The Beatitudes - the essence of joy
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Planning Ideas And Resources For The Entire Church Year
THE SEASON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
ALL SAINTS' SUNDAY
(The First Sunday in November)
Liturgical Color: White
Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12
Theme: The Beatitudes - the essence of joy.
Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration
One pastor did this:
Invite all the saints to stand. (Many will hesitate and probably remain seated.) Now, I invite all the rest of the saints to stand. (Some still may remain seated.) I invite all the rest of the saints to stand. When all have stood, ask the saints to greet each other. (At this point in the worship, do not talk about the biblical meaning of sainthood.)
Act of Recognizing our Humanness and Receiving New Life
Consider this: Develop both the confession and assurance around the Beatitudes, using J. B. Phillips' translation, or your own translation. Have one person speak of the human condition. For example, "Happy are the pushers, the people who know what they want and get it any way they can, for they get along in this world ..." Then, have a second readers respond with the way God intended. For example, "Happy (how fulfilled, wholesome, complete) are those who realize their spiritual poverty; they already have entered the Kingdom of reality." Develop each Beatitude in this way. (Matthew 5:3-11)
Message with the Children of All Ages
Try this: Bring a few bottles of pills - uppers, downers - to deal with life's problems, worries. Talk about what these pills are supposed to do for people. Ask if they know people who take pills.
Sometimes pills do relieve pain, and we're glad for that. Sometimes people take pills because they don't want to work at their lives, as for example, people who take diet pills to make it "easy" to lose weight.
Jesus gave us some good suggestions about how to bring joy to our lives and other people's lives, in the Beatitudes. Review one or two of them by putting them into the children's language.
Proclamation of the Word
Consider these ideas: "Happiness Doesn't Come In Pills." Introduce the theme by defining sainthood, and contrasting it with the church's understanding of sainthood in the Middle Ages.
One author has suggested this outline which depicts the life of the saints:
1. Inward tranquility.
2. Unquenchable gaity of spirit.
3. Agape love.
You may want to compare these qualities with some famous people in history. Happiness (fulfillment/completeness/satisfaction) is found not in unbelief. Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote, "I wish I had never been born." Happiness is found not in pleasure. Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if anyone did. He wrote, "The worm, the canker, and the grief are mine alone." Happiness is found not in money. Jay Gould, the American millionaire had plenty of that. When dying, he said, "I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth." Happiness is found not in position and fame. Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote, "Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age is a regret." Happiness is found not in military glory. Alexander the Great conquered the known world of his day. Having done so, he wept, saying, "There are no more worlds to conquer." (original source, unknown)
Stewardship Challenge
Consider this: Build on the stewardship of joy. The Readers Digest once stated, "If only we would stop trying to be happy, we would have a pretty good time." How would you go about putting your joy in the offering plate this morning?
Charge to the Congregation
Try this: The natives of Nigeria say, "To be happy is to be sweet inside." When our lives go sour on the outside, they still can remain sweet on the inside; because in Christ Jesus, we have received our peace, that peace that passes all understanding, the peace with which the world cannot give and which the world cannot take away.
Planning for Your Congregation
I. Other Scriptures
Liturgist:
Psalm 34:1-10
Revelation 7:9-17
Isaiah 26:1-4, 8-9, 12-13, 19-21
1 John 3:1-3
Revelation 21:9-11, 22-27
II. Suggested Hymns
Coordinator:
"You Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim" Charles Wesley, 1744; alt.
"Rejoice, the Lord is King" Charles Wesley, 1746; alt.
"There is a New Wind Blowin' " Words and Music by David Yantis
New Wine, copyright c. 1969 by the Board of Education of the Southern California - Arizona Conference of the United Methodist Church.
III. Other Music Possibilities
Organist/Choir Director:
Music for Preparation "From God I Ne'er Will Turn" Bach
Response to the Good News "Now Sing We Joyfully Unto God" Gordon Young
Response to the Proclamation "O Love That Will Not Let Me God" George Matheson, 1882
Offertory "In Thee I Trust" Peeters
Music for Dismissal Beatitudes for the Organ
IV. Bulletin Cover and Symbols
Secretary:
V. Miscellaneous Details (Assignments):
Ushers
Banners
Greeters
Posters
Candlelighters
Flowers
Hosts/Hostess
Name-tags
ALL SAINTS' SUNDAY
(The First Sunday in November)
Liturgical Color: White
Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12
Theme: The Beatitudes - the essence of joy.
Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration
One pastor did this:
Invite all the saints to stand. (Many will hesitate and probably remain seated.) Now, I invite all the rest of the saints to stand. (Some still may remain seated.) I invite all the rest of the saints to stand. When all have stood, ask the saints to greet each other. (At this point in the worship, do not talk about the biblical meaning of sainthood.)
Act of Recognizing our Humanness and Receiving New Life
Consider this: Develop both the confession and assurance around the Beatitudes, using J. B. Phillips' translation, or your own translation. Have one person speak of the human condition. For example, "Happy are the pushers, the people who know what they want and get it any way they can, for they get along in this world ..." Then, have a second readers respond with the way God intended. For example, "Happy (how fulfilled, wholesome, complete) are those who realize their spiritual poverty; they already have entered the Kingdom of reality." Develop each Beatitude in this way. (Matthew 5:3-11)
Message with the Children of All Ages
Try this: Bring a few bottles of pills - uppers, downers - to deal with life's problems, worries. Talk about what these pills are supposed to do for people. Ask if they know people who take pills.
Sometimes pills do relieve pain, and we're glad for that. Sometimes people take pills because they don't want to work at their lives, as for example, people who take diet pills to make it "easy" to lose weight.
Jesus gave us some good suggestions about how to bring joy to our lives and other people's lives, in the Beatitudes. Review one or two of them by putting them into the children's language.
Proclamation of the Word
Consider these ideas: "Happiness Doesn't Come In Pills." Introduce the theme by defining sainthood, and contrasting it with the church's understanding of sainthood in the Middle Ages.
One author has suggested this outline which depicts the life of the saints:
1. Inward tranquility.
2. Unquenchable gaity of spirit.
3. Agape love.
You may want to compare these qualities with some famous people in history. Happiness (fulfillment/completeness/satisfaction) is found not in unbelief. Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote, "I wish I had never been born." Happiness is found not in pleasure. Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if anyone did. He wrote, "The worm, the canker, and the grief are mine alone." Happiness is found not in money. Jay Gould, the American millionaire had plenty of that. When dying, he said, "I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth." Happiness is found not in position and fame. Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote, "Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age is a regret." Happiness is found not in military glory. Alexander the Great conquered the known world of his day. Having done so, he wept, saying, "There are no more worlds to conquer." (original source, unknown)
Stewardship Challenge
Consider this: Build on the stewardship of joy. The Readers Digest once stated, "If only we would stop trying to be happy, we would have a pretty good time." How would you go about putting your joy in the offering plate this morning?
Charge to the Congregation
Try this: The natives of Nigeria say, "To be happy is to be sweet inside." When our lives go sour on the outside, they still can remain sweet on the inside; because in Christ Jesus, we have received our peace, that peace that passes all understanding, the peace with which the world cannot give and which the world cannot take away.
Planning for Your Congregation
I. Other Scriptures
Liturgist:
Psalm 34:1-10
Revelation 7:9-17
Isaiah 26:1-4, 8-9, 12-13, 19-21
1 John 3:1-3
Revelation 21:9-11, 22-27
II. Suggested Hymns
Coordinator:
"You Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim" Charles Wesley, 1744; alt.
"Rejoice, the Lord is King" Charles Wesley, 1746; alt.
"There is a New Wind Blowin' " Words and Music by David Yantis
New Wine, copyright c. 1969 by the Board of Education of the Southern California - Arizona Conference of the United Methodist Church.
III. Other Music Possibilities
Organist/Choir Director:
Music for Preparation "From God I Ne'er Will Turn" Bach
Response to the Good News "Now Sing We Joyfully Unto God" Gordon Young
Response to the Proclamation "O Love That Will Not Let Me God" George Matheson, 1882
Offertory "In Thee I Trust" Peeters
Music for Dismissal Beatitudes for the Organ
IV. Bulletin Cover and Symbols
Secretary:
V. Miscellaneous Details (Assignments):
Ushers
Banners
Greeters
Posters
Candlelighters
Flowers
Hosts/Hostess
Name-tags
