October 25, 2020

WORSHIP MATERIALS

October 25, 2020

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Lectionary Readings

Deut. 34:1-12

Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17

I Thess. 2:1-8

Matthew 22:34-46

 

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 90)

Leader: Lord, you have been our dwelling place for generations.

People: From everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Leader: Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love…

People: …so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Leader: Let your work be manifest in your servants.

People: May your glorious power shine through us.

Leader: Let the favor of the Lord be upon us.

People: May God prosper us for the work of our hands.

 

Opening Prayer

Everlasting God, you are the beginning, the end, and everything in between. You love us as your children in spite of our imperfection. We come now to offer you this worship, trusting that you will receive it as a faithful expression of our devotion to you. We honor you today and every day, O Lord. Amen.

 

Moment for Stewardship

Poor Moses! He devotes the last 40 years of his life to following God’s call, rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, schlepping them around the wilderness for 40 years while putting up with their whining and complaining, and when they finally make to the Promised Land, he’s not allowed to go in. He dies on the cusp of the land the Israelites are about to inherit.

Life can seem not fair that way, but God encourages us to look at the bigger picture. Each day, we go to sleep with unfinished business. And when our life ends, there’s no way we will have accomplished everything we set out to do. But, you see, it’s not about us. It’s about God and how the way we live out our faith paves the road for future generations of believers.

The gifts you give today are not about you. They are about reaching people in Jesus’ name, showing them the love God has for them, providing for their spiritual and physical needs. Our journey of faith is never complete, but we can trust that God uses us and our gifts to make a difference far beyond what we can even imagine. Let’s now receive our tithes and offerings.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Timeless God, help us to create a legacy that lives long past our time here on earth. Open our hands to share our resources so that others may inherit your promises and experience your blessings. May our journey of faith be defined by our generosity. Amen.

Invitation to Communion

For many of us, the Greatest Commandment rolls off our tongues: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. But those words are often easier said than lived out. We think it can be tough to love our neighbor, but we forget that sometimes it can also be difficult to love ourselves, because we know just how unlovable we can be.

That’s why we come to the table, to be reminded that we are loved beyond measure by a God who knows us intimately and still calls us God’s children. We may bring to this meal a sense of self-loathing or low self-esteem. We may not think we are worthy of being invited to this feast. And yet, the invitation is still there, not offered by us but by Christ himself. The table is set for you.

Even on days when we feel unworthy of love and incapable of loving others, God loves us. May this bread and cup be a tangible reminder of the love that was poured out for us, so much so that it should overflow from us to those around us. We are loved and we are worthy of love. Let us share in communion together.