June 24, 2018
1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49
Psalm 9:9-20,2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Mark 4:35-41
(check Textweek.com for direct access to a variety of translations)
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost :: Green ::
Call to Worship
One: The armies of Israel trembled at the name of Goliath of Gath
Many: There is so much which makes ustremble! (pause)
One: Yet “The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
Many: For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor perish forever.” (Psalm 9:9, 18, NRSV)
One: In confidence, we come to worship the LORD, standing firmly on God’s word:
Many: ”Fear not!”
(Adapted from 21stCentury Worship Resources, original created by Safiyah Fosua, copyright 2018, Discipleship Ministries)
Solo, Choir or congregation concludes with verse 2 of How Firm a Foundation (Chalice #618): “Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.”
Or use this video from the beginning to 1:08
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwGW8qRqz4I
Opening Prayer
God of Grace,
You have created us in your image, and we come to praise your name.
You raise us up from the miry bog of our fears, and promise to stand with us
even when we’re face-to-face with the giants of this world.
Thank you for the confidence you pour into us, the assurance we are not alone,
and the long-standing memories of all you have brought us through.
Raise us up this morning to worship you. Help us stand secure in the face
of all that assails us and our world, even as you renew in us the power of your Spirit, that we might boldly proclaim you to all we encounter, AMEN
Stewardship Moment
In the deep quiet of the night, or a silent, solo walk along a deserted beach, we sometimes allow ourselves to picture the GIANTS who so threaten us.
For me, (if you are willing, choose to describe a giant by which/whom you feel threatened) one GIANT is the GIANT of _______________ , who stands before my front door.
For some of us, the GIANT is “not enough money”.
Today, take this moment to imagine you are David, standing against the “not enough money” GIANT. You’re confident in what God has already done for you; assured because God has already seen you through tough times.
Acting as David, you recognize this offering time is your opportunity to intentionally move against the giant by sharing what you can.
Because God is already at work in your life, this is your faith response: giving with a glad and generous heart of your time, your talent and your treasure.
Offering Prayer of Thanksgiving
Strong and Loving God, so often we feel frightened, and without power. Thank you for helping us remember David as he stood before Goliath. Even if he did feel afraid, we remember he used all you had given him (including his insight and skill) to stand against the GIANT and protect his people.
So may we use these coins and checks and dollars as symbols of our lives, so with this offering and with each of us, we might share the Good News of Jesus Christ with purpose and power. AMEN
Communion Meditation
The young shepherd, David, stood face-to-face against Goliath, saying “you come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts…(so that) all this assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear”.
We gather each week not over guns or swords, spears or any other weapon, but over a simple table, spread with simple symbols of bread and cup, which call us to re-member the way God saves. Together, we confidently declare the LORD continues in the saving business, made clear by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, whom we claim as Christ/Messiah.
In these gifts, we can touch and taste the truth: God is still in the saving business.
Come! Celebrate this Good News, in the name of the LORD!