Under the long night sky There are rooms filled with laughter- Friends reconnecting And family sharing meals. There is warmth. There is peace. These are blessings, like the Cold Moon Full and bright- Accompanying us far into the night.
Under the long night sky There are lonely corners filled with tears. Neighbors feeling alone. Neighbors distraught. Spirits are chilly, waiting for the dawn of hope. Yet you are with them As they seek your peace, As they wait for your strength to soothe their shaking souls.
Under the long night sky There are open fields filled with questions Wondering and waiting For the Christ child to bring hope. Doubt and discouragement dance around minds. But you, the Divine One, Sit with us in the fields under the long night sky Waiting for dawn, Waiting for comfort to coat our spirits Waiting for peace to crack the hardened-hearts of war And for love to break open possibilities of unity again.
Under the long night sky Hope paves the roads. Peace plants the gardens. Joy lightens our burdens. And love births the advent of your Divine bliss here on earth.
Amen.
(c) 2023 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.
Entry Into Worship Gathering together, we celebrate the blossoming of talents. Like the body and all of its individual parts, We each bring to the church a sparkle of light A heart filled with dreams And the joy of living into God’s vision.
As we celebrate the new path of our friend, We pray for peace among the rocky roads, Umbrellas on rainy days, Deep breaths in anxious moments, Love in lonely shadows And inspiration when the wells have run dry.
Invocation Holy God, Divine Gardener of our Spirits, You dwell with us in the fields of our faith. You call us onto path strange and familiar, Comfortable and troublesome. You sit with us among the bitter herbs And taste the sweetness of the fruit of the vine. You never veer away from us- Even when we are in knee deep in dirt You celebrate the fertile soil below. Our covenant is to be celebrated As we leap for joy Knowing each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made Because you know us well.
May we delight in your steadfast love- A love that knows no end, A love that stretches from horizon to horizon, A love that knows the shadows before sunset, And the night beyond dusk.
Fill this ordinand, this sibling in Christ With the visions of your Realm, The strength to bring your dreams to fruition And joy at the harvest.
Amen.
(c) 2023 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.
Call to Worship One: Whether we are rich, middle class or barely getting by- Many: We are Christ’s church. One: Whether we have plenty or in want- Many: We are Christ’s church. One: Whether we are employed, unemployed or retired- Many: We are Christ’s church. One: Whether we give of time, talent or treasure- Many: We are Christ’s church. One: In a spirit of unity, caring for one another- Many: We are Christ’s church.
Invocation Eager and Empowering God, we come to you this morning to reflect our view on what it means to be Christ’s Church. We enter this sanctuary to examine the ways we can create sanctuary for all. May we see one another through your eyes. May we see your living presence in our gathering together. Allow this time not only to be one where we worship you but one where you open us up to new ways of serving. Amen.
Prayer of Reconciliation and Reflection Holy God, Holy Connector,
Through your Spirit, we find your abundant love. Through your Church, we recognize the gifts of ourselves and others. Yet sometimes we want to focus on the weaknesses of our neighbors instead of acknowledging their strengths. Our relationships crumble when we lack mercy. Inspire us to encourage our neighbors. Remind us that our voices of confidence assist our neighbors along their journey, and when one of us is stronger, the Church is stronger. Amen.
Assurance of Grace Our Grace-filled God, the One who dwells with us on this journey, is filling our hearts with mercy and our minds with wisdom. We are called to focus on the grace of our journeys which will strengthen the bonds between us, God, and our neighbors. Amen.
Reflection on Giving The Holy Spirit prompts us to be the Church as we move about the earth. At times, we share our talents, filling the world with our songs and art. Other moments, we share our time, sitting with a neighbor hurting or using our hands to strengthen our building. And then there are times when we contribute the gifts of treasures, giving financial offerings for the good of our local church and the entirety of Christ’s Church. However you give this week, may we grow with God and neighbor.
Blessing of the Gifts Holy Spirit, Divine Winds of the Church, you gather us together, breathing new life into our souls. You gather us together, filling our hearts with inspiration and creativity. You gather us together, focusing our minds on how we can care for one another. May each of our gifts build the Body of Christ, this congregation, and our community. Amen.
Benediction May the winds of the Spirit carry us to new possibilities, even in the face of anxiety. May the dust on Christ’s path strengthen our courage when the road seems rough. May the waters of our God renew us in our times of exhaustion. Let us Co-Create with one another and God to build the Church of Love here on earth. Amen.
(c) 2022 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use and stream with attribution.
Call to Worship One: Our God searches us and knows us. Many: May we search for God on our journeys. One: Our God is acquainted with all of our ways. Many: May we seek the ways of our God. One: Our God flees with us to the farthest limits of the sea. Many: May we sense our God in our fleeing and retreating. One: We praise you, Creator God. Many: For we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, as we know very well.
Invocation In the cracks of the cement and in the flickering streetlights, you are present. In the summer breeze and the wandering firefly, you make your presence known. Open us to the small ways you speak to us. As you reveal yourself in the mighty and miniscule, may we be willing to embrace the unconventional pictures of you. Amen.
Prayer of Reconciliation and Reflection Holy Savior and Seeker,
As we wander aimlessly about this world, we become distracted by empty, shiny objects. We focus on the dramatic instead of the holy. Instead of seeing your presence in the ordinary, we look for something more glamorous. Fill our hearts with hope in humble voices and simplicity. Make way for your visions to enter our dreams. Amen.
Assurance of Grace Our Loving God, the Holy Savior and Seeker and Great Creator, will transform our minds as we set our sights upon the intentions of God. Throughout our journeys, God’s grace will fill our lives with hope for the future. Amen.
Call to Offering As we continue to recognize the image of God all around us in our lives, we will begin to sense how God is calling us to use our gifts to build our church, our community, and our world. May we recognize the ways we build our relationship with God and neighbor as we dedicate our gifts to God.
Blessing of the Gifts Radiant God, Holy Light, In gratitude for your love, we share our treasures, our talents, and our time with this congregation and community. We humbly ask that you illuminate our minds and hearts to recognize your presence as we use all our resources to craft a kind and just world for all. Amen.
Benediction As we leave this space and continue to co-create with God, May we sense God our Creator filling us with inspiration to craft a world of love. May we sense God our Seeker and Savior accompanying us into the valleys and peaks of life. May we sense God the Carpenter of Justice and Love awakening us to new avenues of caring. May God of the Expanding Universe open us to a world of new visions and dreams. Amen.
Rev. Michelle L. Torigian (c) 2022 Permission to use and adapt with attribution
Tensions rise between neighbors. Hate lurks in stores and on roads, in school hallways and political discussions. Humanity focuses more on its own individual well being instead of the well being of all.
Yet animosity isn’t the last word, and hate will never win because God’s love endures forever. Divine love dissipates all venom and sweetens all bitterness.
Even as we walk in the shadow filled valleys of toxic interactions, God’s love is lighting the path to the future. Through the Spirit of the Christ in our world, the vapors of hate will not last in our world. Love will spread from person to person, lifting the toxic fogs that linger between people.
We light the candle of love to clear the cloud of hate in our world and dissolve the mists of gloom as the Christ enters our world and brightness continues to grow. Amen.
(c)2021 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use in a worship service (including a streamed service) with attribution.
Under the night sky We abide the beauty of God’s darkness. Beyond midnight- where miracles fill the earth and magic fill the skies. Where stars and planets twinkle, delighting both the greatest skeptics and believers.
Under the night sky In the chilly winds of nighttime, A young woman met her son, And light came into her world. This illumination spread beyond time and space, Expanding beyond human limitations into our world.
Under the night sky Humans saw the alignment of planets birthing an extraordinary light- The greatest star declaring a birth. And as human and divine aligned that night, the world shifted to a new realm.
(c)2021 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use in a worship service (including a streamed service) with attribution.
It wasn’t a night full of familiar carols But a melody crafted from surrounded creation.
It wasn’t an eve fashioned with trees and tinsel But a stable of simplicity adorned with hay and dirt.
It was a cow rejoicing with a smoothened moo And a sheep baa-ing in jubilation. A woman sobbing with relief and great joy And words of love from her beloved.
Stillness and motion danced in the twilight Allowing room for Divine Light to pierce reality’s realm And ushering in a new era of warmth, love, and hope On top of the chilly earth below.
(c) Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use in a worship service (including a streamed service) with attribution.
You sow new seeds in our world, and call us to harvest them when the time is right. You fill our world with new melodies, and ask us to sing them to change the air around us. You call us to use new wineskins for our wine. You ask us to try new delicacies, travel to new lands, and listen to the stories of our new neighbors. Let us embrace the Spirit of newness surrounding us, listening to your transforming call in our lives. Amen.
PRAYER OF RECONCILIATION One: Loving God, Divine Chef- We cling to the usual menu of life. We order the same food. We invite the same people. Yet what if you are calling us to order new cuisine and dine with a new group? All: Transform our minds to the adventure of newness. May the meal and the conversations we share open our hearts to new tastes, textures, and experiences. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF GRACE One: God serves us grace as we reflect on our past errors and hurtful actions. God sets us on a new path filled with mercy and wisdom. Let us rejoice as we embrace fresh beginnings! Amen!
BENEDICTION May we embrace the flavor of newness in the meals we eat this week. May the aroma of the unfamiliar draw us into new adventures. May the stories of strangers open our minds to new paths. And as the foreign becomes familiar, may the Spirit of God draw us into transforming this world with our new understandings. Amen.
(c) Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.
Divine Dawn of Redemption, as the tomb has opened, we peer into the future. Like in the garden long ago, so much around is still unknown. Yet you have refilled our souls with hope. Even when fear lingers, your peace-filled spirit surrounds us, bringing us the confidence to continue to move forward. May we embrace this new era of resurrection with steadfast faith, even when anxiety and amazement disorient us. Amen.
Blessing of the Gifts
Holy One, with gratitude, we celebrate all gifts we have been given and the gifts we share with the church and our community. May the treasures, talents, and time we share build a world in which all people experience resurrection and renewal. Amen.
Benediction
As we enter a world where resurrection is possible, Nudge us forward when the unknown is overwhelming. Empower us when anxiety and amazement seize our spirits. Allow our trembling voices to share Alleluias with a hurting world. Open our hearts to our neighbors yearning for rebirth. And allow us to see the empty tomb in each season of our lives.
Divine Love, in this week of contemplation, may we remember the presentation of your love through the Christ. As we share in the breaking of the bread, may we recall the beautiful unity of Christ’s table. May the mandate of this day, to love our neighbors as ourselves, be etched into our souls. Widen our minds to see our neighbors from a new angle. Widen our hearts to serve as Jesus the Christ once served. Amen.
Communion
The communion liturgy keeps in mind a hybrid approach to worship this year. Some people may be in our presence, and others experiencing worship at home. This was adapted from last year’s “sheltering in place” communion liturgy.
Christ gave us the mandate to love one another. Christ gave us the peace that we will never be left alone. Christ gave us the picture that we are connected as vine and branches. Christ gave us the assurance that no one will take away our joy.
God is with you! God is with us all! Open wide our hearts. We open them to new possibilities. From here tonight to dining room tables, this is the time to give God our thanks and praise.
Jesus the Christ has created a realm of love for each of us- one in which we will be reunited with loved ones, one full of sacred memories, one in which we are assured of God’s comfort.
It was a night filled with teachings and memories. Undoubtedly, tears were shed and laughs raised. This was the night before Jesus died. Jesus took bread. As he blessed it and broke it, he said to his friends Whenever you eat this bread, eat in remembrance of me.
Later, Jesus blessed a cup filled with fruit of the vine. Friends, this is the new covenant. Drink this to remember me. Drink to remember our time together.
Spirit of God, surround the bread. Surround the cup. Surround us – here and elsewhere. Bless us in our eating and drinking. Bless our connection – near and far. No matter if close or distant, our covenant with God will keep us together.
May we spend this time remembering: The ones who can’t be at the table. The ones who are no longer at the table. And the one Christ who created this sacramental table experience. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Loving God, Great Provider-
After this time together, near and far, we give thanks for the opportunity to commune with the Christ and our neighbor. May the love that was experienced tonight through bread and cup open our hearts to the beauty, pain, and joy across our world. May this sacrament move us to offer our neighbors our love. And may our time at the table remind us of the ones who are forever in our hearts. Amen.
Blessing of the Gifts and Benediction
As we are not having a “collection” time during our service, our congregants are dropping them in boxes on the way out of the sanctuary, mailing them into church, or giving online. We have combined the two together.
Holy One-Your gifts build a world of love, filled with memories of your presence in our lives. May we use our gifts to continue to create a world of care, living into your mandate to love one another as you love us. Amen.
We walk into the dusk knowing the journey of Jesus. May we remember his steps to the cross. May we embrace his profound love. And may we share this grace each and everyday, leading our world to resurrection.
Amen.
(c) Rev. Michelle L. Torigian 2021. Liturgy may be used with attribution.
Michelle L. Torigian 