Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Pentecost +4
Genesis 21:8-21
Psalm 86:1-10
Romans 6:1b-11
Matthew 10:24-39
Call to Worship (adapted from Psalm 86, “The Message”)
One: Rejoice! There’s no one quite like the Lord. None can compare!
Many: We come to worship God, who is bighearted to all who ask for help.
One: We’re here to praise the One on whom we count.
Many: We can count on God!
One: We know the Lord is great,
Many: not only great,
but God’s the ONE, who keeps on doing wondrous things.
Opening Prayer
Loving, living God,
We do count on you!
Thank you for always and forever
turning your energy to hear our prayers.
Thank you for your love,
which will never fail.
Thank you for the gifts of this day,
this congregation, this time of worship.
Help us turn to you in the good times and the tough times,
for there is NONE like you!
AMEN
Moment for Stewardship (reflecting on Romans 6:1-11)
Paul’s letter to the Romans lays out a description of what Christ means for each of us who have been buried with Christ in baptism. For many of us, we understand baptism was a once-for-all-time act, but it may have occurred when we were infants or young children. For others, baptism was more a rite of passage than a decision to “be born from above”.
But for some of us, our baptism was the act which divides our life from B.B. (before baptism) to A.B. (after baptism). If so, you may remember your joy as you were raised up from the water, like a newborn emerging from the womb.
However baptism came for you, you are part of the Body of Christ and can now walk in newness of life, just as Christ was raised up to new life in his resurrection.
What a gift! We are alive to God in Christ Jesus.
In full-hearted gratitude, then, we offer back to God our time, our talent and our treasure.
Joyfully, I invite you to bring your financial gifts as one way of expressing our gratitude to God, who continues to build us up in faith.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Mighty God, giver of life and all its goodness,
thank you for the gifts you pour out for each of us, day by day.
Morning by morning, new mercies we see!
Please accept this offering as one symbol of our gratitude and our love.
Give us insight in how we might best use these gifts to share Good News
with those who are fearful and frightened. AMEN
Invitation to Communion
For many of us, our own baptism may have occurred when we were infants or young children, and our memory of that event is bottled up in the far corners of our mind and heart. Gratefully, we’re centered by this table and our weekly reminder of the death and new life reality of following Jesus. Each time we gather around the table, we remember.
Remember Jesus, sharing his last supper with his closest followers.
Remember Jesus, arrested, given a mock trial, condemned,
carrying his cross, and crucified on Skull Mountain.
Remember Jesus, taken from the cross and laid in a borrowed tomb,
only to be raised up to new, abundant and eternal life by God’s own love.
Remember how Jesus promised his first followers they would be given a gift
of the Holy Spirit when they feared Jesus would leave them.
Here, we remember we who have died with Christ, will also live in Christ!
It’s a victory meal, friends.
Come! All are welcome here. All have a place.
All are invited to remember Jesus as we share in this holy feast.