Proper 23
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series IV, Cycle A
Hymns
Rejoice, Ye Pure In Heart (UM160, 16l, NCH55, 71, PH145, 146, LBW553)
Where Cross The Crowded Ways Of Life (UM427, CBH405, NCH543, PH408)
Sweet Hour Of Prayer (CBH11, UM496, NCH505)
Rejoice, The Lord Is King! (CBH288, UM716, NCH303, PH155)
What A Friend We Have In Jesus (NCH506, CBH573, UM526, PH403)
I Would Be True (NCH492)
Lead On, O King Eternal (LBW495, NCH573, PH447, 448, UM580)
We Come As Guests Invited (PH517)
Anthems
O Give Thanks To The Lord, John Bell, from Enemy of Apathy, GIA, Unison/SATB
Rejoice, Ye Pure In Heart, arr. Karen Buckwalter, Flammer, 3 to 5--octave handbells, optional brass and congregation
Sing And Speak Of God's Glory: Hymns, Scriptures And Responses, Helen Kemp, CGA, Unison/2--part
Blessing, Natalie Sleeth, CGA, Unison
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 106)
Leader: Praise God! Give thanks to God for he is good.
People: God's steadfast love endures forever!
Leader: Who can utter the mighty doings of Yahweh, or declare all praise?
People: Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times.
All: Remember us, God, when you show favor to your people. May we glory in your heritage.
Call to Confession
God's people have been making mistakes and deliberately sinning since the dawn of creation. Let us confess our sins before the God who made us and knows what we have done. Let us pray.
Prayer of Confession
Mighty God, it must be so difficult for you to watch us continuing to pay no heed to your word. We read of the mistakes of the ancient Israelites as they let fear take over when Moses was gone. Even Moses' brother could not stem the tide of fear and resentment and they built that golden calf. And we can't get it right, either. Please forgive us for the times this past week when we let fear, or desire, or power, or greed get in the way of our relationship with you. We are your people, God, and we know it. But sometimes it is just so much easier to do what our friends suggest. We don't even know the person we're cheating or hurting. But you know what we're doing, God. Please stay steadfast in your love for us, and we'll keep on trying to get it right. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
If we look, we can see the good news all around us. Remember? Jesus Christ loved us so much that he died to save us from all our sins! What a great gift. God really does love us! Alleluia! In Christ we are forgiven.
Scripture Readings
Exodus 32:1--14: Give this passage to a class of eleven to thirteen--year--olds and have them create a drama from this passage. The subject is something they deal with every day in school and with friends and family - having the patience to let God do God's work. It also shows that one can argue with God and God will listen to you. The young people could modernize this passage, or they could do it directly from the Bible with their own "spin" on the story and their own modern touches. If you don't trust this process, then try having it read by five storytellers: God, Moses, Aaron, Narrator, and the People.
Narrator: When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him,
People: Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.
Aaron: Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.
Narrator: So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said,
People: These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!
Narrator: When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said,
Aaron: Tomorrow shall be a festival to the Lord.
Narrator: They rose early the next day, and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well--being; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel. God said to Moses,
God: Go down at once! Your people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" I have seen this people, how stiff--necked they are. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nations.
Narrator: But Moses implored his God, and said,
Moses: O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, "It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth"? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, "I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever."
Narrator: And God changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.
Psalm 106:1--6, 9--12, 19--23: If the Exodus passage has been used, the Psalm should be read responsively or by a choral speaking choir because it retells the Exodus story liturgically. As a responsive reading alternate between Leader and Congregation or divide the congegation to read alternately.
Philippians 4:1--19: This passage would gain most meaning when done by a storyteller who portrays Paul. It could also be read from the pulpit; or the leader could read verses 1--3 from the pulpit and have the congregation join in on verses 4--9.
Benediction
All: Rejoice in the Lord, always.
Leader: Let your gentleness be known to everyone. God is close by. Do not worry, but let your requests be made known to God through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Choral Response
Rejoice In The Lord Always, And Again I Say Rejoice (found in most children's curriculum)
Rejoice, Ye Pure In Heart (UM160, 16l, NCH55, 71, PH145, 146, LBW553)
Where Cross The Crowded Ways Of Life (UM427, CBH405, NCH543, PH408)
Sweet Hour Of Prayer (CBH11, UM496, NCH505)
Rejoice, The Lord Is King! (CBH288, UM716, NCH303, PH155)
What A Friend We Have In Jesus (NCH506, CBH573, UM526, PH403)
I Would Be True (NCH492)
Lead On, O King Eternal (LBW495, NCH573, PH447, 448, UM580)
We Come As Guests Invited (PH517)
Anthems
O Give Thanks To The Lord, John Bell, from Enemy of Apathy, GIA, Unison/SATB
Rejoice, Ye Pure In Heart, arr. Karen Buckwalter, Flammer, 3 to 5--octave handbells, optional brass and congregation
Sing And Speak Of God's Glory: Hymns, Scriptures And Responses, Helen Kemp, CGA, Unison/2--part
Blessing, Natalie Sleeth, CGA, Unison
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 106)
Leader: Praise God! Give thanks to God for he is good.
People: God's steadfast love endures forever!
Leader: Who can utter the mighty doings of Yahweh, or declare all praise?
People: Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times.
All: Remember us, God, when you show favor to your people. May we glory in your heritage.
Call to Confession
God's people have been making mistakes and deliberately sinning since the dawn of creation. Let us confess our sins before the God who made us and knows what we have done. Let us pray.
Prayer of Confession
Mighty God, it must be so difficult for you to watch us continuing to pay no heed to your word. We read of the mistakes of the ancient Israelites as they let fear take over when Moses was gone. Even Moses' brother could not stem the tide of fear and resentment and they built that golden calf. And we can't get it right, either. Please forgive us for the times this past week when we let fear, or desire, or power, or greed get in the way of our relationship with you. We are your people, God, and we know it. But sometimes it is just so much easier to do what our friends suggest. We don't even know the person we're cheating or hurting. But you know what we're doing, God. Please stay steadfast in your love for us, and we'll keep on trying to get it right. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
If we look, we can see the good news all around us. Remember? Jesus Christ loved us so much that he died to save us from all our sins! What a great gift. God really does love us! Alleluia! In Christ we are forgiven.
Scripture Readings
Exodus 32:1--14: Give this passage to a class of eleven to thirteen--year--olds and have them create a drama from this passage. The subject is something they deal with every day in school and with friends and family - having the patience to let God do God's work. It also shows that one can argue with God and God will listen to you. The young people could modernize this passage, or they could do it directly from the Bible with their own "spin" on the story and their own modern touches. If you don't trust this process, then try having it read by five storytellers: God, Moses, Aaron, Narrator, and the People.
Narrator: When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him,
People: Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.
Aaron: Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.
Narrator: So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said,
People: These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!
Narrator: When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said,
Aaron: Tomorrow shall be a festival to the Lord.
Narrator: They rose early the next day, and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well--being; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel. God said to Moses,
God: Go down at once! Your people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" I have seen this people, how stiff--necked they are. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nations.
Narrator: But Moses implored his God, and said,
Moses: O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, "It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth"? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, "I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever."
Narrator: And God changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.
Psalm 106:1--6, 9--12, 19--23: If the Exodus passage has been used, the Psalm should be read responsively or by a choral speaking choir because it retells the Exodus story liturgically. As a responsive reading alternate between Leader and Congregation or divide the congegation to read alternately.
Philippians 4:1--19: This passage would gain most meaning when done by a storyteller who portrays Paul. It could also be read from the pulpit; or the leader could read verses 1--3 from the pulpit and have the congregation join in on verses 4--9.
Benediction
All: Rejoice in the Lord, always.
Leader: Let your gentleness be known to everyone. God is close by. Do not worry, but let your requests be made known to God through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Choral Response
Rejoice In The Lord Always, And Again I Say Rejoice (found in most children's curriculum)
