All Saints' Sunday
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle C Gospel Texts
Liturgical Color: White
Gospel: Luke 6:20-31
Theme: Checking Out Our Sainthood: Luke's Version of the Beatitudes and Curse-i-tudes. How did you become a saint, and what are you doing with your sainthood?
Recognizing Who God Is
Music for Preparation
"Sleepers, Awake!" J. S. Bach.
Pastoral Invitation
Pastor and Ministers
Welcome to All Saint's Sunday. Will all the saints please stand? (If anyone remains seated, ask the rest of the saints to stand. I usually have to ask four times before everyone is standing.) I invite us reverently to shout the call to worship.
P: Come on, you saints, celebrate your life in Christ. Because, the living Christ, the Way and the Truth and the Life, is here and welcomes us saints.
M: We saints come to worship to receive power to live an authentic life, freedom to be honest and open, and love to become sensitive to the world of people, animals, nature, and life.
P: We saints are the people of the Resurrection. Because Christ lives, we also live.
M: In the One who calls us saints, we have a reoriented perspective about who we are, what we do, and where we go in the world.
P: We saints discover the quality of the abundant life in the giver of life. Christ is here as he promised. So, once again, come on, you saints, celebrate your life in Christ.
M: I, Saint (your name), do receive the gift of sainthood. We (name your community of saints), do celebrate life in Christ.
Hymn of Praise
"O God of Vision," Jane Parker Huber, 1981; Stralsund Gesangbuch, 1665; arr. in Praxis Peitatis Melica, 1668.
Prayer of Praise
Several days before worship, ask several of the saints to prepare to offer the prayers of praise; invite them to focus on the source of their sainthood.
Invitation To Discover Who We Are And Who We Can Become
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Please raise your hand if you have difficulty accepting your sainthood. Will several of you take the risk of giving your reasons? (Wait. If no one responds after one minute, offer your own reasons.) Personally, I think that many Protestants have bought into the Roman Catholic definition, that we must do something special, rather than to receive someone special. (One minute of silence.) At the same time, we discount our need to recognize our sin and sins. Yes, saints do sin; and saints need to confess their sin and sins. So, I invite you to confess the following sins which fit your life: (1) Listening to racial jokes which degrade others. (2) Always longing for the good old days. (3) Saying "yes," going along with the crowd, when "no thanks" is the only answer. (4) Sitting around bemoaning the revolution that's taking place. (5) Failing to reach out to people, even though they give the impression they do not want to be bothered. (6) Living in the past rather than the precious present moment. (7) Refusing to face the reality of our own lives by blaming others for all of our problems. (8) Add your own list. (Two minutes of silence.)
Response
"Lord, Have Mercy Upon Us," John Merbecke, 1550; arr. Healey Willan, 1930.
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor and Ministers
P: We saints have received Christ's spirit. We saints are a new creation. The old has passed away; the new has come. We saints are forgiven. Do you believe that? Do you?
M: Yes, we do. So, Lord, keep on leading us from death to life, from falsehood to truth. Keep on leading us from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Keep on leading us from hate to love, from war to peace. Grant, Lord, that your peace shall fill our hearts, our world, our universe, all of which belong to you. Thank you for that!
Response
"Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove," Isaac Watts, 1707; John Bacchus Dykes, 1866.
Hearing The Truth Of The Good News
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do you children know what a saint is? (Wait.) Have any of you ever seen one? Raise your hand if you have. I'm going to show you and introduce you to one. (Plan to have someone from the congregation come forward and sit with the children.) Do you know that __________ is a saint? Well, he/she is. (Let them know how a person becomes a saint, namely by receiving a gift.) Offer a prayer which thanks God for our sainthood.
Response
"Clap Your Hands," Ray Repp, from New Wine. (See Appendix I for address.) Text has been revised to eliminate sexist language.
Dramatizing the Scripture
Use two people for "Jesus." Have them stand in different parts of the sanctuary. One will read verses 20b through 22. The second will read verses 24-26. The first "Jesus" will move to a different location and, preferably, memorize and speak verse 27-31.
Proclamation of the Good News
Despite all of our teaching, many will continue to have a difficult time accepting their sainthood. So, give examples from history how people become saints by doing something special. Point out that Paul wrote to the saints in various communities; he wrote to the church members. Then, compare the Beatitudes with the curse-i-tudes. Finally, ask the people if any of them accept the reality of Luke's conclusion for them on a day-to-day basis. Is it true that we never have tried Jesus' way? Offer some ways for the people to practice Jesus' teachings.
Response
"Prayer of Supplication and Thanksgiving," Locklair.
Responding To What We Say We Believe
Stewardship Challenge
On what are you throwing your life away? On the possession of more things, money, pleasure, power, or stuff? As the saints of God, we are called to throw our lives away on ministry to the world, in the name of the Risen One.
Charge to the Congregation
Coventry Patmore said, "A saint is a person who does almost everything any other decent person does, only somewhat better and with a totally different motive." And former Sister Corita has said, "To believe in God is to get so attached to everything that it can't give you up." And I say, "I hope that you have gotten so attached to Christ that you will never give up on each other, or this world; or that you will never give each other, or this world, up."
Hymn of Obedience
"Rejoice, Ye (You) Pure in Heart!" (See Epiphany 6.)
Response to the Benediction
Ask the saints to raise their hands and speak the benediction to one another.
Meditation
God has called us out of Satanhood into Sainthood; so that we find ourselves standing alongside Saint Francis who loved the poor; alongside Saint Damien who spent his life with lepers; alongside Saint Luther who reformed a church; alongside Saint Abraham who founded a nation. Think of it! We are God's twenty-first century saints, bridging the gap between the saints of the past and saints of the future.
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Toccata," Frescobaldi.
Hymn of Praise: "Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty," Benjamin Schmolck, 1732; trans. Catherine Winkworth, 1863; Joachim Neander, 1680; harm. The Chorale Book for England, 1863, alt.; desc. John Dykes Bower (1905-1981).
Offertory: "Prayer," Humperdinck.
Doxology: Consider using the tune, Duke Street L.M.
Music for Dismissal: "For All the Saints," William Washam How, 1864; Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906. Invite your trumpet players to participate.
Gospel: Luke 6:20-31
Theme: Checking Out Our Sainthood: Luke's Version of the Beatitudes and Curse-i-tudes. How did you become a saint, and what are you doing with your sainthood?
Recognizing Who God Is
Music for Preparation
"Sleepers, Awake!" J. S. Bach.
Pastoral Invitation
Pastor and Ministers
Welcome to All Saint's Sunday. Will all the saints please stand? (If anyone remains seated, ask the rest of the saints to stand. I usually have to ask four times before everyone is standing.) I invite us reverently to shout the call to worship.
P: Come on, you saints, celebrate your life in Christ. Because, the living Christ, the Way and the Truth and the Life, is here and welcomes us saints.
M: We saints come to worship to receive power to live an authentic life, freedom to be honest and open, and love to become sensitive to the world of people, animals, nature, and life.
P: We saints are the people of the Resurrection. Because Christ lives, we also live.
M: In the One who calls us saints, we have a reoriented perspective about who we are, what we do, and where we go in the world.
P: We saints discover the quality of the abundant life in the giver of life. Christ is here as he promised. So, once again, come on, you saints, celebrate your life in Christ.
M: I, Saint (your name), do receive the gift of sainthood. We (name your community of saints), do celebrate life in Christ.
Hymn of Praise
"O God of Vision," Jane Parker Huber, 1981; Stralsund Gesangbuch, 1665; arr. in Praxis Peitatis Melica, 1668.
Prayer of Praise
Several days before worship, ask several of the saints to prepare to offer the prayers of praise; invite them to focus on the source of their sainthood.
Invitation To Discover Who We Are And Who We Can Become
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Please raise your hand if you have difficulty accepting your sainthood. Will several of you take the risk of giving your reasons? (Wait. If no one responds after one minute, offer your own reasons.) Personally, I think that many Protestants have bought into the Roman Catholic definition, that we must do something special, rather than to receive someone special. (One minute of silence.) At the same time, we discount our need to recognize our sin and sins. Yes, saints do sin; and saints need to confess their sin and sins. So, I invite you to confess the following sins which fit your life: (1) Listening to racial jokes which degrade others. (2) Always longing for the good old days. (3) Saying "yes," going along with the crowd, when "no thanks" is the only answer. (4) Sitting around bemoaning the revolution that's taking place. (5) Failing to reach out to people, even though they give the impression they do not want to be bothered. (6) Living in the past rather than the precious present moment. (7) Refusing to face the reality of our own lives by blaming others for all of our problems. (8) Add your own list. (Two minutes of silence.)
Response
"Lord, Have Mercy Upon Us," John Merbecke, 1550; arr. Healey Willan, 1930.
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor and Ministers
P: We saints have received Christ's spirit. We saints are a new creation. The old has passed away; the new has come. We saints are forgiven. Do you believe that? Do you?
M: Yes, we do. So, Lord, keep on leading us from death to life, from falsehood to truth. Keep on leading us from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Keep on leading us from hate to love, from war to peace. Grant, Lord, that your peace shall fill our hearts, our world, our universe, all of which belong to you. Thank you for that!
Response
"Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove," Isaac Watts, 1707; John Bacchus Dykes, 1866.
Hearing The Truth Of The Good News
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do you children know what a saint is? (Wait.) Have any of you ever seen one? Raise your hand if you have. I'm going to show you and introduce you to one. (Plan to have someone from the congregation come forward and sit with the children.) Do you know that __________ is a saint? Well, he/she is. (Let them know how a person becomes a saint, namely by receiving a gift.) Offer a prayer which thanks God for our sainthood.
Response
"Clap Your Hands," Ray Repp, from New Wine. (See Appendix I for address.) Text has been revised to eliminate sexist language.
Dramatizing the Scripture
Use two people for "Jesus." Have them stand in different parts of the sanctuary. One will read verses 20b through 22. The second will read verses 24-26. The first "Jesus" will move to a different location and, preferably, memorize and speak verse 27-31.
Proclamation of the Good News
Despite all of our teaching, many will continue to have a difficult time accepting their sainthood. So, give examples from history how people become saints by doing something special. Point out that Paul wrote to the saints in various communities; he wrote to the church members. Then, compare the Beatitudes with the curse-i-tudes. Finally, ask the people if any of them accept the reality of Luke's conclusion for them on a day-to-day basis. Is it true that we never have tried Jesus' way? Offer some ways for the people to practice Jesus' teachings.
Response
"Prayer of Supplication and Thanksgiving," Locklair.
Responding To What We Say We Believe
Stewardship Challenge
On what are you throwing your life away? On the possession of more things, money, pleasure, power, or stuff? As the saints of God, we are called to throw our lives away on ministry to the world, in the name of the Risen One.
Charge to the Congregation
Coventry Patmore said, "A saint is a person who does almost everything any other decent person does, only somewhat better and with a totally different motive." And former Sister Corita has said, "To believe in God is to get so attached to everything that it can't give you up." And I say, "I hope that you have gotten so attached to Christ that you will never give up on each other, or this world; or that you will never give each other, or this world, up."
Hymn of Obedience
"Rejoice, Ye (You) Pure in Heart!" (See Epiphany 6.)
Response to the Benediction
Ask the saints to raise their hands and speak the benediction to one another.
Meditation
God has called us out of Satanhood into Sainthood; so that we find ourselves standing alongside Saint Francis who loved the poor; alongside Saint Damien who spent his life with lepers; alongside Saint Luther who reformed a church; alongside Saint Abraham who founded a nation. Think of it! We are God's twenty-first century saints, bridging the gap between the saints of the past and saints of the future.
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Toccata," Frescobaldi.
Hymn of Praise: "Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty," Benjamin Schmolck, 1732; trans. Catherine Winkworth, 1863; Joachim Neander, 1680; harm. The Chorale Book for England, 1863, alt.; desc. John Dykes Bower (1905-1981).
Offertory: "Prayer," Humperdinck.
Doxology: Consider using the tune, Duke Street L.M.
Music for Dismissal: "For All the Saints," William Washam How, 1864; Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906. Invite your trumpet players to participate.
