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Observance Of The Birthday Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Observance
Worship
Worship Service
Jonah 2:2-9
Revelation 21:1-7
Gennifer Benjamin Brooks
Praise the Lord
Litanies, Prayers, And Occasional Services
(This liturgy is written intentionally for use in an interfaith setting.)

HYMN OF CELEBRATION
Lift Every Voice And Sing

GREETING
We have come together on this special day, to witness to the love of God in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a martyr to the faith, in the cause of justice. We come from different cultures, different religions, but all committed to the right for which Dr. King fought, of freedom for all people.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., had a dream. It was a dream of unity and peace, justice and equality for all. In our coming together, may we also aspire to that hope. And more than that, may we be moved to go beyond hope and join the fight which can never end until all can say with the boldness of truth, "Free at last, free at last, praise God almighty we're free at last."

LITANY OF PRAISE
Leader: God is our refuge and strength.
People: Praise God who is our very present help in trouble.
Leader: God is our strength and song.
People: Praise God who is the rock of our salvation.
Leader: God is our song of victory over our oppressors, of life over death.
People: Praise God who opens to us the gate of life.
Leader: God is our life, our joy, our crown.
People: Praise God who has crowned us with glory and honor.
Leader: God is our light and God is love, eternal and unchanging.
People: We will praise our God forever and ever.

HYMN
The Battle Hymn Of The Republic

(Verse 4 may be omitted or modified for interfaith worship.)

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of watchful care, we confess our complacency in our own security. We close our eyes to the pain around us by refusing to see the signs of suffering in the eyes of our brothers and sisters. We stride boldly along life's paths, oblivious to bowed heads and stooped shoulders that cry out the misery of life without meaning. We hide behind walls of contentment, rejoicing in the realization of our dreams, while others linger outside, too worn down to dream.

Forgive us our unthinking preoccupation that keeps us from joining the fight for justice and freedom for your whole creation. Open our eyes and hearts and hands to the plight of all your people. Move us beyond self and selfishness to a life of service to your people in your name. Inspire us to action for the good of all. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

(Readings listed are suggestions only. You may choose some other appropriate passages.)

OLD TESTAMENT
Jonah 2:2-9

NEW TESTAMENT
Revelation 21:1-7

SERMON OR MEDITATION

PRAYERS OF REDEDICATION AND RENEWAL
Leader: Let us pause and remember the words of Dr. King, the drum major for peace, who called us to arms in the battle for justice. Let us rededicate ourselves to maintain the fight for justice until all people everywhere cease to be victims of the injustice of others.
People: God of justice, give us courage.
Leader: While war rages on between nations and races and cultures, the cry for peace grows louder and louder. Let us strive for peace and justice in the hearts of all people so that together we will all do justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
People: God of peace and justice, grant us your peace.
Leader: Here in our land and around the world, the shackles from our human bodies have been replaced by the chaining of our minds. And so none of us is free because all of us are not free. Let us redouble our efforts, to seek freedom in the name of our God who makes us all free.
People: Freeing God, strengthen us that together we may break the chains of oppression that bind us all.
Leader: Although we have gathered as a community in this place and time, more often we are separated by a lack of understanding of our neighbors which causes us to fear. May we strive together so that the divisions of race may be removed and with them the fear that paralyzes our efforts so that the radiance of God's love may shine in the hearts of all people.
People: God of love, dispel our fears and awaken in us your love that binds us as one.
Leader: Sadly, we the people of God must admit that we have not been the voice that rings out for truth and justice. Instead we have so often by covert acts and overt silence, supported the status quo. Too often we have remained silent or hesitated to raise our voices in the fear that we may be called to action. May our silence and uncertainty be replaced by the disturbance of our voices raised in protest for all people.
People: Eternal God, move us beyond ourselves that we may work for truth and righteousness in your world. May we strive for justice for all people that we may all know the fullness of joy that is ours as your creation. Amen.

CLOSING HYMN
We Shall Overcome
1. We shall overcome ... someday
2. We'll walk hand in hand ... someday
3. We shall live in peace ... someday
4. God is on our side ... today

BENEDICTION
Go out in the strength of God, having the courage to stand for truth and justice.

Go out in the power of God, heeding the call to work for freedom.

Go out in the love of God, reaching out to the stranger, sharing the joy of unity with God and all people.
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"The Way to God" by Peter Andrew Smith
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* * * * * * * *


The Way to God
by Peter Andrew Smith
Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)

In his story "The Way to God," Peter Andrew Smith tells of a people seeking to know God in their lives who discover the answer is not about what they do but about how they live.

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This is a dangerous psalm -- dangerous, because it is so open to misinterpretation.

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Lesson 1: Isaiah 58:1--9a (9b--12) (C); Isaiah 58:7--10 (RC)
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I had a much-loved professor in seminary who confessed to some of us over coffee one day that he frequently came home from church and was so frustrated he had to go out and dig in the garden, even in the middle of winter. Robert Louis Stevenson once recorded in his diary, as if it were a surprise, "I went to church today and am not depressed." Someone has said, "I feel like unscrewing my head and putting it underneath the pew every time I go to church." Thoughts like these are often expressed by people who have dropped out of church, especially youth and young adults.
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CSSPlus

Good morning, boys and girls. I brought some salt with me this morning. (Show the salt.) What do we use salt for? (Let them answer.) We use it for flavoring food. How many of you put salt on your popcorn? (Let them answer.) What else do we use salt for? (Let them answer.) We put salt on the sidewalks in winter to keep us from slipping. We put salt in water softeners to soften our water.

In this morning's lesson Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth. What do you think he meant by that? (Let them answer.) In Jesus' time salt was very important. It was used to keep food
Good morning! Once Jesus told a whole crowd of people who
had come to hear him preach that they couldn't get into Heaven
unless they were more "righteous" than all the religious leaders
of that day. Does anyone know what that word means? What does it
mean to be righteous? (Let them answer.) It means to be good, to
be fair, and to be honest. Now, what do you think he meant by
that? Was he telling people that they had to do everything
perfectly in this life in order to get into Heaven? (Let them
answer.)
Good morning! How many of you own your own Bible? (Let them
answer.) When you read the Bible, do you find some things that
are hard to understand? (Let them answer.) Yes, I think there are
some tough things to comprehend in the Bible. After all, the
Bible is God's Word, and it's not always easy to understand God.
He is so much greater than we are and much more complex.

Now, I brought a New Testament with me this morning and I
want someone to read a verse for us. Can I have a volunteer? (Let
Teachers and Parents: The most common false doctrine, even
among some who consider themselves strong Christians, is that we
can earn our way into Heaven by our own works. Our children must
learn the basic Christian truth that Heaven is a gift of God and
that there is no way to be righteous enough to deserve it. We
must rely on the righteousness of Christ for our ticket into
Heaven.

* Make white paper ponchos with the name JESUS written in
large letters on each one. (A large hole for the head in a big

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