21st Century Worship Resources for Native American Ministries Sunday

(The Rev. Jeff Ramsland, pastor of the Cherokee United Methodist Church in Cherokee, NC generously shares these Calls to Worship as a resource for Native American Ministries Sunday. I encourage you to consider these beautiful Calls to Worship for additional Sundays celebrating contextual worship throughout the Christian Year. -- Safiyah Fosua)

Contextual Calls to Worship

Peace Be Still!

Our Lord Jesus spoke to the storm, saying "Peace, be still."
As we gather in worship, Jesus speaks to our hearts and spirits now, saying "Peace, be still."
As we rest in your presence, Lord, may all our storms grow quiet within us.
Bring rest to our hearts, O Lord; may we feel like a leaf after a storm, when the wind is still.
ALL: May we know both your presence and your peace;
May you receive both our praise and our thanksgiving.

We Have Come to this Holy Place

We have come to this holy place to worship our God;
yet sanctuary is not always built by human hands.
Everywhere I go is a sanctuary, every place a time to worship God!
When we live as if this planet and all creation, even ourselves, is a sanctuary -- a holy place
full of the Creator's presence -- we walk differently upon this earth.
I am always on sacred ground. I must move with reverence through all creation,
and I enter this holy place now to worship Creator!

Honor Creator and Creation

Creator made all that is, and proclaimed that 'it is good.'
Creator, help us to discover in all You have made in Nature, the good wisdom about the interconnectedness of all things,
about balance and about living in harmony.

We are not above nature, we are part of Creation;
we live by the same laws as all of nature
and need to learn from what God has made.

Creator, help us discover the power that lies
in the wisdom and understanding of our role in the
Great Mystery, and in honoring every living thing as a teacher.

ALL: Creator God, may our spirits be in harmony with Yours
as we gather in Your
worship!

We Gather in Worship

We gather in worship of Creator,
Who has given us the power to be called His children,
and the blessing of our place in Creation!

When I know my place, I respect the place of others -- all my relations.

When we understand that humans are just part of the created universe,
we have a better understanding of our place.

I am part of all Creator has made,
and I come to this holy place to praise and worship Him!

Let Us Give Thanks

Let us give thanks for this beautiful day, for it is a gift from Creator.

Let us give thanks for the water without which life would not be possible.

Let us give thanks for Grandmother Earth who protects and nourishes us.

We give thanks for earth, air, sun, and water, in which we see the hand of Creator, even Creator Himself for He is in all He has made.

ALL: Let us give thanks for this life. It is a gift from Creator, and we have the possibility of living it. Let us live it to His praise and glory!

When We See God

We see God in earth, water, sun, air -- everywhere!
The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. (Psalm 19:1)

Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
(Psalm 19:2)
How much more we could learn about Him if we would listen -- if we were open to the knowledge that pours into us every minute!

Creator is in all He has made. What beauty there is in the opportunity to interact with Him in everything we do.

Such a life indeed, becomes a living prayer. We say our prayers in unspoken language and respect whenever we harvest, plant, work or play.

ALL: When we see God in all things we live in reverence with everything around us.
We enter now into His worship in reverence and in praise!

Come, Let Us Worship

Come, let us worship the Creator with hearts open to all peoples,
where pride and prejudice once dwelt;

Let us worship Creator with minds open to the wisdom of Native peoples,
where listening and respect once had no place.

Let us honor the One who freely gives by showing honor
to those who were once and still
remain oppressed.

Let us worship the God of diversity,
who made the world in colors, in seasons, in endless variety;
Who created the diversity of the earth's peoples in His image.

ALL: We were created to honor one another
and in so doing we honor the Creator.
Let us honor Him today by reflecting in our worship
and in life His image -- love.

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About the Author: The Rev. Jeff Ramsland serves as pastor of the Cherokee United Methodist Church in Cherokee, NC. He also serves on the Board of SEJANAM (Southeastern Jurisdictional Agency on Native American Ministries) and CONAM (Committee on Native American Ministries) for the Western North Carolina Conference.

Calls to Worship for Native American Ministries Sunday © 2009 Jeff Ramsland. All Rights Reserved. Posted with Permission on the Discipleship Ministries Worship website.