the Protestant Reformation
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Planning Ideas And Resources For The Entire Church Year
Suggestion:
Begin, today we celebrate the Protestant Reformation. Ask, what's your first thought when you think about that theme. Listen to what the people say, and build on their ideas, Take as much time as you need to draw the people out.
You may want to continue with this litany:
Pastor:
Now and always, when we feel like it and when we don't, Christ, the Liberator, invites and calls us to celebrate the wholeness of life.
Ministers: Christ's call is a call to freedom, and a call to responsibility. His is a call to new life, with new thoughts, words, behavior.
Pastor:
I invite us to renew our lives together.
Ministers: We do, we shall celebrate life together in the name of the Liberator. Yes, indeed!
The Act of Recognizing our Humanness and The Act of Receiving New Life
Consider this:
Build the introduction to the confession around these words of Nicholas Berdyaef (source unknown): "We are not truly free unless we are free to go to hell.... There is within us an immense drive toward freedom; and yet, not only do we easily fall into slavery, we even love slavery."
Ask, what is your slavery, or to use today's words, what is your addiction. Ask the people to write a brief paragraph to respond to the statement, "My addiction is ..."
(Take five minutes to do this.)
Then, for the assurance, ask the people what they would like to do about their addiction - nurse it, talk about it, enjoy it, fight against it, ignore it, or let God forgive it and change it to something positive? Offer the resources of the church to help people deal with their addiction, no matter what form it takes, from people who love too much to cocaine.
Sing the popular song, "Born Free". Use the term, "reborn free," as you sing.
Message with the Children of All Ages
Try this:
Tie up, with a rope, one of the children. Ask, do you think this person is free? Might be. Martin Niemoller, the German pastor, who resisted Hitler in the 1930s, was hauled into prison. As the gates closed behind him, he ran his hand over the New Testament in his pocket, and cried out, "I'm free! I'm free!" What do you think he meant by that? Discuss that with the children, and conclude with a prayer.
Proclamation of the Word
Consider these ideas:
Topic:
Freedom is Everybody's Business.
I. Give some illustrations about our lack of freedom.
A. Frank Sinatra: "I'm for anything that gets you through the night - booze or religion."
B. Kierkegaard's parable of the wild duck that became tame.
C. Groups that try to fit everyone into their theological "bag."
II. Give some examples of freedom.
A. Reuse Martin Niemoller's statement.
B. A wild and tamed mustang horse.
C. Responsibility is our response to God's ability.
True freedom is the freedom to choose the right master.
Stewardship Challenge
Suggestion:
Stewardship of responsible freedom, and free responsibility.
Our society has a convulsive, compulsive need to produce and consume superficialities, a need for all forms of comfort and amusements that distract and dull peoples' reality. (source unknown)
Martin Luther said, "A Christian is the most free lord of all, subject to none - and a Christian is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to everyone."
Charge to the Congregation
Consider this:
When someone asks us the question, "What does it feel like to run through the grass?", we can respond, "As if all of our toes are laughing out loud;" because we know what it means to be freely responsible and responsibly free. For our freedom in Christ always evolves in seeking freedom for others who are bound by their own addictions.
Planning for Your Congregation
Suggestions
Your Situation
I. Other Scriptures
Liturgist:
Psalm 46
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Romans 3:19-28
II. Suggested Hymns
Coordinator:
"God of the Ages, by Whose Hand"
Elisabeth Burrowes, 1956, 1971
"All Glory Be to God on High"
Based on Gloria in excelsis Attr. to Nikolaus Decius, 1525
Trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1863; alt.
"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"
Martin Luther, 1529 Trans. by Frederick H. Hedge, 1852; alt., 1972
second version by Clifford Evers, 1964
"The True Light That Enlightens Man"
Based on John 1:9-17 John Ylvisaker, 1964
(change the sexist language as you sing.)
III. Other Music Possibilities
Organist/Choir director:
Music for Preparation
"Meditation" Vierne
Response to the Children's Message
"Born Free" John Berry and Don Black
from New Wine, United Methodist Church
Response to the Proclamation
Adult Choir
A version of "A Mighty Fortress"
Response to the Stewardship Challenge
"Nocturne" Grieg
Music for Dismissal
"March in G"
Schreiner
IV. Bulletin Cover
Church secretary:
V. Bulletin Symbols
VI. Miscellaneous Details (Assignments:)
Ushers
Candlelighters
Hosts/Hostesses
Banners
Flowers
Greeters
Posters
Name-tags
Others
Begin, today we celebrate the Protestant Reformation. Ask, what's your first thought when you think about that theme. Listen to what the people say, and build on their ideas, Take as much time as you need to draw the people out.
You may want to continue with this litany:
Pastor:
Now and always, when we feel like it and when we don't, Christ, the Liberator, invites and calls us to celebrate the wholeness of life.
Ministers: Christ's call is a call to freedom, and a call to responsibility. His is a call to new life, with new thoughts, words, behavior.
Pastor:
I invite us to renew our lives together.
Ministers: We do, we shall celebrate life together in the name of the Liberator. Yes, indeed!
The Act of Recognizing our Humanness and The Act of Receiving New Life
Consider this:
Build the introduction to the confession around these words of Nicholas Berdyaef (source unknown): "We are not truly free unless we are free to go to hell.... There is within us an immense drive toward freedom; and yet, not only do we easily fall into slavery, we even love slavery."
Ask, what is your slavery, or to use today's words, what is your addiction. Ask the people to write a brief paragraph to respond to the statement, "My addiction is ..."
(Take five minutes to do this.)
Then, for the assurance, ask the people what they would like to do about their addiction - nurse it, talk about it, enjoy it, fight against it, ignore it, or let God forgive it and change it to something positive? Offer the resources of the church to help people deal with their addiction, no matter what form it takes, from people who love too much to cocaine.
Sing the popular song, "Born Free". Use the term, "reborn free," as you sing.
Message with the Children of All Ages
Try this:
Tie up, with a rope, one of the children. Ask, do you think this person is free? Might be. Martin Niemoller, the German pastor, who resisted Hitler in the 1930s, was hauled into prison. As the gates closed behind him, he ran his hand over the New Testament in his pocket, and cried out, "I'm free! I'm free!" What do you think he meant by that? Discuss that with the children, and conclude with a prayer.
Proclamation of the Word
Consider these ideas:
Topic:
Freedom is Everybody's Business.
I. Give some illustrations about our lack of freedom.
A. Frank Sinatra: "I'm for anything that gets you through the night - booze or religion."
B. Kierkegaard's parable of the wild duck that became tame.
C. Groups that try to fit everyone into their theological "bag."
II. Give some examples of freedom.
A. Reuse Martin Niemoller's statement.
B. A wild and tamed mustang horse.
C. Responsibility is our response to God's ability.
True freedom is the freedom to choose the right master.
Stewardship Challenge
Suggestion:
Stewardship of responsible freedom, and free responsibility.
Our society has a convulsive, compulsive need to produce and consume superficialities, a need for all forms of comfort and amusements that distract and dull peoples' reality. (source unknown)
Martin Luther said, "A Christian is the most free lord of all, subject to none - and a Christian is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to everyone."
Charge to the Congregation
Consider this:
When someone asks us the question, "What does it feel like to run through the grass?", we can respond, "As if all of our toes are laughing out loud;" because we know what it means to be freely responsible and responsibly free. For our freedom in Christ always evolves in seeking freedom for others who are bound by their own addictions.
Planning for Your Congregation
Suggestions
Your Situation
I. Other Scriptures
Liturgist:
Psalm 46
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Romans 3:19-28
II. Suggested Hymns
Coordinator:
"God of the Ages, by Whose Hand"
Elisabeth Burrowes, 1956, 1971
"All Glory Be to God on High"
Based on Gloria in excelsis Attr. to Nikolaus Decius, 1525
Trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1863; alt.
"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"
Martin Luther, 1529 Trans. by Frederick H. Hedge, 1852; alt., 1972
second version by Clifford Evers, 1964
"The True Light That Enlightens Man"
Based on John 1:9-17 John Ylvisaker, 1964
(change the sexist language as you sing.)
III. Other Music Possibilities
Organist/Choir director:
Music for Preparation
"Meditation" Vierne
Response to the Children's Message
"Born Free" John Berry and Don Black
from New Wine, United Methodist Church
Response to the Proclamation
Adult Choir
A version of "A Mighty Fortress"
Response to the Stewardship Challenge
"Nocturne" Grieg
Music for Dismissal
"March in G"
Schreiner
IV. Bulletin Cover
Church secretary:
V. Bulletin Symbols
VI. Miscellaneous Details (Assignments:)
Ushers
Candlelighters
Hosts/Hostesses
Banners
Flowers
Greeters
Posters
Name-tags
Others
