Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Pentecost +4
Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Call to Worship (in response to Psalm 30)
One: Let’s lift our voices to sing praises to the Lord!
Many: With grateful hearts, we give thanks to the Holy One.
One: Weeping may linger for the night,
Many: but joy comes with the morning!
One: The Lord turns our mourning into dancing,
Many: we’re clothed with joy as we worship the Lord our God!
(Consider using CH#329, “Come, Be Glad!” as your opening hymn, especially with vs. 4.)
Opening Prayer
Gathered as God’s people (whether onsite or online), we offer our praise for who God is, and for all God has done and all God is doing!
God, we share our joy as we consider all you have done in creation, in sending your beloved Son as our Redeemer, and in inspiring us with the gift of your Spirit. May all we sing, speak and pray, lift our spirits to you in this hour. Hold us close and be our helper today and through the coming week.
AMEN
Moment for Stewardship
At our best, Christians exude joy. We delight in being “hands and feet of Jesus”, seeking to serve others and sharing God’s love with each person we meet.
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus sends out 70 people to go (two by two) to all the places he intended to go, as a “preparation” visit. The travellers were instructed to depend on the generosity of people in each village for food and housing when they began to cure the sick and teach of God’s Realm coming near.
Not many of us would be willing to go out two-by-two on behalf of our faith. Many, however, including _____________, have gone with a mission team (lift a particular story of one who has done that from your congregation). Others have provided financial support, snacks, transportation or a place to stay for the travellers.
It takes ALL the gifts, working together, to support the outreach of our congregation. When those gifts, and we, the people, join together, the J.O.Y. fills us up and spills over to those we encounter.
Today, you’re invited to share your joy as you bring your tithes, your gifts and all that you’re willing to offer.
Let us receive our morning offering.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Holy God, in this gathered congregation, we lift our voices, giving thanks for generous spirits and supportive people working together to make possible our outreach.
Accept all that we now present. Help us utilize every offering to the max, knowing each one is important for the whole.
Grant us your Spirit as we continue to respond to the call for laborers for the harvest you’re already preparing. AMEN
Invitation to Communion
Luke’s telling of the travels of the 70 (Luke 10) remind me of a story told by Joey Jeter in Re/Membering:
“One of my heroes is mountaineer and naturalist John Muir (1838-1914). I read his books and thrill to his beautiful perceptions of the natural world. Writing of his adventures, he often described mountain interludes in this way: “I ate my crust of bread on the summit…” Muir lived and ate simply. He would take what he called his “crust of bread” (a small loaf, I assume) with him on his climbs. When he reached the summit he would eat the bread and survey the panorama that spread before him in every direction. I further assume that the bread thus became for him both reward for the climb and energy for the return to civilization.
“This service is like that. We have come a long way in our spiritual journey. So rest here a spell, eat your crust of bread, and remember. Survey the past, present, and especially the future that spreads out before you. We still have a long way to go in fulfilling the task to which we have been called. So be energized in Christ for the mission in front of us. Rest. Give thanks. Remember. Walk on” (p. 74 of Re/Membering by Joseph R. Jeter, Jr. Chalice Press, 1996).