Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Pentecost +10
Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2
Luke 12:49-56
Call to Worship (inspired by Psalm 80)
One: Come! Lift your voices to God, the shepherd who cares for us.
Many: We’ve come to praise God who gives us life.
One: In the face of challenges, the Holy One will guide us.
Many: We seek God’s presence, knowing our Shepherd guards our lives.
One: Praise God! It is this God who will restore us.
Many: So we offer our prayer, yearning to be one with the Lord of hosts.
Opening Prayer
Caring God, we come before you eager to recognize the ways you care for us even in challenging moments. We celebrate this time of congregating…gathering in person and online to lift our hearts, our minds and our spirits in a time of praise and petition.
Some of us are discouraged, filled with anxiety and questions.
Some of us are celebrating because we are in a positive life moment.
Some of us are questioning why we’re here;
others are confident, claiming this space and time
to honor you, to build up our lives and to strengthen your church.
Accept each of us, Holy Creator,
meeting us just where we are and luring us to step closer to you,
to your Son, Jesus, our Christ, and to your Holy Spirit. AMEN
Moment for Stewardship (reflecting on Luke 12)
Luke wrote in the midst of difficult times when the early followers of Jesus faced ridicule, opposition from political and religious leaders, and the challenge of being a minority. We can imagine many early Christians might have found the tides too challenging to withstand and stay faithful.
In Luke’s day, the cost of claiming Jesus as the Christ was steep. Today, we may find the high cost deters us from living out our faith when we face challenges from many sides.
Yet Jesus calls us to follow on the Way of Life. Our finances help show what we value. When we not only participate in the life of the church with our time, but with our money, we demonstrate our understanding of this present time.
Where are you investing your energy, your time, your finances?
Take heart, even as you share from your earnings, for our morning offering.
Remember, money speaks! Actions count!
Let us share our financial gifts!
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Generous God, you’ve given us life and offered us your only Son, Jesus, who continues to teach us and reach us through your Spirit. Thank you for the abundance your continue to pour out.
Continue to help us grow in our willingness to share that abundance. May our offerings help sustain not only this congregation and our ministries, but also the least, the lost, the lonely, the last who make up the world around us. AMEN
Invitation to Communion (in response to Hebrews 11)
In Hebrews 11, we hear references to so many Biblical figures whose faith was the assurance of things for which they hoped; faith described as conviction, adequate to overcome the challenges which surrounded them.
How grateful I am that Jesus not only taught his followers, but also provided actions to reinforce what he was teaching. Sometimes, especially when we hit tough times in life, it’s not so much the words as it is the ACTIONS that communicate.
Coming to this Table, week by week, gives us opportunity for action. We use words, yes. But even without the words, Jesus’ teaching is communicated in the actions: (demonstrate with your actions as you speak these words) take…bless…break…give.
Today, I invite you to use your hands to act out these words with me, so that you might create a muscle memory that can be recalled when you face challenges.
(demonstrate with your hands; invite others to follow or create their own)
Take
Bless
Break
Give
May this bread, and this juice, shared in remembrance of Jesus, and
our joining in Jesus’ actions (SHOW, don’t speak: take, bless, break, give)
strengthen your own faith, encouraging you to act out that faith in the days ahead.