June 20, 2021
Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Pentecost V
1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Mark 4:35-41
Call to Worship (from Psalm 9)
One: Who is the stronghold for the oppressed?
Many: The Lord! Strong and mighty in the face of trouble!
One: So we put our trust in God,
Many: calling out God’s name,
One: walking by faith,
Many: we put our trust in the One who will not forsake us!
Opening Prayer
God, we turn to you this morning, eager to sing praises to you,
for you are gracious to us.
You lift us up from the trials of our lives;
the poor will not lose hope and the needy will not always be forgotten.
May our joy be full as we worship you,
and our gratitude for your presence continue through each day! AMEN
Moment for Stewardship (from I Samuel 17:32-49)
When the young David heard Goliath’s challenge, he offered to fight against the huge Philistine. King Saul tried to outfit the boy with armor, a helmet and a sword, but David declared “I cannot walk with these!”
David took off Saul’s armor and picked up what he had; his own staff, a sling and 5 smooth stones. Then he set out in the name of the Lord of hosts, to take on the warrior, Goliath.
We know the story! David used just 1 stone to bring down Goliath.
What is it you have that you’re willing to offer to God? If you take this as a model, claiming God’s name, what will you use when you set out to be a winner in life?
This is your opportunity to offer what you have!
Your finances (symbols of your time and talent), your time, your skills.
All are needed as we move through life, seeking to be “church” together.
Such as I have, I give…as David did.
What about you?
Prayer of Thanksgiving (use part, or all. If someone could sing this as a solo/prayer, it’s slightly adapted from CH #713, God of our Life)
God of our lives, through all the circling years, we trust in you!
In all the past, through all our hopes and fears, your hand we view.
With each new day, when morning lifts the veil,
we own your mercies, Lord, which never fail.
God of the past, our times are in your hand; with us abide.
Lead us by faith to hope’s true promised land; be now our guide.
With you to bless, the darkness shines as light,
and faith’s fair vision changes into sight.
God of the coming years, through paths unknown we follow you,
when we are strong, Lord, leave us not alone; our faith renew.
Be now for us in life our daily bread,
our heart’s true home when all our years have sped.
Invitation to Communion (inspired by Mark 4:35-41)
All three synoptic Gospels have the story of Jesus stilling the storm.
In Mark’s Gospel, when the disciples are taking Jesus to the other side, the storm begins to swamp the boat. They cry out, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
Jesus’ response? He rebukes the wind; commands the sea, “peace, be still”;
and asks the disciples “why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”
For many of us, we could cry out with the same question: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” When troubles roil around us, when our life seems filled with challenges, when the world appears to have gone crazy … do you not CARE?
And it’s here we recognize the love, compassion and care of Jesus, made clear to us in the gifts of this Table. In this bread, and with this cup, Jesus enacts once more his care for his perishing disciples. Here we find God-with-us as we remember Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Here we, too, may be filled with great awe.
So come. You are invited to participate in this feast, drinking in with the juice the assurance the Lord does care!