Proper 4, Pentecost 2, Ordinary Time 9
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle C Gospel Texts
Liturgical Color: White/Green
Gospel: Luke 7:1-10
Theme: The Faith of the Centurion; Jesus Heals the Centurion's Servant. "The test of the genuineness of a person's belief lies in his/her readiness to act upon it" (Leonard Hodgson).
The Community Gathers To Celebrate Good News
Pastoral Invitation
Pastor and Ministers
In the name of the Christ who sent his Holy Spirit into the world, welcome to the second Sunday in Pentecost. Are you ready for an adventure? Because that is what God promises the people of faith. One author has said, "Faith is never easy because it is an adventure of the spirit, rather than a means to security."
P: Are you ready to continue the adventure?
M: Reluctantly, we are willing to move ahead; and we are frightened.
P: In the midst of our fear and risk-taking, God has provided the Holy Spirit.
M: We are grateful; we are encouraged. We move ahead.
P: We rejoice in God's promise and power. And all the people said ...
Hymn of Praise
"We All Believe in One True God," Tobias Clausnitzer, 1668; trans. Catherine Winkworth, 1863; alt; as in Allgemeines Choral-Melodienbuch, 1793.
Prayer of Praise
Include the idea that our faith is also a gift. We do not earn or deserve or work for it; when we receive it, God puts us to work in the world, to bring healing, wholeness, integration.
The Community Of Faith Takes Responsibility For Itself
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
A University of California coed answered a questionnaire, "Do you believe in God?" "Sure I believe in God; I'm just not nuts about him." Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon, in a Christian Century article (3/15/89), suggest, strongly suggest, that "after all, most professing Christians, from the liberals to the fundamentalists, remain practical atheists. They think that the church is sustained by the services it provides or the amount of fellowship and good feeling in the congregation. This form of sentimentality has become the most detrimental corruption of the church and ministry." In your life as a Christian, in our life as a congregation, do we have more invested in sentimentality or in faith? (Two minutes of silence; write down your response.) Anyone care to share? (If no response, let the silence hang like a pall for several moments.)
Unison Prayer
God, too often I focus on my needs, rather than the world's. I insist that others take an interest in me, and pout when they don't. I insist that they listen to and care about me, and withdraw when they don't. Forgive me as a person, us as a congregation, for demanding that you and the world take care of me, us. Give us the kind of faith that gets us beyond ourselves, out into a world that's dying to hear the good news, and is dying without hearing the good news. For your sake, and the world's.
Response
"From Out of the City," adapted from Job; words and music by Jim Strathdee, from New Wine. (See Appendix I for address.)
The Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor and Ministers
Basically, we have two choices: We can take cover or face life. Taking cover means that we retreat to our favorite form of security. Facing life means that we put to work God's gift of faith, the willingness to risk life itself for the sake of Christ. What's your choice?
P: In Christ we learn that we are loved.
M: Christ has declared us worthwhile persons. It is good to be who God has called us to be.
P: I invite us to love ourselves, and to move from that relationship to new love for those around us, and those not even close to us.
M: We give thanks for the gift of faith, as we live for the Christ.
P: Yes, we do!
Response
" 'Your Kingdom Come!' Great God We Pray," Jane Parker Huber, 1982; Louis Bourgeois, Genevan Psalter, 1551; Old Hundredth, from Joy In Singing. (See Appendix I for address.)
The Community Of Faith Experiences God's Word
Message with the Children of All Ages
Ask them if they know what the word "faith" means. (Give them time to respond.) Offer some daily examples of faith: Crossing the street on the green light. Eating processed food. Taking carnival rides. List your own. Faith means trust, the kind of trust shown by the centurion. Talk about who the centurion was and what his faith meant to Jesus.
Dramatizing the Scripture
You will need a reader, "Jesus," and someone to be the centurion. After the dramatization, have the reader reread verse 9, with the emphasis on "marveled." Look up other translations for "marvel." This illustrates once again Jesus' humanity.
Proclamation of the Good News
Deal with the difference between activity and faith. One author has pointed out that much religion today is in minuet time; it is so dainty, so genteel, all in such very good taste. A Seattle teenager once said that "obedience (faith) means to drop everything and do what God wants." The centurion, in a sense, dropped everything and asked Christ to respond. Have you wondered what direction his life took after his servant's healing?
The Community Of Faith Makes Its Faith-Statement
Pastoral Introduction
Before we make our faith-statement, I invite us to remember the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, from The Cost of Discipleship. "Unless a person obeys, he/she cannot believe. The step of obedience must be taken before faith is possible." Faith in the Bible is an active verb, not a passive noun, and it literally means, "the willingness to risk one's life."aSo, for all practical purposes, we believe, not so much what we say, but to the extent that we are willing to obey. (Speak the creed in unison.)
Prayer Response
Loving and Holy God, we appreciate your love for us. We are frightened about your righteousness expected of us. By your Spirit, help us to integrate into our thoughts, words, feelings, behavior, your gift of love and your call to seek justice -- beginning in our own communities and expanding to the least, last, lost, and lowest of this earth. We know, intellectually, that our belief is not merely an idea that our mind possesses, but rather an action that possesses our mind, heart, body, and will. So, as scary and exciting, as frightening and challenging as that is, grant, by your Spirit, that we shall live by way of the Cross, rather than by way of the culture, in order to be the church of your Word and our words -- in the name of the God who calls, the Christ who liberates, the Spirit who empowers us ... and all the people say ...
The Community Of Faith Responds To God's World
Stewardship Challenge
(Before the Offering): Do these gifts of faith represent what we think of God and God's mission?
(After the Offering): These gifts of faith, God, represent what we think of you and your mission. Take them; and by the way, take us too, for your sake, for our sake, for the world's sake.
Charge to the Congregation
A Seattle teenager has said, "I'm not anxious to die easily when Jesus died so hard." And from the song, "It's Easy to Be Hard," from Hair, consider these words, "If you really have a heart, don't you think it's time you used it?" The centurion put his heart, mind, body, and will to work, not so much for himself, but for his servant. God calls us to put our whole being to work for the sake of the Kingdom.
Hymn of Obedience
"Take Thou Our Minds, Dear Lord," William H. Foulkes, stanzas 1-3, 1918; stanza 4, c. 1920; Calvin Weiss Laufer, 1918.
Benediction
If the congregation is small enough, speak the benediction slowly, so that you can look into each one's eyes.
Meditation
A large motel chain ran this ad: "When you're comfortable, you can do anything." Maybe so, maybe not; because the more comfortable we become, the less we may decide to risk ourselves. The centurion, surely, could not have been too comfortable when he approached Jesus. Faith means that we take risks, not to protect ourselves, but to commit ourselves to the Highest.
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of Holy Spirit or Pentecost hymns; or, "Arioso," by Handel.
Hymn of Praise: "God Is Working His Purpose Out," Arthur Campbell Ainger, 1894; Martin Shaw, 1931. (Change the sexist language as you sing.)
Hymn of Obedience: "Christ of the Upward Way," Walter John Mathams, c. 1915; alt.; George Lomas, 1876.
Response to the Scripture Reading: "Break Thou the Bread of Life," Mary Ann Lathbury, 1877; alt.; William Fisk Sherwin, 1877; alt.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Faith hymns.
Gospel: Luke 7:1-10
Theme: The Faith of the Centurion; Jesus Heals the Centurion's Servant. "The test of the genuineness of a person's belief lies in his/her readiness to act upon it" (Leonard Hodgson).
The Community Gathers To Celebrate Good News
Pastoral Invitation
Pastor and Ministers
In the name of the Christ who sent his Holy Spirit into the world, welcome to the second Sunday in Pentecost. Are you ready for an adventure? Because that is what God promises the people of faith. One author has said, "Faith is never easy because it is an adventure of the spirit, rather than a means to security."
P: Are you ready to continue the adventure?
M: Reluctantly, we are willing to move ahead; and we are frightened.
P: In the midst of our fear and risk-taking, God has provided the Holy Spirit.
M: We are grateful; we are encouraged. We move ahead.
P: We rejoice in God's promise and power. And all the people said ...
Hymn of Praise
"We All Believe in One True God," Tobias Clausnitzer, 1668; trans. Catherine Winkworth, 1863; alt; as in Allgemeines Choral-Melodienbuch, 1793.
Prayer of Praise
Include the idea that our faith is also a gift. We do not earn or deserve or work for it; when we receive it, God puts us to work in the world, to bring healing, wholeness, integration.
The Community Of Faith Takes Responsibility For Itself
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
A University of California coed answered a questionnaire, "Do you believe in God?" "Sure I believe in God; I'm just not nuts about him." Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon, in a Christian Century article (3/15/89), suggest, strongly suggest, that "after all, most professing Christians, from the liberals to the fundamentalists, remain practical atheists. They think that the church is sustained by the services it provides or the amount of fellowship and good feeling in the congregation. This form of sentimentality has become the most detrimental corruption of the church and ministry." In your life as a Christian, in our life as a congregation, do we have more invested in sentimentality or in faith? (Two minutes of silence; write down your response.) Anyone care to share? (If no response, let the silence hang like a pall for several moments.)
Unison Prayer
God, too often I focus on my needs, rather than the world's. I insist that others take an interest in me, and pout when they don't. I insist that they listen to and care about me, and withdraw when they don't. Forgive me as a person, us as a congregation, for demanding that you and the world take care of me, us. Give us the kind of faith that gets us beyond ourselves, out into a world that's dying to hear the good news, and is dying without hearing the good news. For your sake, and the world's.
Response
"From Out of the City," adapted from Job; words and music by Jim Strathdee, from New Wine. (See Appendix I for address.)
The Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor and Ministers
Basically, we have two choices: We can take cover or face life. Taking cover means that we retreat to our favorite form of security. Facing life means that we put to work God's gift of faith, the willingness to risk life itself for the sake of Christ. What's your choice?
P: In Christ we learn that we are loved.
M: Christ has declared us worthwhile persons. It is good to be who God has called us to be.
P: I invite us to love ourselves, and to move from that relationship to new love for those around us, and those not even close to us.
M: We give thanks for the gift of faith, as we live for the Christ.
P: Yes, we do!
Response
" 'Your Kingdom Come!' Great God We Pray," Jane Parker Huber, 1982; Louis Bourgeois, Genevan Psalter, 1551; Old Hundredth, from Joy In Singing. (See Appendix I for address.)
The Community Of Faith Experiences God's Word
Message with the Children of All Ages
Ask them if they know what the word "faith" means. (Give them time to respond.) Offer some daily examples of faith: Crossing the street on the green light. Eating processed food. Taking carnival rides. List your own. Faith means trust, the kind of trust shown by the centurion. Talk about who the centurion was and what his faith meant to Jesus.
Dramatizing the Scripture
You will need a reader, "Jesus," and someone to be the centurion. After the dramatization, have the reader reread verse 9, with the emphasis on "marveled." Look up other translations for "marvel." This illustrates once again Jesus' humanity.
Proclamation of the Good News
Deal with the difference between activity and faith. One author has pointed out that much religion today is in minuet time; it is so dainty, so genteel, all in such very good taste. A Seattle teenager once said that "obedience (faith) means to drop everything and do what God wants." The centurion, in a sense, dropped everything and asked Christ to respond. Have you wondered what direction his life took after his servant's healing?
The Community Of Faith Makes Its Faith-Statement
Pastoral Introduction
Before we make our faith-statement, I invite us to remember the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, from The Cost of Discipleship. "Unless a person obeys, he/she cannot believe. The step of obedience must be taken before faith is possible." Faith in the Bible is an active verb, not a passive noun, and it literally means, "the willingness to risk one's life."aSo, for all practical purposes, we believe, not so much what we say, but to the extent that we are willing to obey. (Speak the creed in unison.)
Prayer Response
Loving and Holy God, we appreciate your love for us. We are frightened about your righteousness expected of us. By your Spirit, help us to integrate into our thoughts, words, feelings, behavior, your gift of love and your call to seek justice -- beginning in our own communities and expanding to the least, last, lost, and lowest of this earth. We know, intellectually, that our belief is not merely an idea that our mind possesses, but rather an action that possesses our mind, heart, body, and will. So, as scary and exciting, as frightening and challenging as that is, grant, by your Spirit, that we shall live by way of the Cross, rather than by way of the culture, in order to be the church of your Word and our words -- in the name of the God who calls, the Christ who liberates, the Spirit who empowers us ... and all the people say ...
The Community Of Faith Responds To God's World
Stewardship Challenge
(Before the Offering): Do these gifts of faith represent what we think of God and God's mission?
(After the Offering): These gifts of faith, God, represent what we think of you and your mission. Take them; and by the way, take us too, for your sake, for our sake, for the world's sake.
Charge to the Congregation
A Seattle teenager has said, "I'm not anxious to die easily when Jesus died so hard." And from the song, "It's Easy to Be Hard," from Hair, consider these words, "If you really have a heart, don't you think it's time you used it?" The centurion put his heart, mind, body, and will to work, not so much for himself, but for his servant. God calls us to put our whole being to work for the sake of the Kingdom.
Hymn of Obedience
"Take Thou Our Minds, Dear Lord," William H. Foulkes, stanzas 1-3, 1918; stanza 4, c. 1920; Calvin Weiss Laufer, 1918.
Benediction
If the congregation is small enough, speak the benediction slowly, so that you can look into each one's eyes.
Meditation
A large motel chain ran this ad: "When you're comfortable, you can do anything." Maybe so, maybe not; because the more comfortable we become, the less we may decide to risk ourselves. The centurion, surely, could not have been too comfortable when he approached Jesus. Faith means that we take risks, not to protect ourselves, but to commit ourselves to the Highest.
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of Holy Spirit or Pentecost hymns; or, "Arioso," by Handel.
Hymn of Praise: "God Is Working His Purpose Out," Arthur Campbell Ainger, 1894; Martin Shaw, 1931. (Change the sexist language as you sing.)
Hymn of Obedience: "Christ of the Upward Way," Walter John Mathams, c. 1915; alt.; George Lomas, 1876.
Response to the Scripture Reading: "Break Thou the Bread of Life," Mary Ann Lathbury, 1877; alt.; William Fisk Sherwin, 1877; alt.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Faith hymns.
