John the Baptist Beheaded
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle B
Adoration
Invitation to the Celebration (Pastor and Ministers)
In the name of the living Christ, welcome to the eighth Sunday in Pentecost. Today, as always, we have made the deliberate intentional, choice to worship; some have made the deliberate, intentional, choice not to worship. Be cautious about not becoming falsely proud of our decision. Today, we have said "yes" to the call of God; on other Sundays, we may say "no." However, because we have come, not only do we worship for ourselves and with each other, we also worship on behalf of those who have chosen not to worship.
P: Thank you, Lord, for calling us to come today.
M: Thank you, Lord, for your Spirit which helped us to say "yes."
P: We rejoice that God loves us.
M: We also rejoice that God also loves those not here today.
Hymn of Adoration
"O Come and Sing Unto the Lord," The Psalter, 1912; alt.; A Collection of Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749.
Prayer of Adoration
Focus on the greatness and grace of God. You may need to define "grace" over and over. My favorite definition is "God's unearned, undeserved, unmerited, unconditional acceptance of us as we are right now and right here." Many of our people continue to live a "works for salvation"Êlife.
Confession And Forgiveness
Introduction to the Act of Confession
What is your first image or thought when you hear the word "sin"? (Ask for a response.) Often, we think that sin has to do with what others do, and remain unforgiven. Our first image often flashes to the "fleshy" sins of adultery, abortion, stealing, murder. We may think that those have nothing to do with us. King Herod, of course, fits our image. We would never think of such behavior. However, Jesus spent most of his time talking, and warning, us about the "spiritual"Êsins, which, of course, apply to all of us; as for example, gossip (murder practiced by Christians), lust, greed, waste, false pride, you-name-it. I invite you to write down your sins. (Two minutes of silence.) Now, what will you do about them; or rather, what will you allow God to do with them? (One minute of silence.)
Response
"Lord, Have Mercy," John Weaver, 1984. Have the choir(s) sing this once; then the congregation once; then sing it as a round. When singing as a round, have the people stand, look at the cross, and ask, "Do I really believe that God forgives -- me?"
Introduction to the Act of Forgiveness (Pastor and Ministers)
It is one thing to mouth the words of confession; it is quite another to believe that God has forgiven all of the past, up to this second. Well, God has, despite the fact that we keep stumbling, bumbling, mumbling, fumbling, grumbling our way through life.
All: We thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness, unearned, undeserved, unmerited, unconditional. We thank you for pursuing us until we said "yes." Because of your gift of new life, and because of our gratitude for new life, grant that those who touch our lives, and those whose lives we touch, will experience, through your Holy Spirit, the gift of acceptance, through Jesus the Christ.
P: You have been set free to celebrate, even in the midst of life's suffering, and pain, and anguish.
M: We rejoice that all things are possible through the New-Life Giver.
P: Rise up, then, as living persons!
M: We do! We do!
Response
"You Are the Lord, Giver of Mercy," Appalachian folk melody.
Proclamation
Message with the Children of All Ages
Ask the children how they think about, and respond to, the murders and violence they see on television every day. (Give them time to respond.) Offer your own comments, as well as those from the congregation. Tell what happened to John the Baptist, and why. Ask, what do you think about that? Have you ever made a promise you knew was wrong, and then, were too embarrassed to take it back? What happened? Perhaps you will share one of your own experiences. Conclude with a prayer of forgiveness, and courage to do the right thing, despite all of the pressure, simply because it is the right thing to do.
Reading of the Scripture
Dramatize the conversation between King Herod and the daughter of Herodias. You will want to avoid the "head on the platter" conclusion.
Proclamation of the Good News
You may want to focus on "oaths" and "embarrassment." Consider the theme of "humility."ÊYou can find some good illustrations from the television program Home Improvement. Tim is constantly having to "eat his words."
Thanksgiving And Intercession
Express thanks for the second chances that God gives us, both for our own lives, and also how we relate to the people around us, inside and outside the institutional church.
Dedication
Stewardship Challenge
"Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy in this world" (Author unknown). What form will your service/ministry take this coming week?
Hymn of Commitment
"Take Thou Our Minds, Dear Lord," William H. Foulkes; stanzas 1-3, 1918; stanza 4, c. 1920; Calvin Weiss Laufer, 1918.
Charge to the Congregation
"The step of obedience must be taken before faith is possible. Unless we obey, we cannot believe" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer). "We believe only what we obey" (WHK). Belief means that we stand up to the Herods of our day, even when they belong to the same congregation that we do.
Meditation
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, joy" (St. Francis of Assisi).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "The Holy Ten Commandments," J. S. Bach.
Hymn of Adoration: "O Worship the King, All Glorious Above!" Robert Grant, 1833; alt.; attr. Johann Michael Haydn (1737-1806); alt.
Response to the Pastoral Invitation: (All choirs) "The Lord Is In His Holy Temple," Troxell.
Response to the Forgiveness: "Pardoned Through Redeeming Grace," Edward Osler, 1836; alt., 1972.
Response to the Proclamation: (Adult choir) "Cry Out and Shout," Nystedt. Text adapted from Isaiah 12:2, 3, 6.
Response to the Stewardship Challenge: "Lord God of Abraham" (Elijah), by Mendelssohn.
Hymn of Dedication: "Christ Calls Us Now, as Long Ago," Jane Parker Huber, from A Singing Faith, published by Westminster Press. (See Appendix I for address.)
Music for Dismissal: "We All Believe in One God," J. S. Bach.
Invitation to the Celebration (Pastor and Ministers)
In the name of the living Christ, welcome to the eighth Sunday in Pentecost. Today, as always, we have made the deliberate intentional, choice to worship; some have made the deliberate, intentional, choice not to worship. Be cautious about not becoming falsely proud of our decision. Today, we have said "yes" to the call of God; on other Sundays, we may say "no." However, because we have come, not only do we worship for ourselves and with each other, we also worship on behalf of those who have chosen not to worship.
P: Thank you, Lord, for calling us to come today.
M: Thank you, Lord, for your Spirit which helped us to say "yes."
P: We rejoice that God loves us.
M: We also rejoice that God also loves those not here today.
Hymn of Adoration
"O Come and Sing Unto the Lord," The Psalter, 1912; alt.; A Collection of Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749.
Prayer of Adoration
Focus on the greatness and grace of God. You may need to define "grace" over and over. My favorite definition is "God's unearned, undeserved, unmerited, unconditional acceptance of us as we are right now and right here." Many of our people continue to live a "works for salvation"Êlife.
Confession And Forgiveness
Introduction to the Act of Confession
What is your first image or thought when you hear the word "sin"? (Ask for a response.) Often, we think that sin has to do with what others do, and remain unforgiven. Our first image often flashes to the "fleshy" sins of adultery, abortion, stealing, murder. We may think that those have nothing to do with us. King Herod, of course, fits our image. We would never think of such behavior. However, Jesus spent most of his time talking, and warning, us about the "spiritual"Êsins, which, of course, apply to all of us; as for example, gossip (murder practiced by Christians), lust, greed, waste, false pride, you-name-it. I invite you to write down your sins. (Two minutes of silence.) Now, what will you do about them; or rather, what will you allow God to do with them? (One minute of silence.)
Response
"Lord, Have Mercy," John Weaver, 1984. Have the choir(s) sing this once; then the congregation once; then sing it as a round. When singing as a round, have the people stand, look at the cross, and ask, "Do I really believe that God forgives -- me?"
Introduction to the Act of Forgiveness (Pastor and Ministers)
It is one thing to mouth the words of confession; it is quite another to believe that God has forgiven all of the past, up to this second. Well, God has, despite the fact that we keep stumbling, bumbling, mumbling, fumbling, grumbling our way through life.
All: We thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness, unearned, undeserved, unmerited, unconditional. We thank you for pursuing us until we said "yes." Because of your gift of new life, and because of our gratitude for new life, grant that those who touch our lives, and those whose lives we touch, will experience, through your Holy Spirit, the gift of acceptance, through Jesus the Christ.
P: You have been set free to celebrate, even in the midst of life's suffering, and pain, and anguish.
M: We rejoice that all things are possible through the New-Life Giver.
P: Rise up, then, as living persons!
M: We do! We do!
Response
"You Are the Lord, Giver of Mercy," Appalachian folk melody.
Proclamation
Message with the Children of All Ages
Ask the children how they think about, and respond to, the murders and violence they see on television every day. (Give them time to respond.) Offer your own comments, as well as those from the congregation. Tell what happened to John the Baptist, and why. Ask, what do you think about that? Have you ever made a promise you knew was wrong, and then, were too embarrassed to take it back? What happened? Perhaps you will share one of your own experiences. Conclude with a prayer of forgiveness, and courage to do the right thing, despite all of the pressure, simply because it is the right thing to do.
Reading of the Scripture
Dramatize the conversation between King Herod and the daughter of Herodias. You will want to avoid the "head on the platter" conclusion.
Proclamation of the Good News
You may want to focus on "oaths" and "embarrassment." Consider the theme of "humility."ÊYou can find some good illustrations from the television program Home Improvement. Tim is constantly having to "eat his words."
Thanksgiving And Intercession
Express thanks for the second chances that God gives us, both for our own lives, and also how we relate to the people around us, inside and outside the institutional church.
Dedication
Stewardship Challenge
"Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy in this world" (Author unknown). What form will your service/ministry take this coming week?
Hymn of Commitment
"Take Thou Our Minds, Dear Lord," William H. Foulkes; stanzas 1-3, 1918; stanza 4, c. 1920; Calvin Weiss Laufer, 1918.
Charge to the Congregation
"The step of obedience must be taken before faith is possible. Unless we obey, we cannot believe" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer). "We believe only what we obey" (WHK). Belief means that we stand up to the Herods of our day, even when they belong to the same congregation that we do.
Meditation
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, joy" (St. Francis of Assisi).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "The Holy Ten Commandments," J. S. Bach.
Hymn of Adoration: "O Worship the King, All Glorious Above!" Robert Grant, 1833; alt.; attr. Johann Michael Haydn (1737-1806); alt.
Response to the Pastoral Invitation: (All choirs) "The Lord Is In His Holy Temple," Troxell.
Response to the Forgiveness: "Pardoned Through Redeeming Grace," Edward Osler, 1836; alt., 1972.
Response to the Proclamation: (Adult choir) "Cry Out and Shout," Nystedt. Text adapted from Isaiah 12:2, 3, 6.
Response to the Stewardship Challenge: "Lord God of Abraham" (Elijah), by Mendelssohn.
Hymn of Dedication: "Christ Calls Us Now, as Long Ago," Jane Parker Huber, from A Singing Faith, published by Westminster Press. (See Appendix I for address.)
Music for Dismissal: "We All Believe in One God," J. S. Bach.
