Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Pentecost +15
Exodus 12:1-14
Psalm 149
Romans 13:8-14
Matthew 18:15-20
Given the focus in the following Call to Worship, consider using Chalice Praise #186“Halleluya! We Sing Your Praises,” to open worship or for your communion hymn.
Call to Worship (in response to Psalm 149)
L: Praise the Lord!
P: With our voices and our hearts, we sing to the Lord a new song!
L: Together we’re glad in our Maker, and sing for joy.
P: We rejoice in God, maker of heaven and earth.
L: Today we offer glory to God.
P: Praise the Lord!
Opening Prayer
Holy Lord,
we’ve come to celebrate the ways
you’ve adopted us as your beloved children.
We give thanks for your love,
your gift of life,
and the joy of leaning into our identity as learners – disciples –
of your Son, Jesus, whom we know as the Christ.
We offer you our praise, and sing our joy! AMEN
Moment for Stewardship (reflections in response to Romans 13)
In Romans, we hear Paul’s understanding that the commandments (including the 10 Commandments) are summed up in this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
How can we do that?
Let’s take a moment to look at our daily actions with Paul’s teaching in mind: “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”
There are a variety of ways for us to act in love for ourselves and for our neighbors. This morning let’s consider just a few of our neighbors and how we can act in love toward them.
(Name two or three situations which are significant in your own setting, or use these🙂
People living close to us had their homes and businesses flooded in recent torrential rain storms. Our financial gifts, going to local agencies, will be put to immediate use to help allay the devastation which our neighbors face.
Forest fires have decimated communities around the US and across the globe. Our own Week of Compassion invites us to make a financial donation (either for a specific location or “where most needed”) as a caring response for neighbors.
With rising prices for gas, food, and so many other daily necessities, your support of this congregation and our food pantry will allow people to stretch what they have through what they can choose at our pantry.
And, as always, your financial gifts for the ongoing efforts of our congregation in this community allow us to offer our building for group meetings, engage our staff in community outreach, and efforts to help create communities of care right here.
Remembering these acts of love that are made possible by our gifts, let us receive our morning offering.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Loving God, you’ve created us in your image and taught us to act in love toward our neighbors. Thank you for each gift made today, and for the ways this offering will allow us to act out our love for neighbors both near and far. Bless both the givers and the recipients, even as we do our best to make these gifts demonstrate your love made visible. AMEN
Invitation to Communion
Paul’s teaching is stated simply: “Love does no wrong to a neighbor.”
As we come to this Table, many of us recognize we have, in fact, done wrong to our neighbors.
So today, I invite you to take a few moments of silence to remember and silently acknowledge when and where you have hurt a neighbor.
Before we share this bread and cup, as we acknowledge the ways we have fallen short of acting in love, let us turn away from those thoughts and actions. The Bible word is “repent.”
Repentance does not assume we arrive at this Table having gotten everything right. It does mean we come willing to be changed.
One bite of bread; one sip of juice – elements which draw us closer to Jesus and his invitation for us to remember him.
Swallow into yourself not only these tangible tastes, but also the true acceptance of your repentance.
Come! Eat and drink your intention to fulfill the commandment “Love your neighbor as yourself.”