Proper 21
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series IV, Cycle A
Hymns
At The Name Of Jesus (UM168, CBH342, PH148)
Creator Of The Stars Of Night (UM692, CBH177, PH4)
All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name (CBH106, 285, UM154, NCH304, PH142, 143)
Jesus - The Very Thought Of Thee (NCH507, CBH588, UM175, PH310)
O Love, How Vast, How Flowing Free (NCH209, UM267, PH83)
Lift High The Cross (CBH321, UM159, NCH198, PH371)
Bless'd Be The Tie That Binds (CBH421, UM557, NCH393, PH438)
What Wondrous Love Is This (CBH530, UM292, NCH223, PH85)
Anthems
Let This Mind Be In You, Austin Lovelace, Warner Bros., SATB
Lord, I Lift Your Name On High, Betcher, Agape, 2 to 3--octave handbells
Creator Of The Stars Of Night, Ferguson, CGA, Unison
What A Wonder (Malasian), arr. Hopson, CGA, Unison/2--part, optional 4 handbells
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 78)
Leader: Give ear, O people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
People: Open our ears that we might hear, voices of truth sent clear.
Leader: I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
People: Things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us.
Leader: We will not hide them from the children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of God, and the wonders God has done.
People: Silently now we wait for God. Open our ears, illumine us, Spirit Divine.
Prayer of Invocation
God of wonder and might, throughout the ages you have done wonderful things for your people. You have provided food and drink, you have led us through the wilderness, you have walked with us through sadness and grief, and you have gifted us with the glory of your son Jesus Christ. Be with us today as we hear your word read and interpreted through song and sermon. May we be grateful to you and may we go from this place ready to share the good news. Amen.
Scripture Readings
Philippians 2:2--13: This passage can either be read by one storyteller or by a choral speaking choir. It is an important passage, and one we have heard before many times. It is also a very emotional passage, and could easily be danced while it was being read. If you have access to a modern dancer, ask her to choreograph it to the reading of the words. If you have it danced, use only one speaker. If you use a choral speaking choir, a diagram of their positions follows:
15 16
13 14
7 8 9 10 11 12
5 6
3 4
1 2
All Voices: If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, be of one accord, and of one mind.
Voice 1: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
Voice 2: Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
All Voices: Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.
Voices 3 and 4: Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
Voices 5 and 6: But emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
Voices 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12: And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death
Voice 13: Even death on a cross.
Voices 14, 15, and 16: Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,
Voices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, and 16: So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
All: And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Voices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8: Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
Voices 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16: For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Matthew 21:23--32: If you used a choral speaking choir for the Philippians passage, then have five members stay in the chancel. This passage can be done by five senior highs, also. You will need a Narrator, Jesus, and three Priests and Elders. Jesus will be standing on the top step looking out at the congregation. Narrator will be at the lectern, three Priests standing five or six steps behind Jesus and to the right.
Narrator: When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him (Priests walk toward Jesus) as he was teaching, and said,
Priest 1: By what authority are you doing these things?
Priests 2 and 3: Who gave you this authority?
Jesus: (Turns a little to look at them) I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. (Priests look taken aback) Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?
Narrator: And they argue with one another.
Priest 2: If we say, "From heaven," he will say to us, "Why then did you not believe him?"
Priest 3: But if we say, "Of human origin," we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.
Narrator: So they answered Jesus,
All Priests: We don't know.
Jesus: Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. (Turns back to crowd) What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, "Son, go and work in the vineyard today." The son answered, "I will not," but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, "I go, sir"; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?
All Priests: The first son.
Jesus: Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him. (Jesus walks down the steps and down the center aisle. The Priests cross their arms and say quietly, "Well, I never ..." and walk off right)
Benediction
It is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for God's good pleasure. Go and do the work of God in the world. In the name of God, our generous and loving parent, and Jesus, our mediator and friend, and through the energy of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
At The Name Of Jesus (UM168, CBH342, PH148)
Creator Of The Stars Of Night (UM692, CBH177, PH4)
All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name (CBH106, 285, UM154, NCH304, PH142, 143)
Jesus - The Very Thought Of Thee (NCH507, CBH588, UM175, PH310)
O Love, How Vast, How Flowing Free (NCH209, UM267, PH83)
Lift High The Cross (CBH321, UM159, NCH198, PH371)
Bless'd Be The Tie That Binds (CBH421, UM557, NCH393, PH438)
What Wondrous Love Is This (CBH530, UM292, NCH223, PH85)
Anthems
Let This Mind Be In You, Austin Lovelace, Warner Bros., SATB
Lord, I Lift Your Name On High, Betcher, Agape, 2 to 3--octave handbells
Creator Of The Stars Of Night, Ferguson, CGA, Unison
What A Wonder (Malasian), arr. Hopson, CGA, Unison/2--part, optional 4 handbells
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 78)
Leader: Give ear, O people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
People: Open our ears that we might hear, voices of truth sent clear.
Leader: I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
People: Things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us.
Leader: We will not hide them from the children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of God, and the wonders God has done.
People: Silently now we wait for God. Open our ears, illumine us, Spirit Divine.
Prayer of Invocation
God of wonder and might, throughout the ages you have done wonderful things for your people. You have provided food and drink, you have led us through the wilderness, you have walked with us through sadness and grief, and you have gifted us with the glory of your son Jesus Christ. Be with us today as we hear your word read and interpreted through song and sermon. May we be grateful to you and may we go from this place ready to share the good news. Amen.
Scripture Readings
Philippians 2:2--13: This passage can either be read by one storyteller or by a choral speaking choir. It is an important passage, and one we have heard before many times. It is also a very emotional passage, and could easily be danced while it was being read. If you have access to a modern dancer, ask her to choreograph it to the reading of the words. If you have it danced, use only one speaker. If you use a choral speaking choir, a diagram of their positions follows:
15 16
13 14
7 8 9 10 11 12
5 6
3 4
1 2
All Voices: If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, be of one accord, and of one mind.
Voice 1: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
Voice 2: Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
All Voices: Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.
Voices 3 and 4: Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
Voices 5 and 6: But emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
Voices 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12: And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death
Voice 13: Even death on a cross.
Voices 14, 15, and 16: Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,
Voices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, and 16: So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
All: And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Voices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8: Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
Voices 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16: For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Matthew 21:23--32: If you used a choral speaking choir for the Philippians passage, then have five members stay in the chancel. This passage can be done by five senior highs, also. You will need a Narrator, Jesus, and three Priests and Elders. Jesus will be standing on the top step looking out at the congregation. Narrator will be at the lectern, three Priests standing five or six steps behind Jesus and to the right.
Narrator: When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him (Priests walk toward Jesus) as he was teaching, and said,
Priest 1: By what authority are you doing these things?
Priests 2 and 3: Who gave you this authority?
Jesus: (Turns a little to look at them) I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. (Priests look taken aback) Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?
Narrator: And they argue with one another.
Priest 2: If we say, "From heaven," he will say to us, "Why then did you not believe him?"
Priest 3: But if we say, "Of human origin," we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.
Narrator: So they answered Jesus,
All Priests: We don't know.
Jesus: Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. (Turns back to crowd) What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, "Son, go and work in the vineyard today." The son answered, "I will not," but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, "I go, sir"; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?
All Priests: The first son.
Jesus: Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him. (Jesus walks down the steps and down the center aisle. The Priests cross their arms and say quietly, "Well, I never ..." and walk off right)
Benediction
It is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for God's good pleasure. Go and do the work of God in the world. In the name of God, our generous and loving parent, and Jesus, our mediator and friend, and through the energy of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
