An Arranged Marriage
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series VII, Cycle A
Call To Worship (Psalm 45:6-7)
Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity; you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Collect
Lord, in our distress you found us and brought us together as your family in Christ. We praise you for your loving kindness. Great is your faithfulness. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
While Isaac waited, a great drama was working out for his benefit. A trusted servant works out your will, Lord, praying the first prayer spoken aloud in your Word, and trusting you in turn. We don't have to control everything, to be at the center of every circle, to manage and overmanage every thread entwined in our lives in order for things to come out well. We should trust others, and especially you. This can be difficult at times. Lord, challenge us to trust the arrangements of others. Challenge us to trust others. Challenge us to trust you. Amen.
Hymns
"There Is A Place Of Quiet Rest"
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
"Sweet Hour Of Prayer"
Proper 9/Ordinary Time 14
Sunday between July 3 and July 9 inclusive
Second Lesson: Romans 7:15-25a
Theme: The One Right Choice
Call To Worship (Psalm 145:8-9)
The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.
Collect
Glorious God, we do what we would not, and fail to do the things we desire. Only you can set us on the right track. Please change our perspective so we see ourselves in the light of your love. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, we have lost so much time to our sorrows. Lord, we have lost so much energy to our pain. You promise us double for all the time we have spent as prisoners to our emotions, to our disabilities, to our circumstances, to our tragedies, to our losses, and to our own sins. As we share in this fellowship our sorrows and our happiness, we call upon your double portion to sustain us in hope and faithfulness as your witnessing people. These things we pray in your name. Amen.
Hymns
"Living And Dying With Jesus"
"Make Me A Captive, Lord"
"Have Thine Own Way"
Proper 9/Ordinary Time 14
Sunday between July 3 and July 9 inclusive
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Theme: So Just What Do You Want Anyway?
Call To Worship (based on Song of Solomon 2:11-13)
The winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, all who are beloved by God, and speed into his presence.
Collect
Lord, your world is beautiful. Your people are beautiful. Your word is beautiful. There is something for all of us, if we will just listen, look, and breathe. Certainly there are challenges, problems that come with every age of our life and every season on the earth, but you never promised any different. Thank you Lord for new tomatoes and old shoes, twining vines and rustic porches. Thank you for everything we see in this world. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
God in all seasons of our life, it seems there's no pleasing us. You give us green fields, stately trees, blue skies, and captivating winds, and we won't laugh. You wrap the same beauty across the dignity of a cemetery and we won't cry. There's just no pleasing us. Our church children play the pipes, making noise during worship to let us know they're alive. Our hard working adults and seasoned senior citizens sleep in the pews, having earned the balm of sleep from your Spirit. You paint a tapestry in the world and within the pews. We always find fault. There's just no pleasing us. Thank you for trying anyway, Lord, accepting us more than we are willing to accept each other. Amen.
Hymns
"For The Beauty Of The Earth"
"I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say"
"O Let All Who Thirst"
Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity; you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Collect
Lord, in our distress you found us and brought us together as your family in Christ. We praise you for your loving kindness. Great is your faithfulness. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
While Isaac waited, a great drama was working out for his benefit. A trusted servant works out your will, Lord, praying the first prayer spoken aloud in your Word, and trusting you in turn. We don't have to control everything, to be at the center of every circle, to manage and overmanage every thread entwined in our lives in order for things to come out well. We should trust others, and especially you. This can be difficult at times. Lord, challenge us to trust the arrangements of others. Challenge us to trust others. Challenge us to trust you. Amen.
Hymns
"There Is A Place Of Quiet Rest"
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
"Sweet Hour Of Prayer"
Proper 9/Ordinary Time 14
Sunday between July 3 and July 9 inclusive
Second Lesson: Romans 7:15-25a
Theme: The One Right Choice
Call To Worship (Psalm 145:8-9)
The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.
Collect
Glorious God, we do what we would not, and fail to do the things we desire. Only you can set us on the right track. Please change our perspective so we see ourselves in the light of your love. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, we have lost so much time to our sorrows. Lord, we have lost so much energy to our pain. You promise us double for all the time we have spent as prisoners to our emotions, to our disabilities, to our circumstances, to our tragedies, to our losses, and to our own sins. As we share in this fellowship our sorrows and our happiness, we call upon your double portion to sustain us in hope and faithfulness as your witnessing people. These things we pray in your name. Amen.
Hymns
"Living And Dying With Jesus"
"Make Me A Captive, Lord"
"Have Thine Own Way"
Proper 9/Ordinary Time 14
Sunday between July 3 and July 9 inclusive
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Theme: So Just What Do You Want Anyway?
Call To Worship (based on Song of Solomon 2:11-13)
The winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, all who are beloved by God, and speed into his presence.
Collect
Lord, your world is beautiful. Your people are beautiful. Your word is beautiful. There is something for all of us, if we will just listen, look, and breathe. Certainly there are challenges, problems that come with every age of our life and every season on the earth, but you never promised any different. Thank you Lord for new tomatoes and old shoes, twining vines and rustic porches. Thank you for everything we see in this world. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
God in all seasons of our life, it seems there's no pleasing us. You give us green fields, stately trees, blue skies, and captivating winds, and we won't laugh. You wrap the same beauty across the dignity of a cemetery and we won't cry. There's just no pleasing us. Our church children play the pipes, making noise during worship to let us know they're alive. Our hard working adults and seasoned senior citizens sleep in the pews, having earned the balm of sleep from your Spirit. You paint a tapestry in the world and within the pews. We always find fault. There's just no pleasing us. Thank you for trying anyway, Lord, accepting us more than we are willing to accept each other. Amen.
Hymns
"For The Beauty Of The Earth"
"I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say"
"O Let All Who Thirst"
