February 20, 2022

Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving

Epiphany +7

Genesis 45:3-11,15

Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

Luke 6:27-38

 

Call to Worship  (inspired by Psalm 37)
One:  Be still and know; wait patiently for God.
Many:  All who wait for the Lord will enjoy rich blessings.
One:  We’re gathered to take delight in the Lord.
Many:  We’ve come in trust.  We delight in God’s goodness!
One:  God is our refuge in times of trouble.
Many: May the Lord help us be still and know as we wait for the Lord!

(consider inviting the Worship and Wonder children and adults to respond with the “Be Still and Know” chorus, or use the first verse from this version:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lheJPRzAKyg)

Opening Prayer 

God, we delight in you!  From the dawning of each day through the darkness of each night, you are ever-present.  Thank you for this new day, for the opportunity we have to focus our hearts and minds on your goodness.
We will not fret, but will relish knowing you hear the deepest thoughts of our minds, and the unspoken fears of our hearts.

Help us look beyond the limitations of our eyes, into the boundless wonder of your love, even as we lift our praise, for you are our refuge thru’ all the looming challenges of life.

Moment for Stewardship  (from Luke 6)

What difficult teachings we have from Jesus!
Have you heard this:
“Do to others as you would have them do to you?”

For some congregations, this Sunday we focus on the work of the Week of Compassion, the Christian Church organization which reaches around the world, across the whole year.

Can you imagine what it would mean for us to be faced with the destruction of our church building and our homes?
What would we want others to do for us?

Can you imagine what a challenge it would be for drought to make it impossible for us to grow food across our whole country?
What would we want others to do for us?

Your gifts provide the means by which we engage in ministry here and around the world.

Let’s see what happens when we respond with compassion and generosity, even in the face of life-threatening challenges.  (use this video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxZ9ZYG6rxQ)

With gratitude, let us do to/for others as we would have them do to/for us!


Prayer of Thanksgiving

Mighty God, you brought all of creation into being and saw it was good.
You sent Jesus to show humanity the Way of Love.  Thank you for opening our hearts and our hands as we seek to do to others as we would have them do to us.  Let these gifts be the measure we give because we yearn to remain in love.  AMEN

Invitation to Communion 

Not too long ago Snickers ran a fun commercial with the line “you’re not you when you’re hungry”  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTPJYZLD6L8),
and the last image of their candy bar, “SNICKERS satisfies”.

Imagine with me what we might do with that idea as we come to this Table.  Jesus teaches “love your enemies,
bless those who curse you,
pray for those who abuse you”.

Most of the time, these sound like impossible tasks, because “you’re not you when you don’t share the bread and drink from the cup”.

But, when we DO come to this Table, when we give thanks for Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and when we lovingly share in this communion, we recognize “Jesus satisfies”.

Today, I invite you to breathe in your connection to Jesus Christ and to the saints who make up this part of the body of Christ.

Then, take a moment to give thanks for these gifts which satisfy.

And rejoice, for you are truly YOU when your hunger is satisfied here.

(use CH # 429, “You Satisfy the Hungry Heart” as your communion hymn.)