21st Century Africana Liturgy Resources for the Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost, Year B

Gathering Meditation
(Based on Mark 10:13-16)
Can't tell you how good I felt when Jesus touched my child. I pressed through to make it here. Pressed through hunger and thirst and hardship. Pressed through worries and doubts and fears. Pressed through people and problems. And then… just when I got close enough to hear him talking, the church folks said, "Move back and shut that child up, Jesus is busy." But Jesus told them to move back and be quiet, because he was busy blessing my child.

Call to Worship
(Based on Hebrews 1:1-4)
One Voice: Long ago God spoke to our ancestors through prophets. But in the last days, God spoke to us by a Son whose name is Jesus.

Many Voices: We praise your name in the midst of this congregation.

One Voice: Jesus, the Son of God, created the worlds.

Many Voices: We praise your name in the midst of this congregation.

One Voice: Jesus is the reflection of God's glory.

Many Voices: We praise your name in the midst of this congregation.

One Voice: Jesus sustains all things by his powerful word.

Many Voices: We praise your name in the midst of this congregation.

One Voice: For our sake, Jesus became a little lower than angels and walked the earth.

Many Voices: We praise your name in the midst of this congregation.

One Voice: For our sake, Jesus suffered and died a death we deserved.

Many Voices: We praise your name in the midst of this congregation.

One Voice: Because he died, we can live. Because he suffered, we have salvation.

Many Voices: We praise your name in the midst of this congregation.

One Voice: Our faith in Christ makes us one with Christ, one family in God. And Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters. So praise his name!

Many Voices: We praise your name in the midst of this congregation.

One Voice: Praise his name!

Many Voices: We praise your name in the midst of this congregation.

One Voice: PRAISE HIS NAME!

Prayer of Confession
(Based on Mark 10:2-12)
Lord, we confess that we often fail to recognize the precious nature of marital relationships. Too often our actions become first casual, then cruel and crushing. Never seeing beyond our own selfish concerns, we toss hearts aside like old newspaper. Somewhere along the line, "we" dissolves into "me against you." A war breaks out and casualties mount on both sides. Forgive us for ignoring the sanctity of sacred relationships. Pour oil into the wounds that "ex" forms. Gather the broken pieces from each broken family and restore wholeness. Replace the ache of the turbulent past with hope of a more promising future. Wipe our eyes, dry our tears, lift our chins, and compel us to walk with you in renewed strength. Give us the power to declare that our personal war is over. Remind us that we're still standing. Then, compel us to give and receive forgiveness to complete the process of liberation.

Pastoral Prayer
(Based on Psalm 26)
Gracious God, we gather today like the psalmist declaring that we believe that we have walked in integrity. We also claim that we have walked in faithfulness, avoided hypocrites, and shunned the company of evildoers. We declare to you all of the good things that we remember doing and saying and believing all week. But just in case our level of integrity is not the same as yours, we -- like the psalmist -- say prove us. Place your steadfast love before us again and again and again until we walk in faithfulness to you. Allow us to sit in your presence until we soak up your character and reflect your glory to the world. Prove us. Try us. Test our hearts and minds until our faith is able to stand surefooted on solid ground. Then, prove us again and again until you're satisfied.

About the Author: Kwasi I. Kena isa former staff member of Discipleship Ministries.