For Sunday May 29, 2016
Year C, Second Sunday After Pentecost
Second Sunday After Pentecost :: Green ::
I Kings 18:20-39 :: Psalm 96 :: Galatians 1:1-12:: Luke 7:1-10
Call to Worship (Responsive)
Adapted from Psalm 96
L: Sing to the LORD a new song:
P: Sing to the LORD all the earth.
L: Tell of salvation from day to day,
P: Declare the LORD’s glory among the nations.
L: Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised,
P: Honor and majesty are before the LORD.
L: Strength and beauty are in the LORD’s sanctuary.
P: Sing praise to the LORD!
Invocation:
O God, everlasting and almighty, we know and acknowledge before you that you are the one true God, and we come giving praise to your name. You have shown the world your majesty in creation and mighty acts of power. You have given signs and wonders: set fire where it should not burn, and brought rain upon drought starved lands. Send your powerful proof of presence upon us gathered here this day. Let your Spirit burn brightly in our hearts. Let us know with certainty that you are among us, and we are your people.
Stewardship Moment:
Sometimes I sit and wonder why people continue to give to the church. I know it is not just for the tax write off; there are thousands of places that offer the same benefit. I know it is not just to feed and clothe people; there are hundreds of places where that is all they do. I know it is not to keep a building open and operating; church is much bigger than any building. I continually come to the conclusion that people give to the church because this is the place where everything is tied to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; which saves lives and makes life worth living. Without the Gospel, the church is just another social service agency or social club. But YOU know as well as I, that the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, changes lives. Let us now receive the tithes and offerings which help this church continue to spread that Good News.
Offertory Prayer:
Eternal and Giving God, who gives us not only the Good News of Jesus, but the gift of Jesus; we bring before you our gifts. We pray that you will multiply and use these gifts so the Gospel will be heard. We pray that your Good News will spread from right here in our community to the ends of the earth. Use these gifts, and those who have brought them to spread your Good News.
Communion Meditation:
During Jesus’ encounter with the Centurion in Capernaum, the Centurion tells Jesus “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof . . . only speak the word and let my servant be healed.” Then Jesus comments on the depth of the Centurion’s faith. Most of us come to this table feeling unworthy for Jesus to enter our house. We come to this table fairly certain that neither will the hand of God come from heaven and consume our altar, nor will the pierced hand of Christ come down and touch us directly. Yet we come because we believe. We believe that through this act of remembrance God through Christ DOES cleanse our sins and renew us for service. That, dear friends, is amazing faith. Come to the table and demonstrate again the depth of your faith.
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Scripture Quotations from the New Revised Standard Version.Online Scripture links a service of the Jean and Alexander Heard Divinity Library, of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN