This Call to Worship is based on Psalm 98 and 2 Corinthians 5:17. The plain text is to be spoken by the leader, and the bold to be proclaimed by the congregation. As always, you are welcome to use all or part of this liturgy in your own worship context. Sing a new song! For…
Last week I attended the Mennonite Church USA biennial convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Thanks to recent articles in The Mennonite and the Mennonite Weekly Review, I found myself in many discussions about the inclusion of sexual minorities in the church. I’d like to highlight three of the lessons I learned (or re-learned) about “the dialogue”…
I am away at a conference this week, and the congregation will have a hymn sing during worship. Here are some worship pieces that will be used during the hymn sing service. (For the record, I hate to miss a hymn sing. My consolation is that I am worshiping and singing with thousands of Mennonites in…
Rather than share a liturgy that I have written this week, I want to share an on-line resource that I use frequently. The Seekers Church in Washington, D.C. has a lovely website. If you click on “Worship” and “Liturgies ” you will find a listing of many of their worship services. You can see the…
In preparing for my sermon this week, I came across a beautiful dialog sermon by Martin Marty and his son, Micah. The sermon emerged out of a book they have done together called, When True Simplicity is Gained. The book contains striking photographs by Micah, along with commentary by his father. (My copy is on…
Over the past several weeks, we’ve been looking at Anabaptist history and distinctives during worship services at Peace Mennonite. This week and next, we will talk about the idea of simplicity. I don’t have my sermon done yet, but I am looking at simplicity from a theological perspective–“Seek first God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness, and…
I’m actually off duty this Sunday and will be worshiping with my parents in Winfield, Kansas. Here is a call to worship we’ve used in the past for Trinity Sunday. (I think it was two years ago now that my preaching instructions from the worship committee for that Sunday were to “just explain the Trinity…
My husband and I went to the library last night to hear the Anasazi String Quartet. The music was beautiful, and it felt like such a luxury for me to sit quietly and listen; to let my eyes close, my body sway, my lips curve up into a smile. I will admit, though, that once…
Call to Worship for Pentecost Sunday (that includes baptism and communion) God of wind and fire, When you send your Spirit, we are created anew. God of mighty oceans and still waters, When we receive your baptism, we are born anew. God of bread and wine, When we eat at your table, we are nourished…
Our congregation shares the Lord’s Supper on the second Sunday of each month, but I know many churches with monthly communion celebrate the table on the first Sunday of the month. So I’m sharing with you a call to worship that is appropriate for a worship time that includes communion. It is inspired by Isaiah…
Spacious Faith 