Monthly Archives: February 2019

A Liturgy and Blessing for Church Vocations Sunday

22 Friday Feb 2019

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

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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.

 

“Illuminate Your Winter” Worship Service

08 Friday Feb 2019

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

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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!