Proper 19, Pentecost 17, Ordinary Time 24
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle C Gospel Texts
Liturgical Color: Green
Gospel: Luke 15:1-10
Theme: Parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin. The sheep wandered away unwittingly, unable to find its way back; the coin was lost through the carelessness or negligence of others. Where do you see the lost in our society, in the church?
Remembering Who God Is
Pastoral Invitation
Pastor and Ministers
In the name of the God whose business is to find people, no matter how lost, welcome to this worship of hide and seek. God has far more interest in our being found than we do of getting found. In that is our healing, wholeness, integration. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad!
P: Who are you? Who are we? In the eyes of God; in the world's eyes?
M: We are a mixture -- of joy and sadness; of high and low moods; of hypocrisy and honesty; of hope and despair; of hate and love; of getting lost and being found.
P: You're right. We are all of those and more.
M: What do you mean, "more"?
P: I mean that whoever we are, in whatever situation, in whatever mood we find ourselves, God is there first. God beat us to the draw; and because of that, we know for a fact that God cares, that God has compassion, that God has concern for each of us, for all of us. (Pause briefly.) And all the people said...!
Hymn of Praise
"O God of Earth and Space," Jane Parker Huber, 1980; Hebrew melody; adapt. Thomas Olivers and Meyer Lyon, 1770.
Prayer of Praise
Holy and Loving God, who seeks us out in the midst of our lostness, we offer and present ourselves to you this day. Grant that the Holy Spirit will so possess us that our bodies may glow with inward light, that our minds may respond to the truth with eager delight, that our hearts may overflow with forgiving love to all, for all experience lostness. Grant that the living Word suffuse our lives with your glory, and that our obedience to you gives weight and stability to all we do, in the name of one who seeks us out from our favorite hiding places.
Facing Up To Ourselves
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
For three minutes, think about, and write down, your experiences of lostness, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual lostness. At the end of the three minutes, have a soloist sing, "Nowhere Man," by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. (Copyright © 1965 Northern Songs, Ltd., 71-79 New Oxford Street, London, W.C.I. England. U.S., Canada, Mexico, Philippines rights controlled by Maclen Music, Inc., c/o Walter Hofer, 221 West 57th St., New York, New York. Words only are in Discover in Song, Book One; see Appendix I for address.) Following the song, quote the last line, with this introduction, "The answer to the question is: "Yes, Nowhere Man is a 'bit like you and me.' "
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor and Ministers
God's business is seeking the lost. As a matter of fact, some are so lost, they have no idea they are lost, as they substitute everything/anything (money, busyness, sex, power, travel, and so on) for a relationship of "foundness" by and with the Christ. Read the first verse of "The Hound of Heaven," by Francis Thompson; and quote Psalm 23:6 from the Hebrew. "Of a certainty! God's covenant grace and God's steadfast love shall hotly pursue us all the days of our lives...."
P: So, I invite us to rejoice in our having been found by God.
M: We do rejoice in our new relationship.
Response
Because we know what it means to be found, I invite us to hear this song by Lennon and McCartney, "Eleanor Rigby," concerning those who remain lost (Northern Songs).
Remembering Our Reason For Being By Hearing The Truth
Message with the Children of All Ages
Have you lost anything? I have. I've lost something here in the chancel. I would appreciate your helping me find it. (Make it difficult, but not impossible to find.) When someone does find it, make a joyful squeal, and ask the children to do the same. Tie this in with the Gospel. Maybe you will want to tell them now God found you. Please remember that we do not find God; God isn't lost.
Dramatizing the Scripture
You may want to repeat the lost item theme with the whole congregation. Before worship, hide some item. Ask the people to look for it. When someone finds it, ask the people to let out a big cheer.
Proclamation of the Good News
Topic: "Have You Found Yourself?" Begin with similar words to these: Now that marriage is open, sex is free, abortion is legal, divorce is faultless, is everybody happy? Wasn't all of this guaranteed to replace our lostness with foundness? (1) A dog in a baggage compartment chewed up his destination card. No one knew where he was going. Sound familiar? (2) A deep-sea diver tried to set a new depth record, 500 feet. He was never seen again. He may have thought he was going up when he was actually going down. He lost his direction. Sound familiar? Notice the difference between these two parables and the third. (3) The sheep wandered away unwittingly, and could not find the way back. The coin was lost through the carelessness or negligence of others. The prodigal deliberately turned his back on family and home.
Response
"Have Mercy on Us, Living Lord," Fred R. Anderson, 1986; Hal H. Hopson, 1983.
Taking Responsibility For Responding To The Word
Stewardship Challenge
How much do we care that people are lost? Do our time, money, and energy reflect and refract our concern about lostness? (Pause before the offering.)
Hymn of Commitment
"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise." (See Transfiguration Sunday.)
Charge to the Congregation
When you think that you would like to be delivered from your lostness, or meaninglessness, do you know the person who can deliver you? As the European psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl, makes clear, a basic drive in us humans sends us on a search for meaning. The Apostle Paul points us toward the Risen One. "For to me to live is Christ," that is, "Christ means life to me." From "nowhere man" to "somewhere man/woman/girl/boy."
Meditation
"Seek first the good things of the mind, and the rest either will be supplied, or its loss will not be felt" (Francis Bacon).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Popular songs depicting lostness. Country/Western music provides excellent grist for the mill.
Prayer of Praise: "God Is Here!" Fred Pratt Green, 1979; rev. 1988; Cyril Vincent Taylor, 1941.
Response to the Confession: "You are the Lord, giver of mercy! You are the Christ, giver of mercy! You are the Lord, giver of mercy."
Response to the Pardon: (Solo) "Amazing Grace."
Response to the Proclamation: "Canon of Praise," arr. Hal Hopson.
Hymn of Commitment: "Lead On, O King Eternal," Ernest W. Shurtleff, 1888; two tunes; Henry Thomas Smart, c. 1835; and Welsh folk melody, as in English Hymnal, 1906.
Music for Dismissal: Popular songs depicting foundness.
Gospel: Luke 15:1-10
Theme: Parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin. The sheep wandered away unwittingly, unable to find its way back; the coin was lost through the carelessness or negligence of others. Where do you see the lost in our society, in the church?
Remembering Who God Is
Pastoral Invitation
Pastor and Ministers
In the name of the God whose business is to find people, no matter how lost, welcome to this worship of hide and seek. God has far more interest in our being found than we do of getting found. In that is our healing, wholeness, integration. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad!
P: Who are you? Who are we? In the eyes of God; in the world's eyes?
M: We are a mixture -- of joy and sadness; of high and low moods; of hypocrisy and honesty; of hope and despair; of hate and love; of getting lost and being found.
P: You're right. We are all of those and more.
M: What do you mean, "more"?
P: I mean that whoever we are, in whatever situation, in whatever mood we find ourselves, God is there first. God beat us to the draw; and because of that, we know for a fact that God cares, that God has compassion, that God has concern for each of us, for all of us. (Pause briefly.) And all the people said...!
Hymn of Praise
"O God of Earth and Space," Jane Parker Huber, 1980; Hebrew melody; adapt. Thomas Olivers and Meyer Lyon, 1770.
Prayer of Praise
Holy and Loving God, who seeks us out in the midst of our lostness, we offer and present ourselves to you this day. Grant that the Holy Spirit will so possess us that our bodies may glow with inward light, that our minds may respond to the truth with eager delight, that our hearts may overflow with forgiving love to all, for all experience lostness. Grant that the living Word suffuse our lives with your glory, and that our obedience to you gives weight and stability to all we do, in the name of one who seeks us out from our favorite hiding places.
Facing Up To Ourselves
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
For three minutes, think about, and write down, your experiences of lostness, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual lostness. At the end of the three minutes, have a soloist sing, "Nowhere Man," by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. (Copyright © 1965 Northern Songs, Ltd., 71-79 New Oxford Street, London, W.C.I. England. U.S., Canada, Mexico, Philippines rights controlled by Maclen Music, Inc., c/o Walter Hofer, 221 West 57th St., New York, New York. Words only are in Discover in Song, Book One; see Appendix I for address.) Following the song, quote the last line, with this introduction, "The answer to the question is: "Yes, Nowhere Man is a 'bit like you and me.' "
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor and Ministers
God's business is seeking the lost. As a matter of fact, some are so lost, they have no idea they are lost, as they substitute everything/anything (money, busyness, sex, power, travel, and so on) for a relationship of "foundness" by and with the Christ. Read the first verse of "The Hound of Heaven," by Francis Thompson; and quote Psalm 23:6 from the Hebrew. "Of a certainty! God's covenant grace and God's steadfast love shall hotly pursue us all the days of our lives...."
P: So, I invite us to rejoice in our having been found by God.
M: We do rejoice in our new relationship.
Response
Because we know what it means to be found, I invite us to hear this song by Lennon and McCartney, "Eleanor Rigby," concerning those who remain lost (Northern Songs).
Remembering Our Reason For Being By Hearing The Truth
Message with the Children of All Ages
Have you lost anything? I have. I've lost something here in the chancel. I would appreciate your helping me find it. (Make it difficult, but not impossible to find.) When someone does find it, make a joyful squeal, and ask the children to do the same. Tie this in with the Gospel. Maybe you will want to tell them now God found you. Please remember that we do not find God; God isn't lost.
Dramatizing the Scripture
You may want to repeat the lost item theme with the whole congregation. Before worship, hide some item. Ask the people to look for it. When someone finds it, ask the people to let out a big cheer.
Proclamation of the Good News
Topic: "Have You Found Yourself?" Begin with similar words to these: Now that marriage is open, sex is free, abortion is legal, divorce is faultless, is everybody happy? Wasn't all of this guaranteed to replace our lostness with foundness? (1) A dog in a baggage compartment chewed up his destination card. No one knew where he was going. Sound familiar? (2) A deep-sea diver tried to set a new depth record, 500 feet. He was never seen again. He may have thought he was going up when he was actually going down. He lost his direction. Sound familiar? Notice the difference between these two parables and the third. (3) The sheep wandered away unwittingly, and could not find the way back. The coin was lost through the carelessness or negligence of others. The prodigal deliberately turned his back on family and home.
Response
"Have Mercy on Us, Living Lord," Fred R. Anderson, 1986; Hal H. Hopson, 1983.
Taking Responsibility For Responding To The Word
Stewardship Challenge
How much do we care that people are lost? Do our time, money, and energy reflect and refract our concern about lostness? (Pause before the offering.)
Hymn of Commitment
"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise." (See Transfiguration Sunday.)
Charge to the Congregation
When you think that you would like to be delivered from your lostness, or meaninglessness, do you know the person who can deliver you? As the European psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl, makes clear, a basic drive in us humans sends us on a search for meaning. The Apostle Paul points us toward the Risen One. "For to me to live is Christ," that is, "Christ means life to me." From "nowhere man" to "somewhere man/woman/girl/boy."
Meditation
"Seek first the good things of the mind, and the rest either will be supplied, or its loss will not be felt" (Francis Bacon).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Popular songs depicting lostness. Country/Western music provides excellent grist for the mill.
Prayer of Praise: "God Is Here!" Fred Pratt Green, 1979; rev. 1988; Cyril Vincent Taylor, 1941.
Response to the Confession: "You are the Lord, giver of mercy! You are the Christ, giver of mercy! You are the Lord, giver of mercy."
Response to the Pardon: (Solo) "Amazing Grace."
Response to the Proclamation: "Canon of Praise," arr. Hal Hopson.
Hymn of Commitment: "Lead On, O King Eternal," Ernest W. Shurtleff, 1888; two tunes; Henry Thomas Smart, c. 1835; and Welsh folk melody, as in English Hymnal, 1906.
Music for Dismissal: Popular songs depicting foundness.
