This Earthly Life
Worship
THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE
Liturgical Aids
Call to Worship
On this earth, what is but one short life?
It is a gift from God.
And what are we to do with this life?
We are to give it back to God.
And how are we to do that?
We are to do that in worship and service.
Then let us look to God as we begin this worship.
We do this that we be equipped for service, our service that we render in God's name.
Invocation
O God, we spend but a short time on the face of this earth. We might say that we are only passing through. We want it to be right with you, yet we often find life around us to be extremely complex. Such a short time to do the right thing, with so many people and things pressing upon us, each calling upon us to act in this way or that. Yet you have set the way for us, the one true way, the way which indeed enables us to value that which is of utmost importance and then to use our time wisely to cultivate it and inculcate it in our living. All of this time with Jesus leading the way, in whose name we now pray. Amen.
Call to Confession
So often we take time, the little time at our disposal, for granted. We value things and people only after they are gone. Rather than returning God's gift of life by sharing it in love, we tend to hold onto it; we try in vain to hoard it, yet ultimately discover how truly empty our selfishness can be. Let us confess this in God's presence, asking pardon and the power for a full living of this day.
Prayer of Confession
We return, O God, to the desire within each of us that we want to be right with you. We confess, however, that we go about it in ways that negate this high aim and purpose in our living. For we are so concerned about making a name for ourselves that we fail to honor and praise your name. We are so engrossed in charting our own course that we fail to see how far we have strayed from the true course that you have set for our lives. We are seen to be wasting time, those valuable, those precious moments that can mean growth for us and health for the neighbor. All of us suffer because of this playing with life rather than truly living it. Help us to look upon all of life as your good gift. Pardon our past misuse of it; and guide us such that we value all of the days on this earth yet remaining to us. May we make them faithful reflectors of that which endures. So do we ask, O God, that your love redeem us and make us the whole people of God that you have created us to be. This in the name of our Redeemer Jesus the Christ, your Son, our hope of life this day and every day, forever and ever. Amen.
Words of Assurance
God desires not the death of a single lost sheep. Instead, God would have all find life and live that life abundantly. Such is the power of God's love that this can indeed happen, not in fantasy, but in fact. We will know that this is so even as we entrust ourselves into God's care and with determination and zeal follow the wondrous example that he has given us in Christ.
Praise be to God that by means of holy love we can truly live.
Psalter Reading (from Psalm 90)
Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you have formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You turn us back to dust, and say, "Turn back, you mortals."
For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night.
You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning.
In the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.
These days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong.
Even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.
Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands - O prosper the work of our hands!
Offering Sentences
Gifts of gratitude take the form not only of funds donated for this good cause or that, but of time and talent, which can likewise be of great benefit to family, community, and world. The church is but one focus of giving, yet we of God's family hold it to be an important focus indeed, for here God's love can be clearly shown. As we now present for God's use today's gifts of gratitude, let us think of the many ways in which we can serve the church and its outreach in mission.
Prayer of Dedication
O bounteous Giver of all goodness, we too would give, and have the gift be good. For this to be so, help us, Lord, to give with the right spirit. Moreover, help us to give sacrificially, not because we must, but that our giving reflect a true devotion - our love for you and our love of neighbor. So let these in truth be good gifts, and with the assistance of your Holy Spirit, help us to direct them to those locales where they can promote healing, reconciliation, and peace. For so will we be announcing the reign of Christ on this earth. Amen.
Benediction
Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's! What a magnificent affirmation of faith! Let it come from the lips of each one here present. For so would we undergird life with life. So can we be confident of this world's future - and our future. Let us then joyfully live, and radiate through all that we say and do this same message of joy and life to others.
On this earth, what is but one short life?
It is a gift from God.
And what are we to do with this life?
We are to give it back to God.
And how are we to do that?
We are to do that in worship and service.
Then let us look to God as we begin this worship.
We do this that we be equipped for service, our service that we render in God's name.
Invocation
O God, we spend but a short time on the face of this earth. We might say that we are only passing through. We want it to be right with you, yet we often find life around us to be extremely complex. Such a short time to do the right thing, with so many people and things pressing upon us, each calling upon us to act in this way or that. Yet you have set the way for us, the one true way, the way which indeed enables us to value that which is of utmost importance and then to use our time wisely to cultivate it and inculcate it in our living. All of this time with Jesus leading the way, in whose name we now pray. Amen.
Call to Confession
So often we take time, the little time at our disposal, for granted. We value things and people only after they are gone. Rather than returning God's gift of life by sharing it in love, we tend to hold onto it; we try in vain to hoard it, yet ultimately discover how truly empty our selfishness can be. Let us confess this in God's presence, asking pardon and the power for a full living of this day.
Prayer of Confession
We return, O God, to the desire within each of us that we want to be right with you. We confess, however, that we go about it in ways that negate this high aim and purpose in our living. For we are so concerned about making a name for ourselves that we fail to honor and praise your name. We are so engrossed in charting our own course that we fail to see how far we have strayed from the true course that you have set for our lives. We are seen to be wasting time, those valuable, those precious moments that can mean growth for us and health for the neighbor. All of us suffer because of this playing with life rather than truly living it. Help us to look upon all of life as your good gift. Pardon our past misuse of it; and guide us such that we value all of the days on this earth yet remaining to us. May we make them faithful reflectors of that which endures. So do we ask, O God, that your love redeem us and make us the whole people of God that you have created us to be. This in the name of our Redeemer Jesus the Christ, your Son, our hope of life this day and every day, forever and ever. Amen.
Words of Assurance
God desires not the death of a single lost sheep. Instead, God would have all find life and live that life abundantly. Such is the power of God's love that this can indeed happen, not in fantasy, but in fact. We will know that this is so even as we entrust ourselves into God's care and with determination and zeal follow the wondrous example that he has given us in Christ.
Praise be to God that by means of holy love we can truly live.
Psalter Reading (from Psalm 90)
Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you have formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You turn us back to dust, and say, "Turn back, you mortals."
For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night.
You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning.
In the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.
These days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong.
Even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.
Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands - O prosper the work of our hands!
Offering Sentences
Gifts of gratitude take the form not only of funds donated for this good cause or that, but of time and talent, which can likewise be of great benefit to family, community, and world. The church is but one focus of giving, yet we of God's family hold it to be an important focus indeed, for here God's love can be clearly shown. As we now present for God's use today's gifts of gratitude, let us think of the many ways in which we can serve the church and its outreach in mission.
Prayer of Dedication
O bounteous Giver of all goodness, we too would give, and have the gift be good. For this to be so, help us, Lord, to give with the right spirit. Moreover, help us to give sacrificially, not because we must, but that our giving reflect a true devotion - our love for you and our love of neighbor. So let these in truth be good gifts, and with the assistance of your Holy Spirit, help us to direct them to those locales where they can promote healing, reconciliation, and peace. For so will we be announcing the reign of Christ on this earth. Amen.
Benediction
Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's! What a magnificent affirmation of faith! Let it come from the lips of each one here present. For so would we undergird life with life. So can we be confident of this world's future - and our future. Let us then joyfully live, and radiate through all that we say and do this same message of joy and life to others.
