The Contrast Between Those Who Parade Their Faith, And Those Who Refuse To Call Attention to Themselves
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle B
Celebrating God's Presence And Power
Pastoral and Congregational Invitation
Welcome to the twenty-fifth Sunday in Pentecost. (Slowly and deliberately) Shush. Quiet. Listen. In this worship, and during this week, will you hear God in the pulse of your heart beat? In the breathing of your co-workers? In the silence of the spoken message? In the words of the scripture? In the morning headlines? In the most recent athletic event? In the latest senseless killing? In the playfulness of children --Êwhatever age? In the confrontation of an unhealthy behavior? In the plaintive cries of the world around you? In the offerings of the rich and of the poor? Add your own. (One minute of silence.)
Hymn of Praise
"O Worship the King, All Glorious Above." (See Proper 10.)
Prayer of Praise
Incorporate the reality that God is involved in every activity of us humans, and that God seeks to bring wholeness to the whole creation.
Response
"God of the Sparrow," Jaroslav J. Vajda, 1983; Carl F. Schalk, 1983.
Celebrating Our Forgiveness
Call to Confession
Identify, silently, one of your favorite and one of your least favorite songs. (One minute of silence.) Identify one of your favorite and least favorite sounds. (One minute of silence.) Identify one of your favorite and least favorite sights. (One minute of silence, as you write these down.) Now, in all of these, where do you see the presence and activity of God? How do you respond to the least favorites? Criticize? Ignore? Complain? How do you contribute to the least favorites? For one minute, look for the activity and presence of God in our least favorites, and how easily we write them off, as things in which God has no concern.
Response
Offer a prayer of confession for our too-easily writing off these things with which we disagree, and yet at the same time, contribute negative input.
Call to Pardon
God never forgives lightly or casually -- even though that's the kind of God we demand for ourselves, but not necessarily for others. God forgives only those who seek forgiveness, only those who practice forgiveness. We seek pardon in the name of God who offers forgiveness to the saints, and who commands forgiveness from the saints (that's you and I).
Response
"Have Thine Own Way, Lord," Adelaide A. Pollar; George C. Stebbins, from Folk Encounter. (See Appendix I for address.)
Celebrating The Word
Message with the Children of All Ages
Well ahead of worship, ask several people to dress up in "religious garb" and strut around the sanctuary. Have those people slap people on the back, give the glad hand, and show what "religious" people they are. Have a woman seated unobtrusively in a corner; have her bow her head during the drama. At the end of the drama, have her go forward to place her pennies in the offering plate. Point out to the children what Jesus said about both kinds of people.
Reading the Scripture
For added emphasis, read from The Cotton Patch Version by Clarence Jordan.
Proclamation of the Good News
Somewhere in the message, ask the congregation to write down the five things that mean the most to them, and then, to list their priorities. After they do this, ask how many put God first? Would you have put God first if someone outside of the church had asked this same question of you, sometime during the week? It is so strange that all of us want to spend eternity with God in heaven, but spend so little time with God on earth. We say that God's mission is more important than anything, yet we give so little to mission.
Response
"God of Justice, God of Mercy," Jane Parker Huber; 1983; Rowland Hugh Prichard, 1855.
Celebrating Our Obedience
Stewardship Challenge
If we believe that what a person gives is between that person and God alone, we are washing our hands of that person. Do you think that the impact of the religious teachers and the widow had any impact on the people around them? It certainly did on Jesus and the disciples.
Hymn of Commitment
"Lord, You Give the Great Commission," Jeffery W. Rowthorn, 1978; Cyril Vincent Taylor, 1941.
Charge to the Congregation
"We can give without loving; we cannot love without giving, unconditionally, freely, hilariously" (WHK).
Meditation
"The critical thing is whether one takes things for granted or takes them with gratitude" (G. K. Chesterton).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Chaconne," Buxtehude.
Hymn of Praise: "Praise We Our Maker While We've Breath," from Psalm 146; para. by Isaac Watts, 1719; alt. 1737, 1972.
Response to the Pardon: (Adult choir) "My Soul Doth Rejoice," Homilius.
Response to the Message with Children: "Seek and Ye (You) Shall Find," Southern Gospel Song, from Folk Encounter. (See Appendix I for address.)
Response to the Stewardship Challenge: "Benedictus," Couperin.
Hymn of Commitment: "Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun," Isaac Watts, 1719; alt.; John Hatton (d. 1793); desc. David McKinley Williams, 1959.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Stewardship hymns. (Ask the people to remain and sing them; list the page numbers.)
Pastoral and Congregational Invitation
Welcome to the twenty-fifth Sunday in Pentecost. (Slowly and deliberately) Shush. Quiet. Listen. In this worship, and during this week, will you hear God in the pulse of your heart beat? In the breathing of your co-workers? In the silence of the spoken message? In the words of the scripture? In the morning headlines? In the most recent athletic event? In the latest senseless killing? In the playfulness of children --Êwhatever age? In the confrontation of an unhealthy behavior? In the plaintive cries of the world around you? In the offerings of the rich and of the poor? Add your own. (One minute of silence.)
Hymn of Praise
"O Worship the King, All Glorious Above." (See Proper 10.)
Prayer of Praise
Incorporate the reality that God is involved in every activity of us humans, and that God seeks to bring wholeness to the whole creation.
Response
"God of the Sparrow," Jaroslav J. Vajda, 1983; Carl F. Schalk, 1983.
Celebrating Our Forgiveness
Call to Confession
Identify, silently, one of your favorite and one of your least favorite songs. (One minute of silence.) Identify one of your favorite and least favorite sounds. (One minute of silence.) Identify one of your favorite and least favorite sights. (One minute of silence, as you write these down.) Now, in all of these, where do you see the presence and activity of God? How do you respond to the least favorites? Criticize? Ignore? Complain? How do you contribute to the least favorites? For one minute, look for the activity and presence of God in our least favorites, and how easily we write them off, as things in which God has no concern.
Response
Offer a prayer of confession for our too-easily writing off these things with which we disagree, and yet at the same time, contribute negative input.
Call to Pardon
God never forgives lightly or casually -- even though that's the kind of God we demand for ourselves, but not necessarily for others. God forgives only those who seek forgiveness, only those who practice forgiveness. We seek pardon in the name of God who offers forgiveness to the saints, and who commands forgiveness from the saints (that's you and I).
Response
"Have Thine Own Way, Lord," Adelaide A. Pollar; George C. Stebbins, from Folk Encounter. (See Appendix I for address.)
Celebrating The Word
Message with the Children of All Ages
Well ahead of worship, ask several people to dress up in "religious garb" and strut around the sanctuary. Have those people slap people on the back, give the glad hand, and show what "religious" people they are. Have a woman seated unobtrusively in a corner; have her bow her head during the drama. At the end of the drama, have her go forward to place her pennies in the offering plate. Point out to the children what Jesus said about both kinds of people.
Reading the Scripture
For added emphasis, read from The Cotton Patch Version by Clarence Jordan.
Proclamation of the Good News
Somewhere in the message, ask the congregation to write down the five things that mean the most to them, and then, to list their priorities. After they do this, ask how many put God first? Would you have put God first if someone outside of the church had asked this same question of you, sometime during the week? It is so strange that all of us want to spend eternity with God in heaven, but spend so little time with God on earth. We say that God's mission is more important than anything, yet we give so little to mission.
Response
"God of Justice, God of Mercy," Jane Parker Huber; 1983; Rowland Hugh Prichard, 1855.
Celebrating Our Obedience
Stewardship Challenge
If we believe that what a person gives is between that person and God alone, we are washing our hands of that person. Do you think that the impact of the religious teachers and the widow had any impact on the people around them? It certainly did on Jesus and the disciples.
Hymn of Commitment
"Lord, You Give the Great Commission," Jeffery W. Rowthorn, 1978; Cyril Vincent Taylor, 1941.
Charge to the Congregation
"We can give without loving; we cannot love without giving, unconditionally, freely, hilariously" (WHK).
Meditation
"The critical thing is whether one takes things for granted or takes them with gratitude" (G. K. Chesterton).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Chaconne," Buxtehude.
Hymn of Praise: "Praise We Our Maker While We've Breath," from Psalm 146; para. by Isaac Watts, 1719; alt. 1737, 1972.
Response to the Pardon: (Adult choir) "My Soul Doth Rejoice," Homilius.
Response to the Message with Children: "Seek and Ye (You) Shall Find," Southern Gospel Song, from Folk Encounter. (See Appendix I for address.)
Response to the Stewardship Challenge: "Benedictus," Couperin.
Hymn of Commitment: "Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun," Isaac Watts, 1719; alt.; John Hatton (d. 1793); desc. David McKinley Williams, 1959.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Stewardship hymns. (Ask the people to remain and sing them; list the page numbers.)
