Self-fulfilling prophecy has melted our hopes.  Negative remarks have washed away others’ dreams.

Many: May collaboration become our road and encouragement our compass.  Let us work together to nudge our neighbors to live into your call. Let us shed negativity from our own voices and the voices of others to create room for fulfilled visions.  Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GRACE

One: Loving God, our Gracious Nurturer, will continue to hope with us throughout our entire lives – – and beyond!  God will infuse joy in our journeys and mercy in our discernment. Let us tap into God’s grace, and let us extend this grace to others.

All: Amen!  Thanks be to God!

 

CALL TO OFFERING

One: Spirit of God, Gracious Nurturer, throughout our lives, you have tended to our talents.  You have celebrated the times they have flourished and showered your mercy when we needed to attend to our gifts.  In this time and space, let us reflect on the ways we have cultivated our talents together, God. In this space and time, let us give as we can with the hope that our contributions will expand our world.

DEDICATION PRAYER

Gracious Nurturer, for the gifts in our hands, we give our gratitude.  For the gifts in our hearts, we sing with joy. For the gifts in our souls, we share with our world.  Loving God, may our co-nurturing strengthen our communities and encourage our neighbors to share their talents with the world.  Amen.

 

BENEDICTION

Let us exit this space with hope.

Let us move into the world with joy.

May the God who shares visions,

the Christ who dreams,

and the Spirit who sustains our souls

nurture our sense of call today and always.  Amen!

All: Amen!

 

Optional LITANY OF BLESSINGS FOR PEOPLE IN CHURCH VOCATIONS

One: Spirit of God who stirs our souls and inspires us to build a just and peace-filled world:

With gratitude we celebrate our siblings in faith who dedicate their time, talents, and treasures in the church.  With appreciation and joy, we pray for them this day and bless the work of their hands and hearts.

One: For those who are sensing a nudge by God’s Spirit to enter ministry: may they attend to the seeds in their souls to see what God may be cultivating.

All: Spirit of God, we delight in their gifts.

One: For members in discernment and those attending seminary: may patience and endurance be their staff in the long nights of study and writing.

All: Spirit of God, we delight in their gifts.

One: For our siblings in administration: may they grow to see you in numbers and emails, in phone calls and meeting minutes.  May technology become a route to experiencing God more clearly.

All: Spirit of God, we delight in their gifts.

One: For our musicians and artists: may the creativity in their souls overflow, and may they see God in their process of creation.

All: Spirit of God, we delight in their gifts.

One: For our friends leading youth ministry: may they nurture the next generation of hearts to serve our world enthusiastically.

All: Spirit of God, we delight in their gifts.

One: For the stewards of our buildings and the keepers of the grounds: may their care for the property create hospitality and peace for visitors and congregants alike.

All: Spirit of God, we delight in their gifts.

One: For our Christian educators: may they be inspired to create a community of faith formation, and may knowledge be their companion.

All: Spirit of God, we delight in their gifts.

One: For the pastors who lead and serve, for the encouragement of their souls and the strength of their health: may wisdom be breathed in like air.

All: Spirit of God, we delight in their gifts.

One: For our retired clergy friends: may their years of service warm their hearts, and may they remember their steadfast love for the Church.

All: Spirit of God, we delight in their gifts.

One: For our siblings at associations and conference, at the national church and affiliated ministries, for chaplains and professors and all who build the Body of Christ: may their strength cascade to the ones they serve and may they see the fruit of their labors and God’s presence surrounding them.

All: Spirit of God, we delight in their gifts.

One: Bless all who work with and in and through the church.  Through these vocations and many other positions, Gracious Nurturer, may we see your presence and may we pass along your illumination to the world.  Amen.  

Worship Service Liturgy and Litany of Blessings for People in Church Vocations written by Rev. Michelle L. Torigian

Permission to use this liturgy with attribution.

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr

Like this:

Like Loading...

“Illuminate Your Winter” Worship Service

08 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by mictori in Epiphany Liturgy/Prayers, Life, Liturgy, Pop

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

bright, Brighten Your Winter Worship, Epiphany, Epiphany Liturgy, Illuminate Your Winter Worship, Isaiah 40, seasonal affective disorder

ED610EB9-6C3B-4322-B624-A66CC042B949

The idea for this worship service was brought to me at my last congregation by a retired pastor.  As the days are often extremely gloomy and cold in January and February, this is a time to remind ourselves that God’s steadfast presence is near.  For many of our siblings in faith, seasonal affective disorder is a struggle because of the dreary, chilly winter days.  This worship service is to recognize that there are things that obstruct us from seeing God’s brilliance, and we are called to carry light even on gloomy winter days.

This is also an opportunity to look at darkness as something beautiful.  While we are recognizing gloomy, cloudy, cold days as difficult, we recognize the night sky and darkness as glorious and a gift from God.

Ideas for Scripture texts:

Isaiah 60:1-5, Matthew 5:14-16, John 1:1-9

 

Call to Worship
One: In this space, God’s glow surrounds us.
Many: In this place, God’s glimmer brightens the surrounding gloom.
One: We yearn to see the radiance from the sun’s company.
Many: We hope to see the moon’s glow accompanying us until the morn.
One: Winter’s malaise will not last long.
Many: Arise, friends.  For God’s warmth endures forever.

Invocation
Holy Radiance, Holy Spirit, in our seasons when gloom invades our skies, may your mirthful glow shine brightly.  As brisk winds monopolize our air, may your welcoming breezes nudge us to comfort and serve our world.  Help us to seek you beyond thick layers of clouds.  Encourage us to steer our neighbors to see you in the short days of winter and the long nights of summer.  Amen.

Prayer of Reconciliation
One: God of breezy nights and dreary days, we hoard Divine Brilliance for ourselves – even when we have been reminded that to love our neighbors means to spread light into the world.

All: Without thinking, we cast shadows across the earth.  Shift our perspectives so that we avoid becoming obstacles to God’s gleam.  May we become carriers of light instead of  barriers to God’s glow.  Amen.

Assurance of Grace
One: God will always share Divine Beauty with us.  God will call us to find splendor in darkness and magnificence in daylight as both are where God abides.  God will continue to ask us to share radiance and joy with our neighbors.  God gives us second chances, calling us again and again to be channels of love and warmth.

All:  Amen!  Thanks be to God!

Call to Offering
Holy Radiance, you fill our hearts with levity and our souls with joy.  Even in the seasons that appear gloomy, your steadfast presence kindles our spirits, sustaining us until the new season approaches.  In our gratitude for love and light, we share our gifts and our luminosity with our world.  Loving God, let us take these moments to share our treasures and reflect on how we share your Divine Glow with our world.

Prayer of Dedication
We look to you for what we need, God of Love.  We ask that you continue to fill our hearts with your Divine Glow.  Ignite our spirits so that we can pass along your radiance with our world.  We pray all of this with hearts of hope.  Amen.

Benediction
One: In seasons of despair, God’s Glow will warm our hearts.
In seasons of hopelessness, Christ’s Light will spark our minds.
In seasons of gloom, Holy Radiance will sustain our souls.

As clouds droop low and shadows stretch, let us carry Divine Illumination into our world!  Amen!

All: Amen!

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr

Like this:

Like Loading...

CCblogs Network

CCblogs Network

RevGalBlogPals

RevGalBlogPals
Follow Michelle L. Torigian on WordPress.com

Michelle L. Torigian

Michelle L. Torigian

Rev. Michelle Torigian's Instagram

There was an error retrieving images from Instagram. An attempt will be remade in a few minutes.

Archives

  • November 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • September 2011
  • December 2010

Blogroll

  • A Southern Pastor's Life in the North
  • Ancient/Future Faith
  • Associated Luke
  • Coffeehouse Contemplative
  • Emily C. Heath
  • For the Someday Book
  • Go and Tell with Grace
  • Katie Steedly
  • Liturgy Geek
  • musings about liturgical adventures, poetic journeys and such
  • One Whole Step
  • Reflections of Ryberg
  • Scattered Graces

Tags

Advent advent prayer Advent prayers Armenian Genocide careers child-free Childless Childlessness Christ Christianity Christmas Church Communion Communion Liturgy death divorce domestic violence Easter Endometriosis Epiphany Feminism God Grace Grey's Anatomy grief grief prayers grieving Healing Holy Week Hope Infertility Jesus Justice Lent Lenten Prayers LGBT Life Liturgy loss of loved one loss of parent Love married Mother's Day motherhood mourning Newtown occupy advent pain pastor Prayer Prayers privilege progressive Christianity Progressive Christianty Psalm 139 racism rape refugee refugees Resurrection sexism sexual assault Single Singlehood single in the sanctuary Social Justice Surgery Syrophoenician woman Thanksgiving UCC United Church of Christ Vashti vocational prayers vocations widows

Categories

  • Advent prayers
  • Be the Church
  • Church Life
  • Communion Liturgy
  • Current Events
  • Epiphany Liturgy/Prayers
  • grief
  • Health
  • Holidays
  • Lent Prayers
  • Life
  • Liturgy
  • Movies
  • Music
  • National Day Prayers
  • Poetry
  • Pop
  • Pop Culture
  • Prayers
  • Religion
  • Single in the Sanctuary
  • Social Justice
  • Social Media
  • Sports
  • Television
  • Vocation Prayers
  • Wordpress Blogger University

RSS Michelle L. Torigian

  • A Blessing of the Mason Jars
  • An Advent Communion Liturgy
  • A Prayer for World Kindness Day
  • A Prayer at First Frost
  • A Prayer as We Remember Our Saints
  • A Prayer Before Daybreak
  • Showing Hospitality to Strangers: A Communion Liturgy
  • A Prayer Upon Receiving a Diagnosis
  • To My Representative – My Letter to You on Immigration
  • Matins
February 2019
S M T W T F S
« Jan   Mar »
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
2425262728  

Category Cloud

Advent prayers Be the Church Church Life Communion Liturgy Current Events Epiphany Liturgy/Prayers grief Health Holidays Lent Prayers Life Liturgy Movies Music National Day Prayers Poetry Pop Pop Culture Prayers Religion Single in the Sanctuary Social Justice Social Media Sports Television Vocation Prayers Wordpress Blogger University

Recent Posts

  • A Blessing of the Mason Jars
  • An Advent Communion Liturgy
  • A Prayer for World Kindness Day
  • A Prayer at First Frost
  • A Prayer as We Remember Our Saints

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
%d bloggers like this: