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We Will Witness: Liturgies to Support New United Methodist Church Membership Vows

Gathering Meditation: Who'll be a Witness for my Lord?

An unknown writer of an African American spiritual wrote, "Who'll be a witness for my Lord?" The question begs our response.

Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-20)

Who are our poor? Who needs release? What blind person needs our sight? Who'll be a witness for my Lord?

Who are we? Why have we gathered here? Are we the ones who've received the Spirit of the Lord? Are we the ones committed to share good news with the poor? Are we trusted disciples of Jesus Christ? Today, by God's grace, let us declare that we will be witnesses for our Lord.

Call to Worship

Leader: "Hear what the Lord says: 'Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.'" (Micah 6:1)
People: Mountains and hills are God's witnesses.

Leader: Isaiah prophesied, "the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." (Isaiah 55:12b)
People: Hills rejoice and trees applaud our God.

Leader: Jesus said, "I tell you, if these (disciples) were silent, the stones would shout out." (Luke 19:40)
People: Even stones trumpet God's praise.

Leader: And what about us?
People: And what about us?

Leader: What will we do?
People: What will we do?

Leader: What will we do for the God who breathed life into Adam, life into dry bones, and life into our congregation?
People: We will be God's witnesses.

Leader: Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)
People: We will pray.

Leader: The Apostle Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith." (Romans 1:16)
People: We are not ashamed of the gospel. We are not ashamed of our faith.

Leader: Who will be a witness for our God?
People: We will!

Leader: Who will tell the nations of God's goodness?
People: We will!

All: We declare before all creation, we will be God's witnesses!

Litany

Read responsively with congregation and one reader or congregation and three readers

All: We are surrounded…
Reader One: by Moses and Miriam
Reader Two: by David and Deborah
Reader Three: and by three Hebrew boys who would rather burn than bow to other gods.

All: We are surrounded…
Reader One: by prophets and priests
Reader Two: by prostitutes and poor folk
Reader Three: and by unnamed martyrs who were not ashamed to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ.

All: We are surrounded…
Reader One: by the famous and the forgotten
Reader Two: by the learned and the unlearned
Reader Three: and by millions who found meaning in following the Resurrected Jesus.

All: "We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith…" (Hebrews 12:1-2a)

All: Today, we take our place among these witnesses and dare to love others as Christ loves us. Amen.

Benediction

We gathered to drink from God's great fountain
And to feast on God's sumptuous Word.
We've embraced our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Our souls reached for God's Spirit; we are renewed.
Now, we turn to leave this sanctuary empowered to serve.
Go now, as disciples of Jesus Christ,
Pray fervently,
Love unconditionally,
Witness boldly.
Make a difference.
Share God's love with a world hungry for good news.


Note: Please see"New Membership Vows and Ritual" for exact wording of the changes made by the 2008 General Conference.

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