With Matthew 28:1-10 The earth is shaking. Are angels descending? The tomb is before us. Is the stone rolling back? It’s bright as lightning, blinding as the sun reflecting off of snow. Of course we are afraid. But we need not tremble. We need not become like the dead. Because the tomb is empty and…
This call to worship is inspired by Isaiah 43:16-21 and John 12:1-8. As always, you are welcome to use this liturgy in your own worship context. Holy, Leading, Loving God, We seek a path through the raging sea. We thirst for water in the parched desert. We long for signs of life in the barren…
Friends, I am posting this as I sit in my father’s ICU room, grateful that he is getting some much needed rest. Grateful for medical technology and medical staff; grateful for caring friends and hospitable strangers; grateful for ancient words that ring notes of truth and comfort in my heart. I am also scared. Scared…
Our preacher this week is using both of the lament over Jerusalem texts from Luke: 13:31-35 and 19:41-44. Here is the call to worship I wrote. (You can find our Lenten offertory prayer here.) Jesus weeps for us, because we do not know the things that make for peace. The Holy Spirit blows among us,…
This call to worship is based on Isaiah 61:1-3. This is our Old Testament reading this coming Sunday paired with our final beatitude of the series: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Oh yeah, it’s communion Sunday for us too.) You who are poor, why have you come? To hear good…
This Sunday we are celebrating the work of our little church and encouraging people to step forward and serve according to their gifts and passions. Here are some of the worship pieces we will be using: –One of my favorite calls to worship from Ann B. Day, which you can find here. –A hymn I…
Hear is a call to worship based on two of the lectionary readings for this coming Sunday: Isaiah 60:1-6 and Matthew 2:1-12. People of God, arise, shine, for your light has come! The light of Christ has come into the world. Immanuel. God with us. So arise, shine, for your light has come! And we…
Here is our candle-lighting call to worship for this coming Sunday. The Advent Conspiracy theme is “Love All.” One: This morning, two days before Christmas, we light the four candles of Advent: the candles of hope, peace, joy, and love. All: We gather to worship our God, whose love reaches to the heavens. One: We…
Here is our candle-lighting call to worship for the third Sunday of Advent. The Advent Conspiracy theme for this week is “Give More,” and our focus will be on Mary. Check previous posts for candle-lighting liturgies for Advent 1 and Advent 2. One: During these weeks of Advent, we prepare gifts. We look forward with…
I am preparing for this upcoming Sunday’s worship service–the second Sunday of Advent. The Advent Conspiracy theme for this week is “Spend Less.” And I should give credit to parishoner and friend Thomas Heilke for the phrase “right relationship with the economy”–which he manages to use about once a month in his insightful…
Spacious Faith 