Welcome (Please mark your attendance and pass the registration pad to your neighbor.)
Opportunities for Fellowship and Service
*Call to Worship written by Christine Kraemer
One: Holy One, today we give thanks for this gathering of friends,
All: For the companionship and love that we share,
One: And for the divinity we see in each other and the world.
You who call us always to justice and compassion:
All: In cherishing community, we also cherish you. Amen.
For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies, over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise this our joyful hymn of praise.
For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night
Hill and vale, and tree and flower
Sun and Moon, and stars of night, Sun and Moon, and stars of night.
Lord of all, to thee we raise this our joyful hymn of praise.
Lord of all, to thee we raise this our joyful hymn of praise.
*Hymn of Praise “Gather Us In” (insert)
Song “Jesus Loves the Little Children”
Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world,
Red, brown, yellow, black, tan, white, they are precious in his sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Song for Centering “Bless the Lord, My Soul” Taize
Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.
Prayers of the People (silent prayer)
“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness… It is better in prayer to have a heart without words, than words without a heart.” ~Gandhi
Lord’s Prayer (unison)
(Feel free to substitute a name for God that resonates for you.
For example: Our Father, Our Mother, Creator, Great Spirit, etc.)
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
And the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Readings Luke 24:13-35
Excerpt from “The True Meaning of
Community” by M. Scott Peck
Sermon “If Trinity Had a Creed…: Embodiment Issues” Sid Hall
A Service of Communion: Blessing the Bread (insert)
by Carter Heyward; adapted by Sid Hall & Christine Kraemer
One: In the beginning was the Word
In the beginning, the source of all that is
In the beginning, God yearning
Moaning
Laboring
Giving birth
Rejoicing
And God loved what she had made
And God said,
All: It is good.
One: Then the Divine, knowing that all that is good is shared
held the earth tenderly in her arms
God yearned for relationship
And longed to share the good earth
And humanity was born in the yearning of Creation.
All: We were born to share the earth.
One: In the earth was the seed
In the seed was the grain
In the grain was the harvest
In the harvest was the bread
In the bread was the power
One: And the Holy said,
All: All shall eat of the earth
All shall eat of the seed
All shall eat of the grain
All shall eat of the harvest
All shall eat of the bread
All shall eat of the power
One: The Mystery said,
All: You are my people
My friends
My lovers
My sisters
My brothers
All of you shall eat
of the bread
And the power
All shall eat.
One: Then God, gathering up her courage in love, said,
All: Let there be bread!
One: And her sisters, her friends and lovers, knelt on the earth
Planted the seeds
Prayed for the rain
sang for the grain
made the harvest
cracked the wheat
pounded the corn
kneaded the dough
kindled the fire
filled the air with the smell of fresh bread
All: And there was bread!
And it was good!
One: We, the sisters and brothers of the Universe, say today,
All: All shall eat of the bread,
And the power.
One: We say today,
All: All shall have hope
And bread.
One: Today we say,
All: Let there be bread.
And let there be compassion!
Let us eat of the bread and hope!
And all will be filled
For the bread is rising!
One: By the power of Love
All: People are blessed
One: By the people of Love
All: The bread is blessed
One: By the bread of Love
All: The power is blessed
One: By the power of bread
All: The power of people
One: The power of Love
All: The people are blessed.
One: The earth is blessed
All: And the bread is rising!
Sharing of the Bread and Cup
Prayer After Communion
One: Now, together we commit to the prayer of St. Teresa of Avila:
All: &nbs
p; Christ has no body now on earth but ours;
No hands but ours; no feet but ours; ours are the eyes
Through which Christ’s compassion to the world looks out;
Ours are the feet with which Christ goes about doing good;
Ours are the hands with which Christ blesses now. Amen.
*Preparation “Refreshed by Living Waters” tune: No. 545
Refreshed by living waters, renewed by living bread.
May we, your sons and daughters, by your own hand be led.
Accept the gifts we offer; receive the lives we owe.
Unite us in your service, may seeds of justice grow.
Offering of Our Gifts of Money for Nurture and Justice
(Please place gifts on the offering table. Plate: regular offering; Basket: special offering)
Offertory
*Doxology tune: No. 95
Praise God the Source of life and birth.
Praise God the Word who comes to earth.
Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.
All glory, honor to God’s name! Amen.
*Hymn of Commitment “One Bread, One Body” No. 620
*Benediction Sid Hall
*Benedictory Response “The Trees of the Field”
You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth before you;
There’ll be shouts of joy, and all the trees of the field
Will clap, will clap their hands.
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands, <clap clap>
The trees of the field will clap their hands, <clap clap>
The trees of the field will clap their hands, <clap clap>
While you go out with joy. (repeat)
*Exchanging Signs of Peace and Welcome
You are invited to greet those around you by saying “Peace be with you” or other words of welcome.